The mission & a prayer request

Tonight my mind is full and my heart is heavy.

I went to a mission meeting at the Bible school that I went to in 2003-2005. This meeting was almost identical to one I was at 5 years ago. Many of my thoughts were the same from both times. God is faithful. There are people across the street and around the world that need to hear about Jesus. To love the Lord our God is the heartbeat of the mission (see lyrics for Steve Green's "The Mission"). I have sworn to dedicate my life to this mission: to live responsibly, deepen my devotion to the cross at any price, and to testify to the Gospel of God's grace.

Today, someone very dear to me called. He said that I shouldn't go to Africa. I told him that there are people in Nigeria that need to hear about Jesus. He said, "There are people here that need to know about Jesus." He is not a Christian.

I could not go if I wasn't confident that many of you are here in the United States telling people about Jesus. Thank you.

URGENT PRAYER REQUEST:
My co-workers and mentors have postponed their departure for Nigeria. Their daughter-in-law is pregnant with conjoined twins. They share all organs except their hearts. Please pray for a miracle! My heart is heavy for them. They are supposed to be the nearest (30 minutes away) missionaries to where I hope to be in Nigeria. I don't know how this will effect my assignment yet. I still hope to leave around the first week of March. Please pray for them and the babies!

Prayer

O God whose will conquers all,

There is no comfort in anything

apart from enjoying thee

and being engaged in thy service;

Thou art All in all, and all enjoyments are what to me

thou makest them, and no more.

I am well pleased with thy will, whatever it is,

or should be in all respects,

And if thou bidst me decide for myself in any affair

I would choose to refer all to thee,

for thou are infinitely wise and cannot do amiss,

as I am in danger of doing.

I rejoice to think that all things are at thy disposal,

and it delights me to leave them there….

I can of myself do nothing to glorify thy blessed name,

but I can through grace cheerfully surrender soul

and body to thee.

-From The Valley of Vision: A Collection

of Puritan Prayers and Devotion

Picture taken by Mary

Goodies

These are just some of the goodies we had at the commissioning service. Thank you to all who helped make it a wonderful night!

Packing

As a child, I was worried about whether my paper dolls and stickers made it into the suitcase each time my family made a trip to or from Bangladesh.  Now as an adult, I'm frantically making my packing list for the next few years of my life in a village home in southern Nigeria.  My dolls have been replaced by Greek lexicons, grammars, and malaria medication.  When everything is so readily available here in the United States, it is difficult to think of my potential "needs."  I just bought a year's supply of contacts, many bottles of contact solution, and a spare pair of glasses.  My Christmas presents were mostly kitchen supplies.  I was also given two solar ovens and some medical supplies!  I still have to purchase a motorcycle helmet and a water filter.  The difficult part is this:  How am I going to pack everything into three suitcases that can only be fifty pounds each!  Please pray for me that I will know how to pack wisely.

Commissioning

I was commissioned for missionary service in Nigeria with Lutheran Bible Translators (LBT) on Sunday, 18 January 2009 at Hope Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota.  The service was beautiful, and I was in tears the entire time.  Pastor Tom Brock was the officiant and Dr. Marshall Gillam, Executive Director of LBT, gave the message.  We sang I Love to Tell the Story; We've a Story to Tell to the Nations; Hark, the Voice of Jesus Calling; and O Zion, Haste, Thy Mission High Fulfilling.  Pastor Brock asked me, "Will you, trusting in God's care, seek to grow in love for those you serve, strive for excellence in your skills, and adorn the Gospel of Jesus Christ with a holy life?"  I was only able to respond positively because I KNOW that this is the Lord's work and I am merely His servant.  I am so excited to learn and to be used.  I hope to leave for Nigeria at the beginning of March.  My first term is two and a half years.  Please pray with me for the Yala people and those working in translation among them.

20 Things You Didn't Know About Me

1. I'm left-handed.

2. I've met Mother Theresa.

3. I've been attacked by a rabid dog and had 2 series of rabies' shots in the stomach.

4. An elephant pooped on my porch.

5. I've lived in LA, Minneapolis/St. Paul, and Dallas.

6. I've been stung by a jellyfish in Florida.

7. I grew up with servants.

8. I got 2 high school diplomas and graduated at 16.

9. I've had surgeries on both knees.

10. I've studied dozens of languages but only speak one fluently.

11. I was on an international flight before the age of one.

12. I've attended four post high school schools and am half way through an MA.

13. I've driven over 15,000 miles by myself in less than 6 months.

14. I can't eat animals that look like themselves on a plate.

15. I love playing the piano and want to learn how to play the guitar.

16. I love whistling.

17. I absolutely love waitressing.

18. I want several kids (if any).

19. I've had at least 9 roommates (not including short-term or housemates).

20. I have white hair.