Why Guatemalan Scholarships??

Last week I announced an exciting new step for So Sew Organized...we are partnering with Team Guatemala to provide scholarships for two hard-working Guatemalan teens.

Since I made the announcement, it has been so fun to see some orders trickle in and know that each time a portion of that sale is going towards these scholarships. As I craft each item, I think about how this will benefit Alan and Ruth and am prompted to pray for them. It is such a blessing to know that we can be involved in making a difference in these two young people's lives!

You might have questions like, "why these two teens?" "How are they really using my money?" "What kind of school do they attend?"

Glad you asked. :)

Ruth attends Proximos Pasos, a Christian school for girls. The Vision of Proximos Pasos (Next Steps Girls School) is to offer a Christ-centered educational experience to girls who are denied that opportunity by the public schools in Santa Maria de Jesus. Their approach to education is Biblically based and covers the areas of academics, physical, emotional and spiritual health, family involvement and occupational training. Located in Santa Maria de Jesus, an indigenous village of 25,000, this school offers a Christian education to 125 girls from 1st to 6th grade. Classes includes sewing, cooking, English, and Bible .

 Alan attends a co-ed school called Vida y Esperanza (School of Life and Hope). There is a strong emphasis on the Bible and sharing the Gospel through words and actions with the students and their families in Santa Lucia Milpas Altas. The school began in 1999 with 16 students and 3 teachers. They now have 20 teachers and full time staff and 320 students in grades kindergarten through 9th grade. Their long term goal is to facilitate positive change in Guatemala though education and to discipline students.

My aunt, who organizes missions trips with Team Guatemala, writes this:

"I have had the privilege of working with Ruth and Alan in their classrooms, getting to know their teachers, and visiting their homes, their siblings and families. They are both good students and very thankful for the opportunity to attend school. Not all the children are as faithful. Ruth and Alan are very dear to my heart and I miss them. Your contribution helps show them and their families the Love of God. I have seen first hand how this program has spiritually transformed children and families in Guatemala."

It is estimated that 657,233 children do not attend elementary school in Guatemala, corresponding to 26% of the total population between 7 and 14 years old. Seems like a lot, doesn't it? Our minds doubt and we tend to wonder, "With all of that poverty and lack of education, what are we really accomplishing with just two scholarships? Are we even making a difference?"

And I'm reminded of this story...

A man was walking along a deserted beach at sunset. As he walked he could see a young boy in the distance, as he drew nearer he noticed that the boy kept bending down, picking something up and throwing it into the water.
Time and again he kept hurling things into the ocean. 

As the man approached even closer, he was able to see that the boy was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach and, one at a time he was throwing them back into the water. 

The man asked the boy what he was doing, the boy replied,"I am throwing these washed up starfish back into the ocean, or else they will die through lack of oxygen. 

"But", said the man, "You can't possibly save them all, there are thousands on this beach, and this must be happening on hundreds of beaches along the coast. You can't possibly make a difference."

The boy looked down, frowning for a moment; then bent down to pick up another starfish, smiling as he threw it back into the sea. He replied,

"I made a huge difference to that one!" 

via

Friends, for this month, Guatemala is our beach, and Ruth and Alan are our starfish. We might not be able to change the lives of all 657,233 un-schooled children, but together we can make a huge difference in the lives of these two. Won't you be a part?

You can join us by...

1. Making a purchase from So Sew Organized
2. Sharing this opportunity with your friends via social media and word of mouth
3. Praying for these children and the funds needed for their schooling.

I can't wait to see more orders come in to help us reach our goal of one month's schooling for each of these children. If you have any questions about these children, their culture, or their schooling, feel free to ask and I'll see about getting some answers. Thanks for being part of this special, life-changing project!

So Sew Organized + Guatelmala + YOU!!!

I have a very exciting opportunity to share with my readers today!

"But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven."

Matthew 19:14

I would like to give you an opportunity to do just that, bring children to Jesus. Will you read on and find out what you can do to help?

 I would like to introduce you to two special children:

Guatemala is located in Central America just below Mexico. It is estimated that 657,233 children do not attend elementary school in Guatemala, corresponding to 26% of the total population between 7 and 14 years old.

