Being in Seoul, Korea has been a time of trusting and learning as I am here. Before getting here I could not understand why the Lord was calling me into a country and not have anything planned out. The only thing I knew before coming here was it would be a magical journey with Him. I am reminded of Proverbs 2:1-8

My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding—
indeed, if you call out for insight
and cry aloud for understanding,
and if you look for it as for silver
and search for it as for hidden treasure,
then you will understand the fear of the LORD
and find the knowledge of God.
For the LORD gives wisdom;
from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He holds success in store for the upright,
he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,
for he guards the course of the just
and protects the way of his faithful ones.

“UNDERSTANDING” is the word that keeps coming up over and over the last week. God has completely unraveled the word understanding in this country to me and it blows me away. Before coming to Korea I would constantly hear “why Korea”? Inside every time I heard that question my heart would beat faster and I would think well why not. You go where Gods calls you too right? So why would Korea be any different than any other place right? I knew that Korea was a first world country, but I also know that when God calls you somewhere you just go……

The first few days being here I would walk, pray and observe. Observing was something I learned on my earlier missions trip to Africa. I learned so much through that time. So once again, I am standing in one of the biggest cities in the world and observing the interaction and the people. Don’t get me wrong I have been praying for this country for a couple of years now and now that I am here my heart has been punctured even more so than before. The things going on in this country are heavy and they need prayer. Instead of looking in judgment at the people I look in His eyes and see the beauty and the pain in the people in Seoul. God wants so much for His children to be drawn to Him and their hearts to be circumcised for Him. Right now God has called me to bring HIS LOVE, ENCOURAGING WORDS AND HOPE TO THE PEOPLE OF KOREA!

Jeremiah 9:25-26

“The days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will punish all who are circumcised only in the flesh- Egypt, Judah, Edom, Ammon Moab and all who live in the desert in distant places. For all these nations are really uncircumcised, and even the whole house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart.”

*****Thank you for praying for me! God has provided a place for me to stay while I’m in the city of Seoul. If you could keep praying for the below areas that would be wonderful!******

- There is a huge conference in Seoul for “Not For Sale” that I am attending this weekend and I am praying for HUGE doors to open up to get connected. So if you could please pray for connecting with the right people.

- There is a group of women outside of Seoul that have been doing ministry in prostitution/sex trafficking so if you could please pray for protection over them and for the women to come to know Him

- For more men and women groups to open up for sex addiction

- For the younger generation to find their identity in Him and only Him

- For more understanding of what is going on in this Nation as a whole

- More of His confidence of who I am in Him and who He’s called me to be

God has given me a heart for Asia and this dream is ready to unfold and start in Korea.  I have been setting high expectations and walking out of some pride.  Which God is breaking daily as I spend the last seven days in Colorado resting in Him.  I tend to always put expectations on everything in my life and it always ends up much different than I anticipate.  That sometimes is where the offense comes into play.  Well one thing the pastor mentioned was “how many times have we missed what God wants us to do because we have expectations”

Well I’m honestly tired of having expectation on the things in my life.  One of the BIG expectations I have released to Him is what am I really going to be doing in Korea? Where am I going to be? Am I going to be loving on orphans? I could keep going on and on about this! But I’m finally at a place in my life where I’m sitting with no expectations and telling God “I don’t care where I am just as long as I am used for your kingdom and get to be with you.”

I know that I am leaving for Korea in four days, but I’m not sure what is going to happen there, but one thing I know for certain is that I am going on a love journey with Him.   I am saying “yes” and taking His hand and relying and trusting in Him for everything.  So I write this small blog to explain to you friends and supporters that I put these expectations at the Fathers feet and trust.   I do know that when I get to Korea more direction will be revealed.  I sit here and write this with total excitement and surprise and I wait for the anticipation of what is about to unravel!

This whole process of preparing for Korea has been hard but absolutely beautiful! So I sit….I wait…..and I walk trusting and knowing that what He has is so much better than I can even imagine!

Proverbs 16:3

Commit to the Lord whatever you do, 

and your plans will succeed.

PRAISE REPORTS SO FAR FOR KOREA!!

God opened a door to get a ticket to Korea that is less than half of the original price

God opened up a door for me to be picked up from the airport and have somewhere to stay for the first few nights

PRAYER REQUESTS

For God to open up doors for ministry with women or children

For God to open up a door to live with a family in Korea

For HUGE divine appointments on the way there (in the airport,plain or anywhere)

For safe travels, everything to go smoothly

Friends/Family to be established there

All the last minute details to fall into place before I head out on Thursday

Health/Rest

See through Gods eyes for Korea and the people

Finances

The other day it hit me like a ton of bricks! I don’t know how many times I have heard the question…….

Does He pursue you or do you Pursue Him?

Well I got my answer yesterday as I was studying the book of Hosea.   I got all the way to Hosea 7 and realized He not only has been pursuing me the last couple of years but He has been pursuing me ever since I was a child.  I have so many stories in my life that I have been saved and it’s been Him all along saving me.  Sometimes I make wrong choices and God still picks me up and dusts me off and still tells me He loves me.

