Unu, Doi, Trei...

Și noi, dar, fiindcă suntem înconjurați cu un nor așa de mare de martori, să dăm la o parte orice piedică, și păcatul care ne înfășoară așa de lesne, și să alergam cu stăruință în alergarea care ne stă înainte.
Să ne uităm țintă la Căpetenia și Desăvârșirea credinței noastre, adică la Isus, care, pentru bucuria care-I era pusă înainte, a suferit crucea, a disprețuit rușinea, și șade la dreapta scaunului de domnie al lui Dumnezeu.
Uitați-vă, dar, cu luare aminte la Cel ce suferit din partea păcătoșilor o împotrivire așa mare față de Sine, pentru ca nu cumva să vă pierdeți inima, și să cădeți de oboseală în sufletele voastre. - Evrei 12.1-3

No, you haven't stumbled across the wrong website, nor are your eyes misleading you. This is one of my favorite passages in Romanian. It is Hebrews 12:1-3. I memorized this as a sophomore in college. This was back in the day when my room was decorated more in scripture-covered note cards than framed art and pictures of family and friends. For those that haven't memorized Hebrews 12:1-3, here it is below in the NIV:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin which so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning it's shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

This passage has helped me get back to the "basics" many times. In times of trial, I look at verse 2 and realize that my plight is nothing compared to that Jesus had to face. In times of great perseverance, I've meditated on verses 1 and 3. It is a go-to verse for me, and is perfectly positioned right after Hebrews 11 in which the writer recounts numerous "heroes of the faith." Reading through Hebrews 11 and then 12 always lifts my spirit and helps me remember what God I serve and what he can do.

This verse is certainly coming in handy as I learn Romanian. That's right, I'm learning Romanian stateside. Romanians are everywhere these days. There's even a Romanian church here in San Antonio. However, it's not from a stateside Romanian that I'm learning the language. Instead, I am learning through the use of a tutor via Skype. You see, there's this brilliant little invention called the Internet, which has enabled people to communicate no matter where they are in the world. With the use of Skype, I'm able to see, talk, and write to my tutor who is thousands of miles, and 1 very large ocean, away.

So far it's going well, and while the opening script of this post may look impressive, I assure you I am no where near that fluent. In fact, "fluent" isn't even a category that I would be anywhere near right now. However, it is coming. My tutor, Laura, says that I am learning quickly and that once I am in Romania, it will come even faster. I pray that is true. For now, I'm sticking with simple phrases like:

Question: De unde ești? (Where are you from?)
Answer: Sunt din America (I am from America)

Romanian is Latin based like Spanish, French, and Italian. Therefore, those that have studied those languages would recognize some similarities among many words. However, you would also notice what I say is a Russian influence in the language as well. The result is a beautiful language that I cannot wait to be fluent in! Here's to getting my wish....

The Wheels on the Bus Go Round and Round...

Since being back in San Antonio I've been steadily working at raising support for my time in Romania. So far I'm 60% funded and it's been quit a ride up to that point. In the last 3 weeks I've visited 10 Lifegroups from my church to share with them about my ministry in Romania. (Side note: Lifegroups are fellowship groups that meet throughout the week at different church members homes. Our church has about 40 Lifegroups.)

This past Friday I also had an opportunity to share with a group of women from Northern Hills United Methodist Church. My hosts, John & Alvina Mitchell, attend NHUMC and invited me to the event. I got the opportunity to speak with many women about the work I'll be doing overseas. While I didn't see immediate fruit from this visit, the executive board voted that I receive the proceeds from this event. In reality, none of the "fund-raising" I do produces results on its own. It really is the Lord that does the work for me, in the hearts of people, as I am obedient to follow where he leads. So while it may feel as though my wheels are spinning sometimes, I know that he is in control of it. My job is to just walk through the doors he opens.

I still have a few weeks left in San Antonio until I hit the re-evaluation mark. I'm trying to get to Romania by mid-March...which means all of my support really needs to be in by yesterday. However, I'll take whenever the Lord wants to bring it in. I would appreciate any and all prayers throughout this process. Pray that God continues to open doors and that people continue to be drawn in to this ministry.

A Hunting We Will Go....

