By this time tomorrow I will be well on my way to Addis. If you still don't know, I am headed to Ethiopia for a week. There, along side Erica, Sarah and other faithful servants from the States, I will be helping those far less privalaged than we. I am glad to know that so many of you have supported us with prayer and financial gifts. Please continue to pray. We do so need it. I dont' think I can stress how much your prayers mean to us.
If you wonder what to pray for, pray that we are ready physically, emotionally and spiritually for what God has waiting for us.
Pray that we won't get in the way of His blessings.
Pray that we trust in Him and see Him as He moves.
There are many other things you can and should pray if God leads, but this is what is on my heart, so I wanted to share it with you.
I've got a long day of travel ahead of me, so I'll keep this brief. I'll post more in February, and hopefully lots of pictures.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Nothin' Stoppin' Us Now
(This has also been posted on the Addis blog.)
Ok, so today is just a few days before we fly out and at this point Erica and Sarah have already suffered trials the kind of which I could deem only attacks. I, today, was just excited as anything. We had some exciting news from D. and are almost all packed. Passports are ready, and all signs are go....
And then...
I was driving, not on my phone, seat belt secure, came to a full stop a car length behind the car in front of me...(I'm sure you can guess where this one is headed.) Seconds later my rear windshield, my cute little hatch, and my precious "prayin' girl" were gone. I searched frantically for my cell phone, but to no avail.
As soon as the police had been called and all important documents had been retrieved, I waited for an hour with the other two involved parties. And when we were given the "all clear", I did what any rational college student who is a week away from her 20th birthday would do, I drove a mile to my brother's house, cried like a baby and tried to break in, and then he showed up just in time to stop me from breaking something.
Now, my dad is dealing with the insurance (I love that man!) and I am asking all of you to pray. Pray the prayer I have been praying since I got hit:
God, we know that you are in control and that you have allowed this for a purpose. I don't know what that is, but I pray that you will be glorified by your faithfulness in this situation. I know you love me and have the best plan for Erica, Sarah and I on this trip. I pray that you would hold us close and keep us focused on you. -- Amen
Ok, so today is just a few days before we fly out and at this point Erica and Sarah have already suffered trials the kind of which I could deem only attacks. I, today, was just excited as anything. We had some exciting news from D. and are almost all packed. Passports are ready, and all signs are go....
And then...
I was driving, not on my phone, seat belt secure, came to a full stop a car length behind the car in front of me...(I'm sure you can guess where this one is headed.) Seconds later my rear windshield, my cute little hatch, and my precious "prayin' girl" were gone. I searched frantically for my cell phone, but to no avail.
As soon as the police had been called and all important documents had been retrieved, I waited for an hour with the other two involved parties. And when we were given the "all clear", I did what any rational college student who is a week away from her 20th birthday would do, I drove a mile to my brother's house, cried like a baby and tried to break in, and then he showed up just in time to stop me from breaking something.
Now, my dad is dealing with the insurance (I love that man!) and I am asking all of you to pray. Pray the prayer I have been praying since I got hit:
God, we know that you are in control and that you have allowed this for a purpose. I don't know what that is, but I pray that you will be glorified by your faithfulness in this situation. I know you love me and have the best plan for Erica, Sarah and I on this trip. I pray that you would hold us close and keep us focused on you. -- Amen
Friday, January 16, 2009
It's Official!
Ok, so this has been yet another crazy-wonderful week. My brother's birthday was on Monday. Wednesday, I went to my post-op appointment and my mouth is healing right on schedule. And so, I spent the day half the day with my friend and the other half with my brother and his family. All the while chipping away at small tasks that are yet to be accomplished so that I can start school on next Tuesday and leave the continent on next Friday.
Thursday was my mom's day off so we went grocery shopping, and I picked up some stuff at Wal-Mart, a typical Thursday, except that I left my phone at home. Upon arrival, I realized I had not one, but two missed calls from Erica. Well, as much as we love each other, Erica and I do not spend hours chatting away, so for her to call me twic, something was up. So, certain something was terribly amiss with our travel plans, I immediately called her back.
I was relieved and excited to learn that Sarah is now joining us on the amazing, God-inspired trip. YAY!!!
So, I was whisped off to my family January-birthday dinner in honor of my brother and I. Yummy Chinese food, followed by Thrifty's ice-cream and a night of watching princess movies on my bed with my niece snuggled up beside me. It was good.
