Busy Life, Busy Times!

Habakkuk 1:5

 “Look at the nations and watch—
and be utterly amazed.
For I am going to do something in your days
that you would not believe,
even if you were told.”

Martha gave me this verse.  I have found as I have contemplated this verse, God has brought to my mind some of the amazing things that God is doing around the world right now.  If you are someone that is able and willing to pay attention to what is happening in missions today, then you know of some of the awesome things that are happening.  If not then I would suggest you take a look.  This is a great time to be watching and I firmly believe that God is going to do something in our days that we would never imagine. 

UPDATE

Ok so I have not updated in a while so let’s start off with letting you know what has been going on in my life as of late.

Wrist Issues

Some of you may have heard that I was experiencing some issues with my wrist in the summer (this is part of why I did not post much). For those of you that have no idea what I am talking about here is a recap. In July I woke up one Sunday morning and realized that my wrist was hurting. I headed off to church and thought nothing of it. I figured my must of slept on it wrong or something.

By the end of church it was throbbing quite bad and was holding it because letting it hang down was very painful. Martha and I then headed off to find a Shoppers Drug Mart and get a tensor bandage. I spent the day icing and resting it while Martha went to bible study.

Over the next 4 weeks the pain came and went with no indication as to what was wrong or what I had done to it. Finally at the end of August the pain was constant and getting worse so I started trying to make an appointment with a doctor to check it out.

First of all if you have ever had to change doctors you will know that getting that first appointment takes time, patience and prayer. I finally got an appointment but not for another 3 weeks.... so I went to my Chiropractor to see if he would know what to do about my wrist. Praise the Lord he did. At this point the pain had intensified and people had started making guesses about what was wrong. Some thought it was actually dislocated or a cracked bone. I can not explain how hard I prayed that they were wrong.

Turns out they were...it was actually Tendinitis. So much better right?? NO! Tendinitis takes a long time to heal and means a lot of physiotherapy. It also meant wearing a brace all the time, putting my arm in a sling when I was standing or walking around for longer periods of time. It also meant that if I wanted it to heal I had to not use my wrist to much. I type of a living so this was really hard. I have however become quite good at one handed typing. :)

Physio every week for almost about 6 weeks, then every other week for 2 months and now down to hopefully every three weeks. When you don't have medical insurance this is not a cheap injury but God has provided and I have learned a lot about listening when my body is telling me something because of this experience.

The brace is now off and I no longer have to use the brace. I do need to take it easy with the typing and stop if the pain starts. I praise the Lord for understanding family, friends and awesome co-workers that have helped and supported me so much.

Liberty Bound

While all of that was going on I was in the middle of taking a course for my Master’s program. This course had the added benefit that I actually went down to Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia for a week of Intensive Course work. Being back in a classroom with other students was a blast and I made some great friends through this experience. I was also able to experience some firsts along the way... First time seeing a year-round ski hill, First time staying in a hotel all by myself (not a fan by the way), First time being searched at an airport, First time eating Chick Fil-A... so very good!

However, flying while having your arm in a brace and sling is not a fun experience and to be honest people are not that helpful. Not till my last flight did someone help me getting my carry-on into the overhead bin. I am sure watching me struggle with one hand was much more fun for them. But I am an independent woman who is strong and self-reliant... you need to be with no gentlemen around.

Martha's Trip

On October 25th, we drove Martha to the airport for her Vision Trip to Cambodia and then Taiwan. I encourage all of you to contact her and ask about it. I am also hoping to get her to write one of my posts and tell you all about it. I am so very proud of my sister as she went out on her own and did this. She had a great time and I am looking forward to seeing where she goes from here. This trip has had an impact and when she talks about some of her experiences she just glows. I am so glad she is back; however, I missed her badly.

Speaking and Events

Over the last little while I have had the chance to speak to a number of groups and be a part of a number of events.

PIBC Missions Conference

On October 21st I had the chance to share at my own church and tell them about my ministry and future goals. This was a great experience.

Heart For Asia - Kingston

November 2-4: A group of people gathered together to hear what God is doing in Asia. Along with a Home-Assignee helped to facilitate this event and I had the chance to also be one of the presenters. This was a great time. I also had the chance to look after the daughter of another appointee couple as they spoke in a church the next day. Have I ever mentioned just how much I love kids? Such a cute little girl. Great conversation, Good speakers, Good food and Lots of fun. If you have never been to a Heart For Asia Conference you should definitely go if you get the chance.

Heart For Asia - London

November 10th - While I was not a speaker at the London conference I was the facilitator and MC. This was a lot of work and yet so much fun. Hearing about what God is doing in Asia made me want to go all the more. The challenge is there... we just have to follow God's path for us.