Like many of Guatemala's children, Alan (age 13) and Ruth (age 15) do not have the financial means to attend school on their own. Through fundraisers done by Team Guatemala and the generous support of Christians Ruth and Alan have been able to get a Christian education for several years. At each of their respective schools they learn about Jesus and His plan of salvation, as well as English, music, sewing, physical education, Bible, missions, computer skills, woodworking, and more. I will be sharing more about their particular schools in an upcoming post.

Team Guatemala is doing a fundrasier throughout the month of March to raise the amount needed for these two scholarships. That is where you come in!

My Aunt, who organizes missions trips with Team Guatemala, writes this:

Dear Friends, Because I am not taking a team to Guatemala in 2014 I don't have the usual funds for our sponsored children, Ruth and Alan. That is why I am asking for your help to cover the costs of their scholarships for the current school year, which in Guatemala is from January through October.  

I have had the privilege of working with Ruth and Alan in their classrooms, getting to know their teachers and visiting their homes, siblings, and families. They are both good students and very thankful for the opportunity to attend school. Not all the children are as faithful. Ruth and Alan are very dear to my heart and I miss them. 

Your contribution helps show them and their families the Love of God. I have seen first hand how this program has spiritually transformed children and families in Guatemala.

Throughout the month of March, So Sew Organized will be donating a portion of each sale towards Alan and Ruth's education. I am so excited to be a part of this and be able to send a small piece of So Sew Organized all the way to Guatemala!

The cost of these scholarships is very minimal compared to the normal here in the States. My goal is to be able to cover a month's schooling for each of these children. Will you help us achieve our goal? Here are some things you can do:

1. Make a purchase from So Sew Organized. This would be a great time to stock up on gifts. All of So Sew Organized's items make great wedding gifts! To put it in perspective, the profit of 6 Medium Totes from my shop would cause us to meet our goal. I know we can do it!
2. Share this opportunity with others. You can share this blog post, the graphics on this page, or share our Facebook and Twitter statuses. 
3. Pray for this fundraiser, how you might help, and most of all for Ruth and Alan. I'll keep you updated throughout the month!

Thank you so much, friends. I am beyond excited to see what God will do through you this month!

"And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward."

Matthew 10:42

I Don't Want to Work

I have never wanted to have a job.

There, I said it.

But before you judge me, let me explain.

What I mean is that I have never aspired to have a regular, 9-5 job. The kind where you wake up in the morning, go to work, come home, sleep, wake up, go to work, and so forth. Every day, same thing, over and over for the rest.of.your.life.

Maybe I'm being a bit dramatic, but do you feel like that is the cycle you're in? Like you're obligated to this place you call work and the endless pit of making money to spend it on material and necessary things?  Maybe your family's financial situation forces you to have to work, putting your kids through school or to help with other bills. Maybe you work long hours, overtime even, and feel that you never get to spend time with your kids or family. Maybe you're tired of working all day long with no real vacation and not much to show for it.

That. I never have aspired to do that.

I do know that this is a necessary reality for many women, and I'm not condemning you in any way for it. In fact, I have a deep respect for the lady who has to work outside the home during the day and take care of her family by night. Kudos to you!

All that being said, here is my heart on the matter.

I want to be able to leave room for ministry.

I never want to be so tied to a regular job that it leaves no room to run when service opportunities come up. Even simple things like church workdays, Wednesday night services, or music practice....I want to be able to give my talents to these areas and serve the Lord in this way.

Then there are the big things like missions work. Being tied to a job might not allow you to pick up everything and go to a foreign field. Right now my cousin and her family are in Africa for 6 weeks on a short-term missions project. They aren't tied here, and are able to take some of those opportunities that arise. I love that!

But how can one do it? How can you help contribute to the needs of your family, yet still not be tied down to a job so much that it leaves no room for anything else?

There are so many options for women nowadays to work from their own homes. It even can go as far as setting hours that work well for their family!

