Send Me...

Many of you know of my desire to enter the mission field. I continue to pray about it and just feel God's guidance to share His love and hope with those in other countries. There are moments when I feel the heavy burden of selling everything and leaving those special people in my life. But I know that God is greater than all of that. So I pray that God sends me. And so it begins...

I am on my way...

In June I will be traveling around Malawi and Zambia presenting a Business 101 seminar to individuals who are wanting to start their own businesses. I will spend two weeks teaching and learning...working with sewing projects to preschools to farmers. And will be learning more about a cattle project that is reaching many in Zambia. I will be open to any way God would like to use me.

I am on my way...

I was just accepted into the Adventures in Missions program known as the World Race starting January 2009. With a group of others, I will be traveling the world for 11 months participating in different ministries in different countries. I will be exposed to many different environments and opportunities to get a better feel of what part of the world God is calling me...to the ways He can use me. We are stepping out of our comfortable lives and setting out on a journey to serve and grow in Christ. It is about having true faith in God and where He leads and His power. It is finding our identity in Christ! My life is His to use!

More will be shared as God continues to work in my life and heart. I give thanks and praise for these opportunities and I continue to pray, with a servant's heart...

send me!

United Again

I had the pleasure of spending time with some amazing people last night as FYI (Fresh Youth Initiatives) from New York City once again visited Indiana and were hosted by PULSE of Noble County. We had a great time and are always glad to catch up with one another and show FYI why Indiana is so special to us! Check out the link to the right to learn more about FYI and the impact they are making in NYC!

Like A Grasshopper

I am small.

We all face those moments or challenges that seem insurmountable. We feel so small and easily overwhelmed by what we may be facing. We feel weak as we try to face it on our own. And sometimes we believe we are strong enough and wise enough...we have it all...to do things on our own. So we fight that feeling of being small. But how blessed we are to feel small.

I am small.

And because I am small, I need the strength of God. I am open to His power in my life, His use of me. I can't do it alone. I need God. And this weekend was just another wonderful reminder of that. I had a wonderful evening with Dina who, because of our busy schedules, I barely see though we live in the same house. So we scheduled a roomie night...complete with chinese food and makeovers with Robin...followed by watching Atonement. It was a wonderful restful night and a much needed break from working on my seminar for my trip in June, missions research, and just balancing out the rest of my life. She is such a great friend!

And this morning, I received a hand-written letter from her. Her encouraging words reminded me that I am small and God has blessed me with her friendship that encourages me during this time in my life. He provided strength. He provided love.


I read Numbers 13:31-33 last night. It states, But the men who had gone up with him said, "We can't attack those people; they are stronger than we are." And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, "The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them."

They felt small.

And instead of turning to and trusting in God, they trembled and moaned in fear. They saw their size as a weakness. They focused on that instead of seeing the greatness and power of God through them, among them, and with them.

God is with us always, ready to work through us and within us. He is my provider.

I am small, but I am significant to Christ!!!

Numbers

It is my 200th post!
Do I have anything profound to share on this momentous occassion?
Not really.

So I thought since this is my 200th post, I would share some interesting numbers with you that I have experienced over the past few days at the spring conference I attended!

2 days in Indianapolis

1,000 pinwheels used for child abuse awareness

180 community foundation staff/board members learning and sharing ideas

30,000+ firemen all over Indianapolis (I enjoyed this fact very much)

3+ new ideas to implement at work

100 grand I received for sharing information with Indiana Youth Institute (yeah, it was the candy bar ;)

3 hour drive, 2 restaurants, 1 night on the town = getting to know the people you work with that much better!

It was another great conference in Indianapolis. It is always fun to visit Indy every once in a while, but it is the excitement we returned with to implement new ideas and to better the community in which we live and work that made this conference a very worthwhile experience!

Operation Mealtime

No, it isn't just about food...but so much more!

My boss and I have developed a project known as Operation Mealtime. He has been collecting articles describing the connection between eating together as a family and how that lessens the likelihood of criminal behavior or bad decision making in children. We decided to bring around eight families together who have young children, and who normally don't eat together. They will come to the foundation, where they will receive a catered meal and demonstration. The caterer will explain how young children can help prepare healthy meals, while a "before 5" director will explain how children can learn during this process as well. The families are then asked to spend 10 meals together as a family during the next two weeks. They will spend an hour together at the table, whether it be eating, playing games, or just talking. At the end of the two weeks, they will once again come to the foundation bringing their favorite dish they made together. We will eat together and just hear about what they have learned. They will then be reimbursed for the 10 meals (maximum of $10/person).

I have a passion for this project not only because it deals with food, but really is about relationships and relating with each other on a deeper level. How important that time with others is, especially family. I can't help but think of the "casualness" associated with some of the people in my life. Relationships are an investment...an investment of time and love.

When was the last time you asked someone how they are doing...and then really stopped to listen? When was the last time you gathered around the table?...gathered together?