Asian Christian Fellowship - Western University

November 9th - Wow this group of University students blow me away. They are so passionate and fun. I had such a great time interacting with them and talking to so many. There were about 100 students and we had a blast. Music, a testimony by one of the Executive Counsel and a game before one of the Home Assignees and me started our presentation. The game was so much fun as we played "Are you Smarter than a University Student"? Let me say this... I am not smarter than a University Student - which is sad since I am one.

Prayer Group - Peterborough

November 19th - I praise the Lord for the amazing people that gather to pray for missionaries. They are such a really blessing and I am grateful that they were willing to have me come and present my ministry last night. It was a lot of fun and even though I did not get home till midnight, I would not trade it for the world.

Up-Coming Events

November 21^st: Mission’s Under Discussion Meeting: Burma

November 22^nd – 25^th: Vacation Days

November 28^th: Chiropractor Appointment where I find out how my wrist is healing and if I can go down to Physiotherapy every 3 weeks now.

November 29^th – 30^th: In Chiang Mai, Thailand - There is going to be a 24 hour long prayer event.  Two of my Serve Asia workers are involved in this.

December 15^th and 16^th: PIBC’s Christmas Cantata – Come check it out if you are in the area

December 26^th to January 1^st – URBANA

This is my third one to go to and this year I am going to represent OMF at the booth.  Should be fun!

Countdown

Christmas: 35 Days

Clearance Deadline for Asia (May 3^rd): 164 Days

 

 

Prayer and Praise:

 

Praise

Ø  Praise the Lord, I am now at almost 30% of my total monthly pledged support

Ø  42 Individuals Approved for Short Term Service with OMF Canada this year

Ø  Another successful “From Here to There Conference” (October 12-13)

Ø  Martha had a safe and exciting Vision Trip

Ø  I have had a number of opportunities to speak about my ministry

Ø  Final Mark on Course – A!

Prayer

Ø  For more opportunities to share with people

Ø  For churches and small groups to have me speak

Ø  For the rest of my monthly pledges to come in

Ø  For patience as I wait on God’s timing

“I know who holds the future,

And I know who holds my hand;

With God things don’t just happen –

Everything by Him is planned.”

~ A. Smith~

New Leaf

WOW...  I cannot believe it has been so long since I last wrote a post.  I am making a pre-New years Resolution.  Write Updates More Often. 

So Now I will turn over a new leaf and start now...

However, knowing me I need a plan (Martha, No laughing) :)
So in each Blog I am going to include the Following:

• A Brief Update
• Atleast 1 Story
• A Verse that God has given me
• Upcoming Events (if any)
• Prayer and Praise
• Countdown
• Something Funny
• Quote

I am also going to do my best to update every other week!

So Here we go with the New Leaf.

Praise and Joy

I know it has been a while since I wrote a post.  I really meant to write a lot sooner but things are crazy right now.  I can't wait to tell you all about it.

First of all I have some great News to share.  I had previously mentioned that there was a problem in Thailand with the organization that we get our Missionary Visas through and no one was able to get visas or renew their visas.  Well Praise the Lord, the Thai goverment is allowing the organization to give missionariy visas again.  Now we pray that the problems within the organization will be resolved and the Christian reputation will be restored.

Another Praise item is the Blessings that the Lord has given to the Serve Asia department.

At present there are 34 Serve Asia Workers approved for 2012.  Another 5 working on applications and yet more still that are inquiring to go out with OMF.  This is quite a crowd and I am blessed to be getting to know each one of them.  The people that the Lord has brought our way have been wonderful dedicated individuals.  They each have a passion for Asia and the lost.  I pray that God will guide each of them as they seek His further will.

There is one in particular that I am thrilled to be able to tell you about.  She is a young woman who has felt God's calling on her life for quite some time.  She has a passion for those that are often overlooked by society.  She heard about the need for people in Asia and now feels that the time is right to visit.
She has a big heart and a willing spirit.  She will be heading out this fall to visit not 1 but 2 countries in Asia.  The goal of this trip is to hopefully determine where exactly God is calling her to serve in the long term. 
I am so very proud of her faith and courage.  I am also so very grateful to call her my best friend and my sister.

Martha and I

The Oates Women

I am grateful for the chance to organize her trip and I know that this will be an amazing experience for her.  Please pray that everything goes well.  If anyone is interested in her journey please let me know and I will get her in touch with you.

LANDMARKS

There are times that this experience does not feel real. There are times when everything seems to just be going along and nothing is going to change.

Then things will happen in your life to make you realize that things are always changing and maybe those changes are ok. This can be scary to say the least but also exciting and confusing.

