New Beginnings...

Today was the day we had our Board Interviews at ABWE. Each prospective candidate had a scheduled time to go before the Board of Directors and we gave our testimony. Then the Board members asked us questions about whatever they wanted.

It was a day filled with anxiousness and anticipation of your scheduled time. We couldn't stray far from the area in case the got ahead of schedule but it was very hard to just sit and wait. Then, when the couple before you went in...well, that's when you heart started beating..... You see, everyone told us (and I do mean EVERYONE) not to be nervous because they're just men and they are on your side. They want to appoint you and this interview is simply for them to get to know you. But, from my perspective, these are great men of God and I respect the position they hold at ABWE. And it was a great honor to be able to stand before them and give my testimony let alone have them ask me questions so they could get to know me! So needless to say I was very nervous when I walked into that room!

Here's a brief overview of the process. You regional administrator stands up and introduces you to the Board - while you wait outside with your heart racing. Then the door opens and that's your cue to go in. The board members are all standing out of respect and let me tell you...it's a LONG walk from that door to the podium! Once you're there the Chairman introduces himself to you, welcomes you, and then asks you to give your testimony. You walk to the podium and the next 5 minutes are yours to give your testimony. I wanted to break the ice so here's how I started...

I said I wanted to share a verse with them that I had been meditating on for the last 20 minutes or so. And then I read Jeremiah 1:6 which says, "Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord." They all laughed and I told them I was standing on that promise today! Then I shared my testimony. After that the Chairman opened it up for them to ask me questions. About my testimony, my life, my ministry, whatever. Then they send you back out of the room while they talk again to your regional administrator and then they vote right then on whether or not they will appoint you. All the while you're waiting outside...frantic and with a racing heart! Until finally your administrator comes out and says "Congratulations!" and gives you a big hug. And you sigh a big sigh of relief...........

So, it's official. Now they call me a missionary. Wow. I am, again, humbled to be part of the ABWE family. And it truly is a family...I can speak from every experience this week. They value family and teamwork and it is evident in everything they do. I want to give a shout out to Jennifer, Linda, Dan in Mobilization for all their work before and during this week. And for giving up a lot of their free time and family time this week to minister to us and make us feel so welcome.

I know this blog is kind of lengthy but I hope you can sense my sheer joy at what God is calling me to do! I am scared to death at what the next few months hold but I rest in the Sovereignty of my Lord! Because He who has called me is faithful!!

What day is it?

My days are beginning to all run together. It seems like we've been at Candidate Seminar FOREVER but yet it's only 5 days. It's amazing the depth of friendships you make with people in that short time. And we're beginning to realize that after this training we won't see each other again until our training this summer. And after that training is over some of us won't see each other again until heaven! We're literally being scattered all over the world! I was thinking today how humbling it is to simply walk the halls at ABWE and to be in the presence of these men and women who have faithfully served God for 30 and 40 years! What a legacy... And to have them take such an interest in my training and my success before sending me out. The more I am around ABWE and the more I learn about them the more I am so grateful God led me to this mission agency. I have never in my life been around men and women of such influence who are more humble and approachable than this group of people. Even the President has made himself available to us and has personally taught 2 of our sessions and will lead our devotions on Saturday morning. It is sheer joy to sit with these people at lunch and dinner and to hear their stories and to laugh hysterically with them. They have already welcomed us into the ABWE family with open arms...and we haven't even been "officially" appointed yet!

Tonight I'm headed to Dave and Ev Southwell's for dinner. Dave is the Regional Administrator for Brasil and at lunch he told me Ev was making rice and beans and pao de queijo (cheese bread)! Yum!!

Volleyball and Ice Cream

Today was a little less hectic. We ended with our group session at lunchtime and then every afternoon today through Wednesday we have Interviews/Free Time. We each received a personalized interview/meeting schedule so we're each going our own ways on these afternoons. For instance, today I had meetings/interviews with the training department, the pre-field director, and the psychologist. Tomorrow I have meetings/interviews with the finance department, the medical department, and the director for single women. On Wednesday I only have one meeting and that is with my regional director for Brasil. The rest of those afternoons we get to just hang out with each other and chat.

We ended the night with a hearty game of 4 team volleyball at a local church gym...and then ice cream!

And, again, I'm tired and heading to bed...

Has it only been 2 days?!

Day 2 of Candidate Seminar...over and out. Today was spent hearing from most of the regional directors and having our hearts tugged in about a dozen different directions! It's a good thing I'm already set on South Brasil b/c otherwise I have no idea how you can choose just one place! God is doing AMAZING things all over the world!

Here are a couple of the key things I've written down that I wanted to remember:

"God has every right and my permission to rearrange my life in any way He pleases for His purpose and His glory."

"Converts grow churches...disciples change the world!" Often times we're told the "command word" in Mt 28:19-20 is "Go!" But what it's really saying is as your going, as your teaching, as your baptizing...make disciples! That's the command! Whatever else you do make sure you are making disciples.

And one (I think) very cool thing that Dr. Loftis, ABWE President, told us yesterday...or was is today? I can't remember but he said that this year, in 2008, ABWE will have more churches planted overseas by missionaries than the missionaries have supporting churches here in the states. I think that's very cool...

Until tomorrow...

Candidate Seminar - Day 1

Well, it's 9:43pm and I just got back to the hotel after the first day of Candidate Seminar. It was a loooong day but very, very good to meet the others in my class and get to know them.

The morning started off with some orientation and I got my "official" nametag! Wohoo!



