It's about 11:10am and I have punted the semester. I have 2 papers, and a group project due within the next 12 days of class. My teacher is talking about poverty, and I am learning i am very good at typing while looking at the slides. Great to know when I take school seriously for next semester. I have probably said too much to anyone not in college.
I just contributed to the discussion so I don't feel bad about continuing to write this.
SO since I haven't really updated this for a few weeks now, I feel now is a better time then ever. SUPPORT! Support, support, support. Support has been great, and not so great. God has blessed me so much with the support He has raised for this trip. Finding more money then expected in accounts, friends owing me money, loving father, aunt and uncle (and praying for grandparents, brother and girlfriend, and possibly her family...? We shall see). Friends sound like a cheap way, but when I told him to write me a support check, he put it like this, "now I feel like I am actually supporting you." As of right now, I stand over 50% and could not be more blessed by God and the people who are willing to support me.
The only downfall is that I am in crunch time for school. 12 days of class left before finals. Just because I have punted the semester doesn't mean I won't do the work, just that I am horribly unmotivated to do work (more so now then at the beginning or middle of the semester). It is cutting into a lot; my support raising time, prayer, and time with God. It's not an excuse and I have finally noticed it over the past week so I am getting back to it this week.
So now for the serious part. Prayer list. I will be, and I ask that you be a part of this, praying for:
1. My time with God in the word and in prayer
2. Motivation To finish school strong
3. Support to come in, not just for me but for the entire team. I love my team and want to have this experience with all of them.
So until next post, I hope you will be praying along with me and can't wait to tell you all more about God's work in all of this!... GO CAPS!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 10, 2011
And the thrilling conclusion
"I SUCK!" I tell myself over, and over, and over again as I sit in HLTH140 watching my friend get a better grade then me. I can only imagine the look on my face during the last 30 min of class when I came to the realization. I have a good 2 hour break between my health class and psychology. I immediately go into prayer.
Ryan sent all UMD student summer project applications to a friend to avoid bias when making a decision on who is and is not accepted. My only prayer at this time was that this half-hearted application not be the determining factor in being accepted. I wanted a chance to talk with someone. This was the first time since our winter conference that I felt called to go to Melbourne, and I did not want my application to stop me. I have health on Tuesdays. The following Thursday, Ryan tells me we should hear back sometime Thursday night or Friday.
So Sunday afternoon I get a text from Ryan saying, "I got an email from my friend and he said you are not a yes or no. Can we talk after bible study?" HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! (You may insert any spiritual cliche you would like or are partial to) Prayer 1 has been answered. But wait! I still have to talk with Ryan. Usually our talks involve me asking a question, and Ryan responding with a question. Sounds frustrating but I thoroughly enjoy it. Tuesday night comes, bible study flies by, and now it's time. There has been a lot of prayer going into this night. I had been asking God for the right heart, mind, and words during this conversation and that this be what He wants for me.
Ryan and I talk a little about my day, how my week is looking, pretty standard small talk. It's just me and Ryan in his basement because his study and Jenny's study usually hang around for a little afterwards and have some fun. We begin to talk. "Why do you want to go to Australia with us?" "Why do you feel called?" "What makes you excited about going to Melbourne?" All legitimate questions, all that I have put thought into. All I am pretty sure I rambled on. And then, enter my best friend, awkwardly walking into the basement.
"Am I allowed down here?" He asks
"Not really" says Ryan
"Crap, cause i'm not allowed upstairs with the girls either" He replies and slowly slips into the stairwell where I assume he sat for 5 minutes until the girls let into the living room upstairs.
An hour goes by and a lot of topics have been covered. I can see the end is near. I am pretty sure I look like a deer in the headlights and Ryan finally says, "If you want to, we would love to have you with us in Melbourne." (You may enter a new spiritual cliche again). Prayer 2 has been answered and I am headed to Australia
Ryan sent all UMD student summer project applications to a friend to avoid bias when making a decision on who is and is not accepted. My only prayer at this time was that this half-hearted application not be the determining factor in being accepted. I wanted a chance to talk with someone. This was the first time since our winter conference that I felt called to go to Melbourne, and I did not want my application to stop me. I have health on Tuesdays. The following Thursday, Ryan tells me we should hear back sometime Thursday night or Friday.
So Sunday afternoon I get a text from Ryan saying, "I got an email from my friend and he said you are not a yes or no. Can we talk after bible study?" HALLELUJAH! PRAISE THE LORD! (You may insert any spiritual cliche you would like or are partial to) Prayer 1 has been answered. But wait! I still have to talk with Ryan. Usually our talks involve me asking a question, and Ryan responding with a question. Sounds frustrating but I thoroughly enjoy it. Tuesday night comes, bible study flies by, and now it's time. There has been a lot of prayer going into this night. I had been asking God for the right heart, mind, and words during this conversation and that this be what He wants for me.
Ryan and I talk a little about my day, how my week is looking, pretty standard small talk. It's just me and Ryan in his basement because his study and Jenny's study usually hang around for a little afterwards and have some fun. We begin to talk. "Why do you want to go to Australia with us?" "Why do you feel called?" "What makes you excited about going to Melbourne?" All legitimate questions, all that I have put thought into. All I am pretty sure I rambled on. And then, enter my best friend, awkwardly walking into the basement.
