ducks in a row??

For those who know me, you know that I thrive off being organized, planning ahead and having my "ducks in a row." That seems to be one of the areas that God has been challenging me in personally lately. I knew leaving my job, ministy, and way of life in Alaska was going to be a change of pace and stretch me in my faith...I am feeling it particularly right now.

I know without a doubt that this is the time and Columbia, SC is the place that God wants me to be. A time of training and preparation for what comes next...but I honestly have no idea what that "next" thing is. Sometimes I think it is foolish to purse foriegn missions, to learn another language, culture and worldview when I could just as easily do ministry here in the states. But I am reminded also that while I was in Alaska my spirit was dying. God has given me a burden for other nations and places and I believe I will be overseas serving at some point. I don't know how or where exactly, but that, I am learning, is the beauty of TRUSTING Him.

Right now my ducks are not in a row, in fact I feel like my ducks are completely lost. My roommate reminded me the other day that this is a time of training and waiting, being still and listening so that when He DOES say GO, I will be thoroughly equipped for every good work and READY to go. I have a feeling this is just the tip of the iceberg in taking steps of faith and trusting God to provide and direct as he unfolds his next steps for me.

school update...

I've been back at school for a week now and things are busy as usual. Midterms are over, yay! But the semester is coming to a rapid end. I can't believe how fast it's gone. I'd have to say at this point that my favorite class is my Gospels class. My prof for that class is Dr. Hulbert. His son-in-law was one of the first pastors at Lazy Mt. Bible Church in Palmer, AK! How small world, aye? He asked about my church, WBC and said that his son-in-law and Larry were (maybe still are) good friends and prepared sermons together in their beginning days, Cam Arensen. Ring a bell Larry?

Currently, aside from school, I am getting resumes together to apply for speech pathology jobs and I am also looking for places to move off campus. It is MUCH cheaper to live off campus and now that I have connections and know the area better, I am in the midst of sorting through that as well. Please be in prayer for both things...that we could find a good place to live near campus for the next couple of years and that a job would open that I could maybe do through the summers. There are A LOT of job options here in the SLP realm...hospitals, in patient, out patient, schools, in home visits, pediatric clinics, the list goes on. I am hoping for somethig in the ped. department as that has been the main area of my work thus far.

I hope all is well for those of you back in the great land of AK. I hear you've got snow now? Today is the first day I have not worn sandels and I wore shorts yesterday! It feels like a nice AK summer down here!

Fall Break!

Tuesday night blue grass music with Marie in NC...a cultural experience to say the least! I was offered to be adopted, offered to have an arranged marriage, told that I wasn't ugly and there was no reason I should NOT be married...the list goes on!



Deep south blue grass the way blue grass was meant to be...this was post potluck where I sampled a variety of INCREDIBLE southern home cooked food! As far as music goes, some groups were excellent, others...I had to try and dicypher the lyrics between 4 beats going on simultaneously with southern twang and slurred singing all mixed together.


My apologies for being so hit and miss with blog entries. I do have a couple of decent excuses, but I will just cut to the chase and let you see and read about the latest happenings in my life.

A couple weeks ago we had our "fall break" kind of like spring break but in the fall. I've never had one before in all my school and college days, but I have to admit, it was great. I needed the break, the time alone and way from campus. I decided to take a road trip for it and spending the first two days in Charlotte with my aunt, uncle and cousins. The next two I spent up in D.C. with a couple of my cousins. Beth lives on the Maryland side of the city and Allison lives on the Virginia side. The last two days I got to spend with my southern AK connection, Marie VanWingerden. Every part of the trip was a blessing! I loved having time at each place. Driving for hours aloud for some much needed solitude...singing my heart out as loud as I wanted, listening to books on CD and just being STILL (driving but mentally still).



Me and my cousins, Beth and Allison...out to eat after a low key day in D.C.



Lincoln Memorial







Washington Monument



Capital Building



"Gentlemen, start your engines" will never be the same to me now. Talk about LOUD!!!
This was taken during the two warm up "slow" laps...after that the pilot car exits stage right and it's just down right FAST! They go 160-190 mph...I do that sometimes too. :)



#48 Jimmy Johnson (not shown above, got the wrong pic in place but you get the idea) the racer I pulled for...a random pick out of the newspaper that morning. He did really well actually, the top 3 for most of the race then wiped out and ended up 16th overall. Oh well!



NASCAR line up



Alex's fan club...he's a senior this year, CRAZY!!


