my heart is beating out of my chest

So today my heart has been beating out of my chest....and believe it or not it's not because I have been running up stadiums or doing 110 yard sprints. Last night after working out I was talking to Angie just about random things and one of the subjects we covered was about her wanting me to go back to Turkey with the BCM the next time they went. Angie lived in Turkey for a while and there are lots of our students who have just fallen in love with Turkey, but honestly it wasn't the place for me. It wasn't the greatest trip of my life for several reasons and I am so thankful that Angie wants me to redeem that experience but it lead us into a conversation about where my heart lies in terms of people groups and places. My heart is in Africa and South America. I will let everyone have Europe and Asia...but if the Lord told me today to sell my belongings and move to Africa I would leap with joy.

So as the conversation continued I told Angie that my next overseas trip would be to Africa. I went on to play out in my mind that maybe my reward to myself for hitting the 50-100lb weight loss mark would be joining a team that is going. What an incentive to work hard, huh? Oh the Lord is so good and knows the desires of our hearts. I was chatting with a friend this morning who works with International Sports Federation and within five minutes of the conversation she asked me if I wanted to lead a team to Uganda this summer to work in orphanages. And....now my heart has been beating out of my chest all day! I have been trying to figure out how to get to Africa for years and wanting to work with orphans and the door opened wide this morning. There is not a single reservation about the trip....I'm ready to pack my bags and go tomorrow. I have 40lbs to lose by then (or maybe shortly after returning) but all signs are pointing to yes!

For all my prayer warriors out there please be praying about this opportunity and that everything would fall into place just as God would allow. That I would have no problem being gone those two weeks of the summer from work, that I would be able to raise the support, that I would be prepared to lead this team effectively and for the glory of God alone. I'll keep you posted on details later.