Apartment hunting that is. No, no, no...don't worry, I'm not moving back to San Antonio. Instead, preparations for Romania are moving full-steam ahead! It seems my friends in Romania have found an apartment that is worthy to be called my home. The BEST news is...the contract was signed on Friday! Thanks Tresha and Tony!

The apartment where I will be living is about 3 miles from the ministry in Resita. It is in a fairly new building with new metal doors, security windows, locks, etc. Mostly families and foreigners will be my neighbors and apparently it is a pretty quiet neighborhood! The best part...is the cost. Only $150 a month!

While my friends have been hard at work at apartment hunting, I've been doing a little hunting of my own. I'm on a hunt for supporters. If you've read my previous blog entry, you know that I'm 60% funded, but am still looking for people/families to commit to praying and giving toward my initial 18 month commitment overseas. There's about $1300 a month out there that I still need to locate and I'm praying the Lord helps me find it quickly. Please join with me in praying about how you can be a part of my ministry. $1300 a month breaks down to 13 people/families committed to giving $100 a month for 18 months, or 26 people/families committed to giving $50 a month for the next 18 months. It's simple to understand how that works. Just give up going to Starbucks a couple times a week, or give up going out to eat at least once a week. $50 is not that hard to find when you're looking for it ;-)

No, it's not all about money...but that is one side of it. The most exciting part is that you and I enter into a grand partnership. We enter into a partnership with the Lord when we choose to follow the great commission of going and preaching the gospel to all nations. That's exactly what everyone who prays, gives, or goes to the nations does. We all contribute, we all play a part. We are all helping to usher in the coming of Christ as the gospel reaches the nations of the world. Do you know what it says in Matthew 24?

As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him priavately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answered, "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it tha tyou are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdome against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains."

"Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."

It is happening before our eyes. The end is coming. Whether we see it in our lifetime is not what it is about, it is about joining in the greatest "hunt" there is. The hunt for hearts. The brilliant part is that God will lead us to the hearts of those that long to be his if we are faithful to heed his voice. That's why I go. I long to be a part of this great "hunt." I long to be a part of something greater than me and what I see as important. The most awesome thing is...you can go with me by being a part of my prayer and/or financial support team. Will you?

I'm Still Here...

I guess at any other time, these words might offend me. "You're still here?, " is a question I'm being asked each week by people at my home church in San Antonio. I guess it's a good thing that people expect me to be in Romania already. Others ask, "When are you leaving for Romania?" To which my answer is always, "Hopefully, mid-March."

You see the answers to these two questions depend heavily upon ONE thing....funding. Okay, who am I kidding? It REALLY depends on the Lord, but it does take a host of people responding to the Lord to get me to Romania. So far I'm 60% monthly funded, which I'm ecstatic to be over half-way...but I still need 40% more. That equates to 13 people/families willing to give $100 a month for the next 18 months, or 26 people/families willing to give $50 a month over the next 18 months. So my question back to those that ask is, "What are you going to do to help me get there?"

My question to you is: "What are you going to do?"

Contact me at heyamy7@yahoo.com to be a part of the process.

ER is not just a TV show...

Well, it seems that a week-long bout with a stomach virus left me dehydrated, low in potassium, and with some kind of bacterial infection. Not really the welcome back to Texas that I wanted, but what can I say? When I do "sick," I do it RIGHT!

Like any good patient, I waited until the pain from the cramping got so unbearable that I had to call my friends in Round Rock to come pick me up from a gas station along I-35 in Jarrell. Random place to be, I know. Can someone say, "Drama Queen?" As silly as I felt needing help, I was certainly grateful for Drenda and Robert Young to drop everything to come to my aid. Drenda especially, as she sat with me for 3.5 hours while we awaited the blood work to find out what was wrong. The BEST thing was that once admitted, I was given morphine in my IV. Needless to say, everything was as "right as rain" after that.

The following picture was taken after the morphine was freely flowing. I needed something to commemorate my drama-filled new year.

Notice my socks are still on...yeah, that's the way I roll. Here's to a drama-free (from this point on) 2010!

Back In The Saddle Again...

