Leaving on a jet plane

Hello! 

I am overwhelmingly ecstatic to announce that I raised all the money I need! God is so good!

I had calculated that I was £100 short. Yesterday I went to see if I could pay part of my balance with the money that I had and turns out I owed a lot less than I thought and actually had some money left over! And then I went to rebook my flight home, and it was about £500 less than I thought it would be! I spent most of yesterday humbled to tears. 

The YWAM team and I leave for South Africa on June 24. We will fly into Dubai and then down to Cape Town. The total travel time is something like 18 hours.  After landing in Cape town we will make our way over to Worcester where we will stay for the majority of the outreach. 

For the first month we will stay at a school and host week long youth camps for local impoverished high school kids. We will be mainly working with the youth in the area along with sponsoring the building of prayer houses on the school grounds and working with food ministry. 

The second month we will move to another school, a college this time, and do some of the same things. There is a possibility that we might move to the Worcester YWAM base for a week or so before we leave but that is not determined yet. There will be opportunities to go into Cape Town, go to the coast and see PENGUINS (!!!), and reach out to the people in the slums. 

Please pray for us as we work with kids and youth workers in the white, black and colored schools and communities. There is significant differences between the three cultures and we want to bring healing and compassion to these areas. 

We will arrive back at The Kings Lodge on August 12 and debrief week will start on August 17. Graduation for the DTS class is August 20 and I am leaving for Columbus on August 22. August 22, @ 3pm I will be back in good old O-H-I-O. :)

I am so excited to see what happens in the next 9 weeks! God is changing me so much and teaching me so much. I am not who I used to be. 

Please keep me and the team in prayer for unity, grace, stamina, encouragement, resource, enthusiasm, energy, joy and courage as we step out of our comfort zones a little more. 

As always, please stay in touch! My Skype is annaelizabeth89, contact me on Facebook or send me an email. I will have to go into town to get internet in South Africa but I do want to stay in contact. :) I will need the encouragement. :)

Missing you all back home and those that I have met here in England, 

Warmly,

Anna Elizabeth 

One Month

On April 20 I got on a plane headed for the UK. One month later I am amazed at what God has done. One month later, this is home. 

When I came here my world was turned upside down. I realized that I did not know who I was or what I existed for. I questioned everything. I questioned who God was and even if this was all a big joke. After many weeks of struggling, I am new. 

Change. Desperation. Struggle. Loss. Fear. Honesty. These things are the foundations of growth.  I truly believe that you cannot experience change worth keeping if you do not experience these things. They are necessary to invoke the questions that form us. 

The moment I admit my weakness, the instant that I am honest about my fears is exactly when maturity comes. I don't know exactly when it happened, but I have found my place of weakness. A place where I can come before God and say "I can't do this on my own! I am afraid, I know I will fail. Help me." 

So often we push our fears away. We think that if we keep them an arms length away we will spare ourselves the pain. But, in truth, the closer our fears are, the more we admit we have them, the faster they dissolve. Now that doesn't mean my fears will disappear - on the contrary, I may experience them more now that I am aware - but it does mean that I have found the resource to extinguish them. 

I give you peace; the kind of peace that I can only give. It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid. John 14:27

The other day in Base worship (everyone at The Kings Lodge) the leader had everyone write a psalm. 

A Psalm

of Anna

May 18, 2009

I have not love, I have not peace

God IS love, God is peace

Fear surrounds me, accusations on all sides

My heart is eaten away by the enemy of my soul

Temptation comes and I am devoured

But the Lord comes to my rescue

Like a mighty warrior He shuts the mouths of my attackers

I have not the power, nor righteousness, nor the strength of will

But my God reigns!

The Lord God Almighty has rescued and redeemed!

I am covered by His right arm. He is my shield

Where I end, He begins

I have nothing but my God

Praise the Lord!

He has forgiven, the Lord has redeemed

Sing a new song to the Mighty Savior

His love endures forever

Amen

Support for South Africa

I need YOU to support me in my missions trip to South Africa!

I am settled in, here in England. God has already begun to work on my character and my identity, addressing such issues as "who am I out of context?", "do I trust God?", "Who is God?", "what is my purpose?", and the idea of rest vs. work. It is all very exciting. 

I have been watching baby Daan from roughly 8am till 1pm an have really been enjoying learning how to take care of him. I changed my first diaper! (Well, his diaper...not mine...haha) 

Next tuesday will mark 2 weeks here in England already and I am amazing at what God is doing. May 8-10 is a long weekend that YWAM is giving the school so Edward and Jet (the parents), their class and I are going to London for 2 days. I'm excited. We will be staying in a Korean Hostel in the center of London. So the adventure continues! 

Like I said, I have really been struggling with my identity away from home and had reverted back to my past ways of considering myself a burden and withdrawing into my self. Fortunately, God and Jet caught me in that before it go out of hand and I have begun to dive into the deep pool of "who am I", "who is God" and "what does God want for me"? Part of this healing and journey has been wrestling over the opportunity to go to South Africa with the team from mid June to mid August.

I believe I mentioned about the possibility of going to South Africa with the team. I had no idea the reality of this offer. I am being offered a full-fledged position on the Mega-Outreach team for the whole 2 month mission. http://thekingslodge.com/missionoutreach/southafrica.html

The cost is around $2,000. 