Other bloggers have done extensive posts on the options available, but let me just name a few that seem most doable:

Virtual assistant
Selling a product
Babysitting
Product consultant
Blogging

Some of these options may take time before you see regular income coming in. In the meantime, there are options like selling on eBay or Craigslist, taking online Surveys, sponsored tweets, or offering up one of your talents locally like baking and selling your goodies, or teaching music or sewing.

I've been blessed - the Lord has always provided for me without my having to tie myself down to a job. As a teen I cleaned house for a sweet, bedridden lady. Through college I worked part time in the college library during the school year, and was on the housekeeping staff during the summer. I was able to volunteer for 7 months in a missions organization, I've done mending from my home for people I know, and just recently the Lord provided a part-time, temporary job for me - I'm helping a Christian couple out with their business for the next few weeks that I'm in the States. The Lord is so good! He knows the desire of my heart - to leave room for ministry - and He has always, always been faithful in providing that for me.

My point is, there are options! And I'll let you in on a secret...this is one of my biggest dreams for So Sew Organized.

I've watched women that I know struggle with being a slave to a job. (That's how I see it anyway!) They work long days, 6 or 7 days a week, all year long...with almost nothing to show. I'd love to be the one to show them that there could be a better way. To be able to offer them a job that they can do from their own home while taking care of their family. Where they can set hours that work best for them, and take time for ministry as the need arises.

I can't wait for the day that So Sew Organized has grown to this place. We're not there yet, in case you are wondering. :) But its my dream, and I wanted to share it with you so together we can watch it grow to reality.

I'd love hear from you, not only where you currently are in a job situation, but also where you'd like to be in the future. What dreams are you working towards? If you would like to know more about any of the options I listed above, let me know and I'll do my best to point you in the right direction. =)

****************************************************************************************************************
Want to read more about how YOU can work from home? Here are some links that inspired me:

Becoming a Work-at-home Mom blog series via Money Saving Mom
How to make money blogging via Blogging on the Side
Maggie Whitley's Independent Business tips

November Update

November 14, 2011

Dear Family and Friends,

I really hate goodbyes.

But you know what they say, the end of one thing is the beginning of another. And even though I don’t like to see this short term trip come to an end, it holds an excitement to see what God is going to do in the future.

A lady at church said, “God’s best just keeps getting better,” and that truth has been so evident in my life over the last 6 months. The Lord has done a work in my life and opened my eyes even more to the need of missions around the world. I am so thankful for the opportunities I have had and the ministries I have been a part of.

The last couple months have been very smooth here at the office. My roommate and I held the fort for a couple of weeks while our coworkers presented the mission at Clearwater Christian College and Bob Jones University. They were blessed with great missions conferences at both places and made some contacts for ministries on the field. We praise the Lord for these opportunities!

I am so thankful to those of you that supported me and made this opportunity possible. I would not have been able to do this if you had not been sensitive to the Lord’s direction. He has blessed, and I am thankful.

I would ask for your prayers as I fly to Maine this Thursday, the 17th. On Saturday my grandparents and I will take the ferry across to Nova Scotia. From there I will hit the ground running preparing for Christmas events at church, and waiting for my new sibling to arrive!!! I appreciate your prayers for each of these events.

Again, thank you for your love and support over these months. I look forward to what God will do in the future!

Because He Lives,

Nicole

Quick Quotes: Missions

“The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue. It never needs a furlough; is never considered a foreigner.”
~William Cameron Townsend

Its missions Conference week at Ambassador Baptist College. My absolutely, hands down favorite week of the whole year! I've been enjoying watching the services that they life-stream every day. The chapel service starts at 8:44 am EST, and the evening prayer band starts at 6:30. Hope you can tune in during the next couple of days!

I DO work, ya know

I don't blame you if you don't believe me. All this time I've been saying things like "give me money" and "please pray" and "I'm having a great time in this ministry," but I never have showed you what it is I actually DO. Really, I do stuff. Promise. I just didn't have a camera, remember?

