Ode to a Rice Cooker

Things are wrapping up for the semester. Classes. Projects. Outreach. Presents. I can't believe how much has happened and how much I have learned. Has it really only been four months? Wow is that even possible?
Here are a couple of things I've learned in the classroom:
1. Practiced teaching through the story of the Bible from Genesis to Jesus Christ.
2. Learned to evaluate the premise the lens through which someone is looking at life, and recognize that they all come down to God or Self. But if its not coming out in your life, than you don't believe it.
3.  How to say a k and a p together at the same time.
4. The importance of working on a team, and being able to be a good follower.


Here are some of the truly major things I've been learning in God's classroom of life here:
1. I am called to Jesus Himself. Nothing more or less.
2. Jesus is going to have to do this work. The longer I'm here, the more convinced I am that I don't know anything about anything, and have nothing to bring to the table but simple obedience.
3. Hard things are still the best way for God to get some lesson through my thick head... I'm so glad He cares enough to do it that way.
4. God's goodness is everywhere- in everything from air to grass to silly, frivolous things like  giving us a little Christmas tree. And in much much bigger things, like great new friends and hillarious memories. Like this picture- Michelle (green coat) cooked breakfast for the whole longhouse over an open fire... when it was, what 25 degrees out? Good times! And cold times. But very good times :).

God's goodness is even in things like... a rice cooker. Ah yes- you were wondering when that would come in, weren't you? God blessed my socks off with a random little gift in the mail that I used to buy this baby rice cooker. I'm guessing I use it 6 or 7 times  a week. And there's almost always rice in the food pantry when I run out. Who knew I loved rice so much? I didn't. But God did. And He blessed me with this squatty little friend that I shall miss exceedingly over Christmas break. Not because I will miss eating rice basically every day (well- not just because of that)- but because it is such a crystal clear reminder to me that no matter how hard this semester has been (and it has been very hard), God is crazy, awesome, beautiful, ridiculous, amazing, over the top, all the time never stopping    ...... good to me.

Once (well actually several times) upon a Tuesday night

Once (well actually several times) upon a Tuesday,  there was an outreach called "Celebrate Recovery" which helps people come out of many different kinds of addictions through a relationship with God. These people had kids....

Okay- enough of the story mode. I just wanted to give you guys a little peak into what Tuesday Night's look like working with the kids. We've had as many as 30 kids before- and usually have more than twenty. there are three basic types of activities so far. First is general play. There are three areas the kids can play with varying degrees of loudness. This one (in case you didn't guess) is the quiet room- usually set up with either coloring books or playdough. Being in here provides a lot of opportunities for conversations with kids. 

 I'm not usually in there though. I'm usually with the boys- most of them around 5 years old. Need I say that quiet is something they're usually not? So I spend a lot of the night trying to come up with ways to minimize the trauma and destruction they bring upon each other and their surroundings.




Some weeks we have an organized project. In this picture we were making Thanksgiving cards, and next week we're hoping to make Christmas ornaments.

Pardon the dorky look on my face, this was the best picture of the kids...

Every week we try to have a Bible Story with the kids. These kids come from all kinds of backgrounds: totally unsaved homes, new believers, solid Christian homes...its a huge variety and a huge age span to try to communicate these truths.

 Please pray that God's love and Word would be planted deep and grow well in these little hearts.

Thanksgiving

Hurray for Thanksgiving with the family!

I always kind of look forward to long drives alone (I know-I'm weird):  a whole day to sing as loud and dramatically as I want and listen to stories. So for instance this time I started out with Christmas music (of course) then Steven Curtis Chapman. Then I enjoyed a very long time listening to "The Princess and the Goblin" by George MacDonald. Did you know there are places online that will let you download some audiobooks for free?!?! What a great thing to do when traveling! Anyway that was super fun, and made trying to outrun the ice storm much more fun (and I did beat it). Yay!

Time with Mom, Dad, Jess, Bud, Grandpa, Grandma (Mom's parents) and Ryan (cousin) was super good. We played games, watched movies (including an outing to go see Tangled which was was hillarious). Mom and I talked till at least twice- yay! Turkey and Black Friday shopping and sometime to just relax... it was nice.

Driving back today was fun too- I actually listened to the Princess and the Goblin again because I like it so much. Indiana tried to eat my car- but we (me and the car) made it out with minimal damage - go God! Got back and had a very productive-ish evening, and now I am headed to re unite with my pillow- which got left behind and greatly missed!

Prayer Requests:

Prayer is a way to remember who God is and how that affects my life. I love that Oswald Chambers quote "We must pray with our eyes on God, not the difficulties." Guys I would SO appreciate some prayer right now!

Short Version:

1-Eyes on Christ, not fear

2-Direction for the future

3-Dependence on God for joy during neck problems

4-Humility, Teachable-ness (?), Discipline

Longer Version with Explanation:

1- We're taking a class right now called Ministry Partnership. It's about finding people who want to be part of what God's doing through you in prayer/finances encouragement/ accountability. This class is very difficult for me. I've got a great base of prayer support and encouragement (thanks largely to you guys!)- but the thought of having to raise financial support- well, let's just say- at best - it makes me sick to my stomach.

But its not my work, its God's, and its not my mission, its the whole Body of Christ's- I'm just volunteering to be the feet on foreign soil. And God is SO big- He can totally take care of it. But please pray that I would keep my eyes on Christ and what He has for me today. And that, when the time is right, the people who God has called to be part of His work via me would be excited and blessed through their part of the ministry.

2- Direction: A number of classes here assume we already know what country God wants us in, and what job description we're likely to have there. Well.... I don't know yet. I know He's called me to Himself, and given me a passion for His People to know Him better, and love Him with more and more of their lives. I want to take His light and encouragement and the Word to believers where there aren't bazoodles of resources like we have in the USA. But that only narrows it down to most of the globe. So please be praying for direction for the future-and for patience while I wait.

