Hitting a Wall

Last week I hit a wall. It hurt, I felt stunned, stopped dead in my tracks. I didn't know how to proceed. The hardest part was the wall was invisible. How do you go around a wall you can't see!? 

This wall was in my mind, regarding "partnership development" (what some call "support raising"). While it's an incredible privilege and form of ministry it's also difficult and challenging; and, as I discovered last week, easy to lose focus.

I cried out to God to get me past the wall, to help me see what the problem was, and how to move forward. The answer? My spiritual health and prayer life (or rather lack thereof). My relationship with God had been at bare minimum: not much quality time spent with Him or specific prayer time for what I was doing. I had been striving in my own strength and draining myself dry.

The LORD answered my cry this week. He drew me back to Himself, into time with Him and into prayer.
On Wednesday, after an unexpected blessing, I wanted to read a Psalm before bed and randomly chose Psalm 138:

"I give You thanks, O LORD, with my whole heart... 

And give thanks to Your Name

for Your steadfast love and Your faithfulness,

for You have exalted above all things

Your Name and Your word.

On the day I called, You answered me;

my strength of soul You increased..." (vv. 1-3)

He has exalted His name, He has strengthened my soul, and has displayed His steadfast love and faithfulness. I have been blown away by some of the ways He has dropped things into my lap this week: new monthly supporters, encouraging emails, reconnecting with old friends, and fresh ideas to keep moving forward toward my goal of moving to Africa in January.