Its only been 6 months, but I decided it was high time I show you some of the things I do for my job around here. I'll warn you, its not skydiving or catching criminals or really anything to write home about, but I love it.  It is the kind of work that you can not only feel good about doing, but know that it is bringing God glory and helping His work. Which is important to me. Knowing that I have made the missionaries day a little bit easier because I made that phone call or answered that email. Our jobs here in the office allow the missionaries to spend more time focused on their field of ministry, and less time working on getting their license renewed here in the states, or answering support-related questions from a church, or getting migraines while working on their income taxes.

That was the long explanation. Short story: I LOVE MY JOB!

So without further rambling, here are some pictures!

This is my desk on any given day. Looks like the mail had just come, I was working on printing and folding those letters, and stuffing them in envelopes. You can see all the supplies I use every day: a pen, letter opener, stapler, tape, adding machine, calendar, phone, and most importantly - the coffee mug. :) Priorities, its all about priorities, people. To the right of this desk is another one with my computer and printer.



Right now the couple I work with is at Bob Jones University, recruiting. A couple weeks ago I worked on their display board for them.

I had a blast, trying to think about what would have caught my eye when I was a student.

This is a recent picture of our missionaries....just so you get an idea.

And here is another "all in a days work" picture. Let's play, "There are 25 reams of paper in this picture. Can you find them all?"

It was free. What can we say? We're missionaries, people. 

I couldn't resist taking a shot for Mr. Monk. Gotta keep if fun, folks. :D

So there is a little glimpse into the type of things I do each day. I told you that it doesn't look that exciting on paper, but let me just tell you, I love it. I love that its a slower-paced schedule, but something that I can enjoy doing. I am so thankful that the Lord put this ministry in my lap, and led me to work with missionaries that I have grown to love.

Did I mention that I love it?

Quick Quotes: Trials

I haven't had internet at my house for a week now, but hopefully it will be up and running in the next day or so. In the meantime, I thought I'd share this quote with you. It shows the heart of Hudson Taylor, and I pray this is my heart as well.

"I know He tries me only to increase my faith, and that is all in love. Well, if He is glorified, I am content."

Hudson Taylor

Ministry Update for June

Dear Praying Family and Friends,

“O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.” Psalm 34:8

The Lord truly has been good during my first few weeks in Florida. I have seen over and over his hand of protection and guidance as I moved down here and began the work.

I was blessed with great flights and safety on the trip here. I love to fly, and I love it even more when the flights are on time, my luggage arrives with me, and all the other details that come with flying. Thankfully the Lord saw that each of these things was taken care of and went off without a hitch.

I have been busy learning the ropes of this new ministry. I am enjoying it immensely! My coworkers, Jane and Raul, have been so patient to teach me and to answer my endless questions. :) I was “initiated” into the ministry just a few days after I arrived by a big cockroach running at my feet. Apparently he wanted to say, “Welcome to Florida.” Despite a few of these encounters, the work is going smoothly. I am so privileged to work every day with other Christians in a Christ-honoring environment. It is a blessing to work every day serving the missionaries on the field and to hear about the fruits of their labors. Truly God is good.

My work at the mission is a variety of secretarial duties. I process the mail and checks that come in, answer the phone, filing, mail receipts and letters, etc. I enjoy it! It keeps me pretty busy but allows for flexibility to talk to the missionaries via Skype from time to time.

Some have asked for me to repeat the information on how to send a monetary gift. I do not receive wages through the mission, so my sole support while I am down here comes from those who would like to have a part in what God is doing. It is encouraging to have a promise from God that He will supply every need! Any support should be sent to the mission, and the donor will receive a tax-deductible receipt. Here are the addresses:

Gospel Mission of South America

1401 SW 21 Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Canadian donations should be sent to:

Gospel Mission of South America of Ontario

Po. Box 150

St Charles, Ontario P0M 2W0

CANADA

Checks may be made out to Gospel Mission of South America.

I appreciate the part each one of you is doing as you uphold me in prayer over these next few months. I am excited to be able to share with you the great things that God is going to do!

Because He Lives,

Nicole Risinger

To Give Them Hope

So, did you do it? You know, what I asked you to do in my last post. I asked you to go to the Compassion Bloggers website and read about their trip to the Philippines. If you have not yet done it (or if this is the first you've heard about it) you must go over there right now before you go any further. Read a few of the posts, look at the pictures, and then come back and hear what I have to say about it, ok?

