When I was about 12 years old I went through a major time of doubting God. I was thinking, 'As a Christian I think that Islamic people believe in a myth, and that Atheists think there's no God, Buddhists believe in reincarnation and Buddha. But if I put myself in their shoes and look at Christianity, I would think it's as a myth as well!' I was really confused and found it really hard to see the proof that God was real. I though that if all the other religions were myths then who's to say that Christianity isn't as well? Every religion can't be true, so which is the correct one? How could I be sure that what I have been brought up believing, isn't false? This was an area that Meggie really helped me. I would meet up with her once a week at cell group and discuss it with her, after youth group and also every week at church. She understood my point of view, knew exactly what I was going to say and had responses and bible verses ready. The main thing that she kept telling me was that I needed to have faith. We can't physically see God so that's why we need to exercise our trust and faith in Him. We need to have faith that He is there and trust that He will help us through everything. Sometime during my doubting period I heard Jeremiah 29:11, "'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.'" This was the verse that got me through, the verse I hung on to. The next few months everything at church, school, youth group and even at home, seemed to be about trust and faith. One day my dad said a really good quote, 'You can always trust a unknown future to a known God'. Unfortunately I don't know who said it but it has stuck with me over the years and is an assurance that gets me through every time I have those little doubts.
The next few years I tried to live the best Christian life I could. Of course I still sinned and listened to temptations, but during this time I learned the true meaning of God's forgiveness and discovered the full extent of His love for me.
In September 2010 my parents went to a Destiny Rescue (an organisation that rescues sexually abused girls)dinner and heard that there were voluntary missionary positions in Mozambique and Cambodia. We have had lots of involvement in Africa in the past, I have 3 African brothers that we adopted into our family. So their first thoughts were that if we went anywhere we would go to Mozambique. They both prayed that night and for some reason, they both felt that Cambodia was the place God wanted us. They shared it with me, my brothers and sisters and we all started praying about it. One morning in prayer I got a vision. I had no idea what it meant, but here's what I saw. There were 3 large, blue, satin scrolls spread out evenly next to each other. Spread out across all 3 scrolls was a massive silver platter piled to the brim and about 2 feet high with fresh fruit. How random is that! In prayer that same morning my sister had the recurring thought about Joseph and how he was the interpreter of dreams. So my dad put two and two together and I drew what I saw on paper, and while I was at school she would try to interpret what it all meant. And she did. Each scroll represented a time or period in our life overseas - hence why they were all blue like the ocean. And the plate of fruit meant that our time in these places is going to be fruitful. We knew that Cambodia was the first scroll. So in April 2011 we moved to Cambodia!!! I was worried about moving to a third world country that no one in my family had been to. I was very grounded on the Sunshine Coast. I had never moved houses, or schools, or churches and had the same group of friends for the past 4 or 5 years. AND my oldest sister wouldn't be coming with us! This was one of the hardest things about moving to the other side of the world, but since she has been able to visit us twice!! I can definitely, without a doubt tell you that the last 13 months in Cambodia have been more than fruitful. God has kept us safe, and protected us, guided our decisions and is using my family to help these girls. Listening to God's calling is so rewarding. Sometimes we think, 'Oh I can't do that God, I don't have the strength, the courage, the resources etc.'. We make excuses, but God will never call you to do something that you aren't ready for, or something that He won't equip you for.
The next few years I tried to live the best Christian life I could. Of course I still sinned and listened to temptations, but during this time I learned the true meaning of God's forgiveness and discovered the full extent of His love for me.
In September 2010 my parents went to a Destiny Rescue (an organisation that rescues sexually abused girls)dinner and heard that there were voluntary missionary positions in Mozambique and Cambodia. We have had lots of involvement in Africa in the past, I have 3 African brothers that we adopted into our family. So their first thoughts were that if we went anywhere we would go to Mozambique. They both prayed that night and for some reason, they both felt that Cambodia was the place God wanted us. They shared it with me, my brothers and sisters and we all started praying about it. One morning in prayer I got a vision. I had no idea what it meant, but here's what I saw. There were 3 large, blue, satin scrolls spread out evenly next to each other. Spread out across all 3 scrolls was a massive silver platter piled to the brim and about 2 feet high with fresh fruit. How random is that! In prayer that same morning my sister had the recurring thought about Joseph and how he was the interpreter of dreams. So my dad put two and two together and I drew what I saw on paper, and while I was at school she would try to interpret what it all meant. And she did. Each scroll represented a time or period in our life overseas - hence why they were all blue like the ocean. And the plate of fruit meant that our time in these places is going to be fruitful. We knew that Cambodia was the first scroll. So in April 2011 we moved to Cambodia!!! I was worried about moving to a third world country that no one in my family had been to. I was very grounded on the Sunshine Coast. I had never moved houses, or schools, or churches and had the same group of friends for the past 4 or 5 years. AND my oldest sister wouldn't be coming with us! This was one of the hardest things about moving to the other side of the world, but since she has been able to visit us twice!! I can definitely, without a doubt tell you that the last 13 months in Cambodia have been more than fruitful. God has kept us safe, and protected us, guided our decisions and is using my family to help these girls. Listening to God's calling is so rewarding. Sometimes we think, 'Oh I can't do that God, I don't have the strength, the courage, the resources etc.'. We make excuses, but God will never call you to do something that you aren't ready for, or something that He won't equip you for.
"'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
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."
-Philippians 4:13
God bless you all!
Taleisha.
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