What a Great Weekend

This past weekend was crazy busy (I might have gone to bed super early on Sunday since I was soooo tired), but was also such a blessing.  The weekend started out with taking a group of 8 element students to a leadership conference at Trinity International University. It was very cool to go and see kids (many who I have known since their freshman or sophomore year) become passionate about their future and what it means to be “Wholly Set Apart”.  That was the title of the conference (a play on wholly and holy). I also got to see a former/current mentee of mine that graduated last year.  It was such a blessing to get to catch up with her and talk to her about her future.  I also left learning a lot and I think that God really orchestrated the timing of the conference to prepare me for Australia and to help me to not stress about Sunday (speaking at church and my mission’s journey luncheon).  One of the coolest parts was having a sole/soul party.  We decorated TOMS.  Mine I am dubbing my “missions TOMS”.  The top of them have a picture of the world and then there are two verses (Matthew 26:19-20 and Isaiah 6:1-8).  I will post pictures of them very soon.

Then Sunday came like a whirlwind.  All before 4pm, I was interviewed in front of the church for both services, helped students fundraise for Revolution (a local missions trip which combines a bunch of local youth groups), and hosted a luncheon.  I was spent by the time I got home.  Minus a few word slip ups first service and combining a few questions and answers second, I think the interviews went well.  I got a few responses and a couple that come up and spoke to me.  It was a huge blessing and I really hope that more prayer and encouragement comes out of it.  The luncheon also went so well (possibly minus the length of my talk…I have been known to run on).  I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE AWESOME LADIES TO HELPED PLAN AND EXICUTE THE LUNCHEON!  I know that I would not have been able to do it without you!  Let me explain that last statement.  There was a group of ladies who I love that offered to help take on the luncheon.  Basically they did EVERYTHING and I had to just take care of napkins (which I ended up forgetting…oooopps) and what I wanted to share.  That made my life a million times easier.  THANK YOU TO THOSE LADIES AGAIN!  The food was so good and there was so much!  A total of about 29-30 people ended up coming and it was such a blessing.  I showed a travel log video of my past mission trips while people ate and then when that was finished, I got up and shared key points from the trips that really shaped me.  I was nervous about it ahead of time because I was planning on sharing some things that were/are very close to my heart and some areas of pain that still remain.  Thank you to those who came for being so loving, caring, and compassionate.  I might have gone on for a long time, but I think that is what God had planned.  I at least finished on time :)  There were also a lot of people who were willing to clean up and stay around and talk.  Thank you again to those who were able to come. I am so excited to see what God is going to do between now and when I leave…under 60 days.  

Woman's Breakfast Talk

I was invited to speak for a about fifteen minutes at the Woman's Ministry Breakfast at NorthBridge Church the morning of April 21st.  To say that I was nervous to speak at the woman's breakfast this morning would be an understatement.  Give me a group of high school students who don't listen and I am more than fine, but these women listen and I respect them on top of that.  Also as I was preparing the night before so many lies of the enemy were flooding into my mind.  I needed to kick in the butt from my Mom with good old truth (so thanks mom).  Thank you, also, to all who were praying last night and during the talk, I know that they were heard :)
I had been praying for about a week about what I should say and what specifically I should say.  I really felt like God was leading me to share more about how my life has been shifted from the plan I had to where it is heading now.  I ended up not speaking a lot about what I will actually be doing, where I will be going, and the actual details, but I know that what I said was the leading of God.  I also asked for the support of these women and I am praying that I get to know many of them through my sharing.  I have had a few responses, but if you were one of the ladies these feel free to comment here.  It was a honor to have this opportunity and I am excited to see what God will do through this.  

Prayer Answered

One day last week, I realized that I would need to really look into what will be happening with my work insurance while I am on leave.  Will I get to keep it?  Will I have to pay for it?  Will it be a loss of coverage?  Will my Australian Student Insurance count?  Will I have to buy other insurance?  So many questions.  I sent out an email or two and tried to get to the bottom of the mater.  I could not really get a straight answer because my school has never had to really deal with a situation like mine.  They had to call the insurance provider and talk to a bunch of different people including a VP of either the company or a department (I am not sure).  I had to give them more information about my insurance while I am over there and I was told that if they did not recognize another countries insurance that I would have to pay anywhere from $900-$3,125.  That is a lot of money that I had not worked into the budget.  So I started to pray, asked others to pray, and waited.  After about 4-5 days, I got my answer.  They will recognize the overseas insurance and the most I will have to pay is one month minimum coverage of my choice for a just in case when I am back here from Dec. 19th- the day I start working in January (I believe Jan. 14th).  So that is a huge PRAISE GOD!  Thank you to those who knew about it and where praying.  Thank you to those who were just praying without knowing.  Keep praying! God is working wonders!

Easter Update

This update has nothing really to do with Easter, but it is close to Easter, hence the title (ok so after typing this out it totally has to do with Easter).  I am feeling so blessed.  I like to get things done right away so waiting for June 26th and raising support is definitely an area where God is working on my patience.  So please be praying for that.
The other day, I was doing my daily devotional and I read the following passage. (The book it is from is called Voices of the Faithful: Inspiring Stories of COurage from Christians Serving Around the World)

"That I may know Him, and the power of HIs resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering, being conformed to His death." Philippians 3:10 (NASB)

This was the second group of leaders we had trained in two weeks.  The training had been going well even though many of the believers were young: some young in their years and some in their faith.  A couple of them were only 15 or 16 years old.  Some had only been Christian for a few months.
The teaching for the morning was on baptism, and a 15-year-old girl wanted to be baptized.  She has been a believer from a young age but had never been immersed.
Four questions are asked during a baptism: (1) Do you believe in Jesus? (2) Has He forgiven your sins? (3) Do you promise to walk with Him always? But there is one more question.
I watched and listened to the father, who would be performing the baptism.  Calmly, and with much joy, he asked the first, second, and third questions.  Then I heard a surprising question.  The father asked the fourth question, "When they come into our house and take us away, when they beat us, and try to get us to deny Him, will you still follow Jesus?"
There before my eyes, a father was asking his daughter to be willing to be persecuted for her faith in Christ, and to be willing to see him persecuted for his faith.  With a sense of awe, I prayed that I might be more like them.  I think they understood more clearly what the Father felt when He send His Son to die for us.

-A Worker in China

I felt so challenged by this!  I hope you really let the words sink in and really meditate on what it means to be persecuted for your faith.  It is my prayer for myself that I am that passionate and dedicated to my walk with Christ and I am able to follow Him like that if necessary.

Ticket!

So it is official, I am going!  This means that I have been able to purchase a ticket!  I ended up having to split the flight into two parts so that it did not cost me more then $3000.  I will be flying to LA the afternoon of June 26th and then from there flying to Melbourne and then Perth (arriving on June 28th).  I will fly back to the states in the opposite order starting on December 17th and arriving in Chicago on the 18th (seems like less time because of the time change). I ended up saving about $600.  So that is a huge blessing!
I am super excited that this makes it more real, but at the same time it has added the official count down to me leaving.  I want to spend time with as many family members and friends as possible before I leave.  So please contact me if you are in either of those groups and are able to hang out.  Right now I have, I believe, 86 days.  I have to admit it makes me freak out a bit, but I think it is in a good way.
Keep praying for support to come in, during God's timing.  I want everything in and taken care of, but I know that God has bigger/better plans.