In the waiting...

I am about to go to sleep, and I think, I should just check. I go onto the same webpage that is now on my 'often visited' page. I don't even have to type in my receipt number as my computer has remembered it. My computer loads, and then it comes up. The message I have been waiting for.

CASE WAS APPROVED

Three days before getting on a plane and my visa for America goes through. This means that I have freedom to now travel in and out. 

To say I was thrilled is an understatement. 

Thank you so much for walking out this journey with me. Thank you for all of your prayers! Mountains where truly moved and a miracle happened. 

So...I am on my way to Mozambique. I am so excited to see my babies again! See the Tia's (those who look after the children), see my friends and see the place I called home for most of my 20's. 

Please keep praying for me! I am still $1200 short for the trip, and I need this by Monday. Please pray for the whole trip, and for those three things God showed me. Joy, Freedom and Healing. 

In this whole process I have learnt how to not be shaken by the things I see, as I lean on the things that are unseen. Placing all my hope in Him! As God is my foundation, I get to stand on solid ground. It is such a beautiful gift! 

Below is a video I put together when I lived in Mozambique. As a reminder of where I am going! I will be gone until the 21st November. Pray BIG!

Untitled from ruth Alexander on Vimeo.

Faith….

I am walking out a time of leaning on Him right now. He is teaching me about Faith and Hope in Him.

How well do I really know Him? If I knew Him, would I doubt? Would I really question Him?

I am waiting right now to see if I can leave the country to go on my mission’s trip to Mozambique. So many questions are going through my head. Did I hear God correctly? Did I get the timing right? Should I quit my visa process right now to go on the trip, and start again? So many questions going through my head, that if I allow it, can steal the freedom of walking in His fruits of His spirit. 

When I sit at His feet He talks to me about hope. Hope that all will fall in place in the perfect timing. That He is a good Father that loves me more than I could know. He whispers in His still voice that He never fails us. He never leaves or forsakes us.

He sits with me and talks to me about Faith. He takes me to Psalm 25 and gets me back in line. Reminding me who is in control, as I feel helpless. I realise how that is exactly the best place for me. When my only plan is Him.

‘In you, Lord my God,

    I put my trust.

² I trust in you;

    do not let me be put to shame,

    nor let my enemies triumph over me.

³ No one who hopes in you

    will ever be put to shame,

but shame will come on those

    who are treacherous without cause.’ 

I am still $1000 short for the trip, yet I know that He is so faithful. I don’t have a ticket yet, but I know He is my provider.

I have to do it up to 100 times a day. But He is teaching me how to give my worries and disbelief to Him. He reminds me not to give up Hope prematurely. He reminds me that even if things don’t work out to my desires, He is still good. Just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego claimed. He is good, even if we get burnt up. God is still good.

A friend of mine lead our devotional time at the gym this last week, and lead a wonderful revelation of God’s love for us, in a very simple way. He pointed out the reason of why artists put their signature on a painting…because they want to show it’s theirs. They have just created a master piece, and they would like to reveal it.

What did God put His face on? What did God reveal as His?

Us.

He made us in His image. He is so proud of us and allows us to walk as His children daily.

If I was to doubt that God hasn’t got the best for me, then I am doubting that He will never leave or forsake me. I know that He has. I know that whatever His plan for me is to be, that is the best.

I know God wants me to go to Mozambique for a visit. I know that He has spoken Joy, Freedom and healing in this trip. I know that He is good.

Please continue joining me in prayer for my visa and finances. For any mountains in the way that would stop me from going, gets moved, according to His will.

Children from our community having a creative night in the woodshop

The Simplicity

The alarm goes off at 5:30am and I struggle to get out of bed. It’s still dark and my mind doesn’t instantly click into gear and work. It’s my morning to serve in the coffee shop, so this means my hair goes up and I need to find my trainers as I can’t wear open toed shoes. I find my We Will Go shirt and run out the house.

I drive down the quiet streets, that normally has so much life in them. The sun begins to rise, and I smile, thanking the Lord for His beauty. As I get to the coffee shop I look at the litter that has been dropped outside during the night, and pick it up on my way in. As I go in, I do the needed things to get ready for the day. Make the coffee, turn on the machines, get the ice, put out the chairs. The coffee shop (The Urban Sip) is not here to make money. In fact, all the money goes into giving people jobs and into running the business. The Urban Sip is here for ministry. As I prepare and open-up the shop, I am preparing a place for people to come and hear about Jesus.

Through-out the morning people start to trickle in. It is raining outside as we get a day of cold weather from the hurricanes. So, the Urban Sip becomes a good place to get out of the weather and rest for a moment.

I have a homeless person come in and tell me all about their meetings that they have today about potential housing. I give them advice, pray with them and see them on their way. I have students come in and make the most of free wifi to get their essays done. I have another homeless person come in to take a nap, as they haven’t slept all night. I have one of our young men from the gym come in, just to ask for prayer. He wanted to just get through the day, mentioning that he heard God for the first time. He wanted to clarify that it was God and that he wasn’t going crazy. So, I talked about reading the bible and learning the truth from there. You won’t hear anything from God that doesn’t line up with scripture. We talked about worship and I showed him and his friend some YouTube clips of worship. I had missionaries come in and send emails to connect with colleges in the area, about serving together in the Jackson area.

The man who fell asleep woke up and talked to me about his struggles. He is unwell and is getting worse news every time he goes back to the hospital. He then doesn’t want to go back and has a real fear with hospitals. I talked about my same fear, and how God has come in every time I have had to go. We prayed together.

I don’t think we sold a huge amount of coffee through-out my morning there. But, God moved in so many lives. He reminded people who they are and what He was doing in them. He showed people how much they are loved and seen by Him.

I am about to go to Mozambique in November, and I am excited for God to do the same there. I have seen God move anywhere I am in the world, and I am learning the simplicity of it all. God wants to simply walk with you.

Even there your hand will lead me, and your right hand will lay hold of me. Psalm 139v10

He wants to have a say in each moment, of each day. He wants to have a father/son relationship. He wants to be your friend. He wants a two-way conversation, not just for you to give Him a list of needs and then be on your way. He wants to be there when you have housing and when you don’t. In the good and the bad times. 

I am learning that He wants me to have Him as the 'Go To'. To choose His joy when it doesn’t make sense. To listen to His guidance with each step. To have faith, even when it looks impossible through my eyes. 

To know that He rules and reigns in it all.

I am excited to learn more through my time in Mozambique. God has given me three words for this trip. joy, freedom and healing. I feel like the joy and freedom comes along with the healing. This excites me and gives me the expectation that He is going to move a lot in my life, and other people’s lives. I am excited to see my babies again! To minister to the beautiful Mozambican ladies who look after the children day by day. To have fun as a team from We Will Go and to encourage and build one another up, as God moves in us all. We will be going into the ‘Bush Bush’ to do some outreach, as well as connect with the students who are currently in the mission school.

Look Ms Ruth, I spelt your name right! 

Please pray with me as I get closer to this trip! Pray for my heart to be open to all He wants to do in this lead up to me going for 12 days! If you could pray over that dates I am gone too, the 6^th - 18^th November, that would be beautiful! For finances for the whole trip, as well as the everyday life here. God is wreaking me with how faithful he is in every moment, and I love how each one of you who pray are part of this!

Thank you again for all your faithful prayers, kind emails and messages cheering me on. You are all amazing!