Brittany showing off her Appalachan State victory shirt!
(they beat Michigan State in football earlier this fall)

a Chinese weekend

So this weekend was packed with ministry! Friday night Anita Chik and I had dinner with a group of our girls to make sushi and miso soup...yes a Japnese meal but it was Asian and they LOVED learning to make sushi! The entire house ended up coming, 7 girls in all, 6 from China and one from India. Anita shared her testimony and presented the gospel through a sushi analogy...it was interesting. Probably one of the most unique ways we've shared the gospel. We had a great time hanging out together and got some good feedback on where they are at in their lives.

Saturday night we went to the Columbia zoo with several of them. It was a free night for college and international students from CIU, USC and Ben Lippen. This was lower key and fun to just hang out and continue to build relationships. They had a good laugh teaching me mandarin phrases and songs! I'm learning...slowly!!

Sunday morning went really well too. By this time I was getting fatigued with so many things back to back, but it's just the way it fell this month. We had the students act out the Prodigal Son story then broke into small groups to discuss it in more depth. They were really attentive...no offense, but more so than American students, they seem to take education and teaching more seriously. It was encouraging to have that time together.

Later that night I went to a presentation on a particular Chinese group. Anita Chik worked with this people group a few years ago and shared about her experience. Several students came and we had a good time of prayer and fellowship afterward. The presentation was two fold, one to learn about that people group...Chinese Muslims...talk about a blending of religions...and second to pray for future direction for a summer trip to this people group. For confidentiality purposes I am not sharing specifics, but please pray with us for wisdom in moving forward with the vision God has given CIU. I would love to be a part of this team and I am praying about the logistics...timing, money, this particular group, etc. We appreciate your prayers in regard to all this!

The greatest blessing to me this weekend was the reminder Friday night about where God has called me. As Anita shared the gospel message with the girls I couldn't help but thank God for brining me here for such a time as this. My heart's deepest passion is evangelism and right now specifically to Chinese people. There is no greater joy to me than to be able to share the TRUTH and LOVE of Jesus Christ with those who do not know him. Nights like Friday night are what make me come alive!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at workwithin us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever Amen."
Ephesians 3:20-21

ministry update

Contrary to popular belief and blog entries, I am going to seminary and I am busy with classes and ministry. I've had the opportunity the past two weekends to compete in a couple of races which were a blessing and much needed break in the action. This weekend is going to be a little different and I am even more excited for the things that are in store.

Friday night one of my small group (China small group) teammates and I are having a sushi dinner with 5 of our Chinese high school girls to celebrate (belated) Chinese Fall Festival...the Moon Festival. We are going to hang out, make dinner together and then have a short Gospel presentation. Saturday we are going with ALL of our students to the zoo...it's a discount day for school and college students. This will be a time of low key fellowship and getting to know each other better. Sunday is our week to go to the Chinese Church together. The students can go to a church in their heart language 1x a month (the reason being wanting to learn and push English most of the time in their program). Anita and I will be leading them in our Sunday school time through the story of the Prodigal Son making it interactive and culturally relevant...teens from China!

Please pray for this coming weekend and all that HE has in store. This past week the two guys on our China team had a dinner with some of the guy students and 3 of them inquired about believing in God and made decisions to follow him. Please pray for their growth as new Christians, for discipleship and follow up to take place in a culturally relevant way. I am EXCITED to be able to work with these students and look forward to all that this semester and year holds! Thank you for your prayer support, our team is eternally grateful!!

a few more...

And we're off! Teams took off every 30 seconds, there were over 600 teams!


brief pause for a team pic


little mud swim...not sure how deep the trench was but deeper than 5.5 feet


Swimmin' through the trenches


action shot


one of several log obstacles,over, under, over, under, GO TEAM!!


final obstacle, stretcher run across the finish line!


anyone need to borrow some shoes???


the group with Cindi our team photographer


Gayle glad to be done!


Stephanie with her tribal face paint

Mud Run

Group hose down...notice the garbage pile of shoes and socks


CHEESE!!


Post race pic...candidates for a Tide commercial


Gayle and me after our trudge through mud trenches under the jeeps


Me, Gayle, Rick Higgins, Stephanie


This weekend I had a break in action from school related stuff. Friday night I went to a Grad Life retreat about 45 min. from campus. One of my housemates and I along with a couple other people had the opportunity to lead worship that night and were blessed by it. The speakers were encouraging and the time with other grad studens was refreshing.

