Its all in the details...

The packing has started, the supplies are being collected and I'm having to make decisions as to what is really necessary and what I can live without. I guess you could say in a sense I feel as if I'm going on an episode of Survivor. It's funny because in all the travels I've taken I have never packed quite like this and I've never been gone for almost two weeks. I'm the girl who takes at least five different pairs of shoes and two outfits per day. I can promise you I have no problem filling my 50 lb. bag of checked luggage. But as I pack for my very first mission trip, I'm discovering a lot about myself and what is really important to me. What are my necessities? What I can live without for two weeks and what I can't? Have you ever really sat and thought about that? What you could and couldn't live with for two weeks? I encourage you to sit down and really think about it. Name five things - yes, just five things that you couldn't live without. It's funny because the things I'm finding I can't live without are my Bible, pictures of my family, my journal, my Kindle and yes, my toothbrush.

When I was told how much luggage we were allowed to take (two 50 lbs. bags) I had grand plans for an entire piece of luggage to be filled with supplies for Kenya and the other bag would carry some of my clothes and more supplies for us (toilet paper, peanut butter, crackers, Crystal Light, detergent, etc. - you get the idea) and my carry-on would have a couple change of clothes, shoes, etc. Well, the closer my departure comes and the more I have packed and repacked I'm realizing I need both pieces of luggage for supplies and not my clothes and shoes. I haven't even left and God continues to teach me more and more about myself.

What I'm learning is we don't need to fill a 50 lb. bag just for ourselves. We can get by on the minimum and that is exactly what I intend to do. I'm realizing we are so used to having so much we don't know how to edit down and just go with the necessities of life. We are afraid that if we don't have it we are in trouble when half the time we don't even realize we don't need it in the first place. The Bible tells us again and again that God will provide. In 2 Corinthians 9:8 it says "And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." (NLT) So in reality all we really need is one small carry-on, God will provide the rest.