Four Bags, Three Shots, Two Weeks, and a Whole Mess of Dramamine

 March 7, 2019

This weekend, I will be “closing” shop for two weeks and heading halfway around the world to a little country called Liberia. 

 I have the honor of visiting a young missionary family who has been there for a couple years, traveling to remote villages to dig freshwater wells. I’m packing along all sorts of food items they can’t get there, such as Annie’s Mac and Cheese, medical prescriptions, nuts, minced garlic, dried fruits of all varieties, and the like. 

It sort of reminds me of that Bible verse--2 Timothy 4:13--when Paul says to Timothy, “When you come, be sure to bring the coat I left with Carpus at Troas.” Though a coat is probably the last thing this family would ask for, as Liberia is a humid, hot jungle. (At least that’s what I’ve heard. I’ll let you know when I get there.)

Several people have said to me, “Aren’t you scared?” I’ve been tempted to google “Why I’m Scared of Liberia,” so I can understand why I’ve been asked this so often. But now I realize it makes sense that people have asked about my fear level, because it is likely they have never thought about traveling to this country, officially known as the poorest in the world. 

For me, though, this trip has been in my heart for more than a year, and I kept it there until several months ago. When I knew it was time to start discussions, first I spoke with Dear Husband, and then of course, with the family to see if they even wanted someone traipsing a very long way to share their small apartment and floor space for two weeks. 

Going to Liberia was something I sat with for months, prayed about, and prayed some more. So, it makes sense that fear never entered into my equation. It still doesn’t. (Though I worry a bit if I’m bringing enough Dramamine for the many flights back and forth.) 

Every day people I know do things that would give me heart palpitations: a friend who stepped up to direct a local child-trafficking organization; a childhood friend going to school to get her realtor’s license after working in the home for more than twenty years; several guys in my church who are or have been firefighters. 

All these things SCARE me. But God has never put those things on my heart to be a part of, so that makes sense, too. 

If there is something you are feeling called to do and you are terrified, you may want to listen a little deeper. God may want you to do something that makes you uncomfortable or nervous or nervous-excited. But He never gives us fear—in fact, He’s the one who takes fear away. 

So, lean in—it’s hard to hear God’s voice amidst the text pings and running here and there and checking off all those long to-do lists that never get to-done. 

Quiet down. Listen closely. And hear what our Father has to say to you. You know it's going to be good.

(I’ll be back in a couple weeks with lots to share, and I’m hoping to be posting things on Instagram throughout the trip. So please follow my travels at thecreativefarmgirl on Instagram or Facebook. AND I’m still taking all shop orders through Saturday, March 9^th. Orders placed from March 10^th-24^th, will ship on Monday the 25^th.)