The compassion Bloggers are headed home now. (Actually, they may be home...the time difference throws me off. They talk about "leaving in the morning" but that is probably our evening sometime...so I'm not sure what day they actually get back.) The overriding theme of their posts is that this trip has changed their lives.

They've been in Manila. A place I've heard a lot about. In fact, every time I hear the name "Manila," I have to laugh. Its an inside joke. But I never understood what it was really like. Until now. Reading the posts and looking at the pictures has changed my view of Manila, the Philippines, and the rest of the world.

I look at the pictures and watch the videos while I'm sitting in my air-conditioned office, sipping coffee and staring at the screen of the Dell, secretly wishing it were a Mac. Now you go look at these pictures and tell me if it matters what kind of computer I have. Go ahead. I dare you.

It is hard, as this blogger pointed out, to not feel guilty for what I have that these children don't. But I don't need to feel guilty. I am not going to get rid of everything and live in deep poverty like they do just to satisfy my conscience. I don't need to. It won't help them one bit. The LORD has put me in this place with a solid roof over my head and 3+ square meals a day and an air-conditioned office and a computer. And that same LORD has put them in that place with no solid roof, no meals, no air-conditioning, and no modern conveniences. Why? To make a difference in my life.

Go watch the testimony of this girl and see if it doesn't challenge your spiritual life. Go look at the pictures of this beautiful girl and hear about her vision and see if it doesn't challenge you. To these and thousands more like them, it doesn't matter their surroundings or their poverty. What matters to them is Jesus. They have hope, because they know Jesus.

Have you ever left food on your plate and had someone say, "There are kids starving in Africa who would love to have that?" And you reply, "Yeah, well then send it to them." Okay, so that is a valid point...by the time your leftovers got there there wouldn't be much left of them to eat. But all the same, I don't think I'll ever say that again. Because while I can't send my leftovers, maybe there is something I can do.

The people that support these children in the Philippines do it for less than $40 a month. And it changes their lives. It brings people to them that show them Jesus. It gives them hope and a purpose for living, no matter what the circumstances.

I don't know enough yet about Compassion International to endorse them, but I do think its worth looking into. Here and here are a couple of blog posts that impressed me. You can go look around some more for yourself.

But whether or not I decided Compassion is right for me, I do know one thing. I'll be doing something. And I think once you go finish reading all those blog posts, you'll do the same.

Do any of my readers support children overseas? I'd love to hear about how you do it and about your experiences!

Its Ironic, Really

I want to tell you about the very ironic thing that happens in my life every morning, but first, I must tell you a little secret information about me.

(whisper) Are you ready?

(ultra-whisper) While I was in college, my nickname was "the un-compassionate one."

(normal voice) Phew, I'm glad I got that off my chest! Now I can go on with the news I was about to tell you. Actually, that bit of information is important to what I am going to say, so keep it in mind.

The irony of it kind of makes me laugh. And it kind of humbles me. And I'm kind of embarrassed to tell you about it.

But the fact is that every morning, I, the "un-compassionate one," cry while reading blog posts from the website "Compassion Bloggers." Ironic, isn't it? Or maybe irony has nothing to do with it...

Right now the "Compassion Bloggers" team is in Manila, Philippines. A team of 8 bloggers are blogging every day about their trip and the lives of the people they are impacting. Wait, let me rephrase that...the lives of the people that are impacting them.

I encourage you to stop what your doing right now and go read their posts. They have been there a few days already, so you have a little catching up to do, but it is well worth every minute.

WARNING: It will change you. And you might even cry.

Missionary Monday

I never thought I would be writing a Missionary Monday post about myself, but here I am. I have the opportunity for the next 6 months to help at a mission board in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. Below is the letter I wrote explaining this ministry! Thank you for taking the time to read it and for praying for me.

