Jane of All Trades

Having to raise a budget of $6000 has definitely caused me to become the "Jane of all trades." Ok, maybe not all trades but a few. Along with my support letters that I will be mailing out shortly, I am also selling cookies and muffins at church and Scentsy products. One thing I've learned so far...the idea of home made cookies (from scratch) is a lot better than actual home made cookies (at least in this case). It has been hard not getting discouraged, thinking how in the world am I going to raise all this money in 4 months. I know God has opened this door for me so I know He will provide. I am so thankful for my time in Tulsa where I lived in what I called my "faith zone." I moved there thinking I would have a job in a matter of weeks. One that would also work around my schedule of being a Children's Director at a new church. Well, those weeks turned into months. I would pray and say what anyone else would say...God if you want me to be here than you have to provide. It never failed each month He would come through, sometimes weeks before and others a day before. So I'm choosing to see this as a time to grow my faith even more...and better my skills for being that "Jane of all trades".

Ready or Not...

A couple of years ago God put a passion in my heart for missions and 3 years later I'm finally pursuing it, I might also add that I'm going through with it too (you'll know what I mean by that in just a minute). When I first felt this calling on my life I was eager to get out on the missions field as long as I wasn't going alone. I've always been the type of person that hates doing things alone, for fear of the unknown and the fact that it's way outside of my comfort zone. So I applied to be a mission’s associate with someone thinking all along that I would go with them. Well, that wasn't God's plan. It ended up being that I would have to go alone. So, I didn't go. I let fear control my thoughts and actions. I am so glad that God doesn't just give you one shot. He always has a plan for you it's just up to you which route you go. I ended up taking a detour, but I am so thankful for that detour. Through it I grew up spiritually and experienced God in a way that I never had before. But like many detours it eventually spit me right back on the road I needed to be on. Detours aren't mistakes; you sometimes have to take them to get to where you need to be.

Last year I went on a mission’s trip to Haiti to help rebuild/fix things that were destroyed in the earthquake. We didn't go to preach, we simply went to help and when God gave us the opportunity to talk about Him than we took it. While I was there I experienced such a peace and it was because I was doing what God had called me to do, which is to serve people and not out of obligation but out of love. Ever since then I have had such a desire to go...serve...and tell people about Christ.

At the beginning of this year I was asked by different people, "am I doing what I want to do with my life...what God has called me to do?" Honestly, I wasn't. So, I started praying and seeking God about it. Through different people and experiences (not always easy ones) I ended up here. Some of you might be wondering where "here" is. Well, I am in the process of raising support to go to Padova, Italy in September for 3 months to work at International Christian Fellowship Church. While I am there I will be working in kid's ministry and an after school program, helping in the church office, and teaching adults and teens when needed. I am so excited about this new journey and what God is planning in my life. So, ready or not here I go.