Allison Oden's Archive

manna for today

61 Commentsby   |  04.20.11  |  Ivankiv, Ukraine

My story is similar to Josh’s: after months of pursuing other trips and avoiding Europe, I finally ended up with an internship in Ukraine. I couldn’t be more excited–God placed this desire in me to travel, to get out of my comfort zone, to see the world in a different light, and it’s coming to fruition in just over a month when I travel to Ukraine.

I can already see the challenges that I will face this summer– the fatigue, the language barrier, being away from everyone who is close to me– but I also anticipate God working in ways that constantly amaze me. I can’t wait to see what He has in store. At this point, I’m trying to let go of my worries and trust that He will provide.

Two years ago while working at summer camps, I learned something incredibly vital. Exhausted on all levels, I thought I could only make it one more day, though we had two weeks left. One of the directors said to me: “You only need to make it one more day. When God gave manna to the Israelites, they were only allowed to take a day’s portion, just so they would trust in His provision. We always pray, “give us today our daily bread.” It’s not about being prepared for the whole summer or even the whole week. It’s about depending on Him for the strength and wisdom that you need today.” Especially during finals, things are hectic and it’s hard to not be worried about preparing for this summer. But I know that in the midst of it all, God will renew my strength.

I can’t wait to see how He provides this summer… He amazes me.