Then this morning came, I was getting ready and trying to see if I had enough clothes to last me through the coming week and my trip with out doing laudry when the phone rang... This time not exciting fun news. No, bad news. One of my classes had been dropped. I needed it to fit three different requirements so I could graduate on time. Panic Mode engaged! Now, I have scheduled my classes very carefully weighing several factors (including likelihood that they would get canceled). And all this was done, oh so long ago. I had a plan, a system. It was figured out. All my problems had been solved. To this my Heavenly Father just shook His head and held back a chuckle as He watched the fret and fury of a desporite college student as she raced around the house, grabbing the book she had already bought (and began to read) but would no longer need. I said a quick prayer and left for the school. As I drove down the road, my prayer continued a little something like this:
Lord, I know You can do anything. I know YOu have said You have all this under control. Help me now to believe it.
I waited in line and the waited in a waiting room. Then I saw the advisor. Of course there were no more Shakespeare classes. Of course, my first choice was full. And the second? Well, go figure. Yes, keep looking, please. Ok. Monday-Wednesday-Friday will have to do... unless. And then, God reminded me He was in charge... I asked the advisor to check to see what was available at the time of my canceled class. And, to my amazement, there was another class that fit all the same requirements. The only downside: an instructor I do not know.
But I do know this: God wants me in that class. There was a reason for this. If not only to prove to me, once again that He is in control and He has my best interest in mind. I should not doubt Him. Especcially after His amazing faithfulness in this trip to Africa.
So, now, I am officailly on track to graduate in May! And I am officially going to Ethiopia in one week! And I am praying I make it there in full sanity and return to school ready to learn.
Thursday was my mom's day off so we went grocery shopping, and I picked up some stuff at Wal-Mart, a typical Thursday, except that I left my phone at home. Upon arrival, I realized I had not one, but two missed calls from Erica. Well, as much as we love each other, Erica and I do not spend hours chatting away, so for her to call me twic, something was up. So, certain something was terribly amiss with our travel plans, I immediately called her back.
I was relieved and excited to learn that Sarah is now joining us on the amazing, God-inspired trip. YAY!!!
So, I was whisped off to my family January-birthday dinner in honor of my brother and I. Yummy Chinese food, followed by Thrifty's ice-cream and a night of watching princess movies on my bed with my niece snuggled up beside me. It was good.
Then this morning came, I was getting ready and trying to see if I had enough clothes to last me through the coming week and my trip with out doing laudry when the phone rang... This time not exciting fun news. No, bad news. One of my classes had been dropped. I needed it to fit three different requirements so I could graduate on time. Panic Mode engaged! Now, I have scheduled my classes very carefully weighing several factors (including likelihood that they would get canceled). And all this was done, oh so long ago. I had a plan, a system. It was figured out. All my problems had been solved. To this my Heavenly Father just shook His head and held back a chuckle as He watched the fret and fury of a desporite college student as she raced around the house, grabbing the book she had already bought (and began to read) but would no longer need. I said a quick prayer and left for the school. As I drove down the road, my prayer continued a little something like this:
Lord, I know You can do anything. I know YOu have said You have all this under control. Help me now to believe it.
I waited in line and the waited in a waiting room. Then I saw the advisor. Of course there were no more Shakespeare classes. Of course, my first choice was full. And the second? Well, go figure. Yes, keep looking, please. Ok. Monday-Wednesday-Friday will have to do... unless. And then, God reminded me He was in charge... I asked the advisor to check to see what was available at the time of my canceled class. And, to my amazement, there was another class that fit all the same requirements. The only downside: an instructor I do not know.
But I do know this: God wants me in that class. There was a reason for this. If not only to prove to me, once again that He is in control and He has my best interest in mind. I should not doubt Him. Especcially after His amazing faithfulness in this trip to Africa.
So, now, I am officailly on track to graduate in May! And I am officially going to Ethiopia in one week! And I am praying I make it there in full sanity and return to school ready to learn.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Inspired
Right now, I was reading Erica's blog and was inspired. To say thank you. To blog. And to face the reality that in a very short time I will be headed to Ethiopia.
Inspiration is a funny thing. It hits suddenly and because of different things for everyone, but we all at some point are inspired to do something. And this may sound like rambling, as is often the case with my blogs, but I promise there is a point.
On Wednesday, I had my wisdom teeth removed. All four. It was painful, and horrific, as promised, and I was all dopey for quite awhile. In fact, This morning, I went ahead and took that Vicodin, since I don't work today. And I was laying around all week feeling miserable, and not really attempting to do much else. And then, the phone would vibrate, and my world would change. Maybe, it was Erica, and I needed to DO SOMETHING!
Let me just say that as far as this trip to Ethiopia is concerned, I have done very little. I am just willing to go. There was little inspiring needed, and not much that took place. I decided God could do this and started saving and praying and it just came about... So I don't know why Erica's call always seemed to inspire me to do the few things I knew that needed to be done on my part, but they did.