3. Neck's been acting up again. I've tried getting more sleep, taking vitamins, doing different exercises- and they all help a bit, but its still painful to the point of being distracting during class/work/church at least a couple of days a week. If you could pray for... Pray that God would use this somehow, and that I would depend on God, not how I'm feeling, as my source of joy during the days.

4.Humble, Teachable, Disciplined- Guys, I cannot tell you how much I need prayer in these areas right now! I am in desperate need of all three of these, not just for life and ministry here, but because these areas of weakness are affecting my relationship with God. I know the uber-spiritual sounding requests are the ones people tend to skip (yeah I do it too) but seriously guys- please, please pray for me about these three areas specifically, and that I would always love God more!

Thank you all SO much! I can't tell you how much I appreciate it! Miss you guys- and I'm praying for you as well!

I'm Thankful for.....

There's a facebook tradition in November that everyday you post in your status something you're thankful for, all the way up to Thanksgiving Day. Well according to my stats, most of you get here via facebook, so you've probably read about a bunch of the ways God has blessed me this month: but I wanted to share about the two biggest physical blessings God has given me here at MTC:

Susie Marianne

These two amazing gals are a blessing to me every single day here at MTC.

The one on the left, Marianne, is my roommate. It's so great to have someone to talk to, and laugh with. She knows all the right things to do to keep our apartment looking SO nice and inviting :) She's a great accountability partner, and a great person to discuss class with and bounce ideas and wonderings off of. So thankful for my roommate!

The one on the right is Susie, who is sort of my roommate. She technically lives in the apartment next door. But our apartments are separated by what we estimate to be about an inch and a half of plywood... and we're always in each others houses so its basically like living in the same house. She is such a sunny, encouraging part of everyday! God has used her SO many times to encourage me when I needed it so badly. She is so kind. She even lets me come and listen when she practices her harp, we go on walks together, she's a great canoe buddy, we giggle entirely too much when we sit together in classes- its lots of fun. I am very thankful for Susie :)

I have met so many awesome people here in Missouri, and I hope to stay in touch with many of them over the coming years and see where God takes them and what He does. And maybe I'll post more about some of them later. But these two have been an extra special blessing to me- and I thought I'd give you all a picture to go with the names you keep reading in my status updates. I am SO thankful for these special friends God has blessed my socks off with!

okay- your turn! What are you thankful for right now?

Latest Prayer Letter:

Hey All!

Well- they warned us in one of our classes about the delicate balance between updating so often between everybody gets sick of you, and losing touch with everybody and well... I was trying not to update too frequently. I think I succeeded .

Classes are going hard and strong. We just finished Foundational Bible Teaching today. We're also studying Ministry Partnership, and Phonetics. Phonetics is fun. It's all about hearing and making and distinguishing all the different sounds our miraculously created tongues can make. If we can tell sounds apart that aren't used in English, and then reproduce them, this will give us a huge leg up in learning both the trade language and the tribal language.

Some special blessings God has put in my life over the last few weeks include:

-my roommate and building mates. We actually call our building The Longhouse- because it reminds me of Mom's stories about Indonesia when she was little. The six of us are always in and out of each others houses and doing stuff together- it has been such a blessing to be with these other five gals!

-God's popped up some opportunities to get involved at Potter's House (the church I'm part of here). He's given me some great talks with people before and after church, and also a chance to serve on Tuesday nights watching kids while they're parents attend an addiction recovery program the church does. There is a LOT of drug addiction, alcoholism, and even messier things in the area. It is SO fun to be around kids again. Going cold turkey from 40 hours a week to no time at all around little ones has been super weird.

Thank you SO much for your prayers! I really appreciate it!

Praise:

-good friends!

-good church

-opportunity to serve

-homesick phase is ending- hurray!

Pray:

-Discipline (this is God's theme for the semester I think- something I definitely need to learn)

-A hungry, humble learners heart to become all that God has for me to become during this training time.

-On Thursdays I help at an afterschool hangout for youth in a highrisk area (apparently its one of the meth and teen pregnancy capitols of the country). Please pray that I would have God's heart for these teens, His ears, eyes, and words to say them as we interact each week!

So that's a bit of what God's up to on my end! I'd love to hear what He's up to on your end of things! Thank you so much for your interest in what God's doing down here :)

In Jesus,

Anna

Job-istry

Super cool blessing this week: I got a part time job/second ministry! Potter's House (church I'm going to) has a ministry on Tuesday nights called "Celebrate recovery" and they need help watching the kids because so many people are coming!

Guys this is such a neat opportunity to bring a tiny flash of Jesus into these little ones lives every week. There's kids from 1-13, and man do they have energy. But I've really been missing working with kids, so its a huge blessing to get to do that again. And its with the church, so I can get to know more people at Potter's House, get to know more people in the community and even get paid a little for it.

So that was my awesome cool blessing for the week- a job-istry! Although really, all jobs are an opportunity to minister. But job-istry is more fun to say :)

Starting at the Begining...

So as classes here are zooming along! There are so many different kinds of classes going on- each class is a module that lasts from a few days to a month or two. My current favorite is called Foundational Bible Teaching. its based on a course called "Building on Firm Foundations" BOFF for short... I know I know. When I was little they called it Chronological Bible Teaching- Chron for short. BOFF or Chron... hmmm.

The basic idea is that man has a wrong concept of God, and since God is the foundation of everything :). So the teaching starts at the beginning- in Genesis, and then teach through God's Story in order. We're learning about finding and teaching themes that God brings out throughout Scripture: such as that He is our Creator/Owner. His is Holy and Righteous and demands death as payment for sin, He is loving merciful and gracious. Man is a helpless sinner and has to come to God God's way. Teachers do the first couple lessons and then the students take turns teaching the rest so that we get a chance to practice.

