4 Weeks!

I can't hardly believe it...but we leave for Brazil in 4 weeks from today! No lie, that puts a little fear (the good kind) in my heart :) It seems like there is still so much to do before we leave...and our schedule seems to be changing daily. But that is so ok...we are learning flexibility. In my years of mission trips, I have learned that a spirit of flexibility is most important. It seems that no matter how well you think you have planned a schedule, something will come up that will force you to readjust...especially when you are in a foreign country, where the stakes always seem to be higher. But this is something I would love to impart to my team...a willingness to be flexible to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I would love our team to be in a place where we are sensitive to His promptings, and willing to act on those even if they seem "out of place" or "out of the schedule". We have found out that we are going to be in Brazil during the busiest week in the history of Restoration Ministries, which is awesome. We get the chance to be a part of some really neat events like a live nativity walk-through, an english class graduation and a christmas lunch for over 300 kids. This is all in addition to our regular VBS and camp activities. It sounds overwhelming and crazy, but I don't think we would have it any other way. Please pray for a continued spirit of flexibility within our team, even as we continue to prepare to leave. The real countdown begins today!

My favorite time of year!

Unfortunately, I can't take the credit for this photo...but it is really close to Corvallis! Fall in Corvallis is amazing...definitely my favorite time of year here. I am so blessed to be able to spend another fall here! Lately, I have been hiking to the top of a butte in town, Chip Ross Park, to enjoy the fall colors. We do this as a school sometimes, as the entrance to the park is literally at the entrance to the church. But I have also gone it alone a few times to study or whatever at the top. Its a great hike, not too strenuous, only about 15 minutes, but it gets your blood pumping enough that you are warm for awhile at the top. I think for me, God's beauty of creation is the most overtly evident in the fall. Seeing the magnificent colors change lets me know that our Creator God is all the more magnificent in His Glory! I also like the month of October for the plethora of costumes to be worn (I am so excited for Friday!), the pumpkins to be carved, the yummy spiced things to be eaten and drank, and the signal of the coming of the Holiday season. This year, I am going to dress as "Susie Homemaker" for Halloween, although only during the day. Friday night, I am working at a childrens Harvest Carnival at the fairgrounds for school. My classmates and I are responsible for "Bible Land" where we get to dress up as Bible characters and tell our stories to the kids as they walk through...so cool! That means two costumes in one day...I'm so happy! :) I am not sure yet who I will be playing, but pictures will follow soon!

School has been going well...although we have midterms this week. I may change my opinion after this week. :) I thought I could give you a little taste of what we have been learning. In my prayer class two weeks ago, we had to write devotionals based off of a passage of scripture about prayer. The boys did one passage (Luke 11:5-13) and the girls did another (Luke 18:1-8). Both are great passages about praying with persistence, or boldness. Here is the devotional I wrote:

In the parable of the persistent widow, Jesus is contrasting himself/God with the unjust judge. The judge responded to the woman's pleas because he became frustrated and impatient. But God is giving the woman what she asks for because she was persistent, not relenting in her request. She was also asking for something good, something that would be in line with God's will, by asking for justice. We know God is a just God; therefore he wants to grant justice to his children as well. He is choosing to give the widow something that is in line with his character.
The application I take from this passage is two-fold. First, I see the value of praying persistently. This is something that challenges me, because a lot of times I become like the unjust judge, and get impatient with God's timing. But I know that if I am praying in line with God's will, he will give me the things I ask for. The tricky part is the timing, which is my second application. Verse 8 is a promise from God, that he will answer prayers, and quickly. But what does quickly mean to God? In my experience, it is much different than my definition of quickly! This is encouraging and discouraging at the same time. It is encouraging to remember that he is hearing my prayers, and he wants me to continue praying for them. But it is discouraging because I have to keep going! But I have faith in his timing, even if I don't understand it sometimes (ok...most of the time) and I will continue to boldly approach his throne to ask for things that are good, that are in line with his character, and are according to his will.

What's new?

The annual family feud football weekend happened last weekend as OSU stomped on WSU...sorry dad! We were given tickets, and got to enjoy the game from really great seats. What a blessing! We also had a sweet tailgater before the game, as you can see in the picture. Complete with a cardboard box table! So innovative! :) Maybe next year we will have to take our feud on the road and travel to the game in Pulman.

