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3 days! I can hardly believe it! I have had all my stuff strewn out on the guest room floor for the past three weeks, and today Jami came over and helped me pack. It took some serious purging (after I had already done 3 rounds of purging on my own) and a lot of reminders from the "Stuff" series at church, but I have everything I need crammed into one 60 lb checked bag, one carry on, and a guitar case. WOW! Mad props to Jamers for helping me pack!
It still doesn't really feel like I am leaving in 3 days. I've been saying goodbye to everybody, but it doesn't feel real yet. Maybe it will once I'm on the 14 and a half hour plane ride of doom from LA to Sydney! Not looking forward to that... But, I am SUPER excited to get down there and start a whole new chapter of my life. Keep praying that I will have an open and teachable heart and that God will protect me in all my travels.
As I prepare to leave, I can't help but think of all the people who helped to make this trip possible. I have been SO blessed by the gifts and financial support from so many of my friends and family--I can't thank you enough! The Lord has used you all in a mighty way to provide for this trip and I am truly grateful for each one of you!
Expect the next update to come from Down Under!!!! ;-}
Monday, February 2, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Going Away Party
So, if you have Facebook, you know I've changed the date at least a million times, but I think I've finally got a date where most people should be able to drop in for a bit and say goodbye. I'm having a going away party on January 25th at my house from 2:00-6:00. It's open house, so just drop by for a bit, eat some food, and hang out one last time before I leave. Message or e-mail if you need directions to my house!
Friday, January 16, 2009
YAY JESUS!
Wanted to write a quick note to inform you, in case you didn't know, that GOD IS COMPLETELY AMAZING!!! Thanks to God's provision through some generous hearts, I am only $200 short of what I need to send YWAM before I get down to Australia! I KNOW he is going to provide the rest of what I need, exactly when I need it. Keep praying that he will pour out the blessing of his provision for the little bit that I need to send before I get there, and for the money I will need once I get there. God is faithful, and I can't wait to share the awesome testimony I will have after God provides everything I need!
Monday, January 12, 2009
I'm Leavin' on a Jetplane!
Hey friends! Exciting news--I bought my plane ticket! I leave SeaTac on February 4th at 7:00pm for LAX, where I will take a 14 1/2 hour flight to Sydney and arrive at 9:20am on the 6th (weird time change). I'll leave Sydney on July 30th at 1:20pm, and 16 hours later, I'll be at SeaTac at 3:13pm.
I have been debating for a long time about buying my ticket because it's kind of the point of no return. I was praying about it, and I really felt like the Lord wanted me to step out in faith and buy the ticket, even though I don't have all the finances for the school yet. God directed me to Noah and the Ark, reminding me that Noah had to start building WAY before the rains came. His neighbors must have thought he was nuts! I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart, but chose to make up a bunch of lame excuses about how I should wait until I was sure.
The very next day, I logged on to the United website and saw that the ticket price I had been so carefully watching had skyrocketed $400! I wanted to kick myself for being so dumb. Waiting until I was sure??? I have been sure for the past few years that this is what God is calling me to, but I let the devil sneak his lies into my head that I needed to see the proof to believe--show me the money! The Lord graciously reminded me of Hebrews Chapter 11, which says:
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for...7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
I prayed and asked God to forgive my foolishness, and resolved to seek God and obey him, no matter how crazy it seems to the world. Kid you not, the next day I looked online, and there was a sale on the Quantas website for cheaper than the original ticket I was looking at through United! God is so gracious!!!! I am so thankful that he chose to take my disobedience and use it to teach me and grow me, and then bless me Job-style with something even better than I had before!
So, I am still praying for God to provide the rest of the finances I need, but now I am praying with renewed confident expectation that God will rain down his blessings in his time and his way. Please keep praying that God will be glorified in everything that happens as I prepare for and go on this adventure with him!
I have been debating for a long time about buying my ticket because it's kind of the point of no return. I was praying about it, and I really felt like the Lord wanted me to step out in faith and buy the ticket, even though I don't have all the finances for the school yet. God directed me to Noah and the Ark, reminding me that Noah had to start building WAY before the rains came. His neighbors must have thought he was nuts! I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at my heart, but chose to make up a bunch of lame excuses about how I should wait until I was sure.
The very next day, I logged on to the United website and saw that the ticket price I had been so carefully watching had skyrocketed $400! I wanted to kick myself for being so dumb. Waiting until I was sure??? I have been sure for the past few years that this is what God is calling me to, but I let the devil sneak his lies into my head that I needed to see the proof to believe--show me the money! The Lord graciously reminded me of Hebrews Chapter 11, which says:
1Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. 2This is what the ancients were commended for...7By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, in holy fear built an ark to save his family. By his faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.