I keep asking for more and more of Him and His love all the time and God keeps showing me more and more and sometimes its the most craziest ways and places.  I served this couple the last 9 months that I was on Georgia and God unexpectedly showed me once again how much He loved me by blessing me with this amazing couple and to witness what true love really is.

I remember the first time just like yesterday as I walked into their home and instantly felt the peace and love.  I remember thinking and telling the Lord “really God? Are you really putting me in this wonderful place like this?” The first few weeks of coming to their home the wife would play the piano and it was so beautiful that I would have tears in my eyes.  The pieces she would play sounded like something that would be played in heaven.

God used this couple to answer a prayer that was deep in my heart and has been for a long time.  That true love is really out there.

I walked away at the end of this season knowing what LOVE really is.  As a witness of love between this man and women I can truly explain the love between God and me!  I have always wanted to get to this place and never knew that having a relationship with God could be this wonderful! If you asked me fifteen years ago about being romanced by God I would have thought you were nuts, but NOW RIGHT NOW I can sit anywhere and talk, laugh and cry with Him and He just listens!

So my question for you is ………………

Are you being pursued?

******Prayer Request******

Leave for Korea in less than two months so be praying for complete rest in Him 

Finances ($3,000) for the funds of this trip

Prayer partners to cover me while I’m over there serving

For doors to open with a family to live while I’m there

End well in the states before I leave

To keep trusting Him in everything

1 Chronicles 29:10-13

David praised the Lord in the presense of the whole assembly, saying,

“Praise be to you, O Lord,

God of our father Israel,

from everlasting to everlasting.

Your, O Lord, is the greatness and the power

an the glory and the majesty and the splendor,

for everything in heaven and earth is yours.

Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom;

you are exalted as head over all.

Wealth and honor come from you;

you are the ruler of all things.

In your hands are strength and power

to exalt and give strength to all.

Now, our God, we give you thanks,

and praise your glorious name.

I am a courageous woman of God that will LOVE the Lord with all my heart and fight for KINGDOM everywhere I go.

When did God call me to the mission’s field?

Well, originally, He started speaking to me back in high school about missions, but I was consumed in fear and stuck on myself.  In 2008, I came to the realization that despite my sin, God could still use me…that He wanted to use me, which drove me to walk out of my box, and in effect, I left for Tanzania, Africa on a ten-day missions trip.

For the first time, seeing a different culture and a different part of the world I just knew that God was calling me to much more than what I was living back in the States.  My heart instantly broke on the bus driving 8 hours into our location in Africa.  I knew that my life would never be the same.

I left a few months later and went on an 11-month mission trip to 11 countries bringing the Lord’s love and truth and that’s when I fell in love with ASIA…when God started speaking to me about this Vision of South Korea, ASIA.  Well, three years later, this vision, this dream, is starting to unravel. I am taking a leap of faith, going for it and trusting in HIM.

So this last season (a year) has been in Georgia doing life and building experience before I head out on the field once again.  God has taught me so much this last season.  I have learned to walk humbly in Him and serve serve serve.  I have been a caregiver for the last nine months and its been amazing! Not because the pay is great (just kidding) but because I have learned what its like to stand before someone and be there physically, emotionally and spiritually for them.  I keep thinking about how Jesus served and always put his needs down before others and I can honestly say I have finally felt that in my life down here in Georgia at this job.  This is one area that I have not done well at but I can say that its something that I realized I enjoy doing for others!  So as some of you know I have made some great relationships being out here in Georgia and I hate to give the last hugs bye but as you all know when God calls He calls and you have to make that CHOICE to take His hand and walk forward in the door of FIRE…………

I just got this image in my mind and concept about how God is doing this.  First off when you start out with your very own painting you start out small right? Well the canvas’s getting bigger and the color gets brighter and it starts turning into something.  Well this journey that I have with the Lord is exactly like this painting.  All the people that are involved in this are the colors and eventually all the colors come into the right place and its makes this picture, but its not going to be any kind of picture but its going to be beautiful, there’s going to be love and character all over it! Kind of like a colorful puzzle because every piece will be in the right spot at the right time!

So here goes with going back home and then off off away WE go!!!

the next couple of months in Colorado will be a time of rest, listening to His voice, raising funds, and spending time with friends and family!  I am looking for financial support and prayer supporters.  I am trying to raise $3,000.00 for this next season in Korea.  I would love for you to be apart of this next journey with me and Him!!I am looking for financial and prayer supporters so if you would like to be apart of this with me please let me know. 

Support checks should be made out to “Cross Current Ministries” and then my name “Michelle McDonald” on the memo line and a note with my name sent along with the check!

Checks are mailed to:
Cross Current Ministries
2208 Karen Lane
Gainesville, Ga 30501

PRAYER REQUESTS

-Transitioning back into Colorado

-Prayer supporters while I’m out on the field

-More listening time with God on this vision

-The women and children in Korea

-More divine contacts in Korea

-Financial support

-Peace being back at home for a couple of months

-A time to rest in Him before going to Korea

-Rest