Love is the Heart of my God

Well, only about a week now till I leave! It has been such a great week. Everything coming together and all the last moments with friends. It is a little sad in a way. Like the last episode of a TV series where all the people who were there throughout the season are all in the room looking at you with goodbyes in their eyes. Even the ones who maybe didn't even play a very significant role but they all make up the richness of my history here in Medford. It's funny how we always think there is something better we could be doing. I was talking to a couple of friends that work with kids and found myself longing to work with youth again. Not that I would trade what I am doing now for anything else and maybe it is just because I get distracted easily but for whatever reason, the grass looked greener over there for a moment. But my reality is a hugely blessed one that I cannot deny. I began to journal all the things everybody has done for me in helping me get prepared to leave and it was insanely long. In fact so long that I decided people might get bored reading about every little detail. But the thing that isn't boring about what God had done for me through his people, is undeniably lavishly blessed me. From new tires on my Jeep and trailer along with other safety features people have installed for me, to the small things that are important to me like new paint on the walls and cool rope lights to luminate the interior. I'm telling you, God has a heart of gold for his people.
I was reading through Hosea the past couple weeks and it was droning on and on about how the people were messing up and sacrificing to the Baals and ignoring God and He was angry with them talking about how their sin stank. So I knew there had to be a turning point like the people coming back to God and repenting and everything being all good in the end right? Well what surprised me was one of the most amazing chapters I have ever read in the entire Bible. The chapter itself wasn't the amazing thing though. I could think of probably five chapters I would rather read if I was just going to read one. It was the fact that this chapter was placed among all this sin and forsaking of God. What comes out is one of the most beautiful pictures of the heart of God for his people. Chapter 11 and it was titled in my Bible "God yearns for Israel". God is saying that He loves Israel even though they are not paying Him any attention and didn't even realize that God is the one who healed them. They are following other god's but God himself bent down to feed them. They are immoral people and not turning from their ways. They deserve all God's righteous anger because God is a holy God! But because He loves them so much he will withhold his fury and not pour judgement out on them. Oh what good news!
I think we seriously underestimate God's mercy and love for people. I want to share the true heart of God with the people that I meet on this mission. And yes even though God is mercy and love, He is also judgement and truth. Jesus required people to leave what they were doing to follow Him. Lives were transformed and people were healed yes, but they were called to "sin no more". I believe that God is going to speak to people weather currently saved or not and ask them to leave some things behind in order to follow Him. I was thinking about how much really everybody just wants to be loved. They search all over to find it. I have seen women sacrifice themselves and their children to be with a man who loves them. Yet why can't everybody see how much God loves them? How much God wants to make a big deal about them because He just thinks they are great? Well maybe they need to see somebody make a big deal about sharing that fact with them. So that's what I am doing folks. I want to make a big deal about the gospel because the reality is, it is a big deal! If I have to go through being a little uncomfortable in order to take that good news of great joy to some people, then so be it. I know the Lord is still teaching me some things before I go and I am so thankful, seriously to all of you who have given me so much support and encouragement along the way! Going to rescue people from the enemy does make me a huge target and I continue to ask for you prayer support. Thank you again and I pray God reveals more to you also about His heart for you today!

The Break Down

Last Thursday I was pulling my trailer from Portland to Grants Pass. On the way my Jeep overheated, twice. When I first pulled off to the side of the road I had no idea what was wrong or what to do about it. I was on a mountain that didn't provide me with phone reception so naturally, I began to freak out. This is my journal entry that resulted:

5-21-09

Well I haven't journalled in a while. But now it seems I am forced to as I am broken down on the side of the road with no phone coverage. I am pretty shaky but I opened the hood and am letting the engine cool down. I would have called AAA because there is coolant all over the ground but like I said, I cant make a call. Oh Lord please help me to get through this! Every semi that passes moves my whole trailer with the wind...OK I went and cried about it and I am a little better now. This happened with my last car. When I took it to the mechanic he said there was nothing wrong. So I think I just need to let it cool down and then put some water in it. Now I see the preparation God was doing when my last car broke down. I am so ill equipped. All glory to you Father God. You are way bigger than my situation and command an entire army of heavenly hosts. I know you are here with me now and I trust your plan for my life. I cant say this is the best day ever. It started out on only 2 1/2 hours of sleep at 5:30 this morning. I was in a rush because I am actually, or excuse me, I WAS actually supposed to meet Jeremy in Grants Pass at 1:00 for him to do a quick repair to Little Miss. It is now 2:37. I am thankful that I wont really have any more deadlines after this. I opened my bible to Psalm 60! Again I cried with laughter this time! The people totter and quake, which is exactly what is happening to me! Oh my God save me for help from man is in vain. I must admit I wanted someone to pull over and help me but no one did. On but never doubt that my God is hear to save me!


