Jesus, you are my Passion

The bags are packed, the hair is cut, the car is loaded, the alarm is set, the tickets are printed. I am looking at my bags experiencing a weird mixture of pure excitement and anxiousness. Excitement being due to serving the Lord for two months and doing exactly what I am called to do, and anxiousness due to traveling all day tomorrow and facing the unknown. So many emotions are crowding my head as I have said "see you laters" to so many loved ones this week, and the realization that I will not see them until I'm 19! So weird. But this Wednesday was a turning point in my emotions.  Brother Roy McNiel spoke on Jeremiah 1 this past worship night at Oasis at Gardendale First Baptist Church. I had never really studied this passage, but can I just say it FLOORED me. It was exactly what I needed to hear, exactly WHEN I needed it! Not surprising, because my God is a God of specificity and timing. Here is what the passage says:

Jeremiah 1:5-10; 17-19 (NLT)
"I knew you before I formed you in your mother's womb. Before you were born I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations'. 'Oh Sovereign Lord', I said, 'I can't speak for you! I'm too young!' The Lord replied, 'Don't say I'm too young, for you must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don't be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord, have spoken!' Then the Lord reached out and touched my mouth and said, 'Look I have put my words in your mouth! Today I appoint you to stand up against nations and kingdoms. Some you must uproot and and tear down, destroy and overthrow. Others you must build up and plant"

17-19
"Get up and prepare for action. Go out and tell them everything I tell you to say. Do not be afraid of them, or I will make you look foolish in front of them. For see, today I have made you strong like a fortified city that cannot be captured, like an iron pillar or a bronze wall. You will stand against the whole land- the kings, officials, priests, and people of Judah. They will fight you, but they will fail. For I am with you, and I will take care of you. I, the Lord have spoken".

Man. When I heard this scripture, I literally felt as the force of the world jerked me back against my seat. I am truly called to not be afraid and tell the world what the Lord says and his good news. The exciting part of this, is I am not too young! Nor will I ever be to young nor too old to do God's will! WHAT AN ENCOURAGEMENT. To think I am literally going to live out his calling in less than 24 hours is crazy to me. But at the same time, I am reminded that yes, I am going to a foreign country to tell people about why I love Jesus, but am I not called to do the same here in los Estados Unidos? For who ever is reading this, don't feel like you have to move across the world for two months, give up all your belongings, your family, your friends, your everything. Because the Lord doesn't call us all to do that. We are to be LIGHT here and every where we go. Don't hide it under a bushel, because eventually that bushel will burn up! The Lord will have His way done, using me or without me.

The key is obedience. I am not saying I have it all together, because trust me I DON'T. This is something I am learning every day. I am called to follow the Lord where ever He leads, whenever He leads. And as I am taking this step of faith into the uncertain, I am learning to trust in His perfect plan, just like Abraham did. And I think Abraham turned out pretty well off :).

So thank you for reading, praying, fasting, and loving me, just as the body of Christ is supposed to. But, please don't stop here. I will be keeping up frequently throughout my faith experience in Ecuador. This journey is only beginning. And this is only the first chapter.

Morgan Ramsey
Isaiah 6:8

Jesus Culture "You are my Passion"
I'm alive to bring, glory to You, King 
God of victory, You are my passion It's in the way You are, You don't change at all Great and humble God, You are my passion 
My strength in life, is I am Yours My soul delights because I am Yours Your will on earth is all I'm living for 
Jesus I glorify Jesus my love is Yours You are my heart's desire I live to know You more 
Light that breaks the darkness, showing what true love is Always full of goodness, You are my passion You never do me wrong, the meekest man but strong The most perfect song, You are my passion

TWO WEEKS AND COUNTING!

1 Week, 5 days, 16 hours, 40 minutes, and 8 seconds until that wonderful day when I board the plane for Ecuador, South America for two months! ISN'T THAT CRAZY? I feel like I was just starting my freshman year at Samford, and seeking the Lord's face on what to do for this summer. This year has flown by and I am sitting here wondering, where in the world did it go? I feel like I just started band camp last week and had my first class yesterday! I could never express in words the wonderful experiences I have had at Samford and the Jesus-reflective friends I have made. I MISS THEM ALREADY. These past few weeks have been crazy with finals, and so sad with saying goodbyes to my friends for the summer. To say thank you to the people that have made my freshman year so spectacular, would be an inadequate use of my gratitude. So, I thank the Lord Jesus the ultimate reason of where I am, and who I have met. I have been blessed MORE than I ever will deserve.
          All of this to say, I am where I am because of the Lord Jesus; plain and simple. His call on my life into missions is about to play out in less than two weeks and I am so nervous and excited all in one. Isn't that weird? I keep thinking to myself to calm my heart, Kari Jobe's lyrics to Run to you, "Lord you are calling me and beckoning me, with love abounding. And I run to you. I need you... I can't get enough of you. I come alive when I am in your presence. Oh God of my salvation." So many thoughts are running through my mind like, "I need to get shampoo, I need to get my medicine, I need to make a copy of my passport, I need money for this and that", and God has been reminding me in all of this that all I need is Him. My mind is stressed to the max with "to-do's"and He is beckoning me to run to Him and find his overwhelming peace. As Sarah Young would say, I am learning to make the Lord my focal point in all circumstances. As silly as it sounds, in EVERY situation I am learning to say Lord, I need you. This includes me saying this in grocery trips, raising my money to go, and packing my suitcase. "Lord I need you when picking out my shampoo, Lord I need you to provide the money, Lord I need you to give me rest, Lord I need you in every instance in my life. Every little thing Lord, I need you. Because, Lord you are my everything.
          Please pray for me as these last weeks here in los Estados Unidos are numbered and out of control busy! Pray for a peaceful heart as I fly from Birmingham to Atlanta, and Atlanta to Quito, my family as I leave them all summer (including during my 19th birthday), and my health! So many prayer requests I know, but I am praying this is a summer that will change my life, and that I will experience the Lord in a way in like no other. I want to come back so changed and mesmerized by the Lord and what He can do, that my heart is overflowing with the joy of the Lord. I keep singing a Kari Jobe song, (yall she is the best), "my heart will always sing, I love you, I love you." Despite circumstances I will always love the Lord, because of his sacrifice and his unconditional love towards me. Thank you so much for praying for me and reading along! I love you all!


"We will rise to praise you. Offer our lives before you. Let every nation, all of creation, we will rise. You are worthy, life up our eyes to your glory. Let every nation, all of creation, we will rise"
- Kari Jobe, shocker I know

Morgan Ramsey
Isaiah 6:8