I have recently faced a couple of these experiences, where the reality of what I am doing, made itself very clear. The reality that where I am now is not where I will stay and things will change... they will change in a very big way. I like to think of these experiences as Landmarks that help us to know and mark the way we are going. Often these Landmarks go unnoticed and ignored for the most part. Then there are those landmarks that are so big they can't be ignored or overlooked. I have had a couple of these types of Landmarks recently.  

LANDMARK #1

My vision trip to ChiangMai, Thailand. I did not know you could fall in love with a people and a country that you had never even seen before but that is what has happened to me. Before I ever arrived I knew that Thailand was going to be the place for me. Yet there is always that fear that you have raised your expectations too high and will be disappointed or that you won't fit in.

The moment I landed in ChiangMai, I knew I had nothing to fear about not liking it. There was still the fear that they would not like me but I had this feeling of contentment as soon as I got there, that I had not expected.

To be honest, when I first landed in Bangkok I was just tired and stressed. I had three hours to get through customs, get a visa, find my bags, go through immigration and then check back in and find the gate for my flight to ChiangMai. Picture long lines, grumpy customers agents and a language I do not know. Yet when it finally got to be my turn, and thanks to a couple of very nice people I met in the Hong Kong airport that let me go in front of them, I got through immigration quickly. The agent did not even ask me anything. He looked through my papers and then stamped the visa in my passport, stapled the exit documents into the passport and waved me through. Then my luggage came really fast on the belt, again thanks to the nice lady that watched my bags while I tried to find a cart to use. Then off I went to try to find someone, hopefully an English speaker, to point me toward the departure area.

I even got to see someone really important in the departures area... I have no idea who it was but they were surrounded by guys wearing dark glasses and guns. It was very cool. Back through security and I found my gate. I then slept through the snack on the plane and landed in my future home.

ChiangMai is a "modern" city in the middle of rice fields and villages. It is really quite an interesting view from the air. As soon as you leave the city you are headed into fields and villages and the whole view of things changes. In the city it is more modern and almost western...yet not really that western but they try. Then you leave and everything is old school.

Ok so that is enough stories for now...need to save some for the future bogs.

It is hard to ignore your future when you are seeing it first hand and standing in the middle of a dorm of kids asking when you are coming.

LANDMARK #2

As of today it is 1 year till I need to have all my clearances in order to be approved to attend the Orientation Course in July 2013. This is held in Singapore and from there you head to your respective country of service to begin language study. These clearances include: medical, psychological, prayer and financial support.

Talk about a Landmark...365 Days till I get approval to go to Asia. The list of things to do for that to happen is now glaring me in the face and I am excited to see what God will do.

If I am being very honest though, I am terrified. There is so much to do and I already feel overwhelmed and exhausted. I struggle with feelings of discouragement and fear. It would be so easy to stay right here and continue in the Serve Asia department. The thought of leaving my family and a job that I actually enjoy, to go half way around the world, is really hard.

Yet I know that God does not ask us to take the easy road or to do what is simple. He calls us instead to trust in Him and allow Him to guide our steps. We are not to look in the short term but look to Him for the long haul.

When I attended the conference in Singapore...after I was in ChiangMai, someone used a saying that I thought was really good. They said that God is the Great Mobalizer and He is the Wonderful Candidate Coordinator. I was at a Mobalization and Coordinator's Consultation. LOL. I have thought a lot about that quote since the conference and here is my addition to it.

God is the Great Mobalizer, He is the Wonderful Candidate Coordinator but God is not a Short Term Missions Coordinator. He does not call us to serve Him in the short term only. He does not ask us to only give Him 2 weeks one year. He asks for our lives. We are to serve Him always.

So I will follow God's direction. Please pray with me and for me as I know I am facing times of stress and strain. Please pray that I will ever be in God's perfect will.

Caught the Vision

Hello Everyone,

Sorry it has been so long since I posted.  Things have been crazy since I got back from Asia.  But before I finally get to go on Vacation I need to post about my trip.

First of all let me say that I LOVE Thailand.  It is such an amazing and fascinating place.  The people are incredible and it is simply a gorgeous place to visit and to live.  But let me show you.

The Entrance to the Mekong Centre

The View from the Centre - Chiang Mai City

The Thai believe that if colours go together in nature they can go together in a display.
Very pretty!

This skirt is 100% cross stitched!!!  WOW

Even items that are not sold can be reused to make something interesting and BEAUTIFUL!

Mountainview Dorm and one of the Awesome Dorm Assistants or "Aunties"
I can't wait to be an "Auntie" too.

A Song tau or taxi of sorts.

A Spirit House. 

OK so that is just a taste of what I saw and what I experienced.  I promise to write more and tell you all everything. 