Saturday morning I ran in a race called the "Mud Run" with one of my profs and two other girls. The Mud Run is a HUGE race in Columbia on one of the military bases down here. You run 4 miles with a team of 4 through 39 different obstacles, everything from climbing walls, swinging on rope swings over trenches, swiming though mud trenches, to crawling on your belly through the mud under huge jeeps. I have never been so dirty in all my life. It was GREAT!!! I had a blast and would do it again next year in a heart beat. I was asked by my prof (he teaches one of my classes) if I'd consider joining his team this year b/c they were one man short. I said yes not knowing initially that one of his teammates last year fell off one of the obstacles (cargo net wall) broke his wrist and knocked himself unconscious. Another man last year died of cardiac arrest in the middle of the race! We prayed for safety and all of us made it through with minimal scrapes AND we had a GREAT time! Teams are seeded and we started a little after 11:00 a.m. in 90 degree sunshine!! The mud was a welcome retreat to the heat!

One of my friends came along to photograph the event. I've got a few from my camera here but will add some more when I get the full CD of pics.

lookin' for a church home

I have been reminded that moving involves a lot of transition...new place, new friends, new work/school, new culture (south!), and a new church. I've got to 4 over the past few weeks and am still praying and seeking where the best fit would be for me. Today I went to Gateway Baptist, a larger church abou 30 minutes from my house. A friend of mine in class, Ben, is the Young Professionals pastor at this church and he recommended it to me.

I came to find out as I sat and reviewed my bulletin this morning that this is the same church Adam Brown is a youth pastor at! After reading the pastoral list I looked around a little and spotted Adam and Connie over a couple sections from me. After church I went over and caught up with them. Adam is Ashley Brown's brother. He and Connie just had their first baby, Josiah 2 months ago. He, by the way, is ADORABLE! He looks a lot like Adam to me.

Anyway, it was fun to meet some "familiar" faces in a far away place. I do have to say though it was a little weird not having Sarah and Ashley there too. The last time I saw Adam and Connie was at Thanksgiving at the Browns. I MISS not having the other Brown's here too!! Guess I'll have to get my Sarah fix in December!

For those who are praying for me, please continue to pray for wisdom on where to plug in to church. I will be going to the Chinese church with our students every last Sunday of the month, but am looking for another church to plug into on a regular basis.

Lexington Fun Run

Team post race pose


Showin' off our medals (Anita and Cindi won in their age divisions)


I took 3rd place overall for the women...small races can do beautiful things for self esteem!


Anita coming across the finish line!


Our enthusiastic 1st time racers (Anita and Matt)


Cindi, me, Anita


Matt, Anita Chik, Cindi

This weekend a group of us ran a 5K race in Lexington, about a 30 minute drive from campus. Two of the 4 of us had never run a race before so it was fun to experience. There were only about 40 runners total so we all ended up winning a medal for something. Good times were had! The race started at 7:30 which was perfect b/c the temps got up in the 90s later that afternoon!! It is still pretty warm here. Today cooled down a little...reminded me of an AK summer day.

more pictures of Charlestown

Me and Jenn (my housemate)


Kristin with our group plate (the restaurant lets people design their own plate and hang it on the wall)


JP and Kristin


Matt, Ben and Jenn

roommates!

Kristin, Jenn, me getting ready to go to church
Krissy, our 4th roommate is in a picture below

Charlestown

Me and Jenn, my other roommate


Two of my roommates, Krissy and Kristin

For Labor Day my roommates and I along with 6 other friends drove down to Charlestown to get away from campus and tour the area a little. We strolled down the main boulevard, walked through the market, ate lunch at a great seafood place and ended at the marina. It was a low key, low budget trip but VERY refreshing! I'd love to go back later and spend some time on the beach.

headin' off to school!

When I flew in to Charlotte, NC two weeks ago, my cousin Brittany was heading out that same day to start her freshman year at Appalachan State in northern NC. It's sort of a mother moment picture. Crazy to think Brit is in COLLEGE!!

finding balance...

I'm through my 2nd week of classes and have already made some changes to my initial plans for the semester. I decided to drop a class, Theology, to lighten my load a little. One of the things they encourage at CIU is balance, to make time to really SOAK in what we learn, meditate on it and also have time to develop deep relationships with people. I was already cramming to get things done and wasn't seeing much of my housemate the beginning of the week along with stress and decided to make a change. I am not here to race through and get done as fast as possible. I want to savor and soak in the information, ministry opportunities and relationships that God has for me while I am here. SO, life is feeling more manageable right now.