"Am I allowed down here?" He asks
"Not really" says Ryan
"Crap, cause i'm not allowed upstairs with the girls either" He replies and slowly slips into the stairwell where I assume he sat for 5 minutes until the girls let into the living room upstairs.
An hour goes by and a lot of topics have been covered. I can see the end is near. I am pretty sure I look like a deer in the headlights and Ryan finally says, "If you want to, we would love to have you with us in Melbourne." (You may enter a new spiritual cliche again). Prayer 2 has been answered and I am headed to Australia
Friday, April 8, 2011
AN EXPLANATION
I promis you that I will give an explanation for such a stupid name for a blog to Australia in a moment, BUT FIRST!
Thank you for the slightest interest you are showing in my missions trip to Melbourne (pronounced Mel-bun. yea i thought they spoke english there too), Australia. I could not be more excited to be taking this trip, seriously. I love the team we have going there, but that is for another post.
This trip did not come without some serious conversations with God and fights with myself. It all started last semester when we were told by our bible study leaders, Ryan and Jenny Penley, that they would be leading the summer project ( Cru's summer missions trips) to Melbourne. I missed my chance last year to go internationally to Maracaibo, Venezuela, and decided to stay home to take classes.
Who better to travel with the our staff to another country, and to Australia?
Enter late December. I am sitting down with Ryan at our Christmas conference. We are talking about applying to the trip and I am getting a lot more questions then answers, as is par for the course with him and I love it! After my conversation with Ryan, I had some serious conversations with God during the 4 days of our conference and felt a push to apply.
The only thought I had after finishing my application was, "if i get accepted, i may still stay and take classes." WHAT A HORRIBLE THOUGHT! I was sitting in health class one morning, and in the middle of class I felt God smack me across the face and all I could think was "WHY WOULD YOU NOT GO, IDIOT!?" What a horrible feeling. My application was filled out half-heartedly. I suck!
This story will be continued on the next post. As promised, this terrible name comes from an episode of The Simpsons where they travel to Australia. Bart brings a bullfrog with him and lets it go into the wild of Australia. The bullfrogs quickly reproduce and start taking over. A shop keeper pushes them out with a broom. The clerk says they are like kangaroos but they are reptiles. Marge then tells the clerk that they are called bullfrogs, to which the clerk replies, "What? thats an odd name. I'd have called them chazzwazzers." stupid name for a blog? Yes, but it get a laugh out of it.
http://www.watchcartoononline.com/the-simpsons-season-6-episode-16-bart-vs-australia
It's a great episode and worth 22 min of your day. the clip starts at 17:00 if you really want to see it
I am going to try to keep this updated us much as possible before leaving, and then in Melbourne, I will try to post once a week for the six weeks I am there. If you have made it this far to, I applaud you because I would have quit very early on. And I swear these posts will be much better in the future. But until then...
Thank you for the slightest interest you are showing in my missions trip to Melbourne (pronounced Mel-bun. yea i thought they spoke english there too), Australia. I could not be more excited to be taking this trip, seriously. I love the team we have going there, but that is for another post.
This trip did not come without some serious conversations with God and fights with myself. It all started last semester when we were told by our bible study leaders, Ryan and Jenny Penley, that they would be leading the summer project ( Cru's summer missions trips) to Melbourne. I missed my chance last year to go internationally to Maracaibo, Venezuela, and decided to stay home to take classes.
Who better to travel with the our staff to another country, and to Australia?
Enter late December. I am sitting down with Ryan at our Christmas conference. We are talking about applying to the trip and I am getting a lot more questions then answers, as is par for the course with him and I love it! After my conversation with Ryan, I had some serious conversations with God during the 4 days of our conference and felt a push to apply.
The only thought I had after finishing my application was, "if i get accepted, i may still stay and take classes." WHAT A HORRIBLE THOUGHT! I was sitting in health class one morning, and in the middle of class I felt God smack me across the face and all I could think was "WHY WOULD YOU NOT GO, IDIOT!?" What a horrible feeling. My application was filled out half-heartedly. I suck!
This story will be continued on the next post. As promised, this terrible name comes from an episode of The Simpsons where they travel to Australia. Bart brings a bullfrog with him and lets it go into the wild of Australia. The bullfrogs quickly reproduce and start taking over. A shop keeper pushes them out with a broom. The clerk says they are like kangaroos but they are reptiles. Marge then tells the clerk that they are called bullfrogs, to which the clerk replies, "What? thats an odd name. I'd have called them chazzwazzers." stupid name for a blog? Yes, but it get a laugh out of it.
http://www.watchcartoononline.com/the-simpsons-season-6-episode-16-bart-vs-australia
It's a great episode and worth 22 min of your day. the clip starts at 17:00 if you really want to see it
I am going to try to keep this updated us much as possible before leaving, and then in Melbourne, I will try to post once a week for the six weeks I am there. If you have made it this far to, I applaud you because I would have quit very early on. And I swear these posts will be much better in the future. But until then...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