After a 24 hour road trip, five flights, and one bout with the stomach flu, I'm back in the Lone Star State! Even though I'm preparing to move to Romania, I can say there's no place I'd rather be in the U.S. than Texas. There's just no place like it! To be fair, the Texas landscape is incomparable to Montana's and when the snow falls in the mountains of Libby, MT, it confirms the beauty hidden there. However, I'm glad to be back in a state where 30 degrees is considered cold, tea is served cold instead of hot, and Mexican food isn't something as simple as refried beans served from a can.

I hope to post tidbits from the courses I took in Montana over the next several weeks. In the meantime, I've been traveling around the country visiting family and friends, including stops in both Iowa and Kentucky. After a brief tour of the midwest over the Christmas holidays, I flew back to DFW to spend the New Year holiday with my brother, Jeremy, and his family. Now I'm slowly making my way back to San Antonio where I will finish raising the monthly support needed for my 18-month internship in Romania. My goal is to be 100% funded by February 10th. This should leave me enough time (about two weeks) to see family and friends before I leave. So far I'm 43% funded and I'm excited about the opportunities that await me on this grand journey. To God be the Glory!

A Season of Blessing...

I'm posting my latest prayer letter here since yahoo has temporarily halted my ability to send emails.

November 2009 Update

This has been such an amazing year. Not only has the Lord taken me from one city and placed me in another, but he has completely transformed me in the process. As I look back on 2009 during this season of Thanksgiving, I cannot help but be thankful that I serve God who is Everlasting, Sovereign, Omniscient, Omnipresent, the Beginning and End, and the One True God, to which all other kings and rulers are subject. Most importantly, I’m thankful for a God that called me out as a little girl and changed my heart of stone. He is a God that continually changes hearts. He not only changed me, but He is working in the lives of the Romanian youth I will be joining in early February. I’d like to share a few of their stories so that you can see how God is using your prayers and finances to change their lives. These stories are told from Andy & Tresha McKnight, with whom I will be working in Romania.

Florin
Florin is an orphan boy of gypsy decent, dark-skinned with big, brown eyes. His story is that of hundreds of orphans in Romania. Though we are not exactly sure, Florin most likely was one of those little ones the world saw on TV when communism fell. Living in pitiful conditions, tied to a cot, dirty, and malnourished, Florin beat the odds to survive when so many died. He has a gentle spirit now, and with it a very child like personality. Somewhere Florin stopped developing mentally, maybe to protect himself from the pain, maybe as a result of all the suffering, no one can tell for sure. His presence at camp always brings such joy, and God has put His hand on Florin in a very special way. Florin has the ability to radiate joy in such a powerful way that anyone who spends time with him will see Jesus, if they look close enough. Florin's tears at the end of each camp will never be forgotten. He just loves to be loved, to feel a part of a family. It is always hard to leave Florin back in the slums after camp. He now lives in a run down apartment building, with no windows or doors, drug addicts lying on the stairs, in a neighborhood where fights and stabbings are daily occurrences. Through it all, Florin keeps going and his joy is abundant. God is faithful.

Gabi
We hadn't seen Gabi for many years, and almost 8 years had past without a single word about the little girl we met in the hospital. She had come to the hospital for tests and was diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, contracted from a blood transfusion as a baby. Gabi was frightened in her new surroundings, but we were able to comfort her some as we played games, sang songs and loved those little ones for Jesus. Gabi’s heart softened and she drew close to us over those days in the hospital. Then one day, she left the hospital and it was eight years before we saw her again while collecting kids for our first camp. Hardly recognizable as the little girl we knew, she had grown up and a hard life could be seen on her face. During our time with her, she began to soften once again and share the things she had been through. She had be abused by those who should have protected her, raped and sold as a prostitute, she had to have an abortion, and so on. But God is faithful. He knew Gabi would be back with us. God still was waiting for Gabi to reach out to Him and she did. He began to heal her heart of all the scars of the past, and though this is a slow process, she is making steps in the right direction. She is reading the Bible and coming to the Day Center for encouragement and help. Gabi is free of prostitution now and her life is getting better.

These are but a few of the hundreds of children the Joshua Project serves and it is for so many more that the Lord calls all of us to play a part. In this final hour, I pray that we as a church are not caught standing idle. To God be the Glory.