Sorry for my lack of blogging! With Benchmark approaching in a week, I have been swamped at work (and with life in general.) This letter was sent to me last week by a close and dear friend. I told her I would post it to my blog. Amber, my friend, is an incredible servant. She lives to serve Christ and spread the good news of salvation to a lost and dying world. Please keep her in your prayers.
Thanks!
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Jessica,
Thank you for being willing to mention some prayer requests on your blog. I know you are EXTREMELY busy. Ive attached each mission letter which states the needs and prayer requests. Please feel free to add anything you'd like! You will most likely find many grammatical errors. I know you will be dying to change these! Please do. It won't hurt my feelings in the least. :)
My reason for going on this trip can be described best by this quote:
True Evangelical Faith Cannot Lie Dormant…
It clothes the naked
It feeds the hungry
It comforts the sorrowful
It shelters the destitute
It serves those that harm it
It binds up which is wounded
It has become all things to all people.
Menno Simons 1539
I don't go to get stamps in my passport or to see tourists sights. I go because Christ compels my heart to share the love of God.
Can I also share with you my heart and why I feel led to go on these trips? You don't have to share everything, as I know bloggers like pictures mainly..hehe.
There is a doctor in Asia who works strongly with the governments to bring help to the indigenous people in the jungles and villages. These people groups are usually starving or extremely ill and have sent word help is needed urgently. When this doctor, (I won't mention his name to protect his safety) gets word of the need, he pulls open his Bible to Phil 4:13. He tells God he has nothing (he literally has nothing because he's been persecuted tremendously), but God has everything. He begs God to give him wisdom. God works through this life tremendously. The doctor divinely met a member of the Baptist Missionary Association and shared the needs. Over the course of 3-5 years, our churches has answered the many calls from this doctor stating the needs. The needs are always so great when news comes over the phone and e-mail. However, when we step foot in the land of Southeast Asia, and travel across the lands through many hardships; the issues come to light. The need is greater than we could have imagined. We always depend on God for the provision of these great needs. The doctor and I are very close. In fact, God graciously allowed me to share in leading her to Christ. We talk almost weekly and I have been to Southeast Asia twice now to help him. I love the people. I love the work. I love to watch God transform the people there. The Buddhist monks are actually learning English from our missionaries. They love learning to read the book, The Bible!!!!! Hopefully, many will come to know Christ and cast down their idols for a real and living God. I wish I could sit and share every need, every friendship, every child who needs help, every widow who needs comfort, every mouth that needs fed, every wounded who needs care…yet words honestly aren't enough to describe the deep passion in my heart I have for the Khmer people. All I know is Jesus is Lord. And He provides. He provides in whatever will bring Him the most glory.
I will be going to Thailand, Laos and probably Cambodia in May. We will be traveling to and thru the jungles setting up clinics. Pray for the health and safety. Please pray for the funds to be raised.
I was just telling God last week that I felt overwhelmed with my current school, full time job, starting nursing school, finding money for nursing school, moving to a completely different city, finding a way to provide for everything I will need for the year. I won't have a job in nursing school, etc… Ive surrendered it to Him, spoke the truth my heart has experienced: 'When God leads, He will provide.", and am just resting in His power and peace.
Remaining Costs:
I need $1400 for Haiti by the end of May. Donations made to "Aid for Developing Countries" It is a non-profit 501 c-3 company. Tax receipts available upon requests.
I need $2200 for Southeast Asia by the 1st of May. Donations need to be made out to "BMMI". (Baptist Medical Missionaries International)
If they don't want to designate a certain country, it will be applied to the trip which has the most need according to deadline.
Donations can be sent to 13661 A Dogwood Drive Fayetteville, AR 72704. If anyone wants to e-mail me, my email is amber5374@yahoo.com You can give out my phone number of 870-405-1806 as well. I love to share stories and details!
Thank you so very much! I sure love you, Jessica!!
I will soon be a blogger to document my journey through nursing school…Your mom is trying to come up with my blogger name. :) Whoop-Whoop! I can't wait.
Thanks, again.