Dear Family and Friends,

“The LORD has done great things for us; whereof we are glad.” Psalm 126:3

The Lord has been doing great things in my own life over the past few weeks, and I am excited to share with you the opportunities He has given me. Over the past few months I have been ministering in Canada along with my family at Calvary Baptist Church. During that time I was trying to gain permission to teach piano, a ministry that I felt the Lord was calling me to do. Despite hours of research and phone calls, I was unable to gain the necessary permission because of my current status as a temporary resident.

A few weeks ago it became clear to me that the Lord had something else in mind for me at this time. I was presented with the opportunity to spend six months helping at a mission board, Gospel Mission of South America, in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Lord has answered many, many specific prayers and has shown the way clearly to this ministry and opportunity. I consider it a short-term missions trip, with the incredible opportunity to be a help to many missionary families.

During my time at the mission office, I will be helping in the office in the absence of the director and his wife. They, in turn, will be going to the field to fill in for a missionary on furlough. I will be involved in normal secretarial work there, and working along side another couple to accomplish the tasks of running a mission office.

GMSA is a mission board focused on reaching South America with the gospel. Their purpose is to glorify God by serving the sending churches as we help their missionaries establish reproducing churches in Latin America through evangelism, discipleship, and leadership development. My every effort in ministry with GMSA is intended to further the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in South America. I have been to Argentina and Chile on a three week missions trip with this mission before. It has been my privilege to get to know many of the missionaries and their families, which makes this opportunity all the more exciting to me.

I would ask that you might remember me in your prayers during this time. This opportunity is different than anything I have done before, and I believe that the prayers of the Lord’s people are vital to His work being accomplished. Please pray that the Lord gives me the strength to recognize and do what he wants me to accomplish during my time there. I will be leaving in just two short weeks, and will be in Florida until November.

This opportunity is not a paid position. As I will be relying on the Lord for strength, so I must rely on Him for my finances during this time. The mission has been gracious to provide housing and a car for my use while there, both of which are blessings and answers to prayer. I will be trusting the Lord for finances in travel expense, day to day living expenses, health insurance that is required, and for gas money to be involved in a local church there. If the Lord lays it on your heart to be a help in this area, you can consider helping me with a one time gift or on a monthly basis. All donations may be sent to one of the following addresses:

Gospel Mission of South America

1401 SW 21 Avenue

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33312

Canadian donations may be sent to:

Gospel Mission of South America of Ontario

P.O. Box 150

St Charles, ON P0M 2W0

CANADA

GMSA has asked that supporters include a note with your donations stating that it is to help with my short term ministry. 100% of all donations with go directly to meet my expenses. Each supporter will receive a receipt for tax purposes.

Your support during this time, whether through prayer or through finances, is a great encouragement to me as I seek to do the Lord’s work. If you would like to receive periodical updates of my ministry there, send me an email at the address below. My prayer is that at the end of this trip, I will be able to say, “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” (John 17:4)

Because He Lives,

Nicole Risinger

Missionary Monday - Prayer Request

I would like to ask you all to pray for a friend of mine, Esther Lockhart. Jeremy and Esther and their three small children are missionaries to Brazil, South America. They have been there just over a year now. Esther has fought ulcerative colitis during this time, and just in the last week has developed a condition called "pyoderma gangrenosum." yeah, I didn't know what it was either :) but is is basically large ulcers on her legs as a result of the colitis. You can read more about what it all entails and stay updated on her condition on their blog. I know you will be blessed by the other things you read there as well!

Won't you right now take a minute and pray for Esther and her family?

Missions Monday - LAST OPPORTUNITY!!!!

I promise that this is the last time I will repeat myself about Mandy's picture, because THERE ARE ONLY TWO DAYS LEFT TO VOTE!! The voting ends on the 9th. Hurry, Hurry, get over to Mandy's blog and vote for her picture!

In case you haven't heard about this voting thing previously, Mandy is in pre-med classes to become a medical missionary. If her picture gets the most votes, she will get a scholarship towards that schooling. And as we already discussed, what a worthy cause, and what a need there is for more Mandys out there! We can have a part in this great work...simply by voting for her picture. You can vote every 12 hours.

So HURRY! Time is running out, and we can make a difference.

And thanks a ton!