This weekend another friend is getting married, Mikaela. Ashley and I were asked to do the flowers for the wedding, which is kinda fun. I see a new career "budding" on the horizon! :) Actually, doing your own flowers is pretty easy...except for the wrist corsages. That took a little figuring out, but I think they turned out ok. So this is my last wedding for the season, and boy am I glad. At the end of every wedding season, I get really tired of going to them. So that's a clue if you are getting married in the future. Plan your wedding early in the season and people won't be wedding-ed out yet. :) Its funny to think that before college I could count on probably one hand the number of weddings I had been to. Now I think I would need about five hands and five feet! I guess it's a life stage thing.

Not much else new is happening...just schooling away. I am really loving my classes...it is such a blessing to be able to take this year and kind of set it apart for the Lord. It is amazing though how much work their is. It is definitely an ego check for me, because I thought since I got through my Master's program, I could do anything academic-wise. But this is really challenging, for two reasons. One, I am having to think about my beliefs, and the Bible I have read my whole life in a really different way. Sometimes it is all I can do to wrap my head around the concepts we are learning. Second, I am always trying to make sure I am not only learning with my head (which comes really naturally for me) but also with my heart. This is proving to be much more challenging than I ever would have thought! But it is a challenge that I am loving to embrace. And I know spiritual growth will result.

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! :)

Still Here!

Hello! I am still here...still blogging, it has just been a crazy month! I have moved into my new apartment, which I am loving, been working about 45 hours a week between both jobs, and gone to a few weddings. Phew! It makes me tired just writing it out :) I wanted to post new pictures of my place...but its not totally set up yet. I will post some soon though! I was a little worried about living alone, and whether I would be lonely or not. But so far it has been really enjoyable. I have been able to be social when I want, and also to have some true down time when I want that as well. I loved all my roommates I lived with, and truly enjoyed that time of life. But I feel that being alone right now is just what I need in the midst of my whirlwind schedule. God is so wise!

Work has been really busy, but still good. I am learning so much doing this Children's Ministry job! Last night we had a team training where all my volunteers got together to do some training before the fall kickoff. It was a really fun time...and I feel like I was able to encourage my staff to keep going, keep working for God's glory through this weird transition time. That was my goal for the meeting. Before we started I was a little nervous because some of these volunteers have been doing Children's Ministry longer than I have been alive...but everyone was so encouraging...I think we had a great time. I am still praying every day that God would bring the new permanent director sometime during the month of August so that we may have the month of September together. But I know His timing is so much better than mine. It will be hard for me to leave the ministry at the end of September if I am not able to hand it off to someone. But at the same time I have really received confirmation that I am finished with Children's Ministry after September. I am so excited about starting School of Ministry...I got my book list last week and felt the same new school year excitement I have felt my whole life, I wanted to go out and buy all my books even though it's only August :) I have always been a sucker for school supplies :) I am also really excited to be back on staff with the college group. We are going to have such a great year! I am learning the value of saying "no" to something good, in order to have God's best.

This has also been wedding season. I have been to two weddings in the last month. I still have two in September, one in October, and one in February! 'Tis the time of life to get married I guess! Sheena and Jeremy's wedding was beautiful...a really great time with old friends. The coordinating went well...I don't think Sheena thought once about any of the details on her wedding day, which was my goal. She was gorgeous, the day was beautiful, and a good time was had by all! What more could you ask for? :) Two weeks ago I traveled to Seattle with friends to attend another wedding, Evan and Jackie. Evan and I lived in the co-ops at the same time, and were both involved in the college group together. Their wedding was really fun as well. We stayed with friends at the McChord Air Force Base...such a cool experience! I learned that bases are kinda like resorts, just minus the fanciness. This one reminded me a lot of Sunriver. The picture above is us playing with some planes in a little outdoor museum on the base. I think the wedding was so fun because it was a great mix of old friends and current friends. There were several people there from the co-op days that I haven't seen in a long time. There were also plenty of friends from the college group who I see more often. There was great dancing, a beautiful couple, and some tasty margaritas! Adds up to a really fun time.

Thats the latest update...although more fun is still to come in the five weeks left of summer!