I prayed and asked God to forgive my foolishness, and resolved to seek God and obey him, no matter how crazy it seems to the world. Kid you not, the next day I looked online, and there was a sale on the Quantas website for cheaper than the original ticket I was looking at through United! God is so gracious!!!! I am so thankful that he chose to take my disobedience and use it to teach me and grow me, and then bless me Job-style with something even better than I had before!
So, I am still praying for God to provide the rest of the finances I need, but now I am praying with renewed confident expectation that God will rain down his blessings in his time and his way. Please keep praying that God will be glorified in everything that happens as I prepare for and go on this adventure with him!
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas everyone! The ridiculous amount of snow we've had here in the Northwest has made life difficult lately, but I'm still excited to have an official white Christmas. ;-} Christmas is always a bittersweet time for me. There is so much joy in celebrating the miraculous birth of Jesus--the fullness of God come to earth to dwell with us, die for us, and live in us! Hallelujah! It still seems pretty crazy to me every time I think about the God of the universe who loves us so much that he sent his only precious son to be born in a stable, live a life of ridiculed service, and die a humiliatingly painful death on the cross for my sins. Wow! The craziness of that reminds me of 1 Corinthians chapter 1:
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
How powerful! Jesus came to us in a lowly way, and it was utter foolishness to the world. So many of the things God does are foolishness to those who are of the world. When I think of the crazy way God broke through my sin and despair and saved me, my heart is filled with so much joy. How completely nuts is it that the God of the universe loves me that much? I am so thankful for God's "foolishness".
These verses also remind me of what Paul tells us in the following chapter:
14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
While the message of the birth of Christ brings joy to my heart, it also brings sorrow. I grieve for those who consider the message of the cross foolishness. My heart breaks for those who don't understand the truth of God's grace in Jesus because they have closed their hearts to the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, I am praying for so many friends and family who need the Lord's truth in their lives--praying that Jesus would be a light into their world, illuminating the truth of God's love for them.
I think that sometimes this DTS trip seems like foolishness to many of the people in my life. Why pay a whole bunch of money to go halfway across the world when you could stay here and start MAKING money to go to school? It doesn't make sense to those who aren't in step with the spirit. In fact, it seems the exact opposite of "good sense". I know that while the world sees this venture as a fool's errand, the Lord has called me to it and he will bless be as I obey him. It's hard not to get discouraged by the world from time to time, but as I come to God with the burdens on my heart, he gently encourages me with his truth, like the word he gave me yesterday from Psalm 62:
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
No matter what the world throws at me, the Lord will be my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken! Can I get an AMEN!?! ;-}
So this Christmas, as I prepare to travel to Australia in 6 weeks to join with the Lord in a bit of "foolishness", I rejoice. I mourn for those who are lost, but I know Jesus will turn my mourning to dancing as I seek him. Mostly, I am thankful that God is with us.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Has come to thee, O Israel!
Merry Christmas, my dear friends. May you be blesses as you think on the wondrous birth of our savior.
18For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
How powerful! Jesus came to us in a lowly way, and it was utter foolishness to the world. So many of the things God does are foolishness to those who are of the world. When I think of the crazy way God broke through my sin and despair and saved me, my heart is filled with so much joy. How completely nuts is it that the God of the universe loves me that much? I am so thankful for God's "foolishness".
These verses also remind me of what Paul tells us in the following chapter:
14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
While the message of the birth of Christ brings joy to my heart, it also brings sorrow. I grieve for those who consider the message of the cross foolishness. My heart breaks for those who don't understand the truth of God's grace in Jesus because they have closed their hearts to the Holy Spirit. This Christmas, I am praying for so many friends and family who need the Lord's truth in their lives--praying that Jesus would be a light into their world, illuminating the truth of God's love for them.
I think that sometimes this DTS trip seems like foolishness to many of the people in my life. Why pay a whole bunch of money to go halfway across the world when you could stay here and start MAKING money to go to school? It doesn't make sense to those who aren't in step with the spirit. In fact, it seems the exact opposite of "good sense". I know that while the world sees this venture as a fool's errand, the Lord has called me to it and he will bless be as I obey him. It's hard not to get discouraged by the world from time to time, but as I come to God with the burdens on my heart, he gently encourages me with his truth, like the word he gave me yesterday from Psalm 62:
1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
my salvation comes from him.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.
3 How long will you assault a man?
Would all of you throw him down—
this leaning wall, this tottering fence?
4 They fully intend to topple him
from his lofty place;
they take delight in lies.
With their mouths they bless,
but in their hearts they curse.
Selah
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
my hope comes from him.
6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
he is my mighty rock, my refuge.
8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your hearts to him,
for God is our refuge.
