We're not in Kansas anymore.

Actually, yes we are.
Well, I am.
Well, I will be.

As some of you know already, I'm heading off on an adventure a lot sooner than I originally planned. It's a pretty cool story because we have a pretty cool God.
I'll leave some details out because they don't all need to be shared with the Internet world, but the thing about God is that he always seems to make a way when there is no way.

Lately, things have not been good at work. I love my job and I LOVE my residents, but I know in my heart that it's time to move into a new season in my life. I told God that I really wanted to be a nanny, and I thought it would be cool to be a live-in nanny in another part of the country. I'd like to have more experience caring for children for a longer and more permanent amount of time, and I'd like to live in a new place for a while. I never mentioned this to anyone except God, and didn't even bother looking for a nanny job because I'm leaving for Madagascar at the end of October, and I "knew" no one would want a nanny for two months.
So my plan was to stick it out at my job until Madagascar and then go from there. My plan was not working. Because of the circumstances at work I have not had peace about staying there even for only two months, so I began to ask Jesus if he would still make a way for me to go to Madagascar if I quit my job. A few days later an opportunity came up that was so God. Again, sparing some details, I found out from someone (who had no idea what I've been going through and praying for) that an awesome family with a sweet little boy in the hospital needed someone to care for their 6 daughters for - you guessed it - two months. It all happened pretty fast but I have had so much peace and confirmation about the whole situation. I talked to my boss and he told me I was free to go whenever I needed to and that he didn't want to stand in the way of God's will for my life, and then he gave me a parfait. Pretty cool guy.
So Sunday is my last day of work, and then on Tuesday I'll fly to Kansas! I will be there for 2 months, home for 5 days, and then off to Madagascar. So you may not see me until December. I am so excited for this new adventure. I can't wait to meet the girls and get to know each other. I love them already. It's been a whirlwind couple days booking flights, saying goodbyes, and getting last minute stuff done, so I'm finally getting around to updating the blog. If you have any questions feel free to ask me directly, but I just wanted to share this exciting adventure with you all as I'm leaving in just 6 days! Crazy!

Nothing is impossible with God :) Sometimes he will put something on your heart months or even years before you see it come to pass, and sometimes he will quite literally pick you up from where you are and place you where he wants you to be. I have experienced both in my life. I think either way, the important thing is to always be ready to say yes to whatever, wherever, and whoever he places in front of you. Sometimes laying down your life and giving Him total control is hard, sometimes it's crazy, sometimes it hurts, but I've come to the point where I know so deep in my heart that it's the only way. When we just lay it all down at his feet, that's when he works miracles. That sweet place of surrender is where true freedom comes from. And I'm so thankful for that freedom.


So, see you soon Kansas!

Love always,
Gianna

1. ’Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
   Just to take Him at His Word;
   Just to rest upon His promise,
   And to know, “Thus saith the Lord!”
   • Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him!
     How I’ve proved Him o’er and o’er;
     Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
     Oh, for grace to trust Him more!

A Journey of Faith

You know those news anchors who report on TV with their umbrellas and the wind blowing like crazy and they're trying to talk all loud because they are in the middle of the storm?
Well that's me writing this blog. This is Gianna Bellante, coming to you live from the middle of the storm. Lol.
Recently, I took a step of faith and decided to follow Jesus into something that is so far out of my hands, and I think that satan might be mad because things I thought I had control over have begun to fall apart, and things I thought I had figured out are crumbling under my feet. But that's okay because I have such a good Dad who works everything out for my good, and I trust him.

It is so refreshing to know that I have a God who doesn't need me. Who I don't have to beg or bargain with to fix my problems. He just works everything out because he loves me, and it's as simple as that. Like, I don't have to read my Bible every day or else he won't care about my situation. We don't have to earn him because he's already paid for us. The word that I keep hearing in my head when I call out to him is "Daughter." and it's like that's all he says and it's enough.

I think the most important thing in our lives is to know that we are sons and daughters of God.
That knowledge and that truth carries so much.
As a daughter of a perfect Father, I am loved unconditionally, I am seen, I am known, I have full access to my Father.
As a daughter of a King, I am royalty, I am valued, I am beautiful (and so are you), and I have no reason to fear.
As a daughter of the Light, I have authority over all darkness.
As a true member of the family of God, I have a deep conviction and a deep longing to call other sons and daughters home.