One of the lessons that really popped out to me this time was Cain and Abel. It's not just a story about two brothers, where one lucked out to pick what God wanted him to do. It's a clear example of man trying to come to God his own way. But there's only one way to God- and that's the way God said- He said death was required as payment for sin. Cain brought his best works to God -but that's not what His Creator/Owner required. When God gently pointed this out to him, did Cain admit that he was wrong? no- he went and murdered his brother instead.

I was so struck by that deep level of hatred towards God. God loving reached out to Cain after he tried to come his own way, and instead of being grateful and turning back towards God- Cain sprinted the other direction! wow. But even though Cain did that, humanity did that, I did that- God is still all those things I listed a minute ago. That's what I really like about hearing the whole story in order- it brings a lot of those out for me :).

Birthday Blessings-

Yes its true... I'm now 25- wow that sounds old. But despite that somewhat unsettling landmark...God just packed this birthday with super special blessings. In fact the celebration lasted most of the week! -so I thought I would share some of the blessings:

Sunday:

I came back from doing laundry while talking on the phone and SURPRISE it was a party (there was lots of screaming and then I had to hang up the phone- sorry Mom!)

My longhouse-mates were all there- Susie and Marianne even made me a cookie

cake - and Susie made me cookie dough because she asked what I normally do for my birthday and I said go visit Steph and eat cookie dough.

Monday: Salaverrias

(teachers from high school) came to town! It was so fun to catch up! We went out for Mexican food. I had to wear a stupid hat while the waiters sang to me... but the

n I got a bunuelo with chocolate on it- so it was worth it :)

Tuesday: the day itself... Got a box from home with all kinds of wonderful goodies in it! My favorite of which was :

Yum!

And Jim and Connie (small group leaders) brought me flowers! So sweet!

And I got so many birthday greetings on facebook and text- and even some

cards! That was just so, so encouraging. Sometimes it feels kind of lonely and disconnected here- and those were such a special encouragement :)

Wednesday my small group had a cake and everything- its kind of overwhelming- I haven't had anything like this amount of fuss over a birthday in a long time! It was very, very sweet of all of

you and I really appreciate it.

Finally- another awesome God blessing: I have been praying

for a while about potentially learning guitar. Since I love

music and sing constantly, it seems like music might be something God might want me to use overseas too, and if that's the case- it would be best to know an instrument of some kind. Problem: don't have a guitar. Hard to learn to play one without one. So I started praying about it. And on Tuesday, somebody posted that they wanted to get rid of a guitar before heading overseas and.... long story short, by Saturday I had the guitar! God even sent enough birthday money to completely cover the guitar and a "learn to play guitar" book! Hurray! So this was a special reminder of how much God loves me- and I just thought I'd pass that on to the rest of you- because He loves you too- always and forever.

Well, a much over due post at last (there ya go Becky). Classes are humming right along- its amazing how easy it is to be busy. Sometimes I think I'm busier than I was in Philly. And sometimes I think I have way more free time. Probably its about the same, the hours are just no consistent anymore. Important Life Lesson: God's Work Hours are not only 9-5.

I LOVE fall!

It's so beautiful to watch the season changing! the leaves are oh-so-slowly changing to yellow. The night sky seems so much clear-er and more amazing with a chilly breeze trying to get through my sweatshirt. I broke out the scarves, hoodies and long sleeves this weekend and decorated my room for fall.

There are pumpkins in the stores, and apple cider- Soon it will be apple pie time! The leaves will keep getting more and more beautiful for weeks. And we'll have bonfires, and it will be great weather for hoodies, hot chocolate, and happy jack-o-lanterns. There will be crunchy leaves to throw, and to jump in. At Thanksgiving we'll get to see family and friends, watch parades and eat pie.

Happy sigh. I think my favorite thing about fall is that there's nothing to dread coming next- because right after fall is.... Christmas! It just keeps getting better :).

hurray for the Body of Christ!

one of my small group advisors was able to take a look at my car- and there is nothing majorly wrong with it- its just a problem Corolla had that year- so I just have to carry lots of oil on long trips.

AND when I came home tonight - (drum roll please) my computer is back!!!

hurray!!! Go God!!

Conversations with God

Hey all,

thanks for praying! Comp is still down- and car is out of commission too :(. Thank God for very sweet longhouse mates and small group people!

Guys- this is really stretching for me. I don't like to be dependent on people. I once read that "loneliness is a required course for leadership". And I still think that's true- but as I was praying about it this afternoon (after a good long cry with my small group advisors) God pointed out that since I want to be part of church planting... you know spreading the body of Christ.... I can't really be a toe all by myself. That doesn't do the body any good. (or the toe for that matter).And not having a computer or a car definitely forces me to depend more on the Body.

The truth is: I hadn't realized how hard this was going to be. I didn't realize HOW far Jesus was planning on stretching me. So we had an interesting conversation this afternoon that went something like this (inspired by our stewardship class this morning):

"God I want my computer!" "Will you follow me without a computer?" Me "yes" God- "Are you sure? What if you don't ever have a computer again?" Me (thinks a lot harder)"um....well... no duh- of course I will follow you without a computer. Where else would I go?" (repeat with car).

Me- "God, I'm so tired of being hot and dirty and exhausted!" God- "You do know what mission you signed up with right? You are likely to be hot and dirty and exhausted the rest of your life. Will you follow me anyway?" "But I don't like being hot or dirty or constantly exhausted" "is it more important than me?" me- grumbles. God-waits patiently. Me-sighs and feels sorry for myself and starts to whine something about how why doesn't everybody else have to God-"no no no. This is about you and me. Am I enough even when you are hot and dirty and exhausted?"

Not that I'm so good at following Him (and especially not at doing it with a good attitude), but its like what Peter says "Lord where else shall we go? you have the words of Eternal Life."

