Ghana.

There is so much to say about my amazing service trip to Ghana. I can't sum it up into words properly so instead of trying, I'll just share one of my journal entries to give a bit of insight about my time in Africa. It's from Wednesday, August 20:

"I think my life changed a little bit today. I got to spend all afternoon and almost the entire evening with Pam and I am just so inspired by her story. She is just so logical and level-headed yet so ambitious, spontaneous and brave. She is amazingly strong (like Mom--they remind me of each other in a lot of ways) and amazingly fun. Pam motivates me to be my best self. I want to be more giving, more selfless and more ambitious because of her.

Randy, Rachael and Patrick came back from Kete-Kratchi, where the Ghanaian children (21 of whom now reside at the Village of Hope) who are child slaves live and are forced to work. The pictures Randy took were so hard to see. Especially a photograph of a 3-year-old child slave working on a fishing boat, shivering, freezing, starving and sick. It was a horrifying image; though it was terrifying, I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. It totally caused a stirring in my heart, tugging on these emotional strings I'd forgotten I had. It made me want to jump out of my seat and rescue that little boy--and 1,000 others, too.

Amongst the former child slaves at the Village of Hope are Famous (who is always mischievously smiling--I never would have known), Mark (the poster child for the rescue missions; he was the first saved off of the lake), Ezekiel and Sakora. I hate thinking of them being forced to work. I can't picture it but then I can...and when I do imagine it, I want to trade lives with them so those sweet boys never had to experience that pain and brutality. I can't wait to hug them tomorrow, to let them know how special they are.

Our impromptu trip to Accra this afternoon/evening (to shop/accompany Emily to the airport/attempt to pick up Patrick's luggage) was a blessing in so many ways. I loved spending time with Pam, Tatum, Susan, Jill, Ivy, Emily and Justice. I loved further exploring the Ghanaian culture in the market. I loved recapping the night with Mom, Susan and Chantilly. As hard and challenging as this trip has sometimes been, I am in love with it.

Only two days left. I'm going to cherish every minute."

Ecclesiastes 3:11.

Once upon a time, back when I was in college (okay, so that was only about four months ago but it feels like eons ago), I was selected to speak at Senior Chapel. I needed to deliver a lighthearted speech about graduation and the future. The speech had to possess an air of nostalgia while simultaneously serving to inspire and encourage my fellow students.

I went through a rough break up in January and Ecclesiastes 3:11 really comforted me. The verse reads: "He has made everything beautiful in its time." I was so encouraged by those words because they reminded me that life is meant to be rough sometimes; without us knowing it, God is paving the way for something more incredible than we ever could have imagined. When I began to contemplate graduating from Pepperdine, again Ecclesiastes 3:11 inspired me. While beginning to look for jobs and thinking about the "real world," Ecclesiastes 3:11 repeated in my head and supported me. So what could be better than passing on that wisdom, comfort and encouragement to my friends as we took a leap and moved past our fabulous Pepperdine experiences?

Throughout this beautiful summer, Ecclesiastes 3:11 has served as my spiritual rock. Life has been completely unpredictable but everything always works out as it should. Worrying is pointless because I am learning that God is going to give me His best when it is ready. If it's not happening yet, it's because it's not as beautiful as it should be. A perfect example is my upcoming (and by upcoming, I mean in 9 hours) trip to Ghana. I have always dreamt of serving in Africa. I applied to the new Pepperdine summer program in Uganda and was not accepted. I was admitted to the program in April but it was too late for me to financially commit to such an opportunity. I pursued another opportunity in Kenya but the door was closed. When I learned of the Ghana trip, I pledged to myself that I'd make it there. There were a number of obstacles in the way--namely, my dad's hesitation in allowing me to go, as well as the interruption it could be in my job search--but God was so faithful. He definitely made me wait, cultivating patience in my life. I'm not really great at the whole patience game but God kept telling me to be still. The idea of participating in the trip entered my mom's mind and after further contemplation, she decided to go. This was not only a huge deal for her but it sealed the deal for me as well.

So now, not only do I get to fulfill my dream of traveling to and serving in Africa, but I get to do it with my beautiful mom. What a once in a lifetime opportunity. My Pepperdine friends, Susan and Chantilly, will also be going and I am thrilled to deepen my relationships with them. Pam Cope, an amazing humanitarian who rescues child slaves, will be on the trip as well. Mai Lai, the director of The Children's Art Village, did a fantastic job planning the trip and I am so excited to get to know her better, too.

God truly proved that things will be made beautiful in His time. We can't predict the future; frankly, we shouldn't even try. Our wildest dreams will only be expanded upon if we let God do His thing. He knows what's best for us and He knows that he can do more than we could ever imagine. It's easier said than done to trust Him--believe me, I was a stress case about this Ghana trip for a long time--but it's probably the most important and worthwhile thing we could ever do. Without His guidance, I could have forced my way on a trip to Africa that, though it would have undoubtedly been life-changing, would not be as incredible or as perfectly orchestrated as my trip to Ghana surely will be.

With that said, here's the lyrics to my favorite Shane and Shane song, called "Waiting Room." This song could not fit more perfectly with the Ecclesiastes 3:11 theme. Waiting on the Lord is hard (sometimes nearly impossible for me) but it proves to be the most important way to learn that God has truly made each aspect of life beautiful in its time:

:: i will run when i cannot walk
i will sing when there is no song
i will pray when there is no prayer
i will listen when i cannot hear

sitting in the waiting room of silence
waiting for that still soft voice i know
offering my words up to the rooftop to Your heart
trusting that this closet's where You are

Lord i know if i change my mind
You will change my heart in time
Sovereign Lord this time's from You
so i sit in the waiting room of silence
cause its all about You

i will fight when i cannot feel
i will trust when You dont seem real
i will tell when i cannot speak
i will step when i cannot see

Lord i know if i change my mind
You will change my heart in time
Sovereign Lord this time's from You
so i sit in the waiting room of silence
cause its all about You ::