So...this blog has been dormant now for over eight months. That's just crazy. For the past few years I've mostly used this blog to help me remember details of past packing parties. That won't help much for 2021 since I didn't even post about those. By God's grace we packed a total of 25,719 boxes between a week in August, 2021 and another week in September, 2021.
In the six months since then we/I have been waffling back and forth about what our packing for 2022 will hold. Compared to the past few years we have very few items in hand to pack for this fall. In 2020 and in 2021 God provided in advance a lot of our major anchor items for the boxes, and that gave us confidence to push ahead despite the challenges of the pandemic. So far, though, we haven't seen that provision in 2022.
Truthfully, 2021 was a struggle with a lot of spiritual battles that put me on the losing side. I unsuccessfully fought wars with envy, fear, irrational anger, and a host of other personal sins that dragged me down and caused dissension and turmoil that has lasted for more than half a year.
This year we only have about 3/4 of the storage space we had last year. Our storage container next to the church where we hold our packing events had to be moved because of construction and that construction makes it impossible for us to use the space we'd previously used for work days and packing.
With this trifecta of team issues, lack of storage, and lack of items we've been waffling about how many boxes to even try to pack this year. For me it's been a yo-yo effect. At first I thought we should only try to do one week of packing with two trucks--possibly 10,000 boxes. Our prayer team continued to pray, however, and when I attended our Area Coordinators' Planning Meeting in February we were singing the song "Oceans" and I sensed God telling me we should pack 19,000 boxes in 2022.
The next day we had a team meeting via Zoom and when I told the team about my impressions for packing 19,000 boxes at our packing event I didn't sense much enthusiasm. But we kept praying.
Then a week later I found a possible lead on a large quantity of anchor items that would allow us to come closer to packing that 19,000 number. Unfortunately, weeks have gone by and I have yet to confirm the availability of those items and whether I can purchase them at a reasonable price.
Maybe I didn't hear God clearly?
Then world events started to unravel with war in Ukraine and I began to fear rising delivery prices and increased costs for items to purchase. Still, we have no confirmation about items or whether we can find additional storage if we need it.
Last week's sermon was about being obedient to God so we can see Him work. I immediately thought of that goal of 19,000 boxes. Do I/we just need to be obedient? We have almost 20,000 of the basic items but still need those anchor items and fillers.
Lately I keep listening (and trying to sing along) to the song "Jireh, You are enough...Forever enough. Always enough. More than enough." I believe the truth and the more I sing it the more I am reminded of its truth. Jehovah Jireh, God our provider, is able to provide what we need for 10,000 boxes or 19,000 boxes--enough items, enough volunteers, enough wisdom--for whatever He wants us to pack.
More than enough.
