Stumbling blocks

It is crazy annoying how the devil puts little thing after little thing in the way to see if he can distract us from what we are supposed to be doing. He has been doing this consistently since I left the states. To be completely honest I am a little fed up. I refuse to let any of this get in the way, but this is a lot easier said than done. I was a little grumpy about it all this evening and went up to the top deck and just sat. I love sitting up there, sometimes I swear I can feel God in the wind off the ocean. I was listening to music and this song spoke right to me so I thought I would share some of the lyrics that spoke to me. The song is called Surely We Can Change by David Crowder Band.

And the problem is this
We were bought with a kiss
But the cheek still turned
Even when it wasn't hit

And I don't know
What to do with a love like that
And I don't know
How to be a love like that

When all the love in the world
Is right here among us
And hatred too
And so we must choose
What our hands will do

Where there is pain
Let us bring grace
Where there is suffering
Bring serenity
For those afraid
Let us be brave
Where there is misery
Let us bring them relief

And surely we can change
Surely we can change
Oh surely we can change
Something

Oh, the world's about to change
The whole world's about to change

Traveling Drama

So I have decided that I think God uses airports as a way to show me He is the boss and He is in control and I should just pray a lot and hang on for the ride. Right now I am sitting at Heathrow Airport in London at 0130 and so far this trip across the world has proved to only be slightly less intense than the last one. It all makes for a good story I guess, that is if in the end you actually end up where you are going and with everything you would like to arrive with.

My journey began in Chicago where after 3 subway lines I met up with my mom and we swung by AT&T and shut off my phone (which always gives my heart small palpitations as those of you who know me well know it is practically surgically attached to my palm). Then once at O'Hare we only had to try 3 terminals before we found the right one. Once inside they were having check-in kiosk issues and after one small argument and my assertive voice I got checked in about 40 min before my flight. I was the last one on the plane. I arrive in Ottawa, Canada have to go through customs and pick up my bags to recheck them because Canada won't check them through (my advice avoid Canada as a layover destination if at all possible). Guess what my bags didn't get loaded and are still in Chicago, I was needless to say slightly overwhelmed by this. Flight to London was then uneventful except that I know my bags are not in the plane underneath me. I get to London and my bags.... have arrived but are in another terminal so I trek all the way across Heathrow which by the way is huge and must go through security where I was practically strip searched...grrrr. I get my bags and 3 tube lines later at 0330 Illinois time am at Laura's front door!!!!!!!!!!!!! -

I had a good 2 days with Laura, she is amazing. I like London I think it would be really fun to live here for a bit (don't tell my mom)(hi mom). So that brings me to why I sit at the airport at 0130. Apparently the first trains don't run until after I need to be here in the morning and I am not paying $90 for a cab. So here I sit with about 20 other people dosing and waiting for morning. Good for me it's only 1930 back in the midwest US, but that reminds me all of you may be gearing up for the premier of Grey's, shoot I am a little jealous. Well I think I will couple hours sleep and next time I sit down to write an update I will be on a ship in Africa!

P.S I love all this adventure and any trip without a little drama would be no fun anyway. Plus now I can say I have slept in an airport overnight.

PPS I am now in Africa safe and sound with all my bags, showered and ready for bed. I will note that my trip only got more dramafied (I am aware this is not actually a word) after I wrote this. I had this post all saved on my computer and ready to post so I am going ahead and putting it up and will update soon on the rest of the trip. Let me say this though my mom is totally awesome and deserves some kind of award.

WOW

Now when God said Maggie go back to Africa did I doubt that he would provide... no I didn't but I must admit I was a little nervous about how it would all work out. This is a short entry just simply to say God is totally awesome. He has worked every detail of this trip out and I am in awe. It has been totally humbling. How many times must God show he's got it under control until I start to catch on a little better.

To those of you who have helped support me, you rock. I love every one of you and I want you to know I feel so loved and connected and it brings tears to my eyes right now just thinking about it. I am so incredibly grateful for the roots God has given me and for the support system who is lifting this trip up in prayer.

I'll tack on to the end of this a little note about the title of this blog and where it comes from. It comes from a song, one that has quickly become a favorite of mine after my friend Beccy introduced it to me on the ship a few months back. It's a song by Brooke Fraser called Albertine. It's written about a little girl she met while she was in Africa. The line goes " I am on a plane across a distant sea, but I carry you with me in the dust on my feet." This is how I felt as got on the plane headed away from Africa after my first trip. Another part of the song sings " Now that I have seen I am responsible, faith without deeds is dead. Now that I have held you in my own arms, I cannot let go till you are" It just spoke right to me and I could think of no other fitting title for this blog, even though it is stolen and totally unoriginal at least I am admitting it.

Ok, Ok, I give

So I have been anti anti blog for a long time now. But after many requests and some thought I have caved. I have found myself a cute layout and picture and thought up a name I like so I guess here it goes. Just as a warning before you read any further I am terrible at grammar so if you are going to be bothered by run on sentences and the like I recommend you stop reading now. I can not guarantee that I will have anything profound or better yet anything clever to say, but I know that I have people that love me that would like to have a way to keep tabs on me and where my adventures are leading me so I shall try my best. 

I am absolutely in awe of the way God has directed my steps in the last few years and with the opportunities and experiences I have had. I almost can't believe this is my life. Don't get me wrong I would have done a few things differently, taken less for granted, and slowed down to live in the moment a little more but overall it has been a great ride. I feel so incredibly blessed. 

To have spent the last 3 months of my life on floating hospital ship in western Africa has been a dream I didn't even know I had come true. I found a place where I felt completely accepted, completely needed, and completely fulfilled. I learned to find God in little everyday moments as well as the big crazy miracles, and have loved looking back and realizing how He has been putting little things in my life in place over years for such a time as this. I really have no way of putting into words what I have learned and experienced over the last few months but I know that it has changed me to the core. 

Now as I am preparing to return to Africa I am learning a big lesson in stepping out in faith. For this independent girl who plans it all out and is always prepared, God is showing me once again that it is His job to make the plans and mine to simply follow. Maybe one of these times I'll catch on and learn to let go a little. I have a one way plane ticket to Benin, 18 days until my flight, more bills and fees due than I have money in the bank, and a peace and excitement in my heart because I know that without a doubt God will provide. If my life up until this point has taught me one lesson it is that. 

So I pray that as my time back in the states starts to draw to a close once again that I make the most of it. That I tell those who need to hear about the work that is being done, that I work out all the logistics and details that need to be put in place in order to leave, and that I remember to take the time needed to be still and listen and let my heart be prepared to return.