I don't know why I just wrote all that here- normally that would just go in my journal. But who knows, maybe it will encourage one of you like it did me.

And I know I probably will have a car and/or a computer at some point again. And chances are good that someday I will feel clean and energetic again. But I have been entirely too dependent on all those things. So now God is going to teach me that He is enough. And He works through His Body. And all though some days its very deep inside, I really am glad that He is.

Quick prayer request guys- my computer is on the fritz :( I tried to install Office 2010 and - well now I have no word processing ability at all (office or not). So the nice IT guys tried to fix it this afternoon but weren't able to so far. Maybe tomorrow. Anywho- so I will be computer-less for at least a couple of days- if you need me try the cell.
Please pray
-that the IT guys can fix my computer!
-that I am able to handwrite at super-sonic speeds so I can get down notes in class. Almost every point is a complete paragraph.
- for a good attitude. I like my computer. I use it A LOT. I think God has decided to point out that I like it too much.
-Praise for a random computer in the communication center I can use to do major homework on the next few days

Longhouse Mates

Accomplishment of the month: the term "longhouse" did catch on for our building! Go me! or rather go Mom, since it was her stories that inspired it.

But in case you want to put faces with some names, here's a picture of all of us "longhouse mates". *note for the vanity of all involved: it was 10 pm, pouring rain after a ridiculously hot and sticky day- so none of us are looking our best in this picture.

Back Row: Marianne, Promise, Michelle.

Front Row: Susie, bob, Rachel.

Marianne (top left) and I are roommates, Susie and Rachel (on either side of me) are roommates, and Promise and Michelle (top middle and top right) are roommates. We're all first semester except Rachel, who has been here a whole year already and is oh so kind to impart her vast knowledge of what in the world all those silly acronyms mean to us newbies.

Blessed Breeze

Seeing the people I grew up with this weekend was like a wonderful cool breeze in the middle of a muggy Missouri day.

I remember so clearly talking with Uncle Manny about what made a certain book good and Aunt Beth trying to teach me how to say "Saskatchewan". Aunt Candy read us "Briar Rabbit" . I remember Uncle Barry taught us kids the Bible chronologically- I still can see the pictures. Those are all great memories (and there a hundred more), but that wasn't what was so incredibly encouraging about this weekend.

Over the last few weeks it has been all too easy to get zoned in on the bad or the difficult memories, but man... from the moment we met up with these incredible people again- it was just hard to believe we have been split up for eight years. It was just- breathtaking to be able to look back and see some of what God has done over the years.

When we all sat down around the kitchen table and prayed yesterday morning- wow. I'm pretty sure there is nothing in the world like hearts united in purpose, in devotion to the Lord praying for each other. Wow.

Two other special people were there: Beto and Evelia. They're leaders of the body in the town where we lived all those years. They were able to come up for Kelly's wedding. During part of the ceremony, they presented Kelly and Brian with a Bible (tradition at Christian weddings in Mexico). I watched these awesome people charging the soon-to-be-weds to love God His Word and each other, sitting next to the daughter who was crying all kinds of happy tears.

And no wonder. They were once a million miles from God- and about ten years ago- He rescued them. In the tiny little town in the middle of a scary part of Mexico that nobody particularly cares about- God sent His Word- and now Beto and Evelia are taking the light to the people around them when the missionaries are no longer there. It may not be Ee-taow but its still incredible. God has been working all along. Just look what He's done so far! I wonder what's next?

sigh...

Guys I have to be honest... transition is still pretty rough. I know my posts are fairly perky- its because when I write I'm usually all excited about something. But overall... things are okay, but still kind of rough. Lots of homesick.

I want to be "home". I miss my family. (yes, already). I miss my friends. I miss church. I miss being actually involved in ministry rather than just getting my feet wet again. I miss my kids. I almost miss work, and I definitely miss my friends from work.

I don't like homework. I'm so, so tired, and more than a little overwhelmed.

I wonder if I can do this. I wonder if I even want to. I wonder if I have "enough" passion to reach the lost. I wonder what the heck I am thinking to sign up to go live in the middle of nowhere again, as things in the world get scarier and scarier.

I wonder and I wonder, but I just don't know.

And in the end all I'm sure of is this... Jesus loves me, and called me to Him. And if this is where He wants me, than this is where I'll be. Because He is totally, completely, so much more than worth it.

Yay! God directed me to a church I can plug into! I am SO thankful!

I also have chocolate mini-wheats this week- not as good as finding a church home-away-from-home, but still pretty amazing

And I get to see Mom Dad and Jessi on Thursday! Hurray!

week one

First week is done! Oddly, this felt like a really, really long week, even though it was only four days long. Some friends in Hermeneutics were discussing it and we decided that its because we have Hermeneutics (since most of my other friends are saying this week went really fast). See Hermeneutics is an extra class for -oh wait I explained that already. See below if you're confused. but anyway that class is an additional 2-4 hours for us... so we figure our brains are more fried than the others because of that.

Anywho, in other class news-we finished "Big Picture." Monday we're starting "Stewardship" which I'm really looking forward to. Friday we started "Communication Skills" and I had the most horrible time concentrating because the teacher who was speaking (all our classes have two or three teachers except hermeneutics) but the guy who was speaking looked SO much like Santa Clause. No really he did. Not as "horizontally enabled" so to speak, but he had the beard going on the and shiny bald head, and the smile and just... yeah. It was very distracting. We're splitting up into smaller groups for the rest of the class, and I'm having one of the other guys now- so maybe I won't be distracted during class by an endless string of Christmas carols now :)

In other fun news, God totally opened up a way for me to go to Kelly's wedding! (Kelly is a good friend from high school/jr high). So maybe I will see some of you Mexico people who read this there. I will for sure get to see Mom and Dad and Jess and I am super excited!