Monday, March 31, 2008
Saturday, March 22, 2008
My Family at Wolf Creek
My parents hired a professional photographer to take family pictures at the top of one of the lifts. The Rockies are so pretty, they look fake! : ) The photographer was great, and we love all the pictures they sent us home with. Here are a few of my favorites. I hope to post more in the next few days- our cabin was gorgeous and we visited Pagosa Springs, and Creede, where we took a lot of great pictures too!
Monday, March 10, 2008
Walking In The Spider's Web
"Sorry I'm not home right now. I'm walking in the spiders web. So leave a message and I'll call you back."- That is our new theme song! Gewn Stefani nailed it because the only time we are home, is when we are asleep. Ha!
So, so much happened in just a few short days! Let me catch you up to speed!!
Friday night:
I was so excited when David's boss personally invited me to a "crafty" night with a few other ladies from the bank! I packed the kitchen sink, let me tell ya. We had such a fun time, and I made three great new friends. Considering I knew nobody when I went, I feel like I came home with a new circle of comrades! : ) I knew I was with my "own" people when Holly looked over my shoulder at one of my cards and said, "She's a beauty, Clark." Any gal who quotes Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation is bound to be my soul sister. My favorite part of the night was using the other girls' Cricut machine. Do you know what a Cricut is? It is a little gem sent straight from the pearly, white gates! It is a computer that cuts out whatever shape, image, letter, or design you want. It is basically a diecut machine that is fast, accurate, and ingenious. You can decided the size, down to the centimeter. I want one so bad. Our seven year anniversary is in April, so I am going to start dropping some HEAVY hints. The party started at 5:00 p.m. and I didn't get home until almost 2:00 a.m. I thought a cop may pull over for being out so late and swerving, but I was really trying to keep all my card stock from falling out of my bag! : )
Saturday afternoon:
David and I went to C C's Pizza in Fayetteville to celebrate our niece, Chyann's, 8th birthday. First of all, I totally claim her when her mom is not around and act like she is mine. I love her blonde lil' bob and her pretty blue eyes. She is perfect in every way and I hope someday my little girl looks and acts just like her- which is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy!
After the birthday party, we met up with my parents at the new stadium seated theater to see 10,000 B.C. Wow! It was super good! Really, I loved it. It was really historical, and I have a minor in history from the UofA, so it was right down my alley. It was also a romantic love story AND it takes place partway in Egypt. Oh man, oh my.. what a great flick for me! : ) The only problem was that the theater was packed, and we seriously found the only four seats left that were together, and we sat down so quickly that David ended up between my mom and I. By the end of the movie, David wanted to slap us silly because we kept leaning over his lap to whisper or ask each other questions when we didn't get something in the movie. Ha! David was so flustered he could have moved to the front row.
Sunday afternoon:
We met up with our ski buddies to discuss this coming week's ski trip! Yipee! We are ready and set to leave and ski in the Rockies for a week. I am so ready for a break from Arkansas scenery. I was born to ski, and me and the snow are tight. I am not a beach gal (Gasp! Shock!) I love the cold weather, so I am desperate to see some of that beautiful white stuff. There are 14 of us going, so it was so fun to meet and get our nerves revved up with trash talk about who is skiing on the bunny slopes and who is not. : ) We had shirts made to match with nicknames- which my friend Dawn calls "Fairground Clothes" because we will all be corny and match. Ha! We have a cabin in South Fork that is about 4,000 square feet, which gives every couple their own room. The front door is literally 14 feet from the Rio Grande. I can't wait to post on all the fun! : )
Sunday afternoon:
We went to our nephew, Brandon's, 4th birthday party at David's sister, Susan's, house. Brandon was just as cute as he could be with his Spongebob ice cream cake. By the way, I am a total convert to ice cream cakes at Dairy Queen. When he saw the tile Susan bought for him that I had painted, he pointed and said, "Cowboy hat!" It made my entire day. We got him a big, floor puzzle that is of dinosaurs. As a teacher, I feel morally obligated to purchase educational gifts. : )
Sunday I also put out my new monnogramed placemats that I bough at T.J. Maxx. I took them to be monogramed and decided on a lime to match the harlequin in the dining room. Well, needless to say, I am in love them. I find myself looking at everything to see if it could be monogramed. I asked David what he thought about taking our pillowcases in, and he kind of gave me a glazed over stare without speaking. I take that to mean my answer is like the line from Dumb and Dumber, "So, you're saying I have a chance??" : )
Have a great week!
