humbled

Today an article came out in the Daily Gamecock, USC's student newspaper, featuring Clothed in Hope on the front page. Blessing. A sweet, sweet sorority sister called on Sunday wanting to interview me and write up an article about everything that's been going on over the past month, as well as my plans for the future with this whole nonprofit adventure. Excitement filled me up inside in anticipation of so many more people learning about the cause and hopefully supporting it in the future. But with that came some strange feeling inside. Not doubt, not fear, but some sort of timidity. It rested on my heart like a shadow and I was determined to pray to the bottom of it.

Humility.
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
That was it. My heart feared becoming proud through this exposure. It's so easy to see this as a promotional opportunity for myself but who do I live for? Myself or for Christ? My purpose in life is to make Christ famous and lift HIS name higher. So with that comes lowering the name of Amy Woodell.

Clothed in Hope is a work of the Lord. After all, what have I really done? I've signed a paper, spent 20 minutes in a bank, researched some, sewn a bunch of shirts, brainstormed some, dreamed more. That's it! Big woop! God is so obviously working through this by opening doors, establishing valuable connections, providing opportunities to share the need, breaking my heart daily for these women, creating a stir that I couldn't have created on my own. People are walking into my life who I could've never found on my own. Doors are just flying open and I'm holding on for the ride of my life. As I sat in my car in the parking lot before class this morning, I opened the package with my official paperwork from the Secretary of State of North Carolina and I could barely breathe. I just became so overwhelmed and in awe of God's grace. Of His provision. Of the ability to cultivate a humble heart within me. And most of all, that none of this was of me. I sat humbled. Not just because of what God's done in my life over the past month, year or even since freshman year; but mostly because of WHO GOD IS. The second I surrendered and stepped out of the way, God slipped in to work His magic and let His plan unfold before my eyes. How insignificant am I?! The same God who has done all this, who is my purpose in life, who changes lives and heals lives, is the same God who could do this in and through any other person. For Clothed in Hope, He chose me.

But what has He chosen you for?