Probably the best part of this week though, has been the times I took a walk with God around the lake, and down the path. I found this beautiful little spot with a bench, by the woods, and a creek. there are butterflies flitting from flower to flower and its so , so peaceful. It was such a special blessing to find a place to retreat like that. I haven't had one of those since I left BBC. A place to retreat when things get a little crazy and just be still with God. or not. because its far enough away that I can sing, talk, pray, cry, yell, if I need to... or just be still and let His peace in creation just sink in and remind me that He Himself is my peace.

Classes have begun! Well, to paint a more accurate picture, modules have begun. The Missionary Training Center (MTC) has different length modules that happen during the semester instead of classes that run all semester long. This way topics can be covered thoroughly but without "scratching us raw where we don't itch". Right now all the first semester students (CP1s- see I was serious about how many acronyms there are) any way, our modules this week are Foundational Bible Teaching (about teaching the chronologically Bible from Creation to Christ), Big Picture (how NTM works/functions with the local church, at home overseas and in church planting), Worldview Analysis (studying how people came to think the way they think about the world around them), and History of NTM (which is exactly what sounds like). In the afternoon there is an extra class for the 10-12 of us who didn't come from a New Tribes Bible Institute - Biblical Hermeneutics- just to make sure we're all on the same doctrinal page- avoids lots of conflict while you're trying to teach the Gospel together later.

It is funny how its the little things, both good and bad that make a lot of difference. The things that bug are little: showers not being in the house, sitting for 6+ hours a day. And the things that encourage tend to be little too: finding an awesome place in the woods to talk to to God, having a campfire with some friends and getting creamed in Settlers of Catan (or Dutch Blitz or whatever else we're playing :), its the song that pops into my head, or having rainboots to wear through the unbelievable ammount of mud that happens here when it rains.

And it is so, SO encouraging to know you all are praying! I appreciate it so much! you guys are amazing and I am so thankful for you!

God is Moving!

So this last week was "Field Ministries Week" when representitives from all the different regions NTM is working around the world. It was so good to be back on focus with what God has called us here to do.

Wow its funny- I feel like I have million things I should tell you all and now I'm drawing a complete blank.

Well, while I'm blanking, let me share some fun things that happened this week:

-Susie, Rachel, Marianne and I had the regional representitives from Africa over for dinner- it is SO exciting to hear what God is up among His children in Africa! Oh that's what I wanted to talk about!

Churches all over the World are waking up and moving forward to take the Gospel out Latin America, Asia, Africa ("the Global South" seems to be the term they like for this movement.) That was probably the best, most exciting thing about this week- hearing about the INCREDIBLE things God's body is up to all around the church. Did you know there's a Nigerian group with 2000 missionaries trying to reach the unreached parts of their country? Did you know the African church (I kind of hate to call them that- it makes it sound like there's different churches, Asian church, African church, American church... but we are all One Body) but anyway- the believers in Africa are also part of the "Back to Jerusalem push- to take the back through Muslim North Africa to Jerusalem. And probably most of you have heard that believers in China are doing that as well! Did you know in NTM alone there are over 350 missionaries from Brazil?- the only country that sends more NTM missionaries is the US.

Guys this is the coolest thing ever! I have never even read about such a global movement of the Church! and I am SO excited to get to be part of it internationally- and I can't wait to see what this means for believers in the West as well. I don't know what God's up to but its going to be AMAZING!

Hold the Ropes

Wow - a whole bunch of you must've been praying last night b/c I got the best night's sleep I have had in a long time! And I am feeling MUCH better today (again- a whole bunch of you must have been/must be praying).

I'm kind of embarrassed to admit that I'm a little hesitant to post this. But I have noticed over the years that once people post the prayer is being effective, people stop praying. Isn't that weird (and kind of stupid)? You'd think, that seeing how God is answering and using prayer in His work in the situation that we would pray more- but we stop (and I do mean we- I'm as guilty of it as anybody).

Please don't stop praying- I, all of the students and especially all of us newbies, have been hit VERY hard over the last week. And we're fighting to keep our eyes on Jesus and to follow Him through all this mess but it is very, very hard. One of the harder things I've had to do so far in my life.

There's a ministry here called "Hold the Ropes" that God has blessed me incredibly to be a part of. Its from a poem that talks about the importance of praying for brothers and sisters overseas following Jesus through extreme difficulty. And since I know many of you are involved in this as well (or you probably wouldn't be reading all this) I thought it might encourage you as much as it encourage me. (and now if I say HTR - you'll know what I mean Hold the Ropes). So keep praying- I really can't thank you all enough!

"Hold The Ropes”
Down beneath the mighty ocean
Divers plunge for treasures rare.
But men hold the ropes above them
So they breathe the upper air.

Seeking pearls of richest value
Braver hearts have dared to go.
But our hands must every moment
Hold the ropes that reach below.

So amid the heathen darkness

There are heroes, true and brave,
Shrinking not from death or danger,
Bearing all to help and save.

But they cry, “Oh, do not leave us,
“Mid these dreadful depths to drown,
“Let us feel your prayers around us,
“Hold the ropes as we go down!”

I forgot to add some blessings from this past week:

-Rosemarie- (the lady I help organize the prayer stuff with) is amazing! What a blessing- and I totally want her job someday :)

-Fee's album "Hope Rising" has really been the most incredible encouragement this week- either by cheering me up or pointing me to truth through tears

-I got to canoe a lot this week, and figured out how to steer :D mission accomplished!

-Mom and Dad are in the states and I can call them whenever I want! Yay! (they got called a lot this week)

- I got a very sweet package from Jess and Grandmom who are so nice and thoughtful and take all kinds of good care of me

-I can cook whatever I want for meals :D

-there are wildflowers around campus to pick.

