I don’t have any words.

I think sometimes God does that on purpose.

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We’ve made it to Phase 5 of #InMercy – this God dream that he placed inside the behind-the-scenes (in)courage team. It was dreamed and planned out when we all met up (for the first time ever!) this summer.

We sat there brainstorming when to launch phases, what each phase should be, and how much it could all come to. Over and over I felt pin-pricks of doubt around the room – can we really do this? Can we, this (in)courage community, pull this off?

No.

We flat out can’t.

But when He gets involved, we straight up can.

Lisa-Jo gave us one word of wisdom before we made the final call, one challenge to take into consideration before saying where we stood on the final total of #InMercy.

Don’t be afraid to lose face.

We can’t curve our dreams or refuse to aim high simply because we might fail. Risk embarrassment. Let go of expectations.

Believe in He who declares He can do immeasurably more.

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us. {Ephesians 3:20}

 

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Just a few short months ago we launched #InMercy and the community rallied behind it. Time and again phases were fully funded before we even announced them to the community! Phase 5 kicked off this morning but before we even published the post there had been $7,972 given towards a new home for mamas and babies in Kenya.

This second home will allow space for young girls and their babies to be safe, will allow room for more mamas, and in the future it will serve as a place for classrooms, all programs, and offices.

This. is. important.

There are 12 girls and 12 babies. Christmas is coming and there’s no room in the house for one more baby.

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So this morning we launched Phase 5 with nearly $8,000 of the $53,000 needed already there.

I woke up, saw where we were at, and spoke to God about it a little bit. I said reaching $15,000 would be immeasurably more for one day – $7,000! But an hour later I started doubting and thought to myself $13,000 would still be crazy…but we could get there by the end of the day.

I stopped dreaming big. I limited the goal to what seemed feasible, attainable. I believed immeasurably more could happen but just.in.case. I shrunk the dream so I wouldn’t be disappointed.

Five hours later I walked in from class and refreshed the page – we were at $12,000.

I so clearly felt God saying, “Oh child, don’t you know who I am? I cannot be contained or constrained by numbers. They are nothing to me. Don’t put me in a box – I can do infinitely more!”

So I jumped. I dreamed real big and said forget $15,000 – He can do $20,000 by tonight.

Because WHY NOT. He does more than we ask or imagine!

I wrote on Twitter that I was about to start a two page paper and put out a challenge to raise $1,000 by the time I finished. Just forty-five minutes later I wrote the last sentence, checked the page, and $990 had come in. Not one cent of that has anything to do with me – but again I knew God was showing He sees these goals, these dreams of mine, and they aren’t a challenge to Him.

As I sat on my bed re-telling the story to my roommate I got to the end, excited to share that we had reached $18,000 (!!!!!).

“Hold on, let me refresh to get the most up-to-date total.”

Screaming.

Clapping.

Jumping on the bed.

And finally I got the words out, “WE JUST HIT $20,000!!!!! Right now! While I was telling you the story! We were at $18,308 when I began two minutes ago! OH MY GOSH GOD IS SO GOOD.”

I was still screaming five minutes later.

You would be correct to say I don’t exactly have a normal voice at the moment.

This is what God does. He takes our dreams and blows them out of the water. These crazy, too big goals are nothing for Him.

Two minutes later and my hands flew in the air again as I screamed “twenty-five thousand!!!”

I didn’t even have time to send the tweet before it had climbed up again. He doesn’t work on my time table and I am so very thankful.

You would think the story ends here but it doesn’t…there is so much more.

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At 10:46 I texted Lisa-Jo to see if she was awake. It’s amazing I even thought to text, but knowing it was midnight in her timezone somehow reminded me a text would be thoughtful. I asked if she was awake, she said no, and then I immediately pressed the dial button anyway.

Just thirty seconds earlier the ticker had jumped once again. We weren’t at $25,000 any longer.

We had reached $35,000.

Just like that.

God isn’t confined to our plans or goals. He does so much more.

 

Listen. An anonymous donor pledged $20,000 when we reached $20,000 as a community.

That $10,000 jump was from the donor…and with another $10,000 in the morning…only $7,144 is still needed to fund this house for these mamas and their babies.

Just in time for Christmas.

I dare you to tell me miracles don’t happen.

I’ve never seen anything like this in my life and only one name can be signed to this check, this gift for Kenya.

He alone works wonders, moves mountains, and performs miracles.

We got to BE the gift today, this December 2nd, but He IS the Gift, wrapped in glory and love.

Join us? Be a part of the gift, unwrap the miracle this Christmas and help build a house?

 

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It doesn’t take much – just whatever you have. Spare change, a tweet to share, a prayer.

It feels crazy, but I’m praying that we’re going to wake up to a new home, fully funded for these children of His, sisters of ours across the world.

To donate to Phase 5, click here. To see the projects that have already been funded (and pictures of the van, school room, etc. already implemented in Kenya), click here.

Photos from Kristen’s post and Ann’s post – affiliate links used for the MHK items.