Plane Thoughts... from my plane ride TO Africa

These may not make a whole lot of sense. I was in the middle of thinking about going to Africa. I was reading the book Radical by David Platt, and I was listening to "Worlds Apart" by Jars of Clay. I was deciding what Africa would be like and how I would respond as well as responding to those around me on the plane ride there. Maybe this will give you some insight as to what I was praying for Africa or it could confuse the heck out of you. Either way, I'm going to give it a shot.

• While reading Radical, these are some of the thoughts I had... It really makes me think about money and how easily I save and spend for what I want. While I am dedicated to giving away as much as possible, I often only give once I've met my needs, or rather my wants, for the month. It feels unintentional and unreal to just have money pulled out of my account without me ever taking a second glance at it. I am to live out of the overflow of His existence and life in me and because of that, genuinely ask God to use me to do things that others will never see or notice, that they will never be apart of and that they will not understand the importance of in relation to God's call from the Cross. How I desire to be like Him! I want more of Him!
• In listening to "Worlds Apart" by Jars of Clay, I think a lot about what God really is breaking apart in my life. Is it anything? Am I allowing Him to change me or mold me into what He desires for me, which is better than I have thought or planned or imagined? How dare I stare the world in the face daily and do nothing to change it! That must be sin, that must be the nail that pierced Jesus to the cross. "And I pray, to love you, take my world apart, I am on my knees." May I be desperate and see God's own as He sees them...loveable, needing to be loved, and loving themselves. "Steal my heart and take the pain, take the selfish, take the weak."
• (Last summer, I spent a lot of time at Lake Tanganyika with a little girl who really stole my heart named Mapalo.) Thinking of Mapalo-- God's children break my heart and they tear my world apart. How deep your love must for her!

Maybe this will give you some perspective. I don't know. Continuing to pray that God breaks my heart for the things that break His and that I can see through His eyes!

-Melissa