I briefly mentioned in my last post that one of my classes consists mainly of doing a semester long ethnography (study of a target group of people, history, religious aspects, social, community, etc.) that we want to learn more about and share God's Word with. My group has chosen the Chinese students (20+) at a high school on CIU's campus. It's an international boarding school that has students from all over the world including some native South Carolinans.

This past Sunday we took the group of students to the Chinese Church in Columbia for the Mandarin service. They are allowed to go to a church in their home language once a month, reason being part of the International experience for them is to become fluent in English and immerse themselves in Western culture. This Sunday we are having our 1st "social" at their dorm house to get to know them on a more personal level and start building relationships with them. Each of us (4 total) will have 7-8 students in a group that we will spend time with throughout the semester on our own and in a larger group. This Sunday I will also be sharing my testimony with them as part of our time together. Please pray that I will share it in a culturallly relevant way and that seeds will be planted. We know of 4 students (returning students) who are believers but the oher 18 or so are not.

I am still loving being here and am looking forward to a Labor Day trip with friends down to Charlestown, SC.

Columbia!!

I am HERE!! This past month has been a little crazy with travel but I am finally in Columbia and settled-ish into my new community! I have to say I love a lot of things down here but the HEAT and HUMIDITY I could do without. AC has become my physical form of salvation!! I have done a little outdoor early morning running but am opting right now to stay inside on treadmills where the AC is until my body adjusts.

Enough about the weather...I am living on campus in grad housing with 3 other incredible women. We live in a big ranch style house with more furniture than we know what to do with. I think we have 5 small tables in our living room. We rearranged some but it looks a little...well like college housing!

Kristin is from SC and went to USC downtown for her undergrad. She has more energy than anyone I have ever met. She is our social planner, we've already had two house parties in less than one week! By party I mean game night with anyone on campus who is interested in coming. Great way to meet new people.

Jenn is from Georgia and went to Tacoa Falls with Jenny and Kris Howell. How small world is that! There are half a dozen or so people I've met that graduated from there. She's awesome and has introduced me to other Tacoa people here...one being a friend who loves bikes and put my bike together for me for FREE! He wants to work at a bike shop and was eager to piece my bike back together for me (for inquiring minds that want to know, he's married). I had it boxed at the shop back home and brought it down on the plane.

Krissy is from California and has been at CIU in the past so she has been a great source of "inside scoop" what is where, when stuff happens, etc.

I'm registered for 5 classes (15 credits) this semester which will definitely keep me on my toes. I decided to jump in heavy b/c I will likely be working all following semesters. I've tackled 15 at the grad level before but it's been 5 years so hopefully "school" will come back to me quickly! My classes include Genesis to Song of Solomon, The Gospels, Systematic Theology I, Understanding Cultures and Worldviews and Foundations of Spiritual Development.

Overall impressions about CIU? The staff are great. They REALLY ARE missions minded which is a new experience for me. People are PASSIONATE about the SAME things I am passionate about!! There are people who have been EVERYWHERE and had numerous cross-cultural experiences. I am blessed to have this opportunity to learn, be encouraged, challenged and to be a part of a community that is LIKE MINDED.

I went to a Chinese Church with another Anita this past weekend and will probably make that my "home" church for now. Anita and I are in a class together where we are partnering with two other guys (Asians) to do an ethnographic semester long project with this church. There is a lot involved, but I am excited about all the components and all that I will learn. My heart is for Asian people and this is a good way to get plugged in to their community in Columbia.

Internet is a little crazy here, frustrating actually but I will post pictures when all that comes together. I hope ya'll are doing well and that you are enjoying COOLER weather back in AK!! No worries, I do not have a southern accent...at least not this early in the game.

tour of Alaska

Last week I had the opportunity to do a little camping tour of AK and took advantage of the moment! The first two days I spent in Seward (back again) with Paula hiking and sea kayaking. I had free kayak passes from a friend so we soaked in the drizzly, but beautiful adventure.

After that Paula headed back to Anchorage to work and I drove around the corner (few hours around the corner) down to Clam Gulch to spend some time with the Doners commercial fishing and soaking up time with their family. I posted some pics showing a glimpse of the process of commercial fishing.

On the drive back I stopped along the highway to watch the bore tide come in. All in all it was the perfect trip. Rain, sun, hiking, kayaking, fishing, time with friends, time alone driving, time soaking in the beauty of Alaska. If I could pick anywhere in the U.S. to live, it would be right here.

commercial fishing

Set Netting



Picking fish



Startin' a collection (Pink and Red Salmon)



Fish Toss, Heidi was our backboard for bad shots



Fish on Ice!



47 lb. King Salmon