Turn in the Road

I hate detours- don't you? There's a particularly annoying one around the corner from my sister's place where I'm living right now. And I would have used a picture of that instead except my camera is broken- So you get a pretty relaxing picture instead.

So... this is the official turn. The corner: There is not enough regular monthly support promised  to go back to the training center, and the prayer ministry and my kiddos in August. While it's not a shock... it still really sucks. Pray for me if you would. It's harder than I thought to have tell people that over and over. I nearly cried on more than one person at church yesterday. Bah humbug. 

BUT:

God is giving me hope, and peace, and letting me see bits and pieces of what He's got planned for the fall. He's given me a part time job for the fall that's perfect hours to continue doing Partnership Development, and some neat ministry opportunities for while I'm here. 

New Date: January 4th ish? 

Of course- if God brings in the rest of the monthly support I need before that, I will oh so happily go back sooner :)

If you're interested in becoming a financial partner to help me get back sooner- click on the GIVE tab above- it will take you to the NTM website where you can find all the information you need. Or if you can click on the CONTACT tab- and send me a message, and I will be oh so happy to answer any questions I can. 

Thanks for praying guys! It means so, so much!

What you could please pray for me right now:

So teach us to number our days
    that we may get a heart of wisdom.
Return, O Lord! How long?
    Have pity on your servants!
Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love,
    that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.
Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us,
    and for as many years as we have seen evil.
Let your work be shown to your servants,
    and your glorious power to their children.
Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us,
    and establish the work of our hands upon us;
    yes, establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 90:12-17

I need at least another 63% of my financial support to go back to the training center. Needless to say this is not likely to happen in the next two weeks. But pray....

• that I would get a heart of wisdom, and know how to spend each day
• that I would be satisfied with God's steadfast love- that I would remember that God is doing something better than I can imagine through (what looks like it's going to be) a very long delay. And for encouragement. I'm not going to lie, this is really hard guys. I really, really wanted to be back in August. 
• that many people would see God's power through this journey of partnership development, and learn to love him more through it (let your work be shown to your servants)
• that God would set up the people He's got to partner with me financially to make this ministry a reality. (establish the work of my hands)

"My soul continually remembers it and is bowed down within me.

But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope:

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end;

They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.

"The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in Him."

The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.
 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.

- Lamentations 3: 20-27

Waiting, and being reminded that God will save me. 

Status Report:

As those of you have been reading for a while know- my car is not safe to go on the highway anymore. I'm still driving it on roadtrips because- well, I still have to get there, and I figure if it dies, it dies and and God will give me a new one. Actually, I am praying that God would provide a new, reliable car that would last a long time BEFORE Bilbo actually leaves me stranded on the side of the road somewhere. And preferably before the end of the month when I have to pay inspection. And then inspection on the new one. And then inspection again once I move to Missouri. So far, almost everyone who's been interested in helping has been interested in one time gifts: so this is what God's provided towards a new car. A friend of the family found a good car I could buy for $6000. I don't know if that's the exact car God's got in mind but  I checked around on some of those "help a missionary find a car" websites and they're about the  same price. So for now, I feel like that's probably a good ball park number to shoot for. Sorry I didn't have time to design a fun little graphic for this one :)

Promised Monthly Support: 12%

Trip to Pittsburg

Thank you all for praying for my trip to Pittsburgh- it was super encouraging! I got to stay with some friends of the family- that was a major blessing get to chat with and catch up with them! Yay! Sharing went well. I didn't puke or pass out and nobody threw tomatoes, so that qualifies as a success. :)
But I think the most encouraging  thing about the trip was that so man people seemed to catch the vision of why childcare and hold the ropes are important ministries! I can't tell you what a huge encouragement that was to me after a month of polite variations on "We're not interested" and "That's cute, when are you going to be a real missionary?". So to have so many people ask about my blog and take prayer cards and say they'll be praying for me was a an incredible incredible blessing that I am very thankful for!