This is impossible… but with God, all things are possible!

Many of you are aware of my special relationship with the Puffs Tissue company, who adequately maintain their positive net growth each year due to my struggle with allergies.  I’m still waiting for their call of complaint (which I’m sure is coming soon) that I’m going back overseas, where they do not regularly ship their products.  In Tanzania, I stem the flow of my nasal suffering with regular toilet paper (though not the recycled, purple version, as I don’t really want a purple nose!).

It seems like this struggle is going to continue.  And though I’ve prayed… and asked… and hoped that by some miracle my allergies might just disappear one glorious morning… that doesn’t seem to be happening.  And so I continue to talk with people educated in the realities of allergy suffering… aka allergists and others… to see what can be done.

With this, I’ve found a couple of new medications that seem to be helping.  Note the word “helping” as it’s still not perfect by any means!  But they do seem to be making the ridiculous faucet called my head to slow at least a bit, which is helpful in terms of living, well, everyday life.

The issue is, though, that these new medications cost money.  And even with insurance, their arrival on the scene has added over a couple of hundred dollars worth of expenses to my budget each month.  Granted, I know this happens to people all the time.  But usually said individuals aren’t in the midst of creating their budgets and raising support for the upcoming years of ministry while it happens. 

So, it’s back to the drawing board.  Or the budget-board, I suppose you might say.  Recently, I officially reached a very exciting percentage in my support-levels… 50%!!!  While this is still a loooonnng way from the 100% I need to make it to Tanzania, at the very least it’s an important landmark.

About this same time, I realized that the finances I needed each month might be changing.  And when I add in additional costs of medications and such, my percentage levels fell back down to 45%.  SO disappointing! (Yes, I recently moved up to 48%, which is HUGE.  But it’s still been a long frustrating journey of a week!)

Ok, this picture totally cracks me up.  Just had to share!

I say all this, first of all, to be honest about my financial situation.  Many of you are allowing me to do what I do each month by financially partnering with me on a regular basis, and there’s no way I could do any of this without your financial and prayerful support!  I want my situation to be an open book for you as we continue to develop our partnership.

I also want to ask for your prayers.  Both for answers and health in this, and for the monthly funds I need (now a bit more) to get back to the field.  On the one hand, I know that with God, all things are possible.  I know that God can totally work out the funds for me to return to Tanzania in June at the latest.  Somehow, some way.  At the same time, I’ve been struggling with a sinus infection lately, feeling dead tired, and am seriously having some down moments when I wonder just HOW God is going to work this out.

Trying to remember and hold on to the verses that say:

“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.  (Is 55:8-11)

and

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Mat 19:26)