So yeah- even though its been a super hard week- I wanted to make sure I mentioned the good stuff too

homesick

So- due to some very horrible news rocking NTM about some extremely selfish unChristlike sins people committed about 20 years ago- the honeymoon phase ended pretty early last week. And of course after the honeymoon phase ends- comes the homesick phase. Blah.

This is the part of moving I hate the most. Everything seems to be going wrong, and I second guess everything, and there's just wishing longing for the familiar. Yeah. Not my favorite. At all. But thank goodness, like all phases it will pass.

I miss my friends, I miss Grandmom and Jess, I miss knowing where everything is, I miss church, I've even started to miss the kids at work. And that should tell you how homesick I am if nothing else does :P Its funny the things that set me off though. Things like singing praise songs in chapel... and not being part of the worship team back at Faith. Or wanting to take a shower late at night... and it not being there. It being SOOOO stinking humid all the time-and I want to go back where it wasn't- hah missing Mexico there though, not Philly. Hopefully fall will get here soon too.

And then it brings up all the things I'm afraid of but the ridiculous and the realistic- oh my word - do I really want to go live in the scary jungle and eat nothing but bugs and snakes the rest of my life! Oh my word- I don't want to move all over the rest of my life- I want a home! On my word what if I can't find chocolate? Oh my word- what about raising support? Oh my word- what if I assimalate too well and become a scary hillbilly weird person and when I go back to Philly no one will talk to me? oh my word can I really do this all alone? (I know some of these are completely ridiculous, and that God will take care of the ones that aren't- I'm just trying to be honest about how things are going).

That's not to say everything's horrible right now, because its not really. It's just going to feel that way for a couple of days maybe two weeks at the most and then I will feel better.

I do NOT miss:

gas prices- its about about forty cents cheaper here.

The stars (or rather lack there of)- you can see SO many more here

if you wouldn't mind praying specifically for me that I would be able to get some sleep? I haven't been able to sleep for nearly a week now- waking up five or six times a night, and I know that's not helping anything. It also makes it very hard to pay attention, say in class, or Church (I have NO idea what the sermon was about- though I'm not convinced that was entirely my fault...lots of bunny trails in that sermon). Also leads to being much more easily stressed and very emotional (I nearly cried like 7 times today- and actually did cry twice)I don't know what's wrong, I've tried a couple different things, but I still don't seem to be sleeping.

I tried a church connected to the ministry I signed up to be involved with here ("outreach" is the official word for it). Everyone was very nice and the discussion was deep and full of scripture. Its a teeny tiny little church (maybe 25-30 people total) but they're doing a neat ministry to at risk youth in the area (the outreach I signed up for)

Okay this is getting really long (I seem to be doing that a lot- sorry! I will try to make the next one short) but I wanted to post these lyrics that have been super encouraging to me the last few days:

And the arms that hold the universe/Are holding you tonight/You can rest inside/It's gonna be alright

And the voice that calmed the raging sea/Is calling you His child/So be still and know He's in control
He will never let you go -Fee

wow what a week. Actually it hasn't even been a week yet. Weird.

Orientation this week- mostly explaining all the accronyms- I never realized how many there are my goodness! There's a lot of jokes running around about alphabet soup. Either that or that their goal is to make up so many acronyms that you can say whole sentences without ever having to use a real word :P.

In all seriousness though, this week has been wonderful- God has been so good to confirm over and over with so many little blessings that this is exactly where He wants me right now. Little stuff like cookies in the food pantry. Or bigger things like getting a work detail assignment (students work around campus in the afternoon to help keep costs down and teach us some more hands on type things about ministry overseas)- my assignment is to help coordinate the morning time where we pray for missionaries! It is the best work detail assigment EVER- what an incredible blessing! Its like an extension of the Prayer Team at Thrive (and I miss all of you, by the way). Rosmarie, the lady I work with is absolutely amazing- just overflowing with compassion and love for Jesus and prayer for His people at every turn- its is amazing! I hope after 30+ years of ministry my passion burns so bright and strong for my Savior and His people. Wow.

That is actually one of the most enormous blessings about being here. It seems like almost everywhere I turn there's one of "those" people. You know the ones I mean ? The ones that all you have to do is look at them and you can tell Jesus is up to something incredible in their lives -something in their eyes or the way they smile or things that make them excited that just tells you- God is so alive and enormous to them. Yeah them. They're everywhere! Not everyone of course, but I've never been around so many, its sooooo encouraging.

Making friends is going much quicker than I thought- because... well its pretty cool actually because just by virtue of being here, we know we have a lot of basics in common with everybody here. Its pretty amazing actually. And its been such a neat blessing to see some old familiar faces from Mexico popping up here and there too :)

It hasn't all been a bed of roses. Being back in the fish bowl I grew up in brings back a lot of memories- both wonderful, and painful memories. Its been an interesting week sorting through the good and the bad- but God has blessed SO much with a sure confidence that this is exactly where He wants me and what He wants me to be doing. And I am SO thankful for that!

Praise: for good friends- old and new

Praise: we found a microwave- cooking is MUCH easier now!

Praise: weather is cooling down a bit!

Praise: God is working all around us!

Prayer: Would you pray specifically that God would lead me to the church He has for me to minister in and with while I'm here?

I am so amazed and grateful that God has brought me here to get to know Him more. I can't wait to see what He's got in mind :)

And here we are!

Well I'm all moved in. Its so weird. Even with everything all set up now, it still feels like I'm in a weird dream or a book I read a long time ago.

Update: Time in Ohio with Mom, Dad, Grandpa and Grandma was wonderful- so much fun. Laughed a lot, cried a little, and heard SO many amazing stories of ways God had been faithful when each of them went through language school here. They also told me lots of horror stories so I would be good and excited to come :P

Friday I said good-bye and drove the last ten hours down to the Missioary Training Center(MTC). Once I had navigated my car all the way down the hill to the bottom of the gravel maze, I forgot where I was supposed to go. But as God's amazingness would have it, the first lady I walked up to ask for help was the lady I needed to find! So she took me to my apartment, and she and Marianne, my roommate, helped me bring everything in. Then we went on a tour of the MTC- good gracious, the whole things is a bit of a maze with all the construction. Eventually we finished, and then Ronda (the lady who found me) invited us both over for dinner.

