I am at Camp Tadmor right now helping my mom with Josiah and Heather with her kids, so I guess I am the nanny for the summer! I am enjoying it a lot, a very different pace from college...
I graduated with my B.S. in Community Health Education from Portland State University on the 13th of June, very excited about that!
I am now leaving for Guinea at the end of September due to some changes in people's training as well as the CHE training moving to September.
I am now at 93% of my one time! And 65% of my monthly. So that means that I just need $474 one time and $466 monthly. Please be praying for this to come in by the end of this month so I can start my visa applications and buy my plane ticket.
Denver was such a joy. It was great to meet the missionaries and talk with them about Guinea. I am so excited to work with them and be a part of the ministry there!
Thanks so much for your support and prayers!
In Christ,
Bethany
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Endings and Beginings
Sorry I haven't been faithful on here. Life has been crazy but mostly it was because my computer crashed on April 24th...the day after I wrote my last one, but I have a new computer so here we go!
This is my last week at Portland State University...I have so much to do it isn't even funny. Please be praying for me! I am graduating on the 13th of June and move out of my house (where I have lived for over a year). I am ending a chapter of my life to start a new and exciting one. The past four years have been full of blessings and challenges, joy and sorrow and I hope - lots of growth! I will miss Portland and PSU and my life here but I am even more excited about what God has in store and what He is going to do in me and through me...I can only imagine.
I fly out next Monday to Denver to meet the Guinea team - a new beginning of friendships and challenges.
I will be working at Camp Tadmor again for the 5th summer...a familiar new.
And I am heading to Guinea now most likely in September due to the CHE training being moved to then. I think it is a blessing in disguise. I have no idea how I could get everything done if I had that this week!
Thanks for your prayers.
Update. I am at about 60% both for monthly and one-time. Please be praying that it will all come in.
Blessings
Bethany
This is my last week at Portland State University...I have so much to do it isn't even funny. Please be praying for me! I am graduating on the 13th of June and move out of my house (where I have lived for over a year). I am ending a chapter of my life to start a new and exciting one. The past four years have been full of blessings and challenges, joy and sorrow and I hope - lots of growth! I will miss Portland and PSU and my life here but I am even more excited about what God has in store and what He is going to do in me and through me...I can only imagine.
I fly out next Monday to Denver to meet the Guinea team - a new beginning of friendships and challenges.
I will be working at Camp Tadmor again for the 5th summer...a familiar new.
And I am heading to Guinea now most likely in September due to the CHE training being moved to then. I think it is a blessing in disguise. I have no idea how I could get everything done if I had that this week!
Thanks for your prayers.
Update. I am at about 60% both for monthly and one-time. Please be praying that it will all come in.
Blessings
Bethany
Thursday, April 23, 2009
This weekend I am going to Prairie City and will be sharing about Guinea at Spring Rally a woman's retreat that will be in Haines Oregon...near Baker City. Please be praying for me as I share what God has placed on my heart. Also, my mom and I will be leading worship for the day too. I am excited about this opportunity to share and worship with the women from eastern Oregon! On Tuesday I shared with my home community group. It was such a special thing to me, to be able to have them be a part of what I am doing through prayer and encouragement. On the 17th of May I am being commissioned by Imago Dei. So lots of things about my ministry are coming up. Once June hits it will be crazy! I will have CHE (community health evangelism) training the first week and then I will be flying to Denver for most of the second week, then I graduate on the 13th and leave for Tadmor right after that! And all before that I have my internship and a class that I need to be completing as well as raising more support. Please keep me in your prayers!
Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will wear or eat, that our Father will take care of us. I am so thankful for that promise. He is with us. He can produce the money needed to go even in a bad economy. God is not limited. Amen!
