BIG CHANGES!!!

Been a bit out of touch lately, lots of goings on to get ready for my new venture (or is that ADventure?) My health is much improved, thanks to a two-week stay at Central Bible College in Springfield MO. No, it's not a health spa, I was there for a missions training school. I know that doesn't sound very restful, but in reality, I got a surprising amount of rest! Breakfast was at 8, sessions started at 9, and it was only a five-minute walk to get anywhere I needed to go! Sleeping late and going to bed early for two weeks did wonders for me! I also received some much needed spiritural refreshing, along with the necessary training. Just being with people from all over the US who have a passion for missions is energizing and uplifting!

NOW for the BIG CHANGE alluded to in the title of today's post... I am no longer assigned to Mozambique, but to a school in the Republic of the Congo! Thanks to an unofficial conversation with the Area Director's wife, I discovered the school in the Congo is doing EXACTLY what I want to do in Mozambique! So now, the TENTATIVE plan is for me to go to Congo for a couple of years, get acclimated to full-time missions work, and then we'll see what happens!

God's plans are so awesome!

I'm not just tired, I'm sick....

So, I finally went to the doctor about my extreme fatigue, and it was nice (sort-of) to find out that I'm not just tired, I really am sick! It seems I've had mononeucleosis for over a year, and it has now progressed into Guillain-Barre Syndrome. That explains a lot of my physical difficulties over the past year, and the progressive fatigue I've been experiencing! Now all I have to do is rest, rest, rest... Easy to say, hard to do... I really am trying to get better...

I think I need a housekeeper...

This fundraising thing takes a LOT of time! It's almost like I'm working two jobs now... My house looks like a tornado hit the inside since I come home late, exhausted, throw down my stuff and head for the bed. I rarely have time to cook, but it really doesn't matter since I'm rarely home at meal time anyway... I'm having a really hard time getting up in the mornings, so no picking-up time then either... AAAUUUGGGHHH!!! Those of you who know me know that clutter doesn't really bother me, but this is getting to me! I have stumbled over my vacuum cleaner on my way to the kitchen several times because it's been sitting in the same spot now for over a week... it's waiting for me to pick up all the CLEAN clothes from the floor of my bedroom... I need to reorganize my closet, putting the winter things away, and getting out the summer things... that's why the clothes are not being hung up - waiting for an empty container to put them in! My yard needs mowing, the flowerbeds need weeding and I can't remember the last time I dusted...

Besides all that, my life is great! No, really! It's the beginning of a new adventure, and I know it will take time and energy to get it all together! I feel like I'm on the 'going up' section of the roller coaster, things seem slow now, but I know it will all speed up eventually... Sometimes I get that excited fluttering in my stomach that you feel just before the roller coaster starts on the fun part of the ride... June looks incredibly busy with a garage sale, district council meetings and a two week missions training school... in July my church is having a commissioning service for me, and I already have services scheduled for August and September... when I started, it seemed such a long time until January, but the time is slipping away! I just need to make sure I'm making the best use of it...

Pray for me...

Getting Started...

I'm getting started (I think...) on my next adventure! I've sent out a ginormous stack of letters to family, friends and churches, and now I need to make about a gazillion telephone calls to follow up! Finding an appropriate time to do that will be a challenge! I've already spoken at one pastor's meeting, scheduled one service, and have an invitation to another informal gathering in my section!! It's such a big job, sometimes I think I'll never get there, then I remember how God has always provided exactly what I needed WHEN I needed it, and I rejoice at His faithfulness! Every day I long to be about His business, and this is His business just as much as serving on the field... I pray I will be able to share with others His incredible love for them!

He Never Fails...

I have just received another reminder of that fact... I was wondering about paying up-front expenses for fund-raising... You know, purchasing paper, envelopes and postage for a newletter mailout... that can get expensive... Well, yesterday I won a drawing for $100... I never win those things! Since I don't believe in LUCK, and I believe God has everything under control, I just have to give Him praise for supplying a specific need! He NEVER Fails!

Home again, home again...

...sort of... I'm not feeling very at home yet, still feeling a bit "out of place..." Yes, I am back in Texas, back in my house with all my stuff, but...

While I was gone my final approval documents arrived for my Missionary Associate assignment in Mozambique. I've been approved for a 2-year field assignment; now I just have to begin fund-raising... a pretty risky venture in today's economy...

My faith is really being tested...

Time to Go!

Here it is, time to go! I leave this evening, and I hope to post some updates as I go... Pray for me!