Marianne had done a LOT of work on the apartment by the time I got here- she very much has an artist's eye, and it looks very nice. The mattresses are comfy, the closet is huge (or at least it looks huge to me), I get awesome cellphone signal, and the mattress is comfortable far beyond anything I could ever have hoped for! Some of you who have followed a bit of the issues with my back/neck can give praise with me for what an amazing blessing that is!

When Grandma told me the size of the house, I thought she was joking. She wasn't. Thank goodness I didn't bring my big comfy chair- it would never have fit :P. But there's much less cleaning this way- and I hate cleaning. I was more dissapointed that the apartments don't have showers- instead there is a public shower. Public shower's are one of my all time least favorite things. But as public showers go, these are very nice- probably the best set up for them I've seen, and at least there's a toilet in each house! And its good practice for going to a tribe where there likely won't be any plumbing at all.

I met the other girls in my building yesterday- Marianne and I share 101, Rachel and Suzie share 102 and Promise and Michelle share 103. They all seem very nice- I think we'll have fun together. I keep wanting to call the building a longhouse because it kind of reminds me of Mom's stories about the long houses in Indonesia, but I was informed that this building is called the "Ghetto". But I think Long house is better (except its not longer than any of the other student housing units up here.)

My favorite thing so far though is definately the lake. It is so gentle-peaceful. I was sitting by it this morning and it reminded me that God can give peace even when I'm more than a little overwhelmed by everything that just happened/is going on/is about to start. And then God reminded me that He is the point of it all. Not becoming Wild Wilderness Woman or the next Mary Slessor or even rescuing poor tribes locked in darkness, the point is Him.That is the point no matter where or I am or what I'm doing or whether or not I have shower. Knowing, loving and obeying Him with everything I am until the very last time I breathe.

its really here!

After a crazy whirlwind of a week... its here. Day after tomorrow this new adventure God's got for me begins. Today I said good-bye to the folks at Faith Church- I thought for sure I was going to cry during my last song with the worship team :( But I didn't- I finished the song. Its that sneaky trick that if you take tissues, you will not need them- i don't take them I will need them. So I took them up- apparently it worked. So many good memories- talking with Laura and Beth Ellen, Joe and Rich's oh-so-serious post service practices :P

And there was the big family dinner this afternoon to send us various cousins our seperate ways this fall. Slippy pot pie (one of Gmom's most amazing meals- and those of you who have eaten at my grandmom's house know that's saying something)- yum!

So many good-byes- but I haven't cried yet... I've wanted to a couple times but it was never an appropriate moment to do so. I can feel it coming on. But the excitement just keeps swallowing it. Please pray for me though, I'm nervous about how to say good-bye this time. I can't just burn all the bridges like I did when I was little, but I don't want to leave my heart here completely like I did when I left college. A healthy balance is what I need. I am TERRIBLE at balancing- litererally and metaphorically.

In happier news, all of my stuff IS going to fit into my car- hurray for Buddy's muscles and Jessi's crazy awesome packing skills. Work is all officially wrapped up and handed over. and now that the car is packed I actually feel a huge relief like I might actually get all this nonsense done in time! Hurray!

I really am excited that God is really going to let me go and use me, even me with all my issues and quirks, to spread His fame - SO excited!

Prayer- safe travel on Tuesday

Prayer-sleep hours to count at least double, preferabbly triple the actual ammount I am sleeping

Praise- stuff fit in the car!

Praise- wonderful lessons and personal development God has worked in me while I have been in the Philadelphia area.

One more praise, but this one takes a bit longer to explain. I have been praying that God would show me if/how my being here has been a benefit to others- I know it has been of incredible value to me and I have grown so much here, but I have really been praying the last two years that God would use me here to draw others closer to Him. I guess haven't seen anything amazingly solid that proved He had used in me that way, but He pointed out some things quietly in or through random conversations with friends- and it is encouraging to know that my service here in the Lord was not in vain either.

well my friends- my next update will be in ohio after the big goodbye as I stop to stpend some time with Grandma, Grandpa, Mom and Dad- Thank God! I think only something that good will get me through saying goodbye to everybody at Thrive and saying goodbye to Gmom, Jess and Bud Tuesday AM. But God knows. and it is going to be AWESOME!!!

One person can't feel all that- they'd explode!

Do you ever feel like there are just so many emotions going on inside you you're going to explode?

Eleven days from now I will be on the road... and I am SO excited to get to Ohio and see Mom and Dad and Grandpa and Grandma. And then two days and on to Missourri.

I'm ... I don't know what I am. I'm tired of packing. I can't wait to see my car all filled up and ready to go. I know I'm going to miss Grandmom and Jessi and Buddy- and all you guys at Thrive- especially my small group. I'm so excited to meet the people God's going to bring into my life in just a few weeks! I'm so exhausted my pillow is calling for me every minute. I want to be with my friends all the time, I just want to be by myself and try to process everything that's going on. I'm going to miss the people at work- I am so glad I won't have to deal with temper tantrums again for a while. Periodically I just get so overwhelmed I just don't want to think about it at all.

When I get overwhelmed by it all I start to either feel discouraged, or (more likely) just not think about it at all. God is so sweet to me- whenever that happens, He sends me some amazing encouragement. Today it was from an amazing friend of Grandmom's- her name is Doris Bowman, and she has lived an amazing, insane life of following Jesus. We only talked for a few minutes... but she told me a few quick stories of when God first started to call her- and it was wow. So encouraging. Exactly what I needed. God is so wonderful. Whatever do people do without Him?