You know, we can try to be servants and slaves of God all our lives, but when we learn the truth - that we are sons, daughters - that's when we start to see Him move in our lives.

Because he doesn't want our works. He doesn't want our strength. Anything we can do for him, he could do a million times better himself. We don't have to fight for his attention or his love. We don't have to earn him. He is just our Dad. We can just have him - all of him in his glorious fullness that we don't even deserve - because he's our dad. And we belong to him. And that's it.

I saw a beautiful picture a few months ago as I was praying and worshiping. I saw a courtroom in Heaven. There was a big table where the judge sits, and Jesus was there. Then the door opened on the left, and the Father walked in, carrying a child and adoption papers. He placed them on the table in front of Jesus, and Jesus took a stamp and marked the papers, "Approved." I saw that the stamp was red and the ink was His blood. Smiling, the Father took the child out the right door, where hundreds and hundreds of angels were throwing a huge glorious party, complete with a "Welcome Home" banner.

I saw this same scene many times. Each time the child was different - a small girl, a bank robber, an African tribal woman, a thief, a lawyer - people from all backgrounds and all different walks of life. And each person carried in by the Father received the same stamp on their papers: "Approved." with the blood of Jesus. And the angels rejoiced with each precious child brought home to the family of God.

Jesus died that we may be sons and daughters. We are approved, we are welcomed in, just because of His love. Just because our Daddy loved us so much that he made a way for us to be with him and to have access to him at all times. A lot of things were torn down with that veil, and I am so grateful forever to my beautiful Jesus for making a way. I was an orphan, but now I'm a daughter. If you want to reach your brothers and sisters, you need to know who you are.

I've seen the physical process of orphans becoming sons and daughters. I've seen pictures of my own siblings as orphans and then held them in my arms as family. It's too beautiful for words to describe.

Last December, I had the privilege of spending three weeks with Iris Madagascar. To say that those three weeks were the most incredible of my life would be an understatement. To say that the people of Madagascar stole my heart like no other people on this planet would hardly scratch the surface of my love for that place.
I watched the staff members love the children to life, and I expected to see an orphanage, but instead I found a home of 106 sons and daughters. 106 precious children (now it's more than that!) who know more than I ever knew before that God is their Daddy. That he is enough for him. That he is more than capable of providing for every single one of their needs. That he knows the desires of their hearts and that he is a God who gives good and perfect gifts. The faith that I saw in these children was incomparable to anything I had ever experienced before.
I saw Jesus heal people in Madagascar. I saw Jesus open eyes and ears, I saw the lame walk, I saw toothaches and backaches and headaches and stomachaches go in Jesus' name. I saw his love transform lives in ways that I could never dream.
I remember one night before we left Madagascar, I fell to my knees and cried as I heard Him whisper to me, "You've wondered your whole life if this is really true, and now you've seen it with your own eyes."

My faith has never been so challenged and so brought to life all at once.

Since coming home I have prayed and prayed over Iris Madagascar. The staff there is made up of the most incredible, courageous, beautiful, loving people you will ever meet. The children are amazing beyond words. It's a slice of heaven on earth. They've been through so much even just in these last 7 months that I've been home, but Jesus is still glorified and He has such incredible plans for the base. I know it.

In my prayers for the base I have often added in a little "pleeease God? Can I go back?" :) And I have felt him telling me to wait, and wait, and wait. But recently, I have heard that still small voice in my heart tell me it's time to go back.
So that's the leap of faith. In three months I will be heading to Madagascar.

I have no idea what God will do in the month that I'm there, what he will show me, what doors he may open, or why I'm supposed go, but my plan is to not have a plan :) and just let Holy Spirit lead and to serve the base in any way that I can.

So I'm embarking on a journey of faith. I'm trusting Jesus into the unknown, into the new, into the impossible. And I'm soooooooooo excited about it!

Thank you for joining with me in your prayers! They are much needed and appreciated always.


{If you feel led to partner with me in faith and be a part of this journey, I am trusting Jesus to provide $2,000 ASAP to purchase a plane ticket.}

Lots and lots of love,
Gianna
:)