So I have been wrestling with whether or not to go, if it's my place, is it selfish to go, can I afford it, can I ask my mom for the money, etc. I was feeling real confused about it until yesterday when it hit me...

I had been asking God for a sign and praying about it and not getting an answer until I realized what God had already done for me. He had completely arranged for this WHOLE trip, got me all the papers, opened doors left and right. God has made a way for me where there seems to be no way. It was when I realized this that I knew I should go. 

God has made a way for me to go. He has provided the opportunity and opened the doors. All I have to do is step through.... step through and raise the money. (Oh yeah... forgot about that part...)

I have never really asked anyone for money. It's kinda hard for me to do. But I was encouraged to do so and was told, "I think you'll be surprised how generous people will be". I am wondering if any of you would be willing to pray about it and contribute as much as you feel led. I still need to figure out how to receive funds internationally but we can cross that bridge when we get there. 

So there you have it. I am going to South Africa for two months. And I need to raise the money. Please be praying for me as I continue to walk in the unknown. Your prayers, support, emails, letters, facebooks, skypes, and encouragement makes all the difference.

Please continue to pray for me as I embark on this amazing journey. Pray for favor and faith, strength and support, hope and health, peace and power. Pray also for my family who stays behind. 

I started reading a book called "Through Painted Deserts" by Don Miller, author of Blue Like Jazz, and there is a part in the beginning that really struck me-

"And so my prayer is that your story will have involved some leaving and some coming home, some summer and some winter, some roses blooming out like children in a play. My hope is that your story will be about changing, about getting some beautiful born inside you, about moving yourself around water, around mountains, around friends, about learning to love others more than we love ourselves, about learning oneness as a way of understanding God. We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it? 

   It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out. 

I want to repeat one word for you-

"Leave"

   Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn't it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don't worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed."

So thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. And thank you to those of you who will contribute financially. This is an amazing adventure. Such wonderful opportunity to venture out into other lands and to be able to share the gospel and heal the broken all at the same time! How great is our God. 

In Him^,

Anna 

First day in England

Today marks my first full day here at The Kings Lodge. :]

After many flight delays and missing my bus, I arrived yesterday at about 4:30 in the afternoon. Jet and Edward were so welcoming and excited to see me. I got settled and we had super with the group. 

Everyone I meet says something like, "Oh! You're Anna! We've been praying for you for weeks!!!" or "Anna! You've arrived! An answer to prayer right before my eyes". I'm not quite sure how to think about it all yet. 

The Kings Lodge is beautiful!!! The room I'm in is lovely and has two majestic windows that  overlook the front lawn. There are people here from England, America, Germany, Brazil, Korea, Malaysia, Amsterdam, among others. And someone from South Africa will be arriving later.  :]

I'm excited for the opportunity to experience it all. Daan is so much fun and so easy-going. He likes my nose and my glasses the bast so far. :P It's cool because Jet confirmed what I felt during my quite time this morning; that it's ok for me to take care of myself.  And in fact, that I need to value myself especially while I'm here, if only so that I can serve more wholly. 

There is a man from Kentucky here and also a British Lady who lived in my neighborhood and who's husband used to teach at OSU. :] How cool is that? :]

Dinner [main meal of the day] is at 1pm (in 30 minutes) so I better go. Jet lent me a book on parenting that I am going to read through. :] Praise the Lord, it hasn't rained yet! It is so sunny and beautiful out! 

Please feel free to send me a letter if you want *wink wink* the address is:

The King's Lodge 
               Watling Street
               Nuneaton
               Warwickshire 
               CV10 0TZ
               England

Have a great day! Leave me a comment so I know you read this. :) 

God bless and keep my family and I in prayer!

In Him^,

Anna :]

Boldness

"Whatever situation you are in, remember, God always knows something you don't"

What does boldness mean to you?

Boldness is talking to a God you can't see.

Boldness is praying for someone other than yourself.

Boldness is listening for whispers from Jesus.

Boldness is understanding when He whispers.

Boldness is hearing a request from God.

Boldness is following through.

Boldness is speaking.

Boldness is conversation.

Boldness is making a fool of yourself.

Boldness is speaking the name of Jesus. (Out loud)

Boldness is telling people God cares for them. 

Boldness is pushing through fear.

Boldness is saying yes.

Boldness is saying no.

Boldness is being open to change.

Boldness is being ready.

Boldness is understanding.

Boldness is seeing.

Boldness is doing.

Boldness is love.

Boldness is passion.

But most of all, boldness is simply being in the presence of Jesus.

 

"This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most." -Hebrews 4:15-16 (New Living Translation)

I especially like the way the New International Reader's Version puts it:

"We have a High Priest who can feel it when we are weak and hurting. We have a High Priest who has been tempted in every way, just as we are. But he did not sin. So let us boldly approach the throne of grace. Then we will receive mercy. We will find grace to help us when we need it." 

The biggest step we can take. The boldest thing we can do, is to simply approach the throne of grace. 

And when we become overwhelmed with fear or anxiety or anything that would hinder us from Him, remember, God is bolder than you can ever imagine. Jesus made God accessible to us so that we can come to Him and receive the gifts He has to give us. 

I started this week out thinking that my life would continue on the way it was. I thought the most challenging thing God had for me at the moment was to learn to be more bold. I never thought God would choose to show me just how bold HE can be. 

"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going." - Hebrews 11:8