End of September

Some of the old gang was back together at Joey and Jill's wedding last weekend. What fun it was to catch up with people, some who I haven't seen in years! Its amazing to me how easy it is to fall back into old relationships like that...as if time never has passed. What a gift from God! I was so impressed with Joey and Jill's bravery...their wedding was outside, on the Oregon Coast at the end of September. But it was an absolutely stunning sunset, and not very windy at all. They had cute fleece blankets with their names embroidered into them for people to use. Nice touch!

School is going really well. I am loving my classes and my classmates. There are about 20 of us full-timers, and several who come in and out for one or two classes during the week. It is going to be an awesome group to get to know better, and to learn and grow with. If I am allowed to have a favorite class, it is Old Testament so far. It is so cool to learn cultural context and things that are apparent in the original Hebrew text that we lose in our English translations. I'm sure my favorite class will change week to week though, because they are all so good.

Job-wise, I have now officially finished my run as Children's Ministry Director. I am training the new temporary replacement they have for me though, so I will still be around off and on for at least the next two weeks. I have also officially started my run as the college mission's intern. We had our first 2fortytwo (college group) Wednesday night...and it was great to see the turnout. We have moved to a building much closer to the OSU campus, and I think we are going to really see the benefit of that. I am really excited to be able to take what I am learning in class and apply it to my life in ministry. I think that is when we are most useful to God...when we are not allowing knowledge to pump us up, but when we are constantly being poured into on one side, and constantly pouring out on the other side. In Psalm 23 David writes "You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows". I think that is a picture of my life now. The blessing is abounding because I am taking in as well as pouring out. So there is my plug for getting involved in ministry :) And on an exciting side note: we will be arriving in Brazil 10 weeks from today!! Praise God!!

Change is a-coming!

I can't believe that September is already at its halfway point! It seems as if time has flown by. I have only two Sundays left as the Children's Ministry Director, and I start school on Monday! It seems weird, but I start a week earlier than OSU, which I didn't realize until about 2 weeks ago. :) Monday is my orientation, then classes begin on Tuesday. For fall term I will be taking 16 credits: Bible Doctrine I (this is a course I will take all year), Hermeneutics I (which is the study of Bible interpretation and application), a course on prayer, Acts and the Pauline Epistiles, Old Testament Survey (Genesis-Esther, this quarter), and pastoral discipleship. I'm not totally sure what pastoral discipleship entails, other than the obvious being discipled by a pastor :) I am truly looking forward to getting started. I don't know what school is really going to be like this year. I can't imagine that it will be anything like the schooling I have had in the past. It may be a real challenge this year to maintain my academic focus while also trying to learn spiritually. This is definitely a prayer request for this school year.


There is definitely still need for prayer for the position of Children's Ministry Director as well. As I said earlier, I only have two more Sunday's of work, through September 28. At this point, there is no one who will take my place when I am finished. Part of me is ready to be finished with this job, and part of me knows it will be really hard to leave with this position still unfilled. This job has provided a lot of opportunities to learn lessons as well as several challenges. I know now the huge challenge staffing Sunday schools can be. Recruiting volunteers is pretty much my most dreaded part of every week. If I work in full-time ministry at some point, I will definitely not want recruiting to be a part of it, if at all possible. There are things I have really enjoyed as well. The volunteers I do have are amazing with what they are willing to do, how dedicated and passionate they are about these children. I would love to be a worker like this in the future. I think I will definitely come back to teaching Sunday school at some point in my life. What an opportunity I have been given this summer to get a quick, but very real taste of what life in full-time ministry is like. While this experience has been hard and discouraging at some points, it is also a blessing just to have been able to have this opportunity.


In other exciting news, we have also purchased our tickets for Brazil this week. It's official...we are going back!! I can't wait to see how God is going to use the team on our trip this year. And I can't wait to get back to Sao Paulo and hug all my friends! What a blessing to be able to take a third trip!!

Labor Day Weekend

It seems like life is getting busier every week...with school drawing nearer, and everyone gearing back up for fall. I'm sad I can't call myself a busy beaver anymore :( But once a beaver always a beaver right? This past holiday weekend was filled with fun times and sad times. First, I took Danielle to Portland so she could fly out for her training in California. It was the last time I will see her until next July. We had a good last night in Oregon with Missy and Kelsey, and the boys too of course...just watching the football game, and playing games. Nice and relaxing, just the way we like it! While in Portland, I was able to try on the bridesmaids dress I will be wearing next summer in my cousin's wedding. Its really cute...and was fun to get another picture of what the wedding will be like. I am excited to stand by her side and support her as she marries Mr. Right!

On Monday, Britnie and I took a sweet adventure and hiked Silver Falls. Its a 9 mile trail, and it took us about 3.5 hours. Even getting there was an adventure of sorts, so we knew it was going to be a fun day. It was great to get out of Corvallis and spend time in the beauty of God's creation. Sometimes it seems easier to feel more connected to God while in nature, maybe for the lack of distraction. It was a great respite from normal life.

Work at the church is really amping up right now. This coming Sunday is our Fall Ministry Launch, where all kids are promoted to their new classrooms and the regular teachers and new teachers start back to their regular schedules. I have been super busy recruiting help as I still have teachers telling me this week that they will not be coming back in the fall. :( There are also 100 little details that need to happen. Its kinda scary, because it is only my third month on the job, so I don't know if I am forgetting super important things, or if I am doing something incorrectly. It has been a week of long days and staying late at work, but I know it will all get done. God is faithful and He knows what I need for Sunday, and I trust that He will provide! Please pray for me this week as I need 4 more teachers to step up before Sunday. And on that note...this busy beaver needs to get to work! :)