Fundraising Goal Met--PTL! China, here I come!

Our final payments were due yesterday. The final cost came out to be less than originally predicted. Praise the Lord!! After deducting the cost of all the supplies and shipping I spent on my fundraising, I raised just enough money. Its interesting to look back a few weeks ago when my sewing machine went kaput. I was at least $800 short of the goal (or so I thought). The machine was in the shop for two weeks, but while it was being fixed the generous donations kept pouring in! It was as if God was saying, "You can stop killing yourself now. You've done enough. I'll take it from here." Once I got my machine back, I posted on Facebook that I was "back in action" and would be taking more orders. I mean I had lost precious time and needed to get back to work. No sooner than I posted that did my machine start making the horrible noise it was making before I sent it to the shop. My initial thought was "What?! I just paid good money for this to be fixed! You've got to be kidding me!" But then I realized, maybe God was saying "Be Still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10). I had read this Bible verse numerous times over the past few weeks in various places. Maybe I was supposed to be done with the appliqueing. So I posted on FB again that my machine was, in fact, NOT fixed. Amazing, but the next day when I got my machine out so that the sewing repair guy could try to trouble shoot over the phone (since it was a 45 minute drive to his shop for me), it worked fine. I did a quick applique on a scrap item. It worked fine. Then I finished the order I was working on the previous night when the machine began acting up again. It worked fine. I then decided to just skip my other orders and work on some burp cloths I had volunteered to donate to a church baby shower for expecting moms who don't have a support system. It worked fine--through 6 burp cloths! This happened just last night. I decided to cancel the orders that were outstanding because I didn't need the money. I had already made my payment and my goal has been met. Its funny when we try to take things into our own hands, even with good intentions, how God works things out for our own good! I have witnessed this time and time again. "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." (Proverbs 19:21) God knew, from the beginning that he wanted me to go on this trip. He had a plan for how I would raise the money-just enough money! "For I know the plans I have for you", declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11). At first, I listened. Then I decided to take things into my own hands, get creative, and to make new holiday designs and market to other groups of people because I was going to need more orders (so I thought). God knew better. He knew I needed rest. He knew that he would provide the money in other ways. And he did. Almost to the penny! God is amazing and does amazing things when you put your faith in Him and rely on him 100%. Through all of this, I have already learned valuable lessons in humility and faith. And I haven't even gone to China, yet! I can only imagine what is in store over the next few weeks as I prepare for this trip and even more, what's in store once we get to China!