Missions Monday Reminder

Just a quick reminder to go over to Mandy's blog and vote for her picture! You can vote every 12 hours, so she could potentially get a lot of votes! Lets help her win!

Missions Monday...a Day Late. My Bad.

I so meant to post this yesterday and I so didn’t. My apologies. For missions Monday today, I would like to direct you all over to Mandy’s blog. Mandy is a friend of mine from college, and she has just begun to embark on a journey that will eventually take her to the mission field as a medical missionary. Go her! That journey is beginning this year with pre-med school. Again, go her! She is a much braver woman than I am!

She has the opportunity to get a scholarship to help with her schooling. I can’t even imagine what pre-med school costs. Nor do I want to! We can help her out by voting for her picture. If she gets the most votes, she gets a scholarship. I am pretty sure Mandy has not been making millions in the last few year. Just a guess, I could be wrong. :) This scholarship would be a great help to her. And all we have to do is vote for her picture!

We can make a small part in investing in Mandy’s schooling...without paying a dime. (How is that for a great investment??) And besides that, we are really making an investment in the lives of people who are headed to a Christ-less eternity if they do not hear the gospel... how do you measure that? Certainly the 30 seconds it takes you to go vote are worth it to those souls! Missions is always worth it.

So go vote....and no, Mandy didn’t ask me to tell you this.

Its just that the souls of people are important to me. How important are they to you??

Missions Monday

For missions monday, I would like to share the following song that Pastor Nathan Deatrick wrote. These words are to the tune of “I Surrender All.”

All to Jesus I surrender

Use me here, dear Lord, at home

Not just giving gold and silver

But the Gospel message bold.

All to Jesus I surrender

If you’re pleased to have me go;

Go and plant a church or mission,

So that others too may know.

All to Jesus I surrender,

Take my children to far lands,

Use them as thou seest fitting,

Never in your way I’ll stand.

All to Jesus I surrender

‘Til before your throne I stand,

Hear you say, “Well done, my servant,

Welcome home to glory land!”

Chorus: I Surrender all, I surrender all,

All to thee my blessed Savior,

I surrender all.

Missions Monday

Last night at church we had a wonderful missionary family present their work at church. They were a sweet couple with cute kids, and it was a pleasure and blessing to meet them. I guess that is one of the perks about being a Pastor’s kid, getting to know great missionaries families. :)

While it was great to get to know them and see the field God has called them to, it is always hard for me. Seeing the great need always makes me just want to go!!! And when the next missionary comes, I’ll want to go there, too. Missions has become so much of a burden to me in the last few years, and I would love to someday have a part.

When I was 17 I went on a 3 week missions trip to Argentina and Chile, which also happens to be where my best friend lives. (Wasn’t that convenient??) I absolutely loved being in a different culture where so many things were new and different from what I was used to. I honestly can’t think of one thing that I didn’t like about Argentina and Chile...except for leaving! Even being surrounded by people that I couldn’t understand and that couldn’t understand me was fun. I found that if you really pay attention to words or simple phrases, its easy to figure out what they are saying. Even just their tone of voice sometimes tells you the basic gist of what they are trying to say. I also had some high-schoolers try out their English on me. It was so fun! I desperately hope that I might be able to take another missions trip in the near future. Longer than 3 weeks wouldn’t hurt my feelings.

While I sincerely hope and pray that God’s plan for my future may involve foreign missions, I also pray that the Lord might use me in the mission field he has currently put me in...Digby county, Nova Scotia, Canada. Because this area is needy too. There is a lot of Catholicism and many Catholic roots here. These people have no hope, they live in such an empty religious life that knows not the truth. I don’t have to ask, “Who will go?” because someone has already been sent - me. Someday I will be accountable for the work I have done for Christ while here. If that doesn’t provoke me to action, I’m not sure what will!

Recently a friend of mine shared a missionary song that her and her siblings sang. I wanted to post the words for you, but I couldn't find them, so I will just post a link to the YouTube song. This was sung by "four grateful MK's." I just loved this song, I had never heard this one before, and it made me laugh and cry all at the same time. I hope my kids can sing this song one day! :)