First thing on the agenda was for each of us to give our testimony. It was really amazing to see how God lead each person to surrender to missions and then where He was "sending" them. One couple at my table is going to a county that I've never even heard of before! That is really cool!

But now I'm pretty exhausted and I have to be up early tomorrow so I'll cut this short for now. We'll have some free time during the weekday sessions when I don't have individual meetings so I'll write more during those times.

Thank you to those who have been praying. I believe with all my heart that God has me here in His perfect timing and, so far, I am having a blast!!!

Until tomorrow...

Whew!

So after my shower I tried to get to the convenience store I mentioned in my last post...but the only way besides going on the busy street was to cut across the grass and it snowed last night. I didn't want to get my pants and/or shoes wet and dirty since I was already dressed for my meeting so I went of search of something to eat here at the hotel. I found this...



...Froot Loops and coffee. It did well to tide me over but dinner is coming!

I just got back from my orals and am I ever glad that's over!! It wasn't terrible and I wasn't nervous but it was a lot nerve-wracking! They had to ask me about my beliefs in such a way that wouldn't be "leading" me but also in such a way that I could understand what they were asking. Turns out I passed...and it's over.

I got to meet some people that I've only talked with on the phone or emailed so that was really cool to be able to put a face with a name. And I was sought out by Don Trott. He was the featured speaker at my church's missions conference last year and he's just a very cool, nice guy all around. He said it's about time he saw me out here...in a joking way but for me it just more assurance that this is right.

I just got back from that convenience store with Mt. Dew, BBQ chips, a package of cheese/peanut butter crackers, and a snack pack tuna and crackers concoction. Looks like that will be dinner...more tomorrow.

New Room

I told you before about the mixup with my room. Well I moved to my new room this morning and just finished "moving in". I now have two beds in my room so I asked at the front desk if there was someone else in my room with me. Not a huge deal but I needed to know if I could use all the hangars! They looked at their list and said nope, it's all yours! So...I unpacked and used ALL the hangars and now am just waiting until my ride comes at 12:45pm to pick me up and take me to ABWE for oral doctrinal exam. I'm a little apprehensive but feel prepared...I just hate waiting around! And I'm hungry and I don't see anything around except for a convenience store next door. I may go check it out...but first I need to shower.

Verse for today...Psalm 18:30 - "As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is flawless."

Rough Morning

It's going to be a looooong day today, folks. There was a miscommunication with the hotel on my reservation last night and they didn't have me arriving until today. But they had a room and it all worked out. I will just have to switch to a different room this morning for the week. No big deal...

But there must have been more than one mixup b/c this morning at 5:45am the alarm clock went off in this room - which scared the life out of me! I had to turn on the light to figure out how to shut it off and then I laid there thinking "I'll never get back to sleep b/c if I do then I'll probably sleep through breakfast (which ends at 9:30am)." So I laid there debating whether or not I should at least turn on the alarm on my cell phone so just in case I do fall back asleep I'll have something to wake me. And I did not want to turn the alarm clock back on! But I didn't want to wake up enough to set the alarm on my cell phone so I just prayed and asked God to please wake me up in time for breakfast. Then I began to toss and turn and, lo and behold, the phone rang at 6:30am and it was my wake up call! Except that I didn't ask for a wake up call....

So, now I'm beginning to think that I should probably just get up...but I really don't want to!! It's SO early! And I really want to sleep more! And I have a headache b/c the pillows in this place are very "thick". They're soft but just very "thick". I'll see if maybe they have a thinner pillow or I'll just not use one for sleep. But they are great for propping up in bed!

Okay, now I'm just rambling. I'll post more later when I actually have something to say....

Beginnings

Today I feel like I am beginning the adventure of a lifetime! I left Des Moines this morning en route to ABWE in Harrisburg, PA. ABWE is the mission agency I have chosen to team up with on my journey to Brasil and I'm here for Candidate School (CS), which is my first round of training. To start things off, tomorrow at 1:00pm I have my Oral Doctrinal Exam at the mission agency. I'm a little bit nervous but feel well prepared to state what I believe and where it's found in scripture.

CS start first thing Saturday morning and goes until after dinner the following Saturday. And from what I hear from past attendees you just need to hang on for the ride and soak in as much you can!!

I'll post about the happenings out here when I can. The hotel does have wireless internet...I'm just not sure how tired I'll be at the end of each day to write. But I'll do my best!

I know there are people praying for me back home - I can feel it. I am so excited for what this journey has in store and I'm anxious for tomorrow to get here! Right now you can just pray for a restful and relaxing night.

The verse(s) I'm clinging to this week are Psalm 90:1-2. "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress, my God in whom I trust."

Lazy Sunday

This morning I woke up to snow falling and realized that the worst was only just beginning. So I hunkered down here at home and watched some more of LOST. Then when the snow stopped falling I got all bundled up, took the dog outside and shoveled the driveway. I would have much rather used the snow blower but it was out of gas and I didn't feel like going out to get more. Mostly because the snow was really slushy and messy and I wasn't sure I'd be able to get back up the driveway. So I just shoveled...and shoveled...and shoveled...and shoveled some more!! Almost an hour....wow, was I exhausted. I came in and took a shower and then thought I'd check my email. I had an email from a friend who is attending Dallas Theological Seminary. She had sent me the link to one of their recent chapels. The speaker was Priscilla Shirer, daughter of Tony Evans, and she was speaking on A Few Ministry Principles so I thought I'd listen to it. And, simply speaking, it was amazing. And it really spoke to my in the place God has me right now. I thought I'd share the link here in case anyone wanted to give it a listen. Let me know what you think...

Birthday

Happy Birthday today to my brother, Dan!