So, so much happened in just a few short days! Let me catch you up to speed!!
Friday night:
I was so excited when David's boss personally invited me to a "crafty" night with a few other ladies from the bank! I packed the kitchen sink, let me tell ya. We had such a fun time, and I made three great new friends. Considering I knew nobody when I went, I feel like I came home with a new circle of comrades! : ) I knew I was with my "own" people when Holly looked over my shoulder at one of my cards and said, "She's a beauty, Clark." Any gal who quotes Chevy Chase from Christmas Vacation is bound to be my soul sister. My favorite part of the night was using the other girls' Cricut machine. Do you know what a Cricut is? It is a little gem sent straight from the pearly, white gates! It is a computer that cuts out whatever shape, image, letter, or design you want. It is basically a diecut machine that is fast, accurate, and ingenious. You can decided the size, down to the centimeter. I want one so bad. Our seven year anniversary is in April, so I am going to start dropping some HEAVY hints. The party started at 5:00 p.m. and I didn't get home until almost 2:00 a.m. I thought a cop may pull over for being out so late and swerving, but I was really trying to keep all my card stock from falling out of my bag! : )
Saturday afternoon:
David and I went to C C's Pizza in Fayetteville to celebrate our niece, Chyann's, 8th birthday. First of all, I totally claim her when her mom is not around and act like she is mine. I love her blonde lil' bob and her pretty blue eyes. She is perfect in every way and I hope someday my little girl looks and acts just like her- which is the perfect combination of sweet and sassy!
After the birthday party, we met up with my parents at the new stadium seated theater to see 10,000 B.C. Wow! It was super good! Really, I loved it. It was really historical, and I have a minor in history from the UofA, so it was right down my alley. It was also a romantic love story AND it takes place partway in Egypt. Oh man, oh my.. what a great flick for me! : ) The only problem was that the theater was packed, and we seriously found the only four seats left that were together, and we sat down so quickly that David ended up between my mom and I. By the end of the movie, David wanted to slap us silly because we kept leaning over his lap to whisper or ask each other questions when we didn't get something in the movie. Ha! David was so flustered he could have moved to the front row.
Sunday afternoon:
We met up with our ski buddies to discuss this coming week's ski trip! Yipee! We are ready and set to leave and ski in the Rockies for a week. I am so ready for a break from Arkansas scenery. I was born to ski, and me and the snow are tight. I am not a beach gal (Gasp! Shock!) I love the cold weather, so I am desperate to see some of that beautiful white stuff. There are 14 of us going, so it was so fun to meet and get our nerves revved up with trash talk about who is skiing on the bunny slopes and who is not. : ) We had shirts made to match with nicknames- which my friend Dawn calls "Fairground Clothes" because we will all be corny and match. Ha! We have a cabin in South Fork that is about 4,000 square feet, which gives every couple their own room. The front door is literally 14 feet from the Rio Grande. I can't wait to post on all the fun! : )
Sunday afternoon:
We went to our nephew, Brandon's, 4th birthday party at David's sister, Susan's, house. Brandon was just as cute as he could be with his Spongebob ice cream cake. By the way, I am a total convert to ice cream cakes at Dairy Queen. When he saw the tile Susan bought for him that I had painted, he pointed and said, "Cowboy hat!" It made my entire day. We got him a big, floor puzzle that is of dinosaurs. As a teacher, I feel morally obligated to purchase educational gifts. : )
Sunday I also put out my new monnogramed placemats that I bough at T.J. Maxx. I took them to be monogramed and decided on a lime to match the harlequin in the dining room. Well, needless to say, I am in love them. I find myself looking at everything to see if it could be monogramed. I asked David what he thought about taking our pillowcases in, and he kind of gave me a glazed over stare without speaking. I take that to mean my answer is like the line from Dumb and Dumber, "So, you're saying I have a chance??" : )
Have a great week!
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