Song in my head

I'm pack up, I'm leaving home, heading into the great unknown- its time. I have to go- So:

Here's goodbye and here's so long, I must got and follow Love, I feel my heart moving on, I must go and follow Love. Carry on while I'm gone- this is what I've been dreaming of! I'll miss you so, But I must go- Go and follow Love.

Pumpkins, Promises, and Packing

Steph, my best friend, came down Friday night and Saturday so we could go the beach- last time together before we'll be five states apart instead of just 2 hours. It was SO much fun- we splashed in the water, built sandcastles (or rather she built sandcastles while I took a nap and got a spectacular sunburn on my back), we ate boardwalk fries, and walked everywhere, we talked about everything under the sun (and a few things that aren't), we went shopping and sang songs... it as a wonderful time. I had kind of expected it to be a sad time. I remember, all too vividly, as I'm sure some of you other missionary kids do too, that horrible gut wrench every time you would come back to the States and find out that the people you had been calling your "best friend" all this time had forgotten you, or was to busy with their regular friends to say hi to you this time. And I've been dreading that with this move too- that when I come back, everyone will have moved on. Well as I've gotten older, I've gotten a bit of a new perspective: people do and should move on- that's how God made life to work. Staying focused on the past does nobody any good. But I have also gained some precious gifts of friends like Steph. No matter the miles (or kilometers), no matter how different our lives are- our friendship is precious gift from God, and I have no doubt that "We'll be friends till we're old and senile- then we'll be NEW friends." I am SO thankful for the friends past and present God has given me- and especially the present ones that will be around in the future :).

They're starting to put out fall decorations in the stores. I love fall- if I had to pick a favorite time of year (besides Christmas of course) it would have to be fall. I am kind of bummed that I will miss the leaves changing color this year. It was so wonderfully gray and drippy on Sunday I felt the need to make apple pie and drink hot spiced cider. God puts so many good things in all the seasons! I am excited to see what fall looks like in Missouri. After all, God "gives us richly all things to enjoy"He promises that He has a purpose for everything He asks His little ones to give up and that it is "not worth being compared" to the glory that is to come (2 Cor 4:16-18)

Packing continues- I am so proud to have finally reached the "I'm having trouble finding things stage :P. There's a large pile in the corner of my room to be sorted through, and I have yet MORE stuff to run to the Thrift store- how did I possibly fit SO much stuff into one relatively small room? Thank goodness for the chance to get rid of some of it!

O00- discovery of the week: Space Saver bags. I wasn't sure they would work, but I figured my little corolla was going to need all the help it could get fitting 95% of my earthly possessions inside. I am SO impressed! My comforter shrinks to 2 inches thick and there was room in the bag for some blankets as well! Hurray! I only bought three, but I am seriously considering getting some more :).

Car is getting its hopefully final inspection/tune up before the big move on Wednesday- please pray that all the kinks get ironed out quickly this time!

Also feeling under the weather this week- please pray for strength (physical and mental) to do all that needs to be done this week

Praise for awesome weekend

Praise- got AAA for the trip out to Missouri

Praise- 15 days until Jesus and I head out on our next crazy adventure!

Three weeks...

It is coming up so fast! I can hardly believe it! People keep asking me if I'm all packed yet, what all I have left to do. Some days I feel like I'm almost done, and some days I feel like I haven't even started. I have only 12 more days of work left with my little ones. Weird (and not all bad either to tell you the truth - though I will certainly miss them). The main office just sent home a school wide letter announcing which teachers will be leaving in the fall. This has had the surprising effect of chatting with a number of parents and having the opportunity to share the Gospel. God is so good- when I first started at CCDC I was too shy to do anything like that, but He gave me all this time to learn and grow a little braver to do that - I am so thankful He is patient with me!

I had a wonderful trip up to Clarks Summit (near Scranton PA) to say good-bye to the wonderful people at Heritage, and of course see Steph and Jason. It was so encouraging and refreshing to be where God has done so many wonderful things before, and be reminded that the best is yet to come- because the best is God, and I still have so much more to learn and experience with Him!

Praise for growth :)

Praise for good friends all over the place

Please pray for the seeds of the Gospel to grow in many hearts and minds!

Please pray for me also that I would be disciplined in using some free time to pack. I'd much rather hang out with friends but it has to be done- and soon

That's all for now! Thanks so much friends!

On the Road (almost)

Well its getting closer- only four weeks until I leave for New Tribes Missionary Training Center. Tonight was my last Prayer and Praise service at Keystone Community Fellowship, and my last leaders meeting with Thrive (the college group at Keystone I have been super blessed to be a part of the last two years). I half expected to cry tonight (even though I'm not leaving for another month- water works runs strong in our family) but I didn't. I wasn't even sad really-just SO grateful for all the times God has spoken to me in that place, all the things He's taught me, and especially for the friends the wonderful wonderful friends God gave me through that place. But it's time. Time to follow Jesus to the next place we're camping for a while.

I keep thinking of that FFH song "Follow love" the chorus goes something like "Here's goodbye, and here's so long, I must go and follow love. I feel my heart moving on- I must go and follow love. Carry on while I'm gone- this is what I've been dreaming of- I'll miss you so! but I must go- go and follow love" Random sidenote: periodically I am reminded, and astounded that not everybody thinks in lines from songs, books and movies- weirdos.

But anyway- preparations are coming along... still plenty to do. Lots to pack, lots to get rid of, lots of errands to run. Please pray for me to know how to best use the time God's given me.

Pray for rest too- I'm fighting a cold that's sapping energy from my already depleted supply.

Praise God for encouragement along the road- so many people have told me they are praying and two people have already asked how to support me- this is SO encouraging!

well that's all for tonight. More later :)