Thank you to those that have been so supportive.  I appreciate you more than I can express.

Blessings and Prayers.

Aspects of My Life

"I still find each day too short for all the thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take all the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to see."
                                                                                      John Burroughs

There are many aspects of my life... faucets of my existance. Each part is important and valued, yet the fuller your life gets the more you forget to value those parts.  So I wanted to take a closer look at the parts of my life to help value those who are a part of it.

MINISTRY/Work

 Serve Asia is getting busier all the time... 25 Workers approved for service so far this year. 

Praise the Lord for His guidance and strength.

Please pray for those who are still seeking God's Direction.

Family

 Family is so important in my life.  I am blessed to be so close to my family 

and be able to spend time with them.

Please pray for my family as we serve and live for God.

School

Such a big part of my "Free" Time is spent studying while I am in school.  For any who don't know I am a Masters student in Professional Counseling at Liberty Universty Online.

Please Pray that my courses go well. 

Also that when I am in class I am able to focus.

Personal Life

Even those who are super busy have got to make time for Friends... especially when they are such good friends and leaving for a Year!!!!

LOVE YOU CHRISSY!  I am so happy for you.

Please pray for my friend as she serves in the DR for a year.

 Headed to the ROM in Toronto with a Friend  So much fun just wandering around 

and having great conversation. 

Partnership Development

There are the not so fun parts of Partnership Devlopment.  The creating of the letters, printing, folding, labeling, stuffing and mailing takes time and energy.

Praise the Lord for Family that have been so helpful getting the letters out.

Then there is the fun stuff.  Even though I was nervous, having the opportunity to share is a gift that God gives and I truly appreciate those that allow me the chance to share from my heart.



I praise the Lord for each person who has supported me, listened to me

and especially those who pray for me.





Prayer

Hello Everyone,

This is not going to be a great post.  I am hoping for some prayer, please.

I am finishing off my course this week and I am feeling so tired and stressed that I can't seem to concentrate on my studies.  Please pray that I am able to finish well and that I can finish.

Yesterday I started experiencing some pain in my right knee.  I spent most of the evening on the couch with an ice pack.  Please pray that the pain goes away and that whatever I did to it will not happen again.

Please also pray that I am able to get everything ready for my trip.  I have not really started packing and the list of things I have to do before I leave is growing.  I also need to find a clinic where I can get my tetanus shot done and am having no luck. 

Thanks for the prayers. 

And just so you did not waste your time here is a cool picture that I found.  Can anyone guess what it is? 
HINT: it is titled the "eyes of Thailand"

Rope-Holders

Acts 9:22-25 (NIV)
"22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.
23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him, 24 but Saul learned of their plan. Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall."

Many years ago I heard a speaker talking about the story of Paul having to flee Damascus when the Jews wanted to kill him. Paul had just become a follower of Christ and was speaking out about his new beliefs. There were those that got angry with Paul and wanted to kill him. However, Paul did have friends. These friends helped Paul escape Damascus by lowering him in a basket over the wall.

I have heard this story many times and ussually it was themed on the idea that when we speak out for Christ, people may not always like it but we must be bold in out faith. However, this particular speaker took it a different way. He said that no one can stand alone. Paul could not have escaped death in Damascus if he did not have friends that helped him. Someone had to hold the ropes of the basket in order for Paul to get over the wall.

SOMEONE HAD TO HOLD THE ROPES! Everyone who ministers for the sake of Christ has to have friends supporting them and holding them up in prayer for the ministry to succeed. WE HAVE TO HAVE ROPE HOLDERS.

One one stands alone. This is a statement that has taken on new meaning for me over the past 6 months. I can not believe that yesterday marked 6 months since I started at OMF. The time has flown. I still feel like I am figuring things out but it is getting easier. I have never had a job before that I loved or enjoyed like this one. It is such a blessing to be able to minister to people and work with those seeking GOD's direction for their own lives.

Yet, this postion is not without its hard monents or tiring days. I have been continueously reminded that GOD is my Encourager and Strength. He has blessed me with people to pray for me and stand with me in this ministry. Those that have committed to standing with me in prayer are so much a part of my ministry and I want to recognize that.

I have now committed to sending out regular prayer updates to those on my e-mail list. This will be separate from my Prayer Letters. It will include: Praise Items, Prayer Requests and Important Information. I will also include a link to each new blog post. I am going to try and keep my blog more up to date as well. I hope in this way, my wonderful prayer supporters will truly feel like they are apart of my ministry.

As I considered what to call these Prayer Updates I remembered a speaker I heard a number of years ago. So I am asking those that have committed to praying for me, my family and friends, to please be my ROPE HOLDERS.