launch [lawnch, lahnch]
verb (used with object):
1. to set (a boat or ship) in the water. <— not quite
2. to leave the earth via space shuttle <— well…
3. to start (a person) on a course, career, etc. <— getting closer
noun:
1. The first week of The World Race filled with teaching, worship, & training. <— perfect!
It's hard to believer that in one month, I will be leaving on The World Race & headed to LAUNCH! (not the kind that involves going into space) So since we are getting close, I just wanted to take a minute to catch you all up and what has been going on, where I am right now, and what's coming 🙂
What's been going on:
Since plans changed in August and I got accepted to go on the World Race, I have been in a wonderful season of rest (or a season of more rest than I'm used to, would probably be the better phrasing)!
After I finished college and interning at The Branch, I was absolutely on my last leg. The stress of college, work, ministry, and life circumstances had produced one exhausted person… but even in the midst of all of this, I knew rest was coming… I just didn't know how much.
Then, when I got accepted to The World Race, everything just fell into place. God quickly provided a place for me to live at no charge and a job as a part time nanny/babysitter/nursery school substitute that allowed me to have a flexible schedule, but also take care of my financial responsibilities until I would leave in January.
So for the past few months, I've not only gotten to spend time with some of the cutest kids you've ever seen, I've gotten to SLEEP (so exciting!), read books because I wanted to, exercise on a regular basis, spend quality time with my Father, make trips to see friends & family, and really just enjoy life.
Daddy always knows best… and I'm so thankful for that. It has been so interesting to not only watch God provide for EVERY single need that arose, but also watch Him patiently guide me as I tried to work too much and get another job early on… So time after time, He closed every door for me & kept whispering:
"Let me take care of you"
Where I am now:
Now, this season of rest is coming to an end… I am SO thankful God MADE me rest and slow down, because if you know me at all, you know I never would have on my own, so I'm glad God didn't give me an option 🙂 And now as launch gets closer on January 10th, I am ready to get back to work 🙂 And goodness, there is A LOT of work to do out there!
The great thing is, like I said, God has been taking care of everything,
so my December 12th deadline of $6500 has MORE than covered
(thank you to all of my dear friends who God has been working through to make this possible!)
AND after monthly pledges,
I only have about $5000 left to raise to be FULLY funded!
(That's right: $10,500 raised & pledged out of $15,500! SO EXCITING!)
So fundraising is going great and slowly all of the preparations are getting taken care of… the anticipation is slowly building for what's coming.
This last month is definitely a bittersweet one as I am looking forward to my time on The World Race, but at the same time, it doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to my dear friends & family for the next year. So I'm enjoying the time I have left here to spend with the people God has blessed me with as well as enjoy normal food, a hot shower, a comfy bed, and church in English 🙂
What's coming:
Well, CHRISTMAS is COMING!
(I absolutely love this time of year. The cold weather, fun clothes, lights, music… the love, the hope, & the joy that comes with this season.)
A NEW YEAR is COMING!
(New Year's Resolutions can be fun!)
LAUNCH is COMING!
(January 10th will be here SO soon!)
As well as MORE stories of how God has been & is working, MORE crazy trip preparations, MORE ways you can join this ministry, and MORE fun fundraising (go buy a shirt!)!
Please keep an eye out for more updates and blogs in the next few days and weeks….I hope you are getting as excited as I am to see how God MOVES and WORKS all over the world in 2012, because the craziness is coming!
So in the meantime, many blessings and much love to you as Christmas approaches and we have the opportunity to remember truly how blessed we really are.