I was so freaked out sitting there on the side of the road. My first reaction was to call somebody for help and then my second reaction was to find a stranger to help me. God was my third choice. Man what a loser I felt like! But you know God made it so I HAD to come to Him because he wants me to ALWAYS come to Him first. That chapter I read spoke directly to my situation talking about the people tottering while I was literally sitting there tottering. And at the end of it, He told me that He alone could save me. He might use people to come help me at times but it all came from Him. Through getting ready for this trip the Lord has stripped away so many masks that covered the realities in my life. We all know God provides for our financial needs. But when our job that we go to every day is sending us the paycheck, its easy to think that we are the ones who provide that. Its easy to think of it as our money and not His. The first time someone handed me money for this work of the Lord's, it really hit home that it wasn't my money. It really was God's and He really was the one that provided for me. God has broken down walls of security and comfort that I had up to bring me closer to Him and to a greater realization of His provision and greatness.

I'm Off!

Hi Friends and Family,

On June 6^th I will be leaving Oregon to evangelize my way across the US! I have been planning this trip for over a year now, as many of you know. I quit my job about month ago and have been working hard at getting my travel trailer road worthy as well as learning the many skills I will need on the road. I plan on traveling for about a year and a half, going South through Texas and over to Florida. When the weather gets nicer next year I expect to head up the east coast to Maine and then back across the northern states on my return.

My plans have been guided by the Lord since the very beginning. I had some very dear friends that moved from Medford to Florida and loved me so much they told me I should move to be near them. They may have been just being nice, but I decided I would do it. So, I started planning to move to Florida. Bit by bit my ideas began to form into what I now realize is much bigger than a move. At first I was just going to rent a U-Haul to move my stuff to Florida, and then I fell in love with a travel trailer of my own and bought it. I was going to drive it straight to Florida on a quick trip, and now it has turned into a year long trip, stopping all along the way. The most incredible thing for me is that I get to look at these plans I am moving forward with and get behind what God is doing. It wasn’t me that set out to do a missions trip across our great country but it was the Lord who made my path clear.

Already, the Lord has confirmed this through His Word, His people, and by opening doors that, in some cases, I didn’t even know existed. The thing that I was pretty freaked out about at first was the lack of a church body or organization sending me. As I read through the Word about the Great Commission, I realized that it was God who sends us and not a church. My pastor at Caves Christian Fellowship, Jeremy Nehf, along with other brothers and sisters of the faith, are standing behind me in prayer and mentorship as well.

My question to YOU is…..would the Lord have you partner with me? I am asking my friends if they would buy me a meal a month if I needed it. If they answer yes and I can get 30 friends to agree to give $5 a month, or whatever your heart leads, then I would be covered every day of the month by a different person. This is more than just a donation that I am asking for. I want the body of Christ to be united in a work of evangelism even if you yourself cannot go out on the mission field at this time. Not only would you be supporting me monetarily, but partnering with me in prayer.

I will be updating monthly on my progress via my blog and email and am happy to send them by mail also. I am so thankful that you took the time to read this letter and look forward to being in ministry with you! Thank you also to those of you that have already helped me get things moving in my journey. I cannot thank you enough!

Danelle McCoy

(541)690-4434

nomadnelly@gmail.com

www.nomad-nelly.blogspot.com

P.S. I was thinking of leaving from a specific location and time so that way if anyone wanted to see my trailer and pray for me as I leave you would have the chance to say the final goodbye. If you have any time preferences or would be interested get back to me!

You can send support to:

Danelle McCoy

c/o Laura and Taylor Ashland

23251 SW William Ave.

Sherwood, OR 97140

Or go to www.paypal.com and click on the “Send Money” button and insert the following account information (email address): lauragwen@gmail.com