Want to know the best way to let go of control?

Leave the country.

Yep, hop a plane to the other side of the world and you can’t do a thing about anything back home.

Don’t worry, your kids will survive and so will your husband.  They won’t eat the meals you left behind, they probably won’t listen to the instructions you tell them, but they’ll do just fine without you…for a short period of time, that is.

And you’ll learn to let go.

Speaking of letting go, I got some beautiful emails this past week from moms who said yes to sponsoring a child.  Some of these are moms who played a bit of tug a war with God before they said yes, but eventually they let go…and let God take the lead.

One such mom is Jenny. Jenny’s email was so inspiring to me, I asked her if I could share it with you. She kindly said yes.

Dear Jill,

I get your blog via email and have been following you for many years…attended many conferences and am honored to pray for you and God’s mission He has given you for Hearts at Home.

Your honesty about your fear to travel on this trip touched me.  I have been praying fervently and was so excited to read your updates each day.  I was overwhelmed with tears and emotions as I read about Theresia and seeing her then and now and what the Compassion funds did for her all because some moms cared.

We already sponsor a child through World Vision.  I saw your request for us Hearts gals to try and sponsor 100 children…but I told myself, “we already sponsor.”

His name is Bandile from Mbane Swaziland.  We did it a few years ago for our children to write him and see the impact something so small we do can be so big for someone who has nothing.

But as I kept reading your emails each day I heard God’s whisper…one more, help one more.”    I was touched by your challenge to help a mom and her children.  What I felt called to do was to find a young girl and help develop her like Theresia so she may one day be a mom who can nurture and provide for her children.

 So…the search began and God gave me Pili Fabian Paulo from Tanzania.  Isn’t it great how God works?  That the very next day after I sponsored her online, you blog from the exact spot my letters will cross.  I was overwhelmed.  I searched for a girl, longest in the program waiting for a sponsor, and in danger of exploitation/abuse.

Pili shares my birthday, 8/7 and she turned 7 this year. I pray that this sponsorship will provide her with the future she so much deserves.  Pili lives with her grandparents and 4 other children.  My heart broke for the grandparents who are left to care for so many children as they themselves age.

I am excited about this partnering opportunity:  (1)  One mom from the U.S.; (2)one little girl from Tanzania;  and (3) God!!! How can it not be anything but awesome when He is in control!!!

Thank you Jill and Hearts at Home!

 Jenny
Wife to Nick – 15 years
Mom to Nicholas (12) and Mikey (9)

I love Jenny’s heart!  I love that she finally let go and let God lead!

We haven’t hit the 100 mark yet on our goal for sponsorships during this trip. Is God tugging at your heart?

Ready to let go and let Him lead?

If you sponsor a child from Compassion or any organization, please share with me about them!

If you sponsored a child this week, tell me about him or her (if you haven’t already)!

If you already sponsor and you decided to add another one like Jenny did, I want to hear about it!

If you missed this past week’s posts from Africa, you can find them all here!