Singled Out...

Today's post has basically nothing to do with Honduras... the Lord is still being faithful to provide support... thanks to you all who are responding by giving! I will update more about that later.

Really I just wanted to share today the single most helpful thing that I have read in the last couple of years relating to singleness and the Lord and how those two things relate. I don't think that I am alone in saying that I struggle with the questions of why as they relate to my current marital status. And I can answer some of them quite well. I have loved my job over the past four years, I loved my community in college, I have grown to love the Lord and depend on Him on ways that I never would have, who knows if I would be going on the mission field if I were married at this time, etc. But even having some of the answers doesn't always stop the questions...

So the real answer. I am single right now because God is so good to me.

If you're single or not, I encourage you to read this article and be reminded of and encouraged by the character of the God that we worship who loves us and is GOOD to us!

http://www.unc.ruf.org/site_content/attachments/0000/1199/Singled_out_for_Good.pdf

13 in 31

It's kind of cool how those numbers worked out :) I am writing to day with a plea. In order to make it to prefield training in January, I need for 13% more of my monthly pledges to come in over the course of the next 31 days. I have to be 50% funded in monthly pledges to be able to sign up. I also have to have a couple thousand more dollars in one-time gifts in this same time frame. So, if you have been considering supporting me, please go ahead and send in your pledge cards and one time gifts. If you are already supporting me or are unable to at this time, please pray with me that this money will come in by November 15th!

I do have a great update for you in terms of trees :) I am now at 37% of my monthly pledges... praise the Lord! Thank you all for your partnership!

this one is for Amy

So... Amy wants an update:) I told her I don't really have anything new and exciting to say, but here goes nothing. Last week was a week full of support meetings and presentations. I really love getting to talk to people about what the Lord is doing and how He is moving my heart towards Honduras. This past week, my team met in Honduras to come up with a plan to move forward in ministry there... I'm excited that one day in the not too distant future, I will be there and a part of their ministry!! I got a little overwhelmed one day saying that I hope to go to language school in April... it's just not that far away! Crazy.

Support raising update... the Lord is so good. I have 33% of my monthly support pledged! Hooray for being a third of the way there! Thanks to all my new supporters!

Please continue to pray for the Lord to raise up new supporters. I need to have at least 50% of my monthly support by mid-November to go to pre-field training. And I have received about $3500 toward my special gifts/one-time support. My goal for that is $30,000 and I have to have most of it before pre-field training... so pray for that to come in also. I don't want to be caught up in money... I'm just thankful for the Lord's provision in SO many ways! He is faithful!

Here are some fun pictures of my small group from the Living in Grace training. I really loved getting to know these women! I'm so excited to see the Lord working in each of their lives. It's going to be fun to stay connected with each other and encourage each other on the field. And many thanks to Dee and Sue, our small group "moms" for loving us so well and giving us so much of their Godly wisdom!

ex-presidents and curfews

Hey everyone...

Please be praying for Honduras. Things are heating up there as the ex-president has taken up residence in the capital in the Brazilian embassy. I have been keeping up with the stories through the news, but also through the blogs of the missionaries on my team who are there. Check out www.pettengillmissionaries.org for more insight into the situation. Today they have been able to get out after 3-4 days of mandatory curfews. They are back on track doing ministry work with the medical clinic today. They are also glad to be able to check in with those out in Armenia Bonito where they do most of their work.

We see that the effect of sin in the world goes a lot further than just being personal. It effects families, cities, governments, and nations. And yet we serve a God who is at work redeeming people, cultures, and even nations to Himself. Pray that through this time of instability in their government, people might see that they need to put their hope in something bigger than their goverment and their nation and that they would trust in Jesus. And pray for stability to be renewed in this country.

Trees: A Hot Commodity

I just wanted to give a little financial update. These $41 trees are being snatched up left and right... apparently buying trees is the thing to do :) Seriously though... I am so thankful for the Lord's faithful provision. Thinking back, I was feeling defeated for all of two days before the Lord started to answer prayers and I have seen pledges coming in steadily since then. I know for a fact that this cannot be attributed to my persuasive and eloquent support presentations or my awesome letter writing abilities... I have none of those things. This kind of provision can only be from the Lord! THANK YOU to all who are listening to the Lord's call to give generously and be a part of His kingdom work!

In case the trees are too blurry to count... that's 24% pledged!!!

Psalm 62

I listened to this song approximately 15 times today between driving around different places. It came on as I was listening through Shane and Shane songs this morning and I just can't get over it. The words are so good and exactly how I would sum up all that I have learned in the past week!

Psalm 62
Shane and Shane

He’s the only one
Strong enough to lean
My heaviness against
The weight of all my sin
Falling on a rock
Leaning on a fortress
Oh the wall of God, Jesus

He won’t move

On God I rest, my salvation
My fortress, shall not be shaken
My mighty rock, and my glorious
I lay my head upon His chest
On God I rest

Oh I am calling out
Oh my soul
Oh my stubborn soul
Won’t you wait on Him
Wait in the quiet
Even in your fear
Oh your God is here, to lean on!

He won’t move

He has spoken
Hear his voice
I have come for the broken
So all ye weary come and rest

Living in Grace

For the past couple days I have been at "Living in Grace" training through MTW in the mountains of NC. It has been such a great time of refreshment for me. Honestly, the material isn't new to me necessarily, but since my life is always changing, it is good for me to be challenged again to apply these concepts to my life. I don't know why some of these things are so easy to forget!

Just a couple of topics that we've covered... the love of God, forgiveness, surrender, humility, repentance. Wow... if I really let these affect my life, it would look so different. I am finding again how my independent spirit and personality so deeply affect my walk with the Lord. I take my attitude of "I can do it myself" right into my relationship with God when all that He asks of me is to surrender and sit back and rest in His grace on my behalf. He asks that I rest in the merit of Jesus instead of trying to earn it myself. He asks that I trust in the power of prayer more than in my ability to "do". He asks that I see others as better than myself. He asks that I deal with my sin 100% in every situation instead of constantly finding someone else to take the blame. And He asks that I let the Gospel actually transform my life... that I would really see the Holy Spirit bringing about change because I am finally willing to surrender.

You can pray for me that the Lord would continue to drive home these truths in my life.