Now, the point. This is a lot like my life as a Christian. When something discouraging happens, I stop doing much of anything and start waiting for God to call me to action. Sometimes, there is a necessary healing process, but that does not prevent us from continuing to do our best for Christ, to follow His call, and to do that which we know we should. Just as I could have been on my computer, or gathering my checkbook and passport before the awaited call, in life, I can be praying, reading the Word, witnessing and just willing to go, all the time. I should not need constant "inspiration" to get me moving. Yes, I should be keen in listening to the voice of God and following His direction, but that doesn't always mean a blaring alarm of conscious....
Well, this is what convicted me, so I am sharing...
Lord, hold me closer to You that I may hear Your whispers, feel Your touch, and see Your face. Let me grow to be more like You by the example of Your Son and the people you have placed in my life. Let me be worthy to be called by Your name as I daily claim to be a Christian. I want to follow you. And I am ready to go!
Amen.
Inspiration is a funny thing. It hits suddenly and because of different things for everyone, but we all at some point are inspired to do something. And this may sound like rambling, as is often the case with my blogs, but I promise there is a point.
On Wednesday, I had my wisdom teeth removed. All four. It was painful, and horrific, as promised, and I was all dopey for quite awhile. In fact, This morning, I went ahead and took that Vicodin, since I don't work today. And I was laying around all week feeling miserable, and not really attempting to do much else. And then, the phone would vibrate, and my world would change. Maybe, it was Erica, and I needed to DO SOMETHING!
Let me just say that as far as this trip to Ethiopia is concerned, I have done very little. I am just willing to go. There was little inspiring needed, and not much that took place. I decided God could do this and started saving and praying and it just came about... So I don't know why Erica's call always seemed to inspire me to do the few things I knew that needed to be done on my part, but they did.
Now, the point. This is a lot like my life as a Christian. When something discouraging happens, I stop doing much of anything and start waiting for God to call me to action. Sometimes, there is a necessary healing process, but that does not prevent us from continuing to do our best for Christ, to follow His call, and to do that which we know we should. Just as I could have been on my computer, or gathering my checkbook and passport before the awaited call, in life, I can be praying, reading the Word, witnessing and just willing to go, all the time. I should not need constant "inspiration" to get me moving. Yes, I should be keen in listening to the voice of God and following His direction, but that doesn't always mean a blaring alarm of conscious....
Well, this is what convicted me, so I am sharing...
Lord, hold me closer to You that I may hear Your whispers, feel Your touch, and see Your face. Let me grow to be more like You by the example of Your Son and the people you have placed in my life. Let me be worthy to be called by Your name as I daily claim to be a Christian. I want to follow you. And I am ready to go!
Amen.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Down down up up down
So, it's been awhile since I've posted anything, so I thought it was about time. I have been so busy. I always think that next month will be the month things slow down, and I am constantly surprised that I continue to have things to fill my time with. Last month that included finals, a play, and two major holidays. This month it would seem is full of school, oral surgery, birthdays, and a trip to Africa. Not to mention work, family, and trying to find time for friends. And so is the life of a college student.
However, I am excited to say that funds have been raised, mostly. And this list was emailed to me about acceptable donations for my trip:
So, today, I am going shopping! Soon we will be on our way, so please keep me, Erica, and the other 19 people on this trip in your prayers as we head across the globe to share Christ's love with the people of Ethiopia. I could not ask for a better birthday present! (Let's just hope all my instructors are understanding.)
However, I am excited to say that funds have been raised, mostly. And this list was emailed to me about acceptable donations for my trip:
1.Queen white sheet set sold at Walmart…brand is Canopy.
2.Bible Flannel Graph (tells Bible stories with felt figures)
3.Puppets and portable puppet show
4.Bible puppets if possible
5.Coloring books and colored pencils (they have crayons in ET)
6.Bubble wands, bubble guns, bubble machines (no need to carry bubbles as they are heavy and we can make them over there)
7.Kids Parachutes (the kind with the handles that kids can hold on to)
8.Pop-up tent style play forts (some have tunnels that connect boxes together that kids crawl through…light weight, etc) The kids have so much fun with these!
9.Deflated soccer balls
10.VBS and/or Awanas type supplies…craft kits, etc.
11.Lincoln Logs (a lot of people have these laying around…used ones are fine)
12.Children’s Bible DVDs of any kind…again, used are fine…with or without the case is fine
So, today, I am going shopping! Soon we will be on our way, so please keep me, Erica, and the other 19 people on this trip in your prayers as we head across the globe to share Christ's love with the people of Ethiopia. I could not ask for a better birthday present! (Let's just hope all my instructors are understanding.)
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