Selah
No matter what the world throws at me, the Lord will be my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken! Can I get an AMEN!?! ;-}
So this Christmas, as I prepare to travel to Australia in 6 weeks to join with the Lord in a bit of "foolishness", I rejoice. I mourn for those who are lost, but I know Jesus will turn my mourning to dancing as I seek him. Mostly, I am thankful that God is with us.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Has come to thee, O Israel!
Merry Christmas, my dear friends. May you be blesses as you think on the wondrous birth of our savior.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
December already?
I don't know when this happened, but today was my last day of student teaching! I had an absolute blast working at Midland Elementary, and left school today with a giant stack of cards and tears in my eyes. I'm going to miss those kids a whole bunch! I will don the goofy hat and robe tomorrow to walk across the stage and receive the holder for my diploma which will be coming in the mail in 2-3 months or something like that. I'm pretty excited to be graduating, especially since I have received a job offer for a long term substitute position at Shining Mountain Elementary in the Bethel School District! I'll be teaching K-6 music there on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the month of January. I'll be subbing elsewhere in the district on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and I also hope to get my application in to Franklin Pierce so I can go back to my student teaching school and actually get PAID to be there! I have also spoken with the music coordinator in Bethel, and he seems to be really open to working with me while I'm in Australia to do phone interviews and such so I will hopefully have a job when I come home! Praise the Lord for his favor, because he's the only one who could have hooked up such a sweet deal!
I want to give a HUGE shout out to the family and friends who have responded to my support letter and offered prayer and/or financial support! You have blessed my heart way mucho! There's still a long way to go as far as finances are concerned, but I know the Lord is faithful and he will provide! Keep praying for open doors and that the Lord would help me get everything ready for the trip! Things have been kind of put on hold in order to finish up student teaching and graduate, but now the big push will be coming to get ready to leave for Australia. I'm excited, but also super nervous. I know the Lord is totally going to come through and be my strength, but sometimes it's hard not to want to do things by my own strength.
Thanks so much for your support, everyone! Love you!
~Maggie
P.S.
Here's the latest fund raising tally:
Free fundraising thermometer
I want to give a HUGE shout out to the family and friends who have responded to my support letter and offered prayer and/or financial support! You have blessed my heart way mucho! There's still a long way to go as far as finances are concerned, but I know the Lord is faithful and he will provide! Keep praying for open doors and that the Lord would help me get everything ready for the trip! Things have been kind of put on hold in order to finish up student teaching and graduate, but now the big push will be coming to get ready to leave for Australia. I'm excited, but also super nervous. I know the Lord is totally going to come through and be my strength, but sometimes it's hard not to want to do things by my own strength.
Thanks so much for your support, everyone! Love you!
~Maggie
P.S.
Here's the latest fund raising tally:
Free fundraising thermometer
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Support Update
Hey friends and family! Many of you have probably received a support letter from me, and if you haven't yet, you're probably going to soon! ;-} Thanks to those of you who have promised to pray for me already. Prayer support is what I need more than anything for this trip, and it really blesses my heart to have brothers and sisters lifting me up in that way.
I just heard from the Lighthouse (my church) mission committee today, and they're going to bless me with $1,000 for the trip! Praise the Lord! I am so grateful that my church family is supporting me in this way.
While I am encouraged by the support from LCC, I also know that there is a long way to go. I know the Lord will provide everything I need for this trip, and I'm choosing to trust him instead of being influenced by the lies of the enemy. Pray that I will keep trusting God and that I won't let apparent setbacks or the economic state of our nation be a discouragement. I know the Lord has a big bank account, and if he wants me to do this, he'll find a way to pay for it, no questions asked.
I thought it would be fun to show a running tally of how much money I've raised so far, so we can all be thanking the Lord for the miraculous ways he has provided, and the miraculous ways he's going to provide! I'll try to keep this updated as I get more funds in. Thanks for your support!
Free fundraising thermometer
I just heard from the Lighthouse (my church) mission committee today, and they're going to bless me with $1,000 for the trip! Praise the Lord! I am so grateful that my church family is supporting me in this way.
While I am encouraged by the support from LCC, I also know that there is a long way to go. I know the Lord will provide everything I need for this trip, and I'm choosing to trust him instead of being influenced by the lies of the enemy. Pray that I will keep trusting God and that I won't let apparent setbacks or the economic state of our nation be a discouragement. I know the Lord has a big bank account, and if he wants me to do this, he'll find a way to pay for it, no questions asked.
I thought it would be fun to show a running tally of how much money I've raised so far, so we can all be thanking the Lord for the miraculous ways he has provided, and the miraculous ways he's going to provide! I'll try to keep this updated as I get more funds in. Thanks for your support!
Free fundraising thermometer
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