Where You Go, I Go

Kim Walker has a song with this title. Every time I hear it, I think of the passage in Ruth where she tells Naomi,

“…where you go I will go, and where you stay, I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God…” (Ruth 1:16).

I cannot tell you how many times I have told the Lord, “Father, where You want me to go, I will go. Where You want me to stay, I will stay. Father, who You want me to love, I will love.” Upon realizing that I would be leaving for Ecuador in a few short months, a rush of emotions washed over me. Don’t get me wrong, my heart has always been for the nations, and there has been no doubt in my mind that I am to go to Ecuador—but feelings of worry started to surface. At the time, I didn’t want to admit it, but fear was also present.

Worry about saying goodbye to my family.

Worry if they were going to be okay.

Worry about how everything was supposed to come together.

Worry.

Fear of knowing this was my first time going back overseas since the Dominican Republic.

Fear of thinking that I could find myself in the same situation that I had experienced in the DR.

Fear of _______ (fill in the blank.)

BUT, I knew I had nothing to fear. Fear is not of God, nor is worry. Those are tactics of the Enemy, but I still had to face and process those emotions. After saying “yes” to Ecuador, I spent the next two days crying. I was a hot mess of emotions as I talked to the Father about my worry and fear. After returning to the states, I finally realized that I started to hold my family close again. Closer than normal. In a way, I was “carrying” them instead of letting the Father carry them. In releasing them to the Father, I felt a wave of relief come over me, and the worry lifted. Fear dissipated as I proclaimed what I went through in the DR has not and could not hold me down.

Psalm 2:8 says, " Ask of Me, and I will make the nations Your inheritance, the ends of the earth Your possession." I have asked. And He has answered.

Praises, Blessings & Updates:

• The Sports Camp, held in Manila last month, was a huge success! Fifty kids from three different Children's Homes were in attendance, and 25 made declarations of Faith! Please keep these kids in your prayers as they start to walk out their journey with the Lord.

• A Trauma Training was also held in Manila last month for our programs and partner projects. Our programs and partner projects were given tools for connecting with kids who suffer from trauma and how as caretakers to take care of themselves.

• My car is paid in full! This is a huge answer to prayer as I "bought" a car upon my DR return with a car loan. Last fall, I felt like the Father had put it on my heart to pray about my car being paid in full, but not only that but for a specific amount of money to pay off my loan. (Little did I know that I would be moving to Ecuador, so there was a more significant reason to have my car paid off.) I wasn't skeptical about this, but more than anything, I wanted to know how I was going to receive this money, but I prayed. Well, my prayer was answered, and now I have the title to my car!

Prayer Requests:

• I am now in California! Please pray for my time here as I am visiting and sharing over the next several weeks.

• ​​From this trip, I am believing I will be fully funded to leave for Ecuador.

• I am still praying for: 8 people at $100 a month / 11 people at $50 a month / ​22 people at $25 a month / 11 people at $10 a month. If you feel led to join me on this journey, please click here: Jessica to Ecuador.

• Please pray for my transition to Ecuador. My directors are going to start apartment hunting for me next month! I hope to find a two-bedroom place :)

To read Extreme Response's latest newsletter, click here: June News.