Jesus tells us not to worry about what we will wear or eat, that our Father will take care of us. I am so thankful for that promise. He is with us. He can produce the money needed to go even in a bad economy. God is not limited. Amen!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Car accendent
A week ago Monday I was driving home on a absolutely beautiful spring day praising the Lord for his creation and thinking about all the things I needed to do when I got home. Then in a split second my stopped car was rushing forward and I was propelled in a forceful jerk forward and then backwards, slamming my head against the back of my seat. I couldn't believe it! Out of nowhere I had been hit from behind. I pulled over and dealt with the situation, then got back into my sad looking car and drove home to call insurance. I began to feel strange and not be able to focus and was wondering what sort of internal damage had been done to me, when there was no outward physical damage. The doctor said I had sprained my neck and my back in two places along with a concussion. Some strong meds and a lot of sleep later I am starting to recover, slowly. I begin physical therapy tomorrow.
So often in life things hit us unaware. Tragedy strikes when we least expect it and difficulties arise just as everything is starting to go well. Many things are unavoidable and all can be used to learn more about our Savior and to grow closer to him. In the 'spiritual' world (I only differentiate to make a point, we live in world that is both physical and spiritual) it is important to be ready for any sort of attack or distraction in our lives. We are called to put on the full armor of God and to be ready. We are to be testing all things and to be taking captive every thought. While I cannot take captive every car that comes near me, and I have little control over my physical surroundings, I have much control over my spiritual surroundings. When we are walking faithfully and being proactive in our faith, fender benders don't happen. In James it talks about how sin is carried out, the process. We don't wake up super spiritual one day and then that night go and kill some one just because they cut you off in traffic. It is a slow gradual process of giving up spiritual ground. Sometimes we think we have been blindsided, that there was no pre-event warnings, but it is not true. Just like king David, a man after God's own heart, his fall into adultry was a gradual process of becoming less and less sensitive the sin of the world around him, he became unguarded in his spiritual life and ended up causing himself and others a lot of pain.
Just as I had no outward signs of injury, the spiritual life symptoms can be hidden for a time and people may not know. But eventually the pain, the sin, comes out in how we act. I began to walk slowly and had a grimace on my face. With sin we begin to lash out or say something unkind. And just as it takes a long time to recover physically, so is it true with spiritual recovery. It is always very easy to get out of shape, but very painful and slow to get into shape! Stay fit.
With all prayer and pettition pray at all times in the spirit, and with this in view, be on the the alert with all perserverance and petition for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
So often in life things hit us unaware. Tragedy strikes when we least expect it and difficulties arise just as everything is starting to go well. Many things are unavoidable and all can be used to learn more about our Savior and to grow closer to him. In the 'spiritual' world (I only differentiate to make a point, we live in world that is both physical and spiritual) it is important to be ready for any sort of attack or distraction in our lives. We are called to put on the full armor of God and to be ready. We are to be testing all things and to be taking captive every thought. While I cannot take captive every car that comes near me, and I have little control over my physical surroundings, I have much control over my spiritual surroundings. When we are walking faithfully and being proactive in our faith, fender benders don't happen. In James it talks about how sin is carried out, the process. We don't wake up super spiritual one day and then that night go and kill some one just because they cut you off in traffic. It is a slow gradual process of giving up spiritual ground. Sometimes we think we have been blindsided, that there was no pre-event warnings, but it is not true. Just like king David, a man after God's own heart, his fall into adultry was a gradual process of becoming less and less sensitive the sin of the world around him, he became unguarded in his spiritual life and ended up causing himself and others a lot of pain.
Just as I had no outward signs of injury, the spiritual life symptoms can be hidden for a time and people may not know. But eventually the pain, the sin, comes out in how we act. I began to walk slowly and had a grimace on my face. With sin we begin to lash out or say something unkind. And just as it takes a long time to recover physically, so is it true with spiritual recovery. It is always very easy to get out of shape, but very painful and slow to get into shape! Stay fit.
With all prayer and pettition pray at all times in the spirit, and with this in view, be on the the alert with all perserverance and petition for all the saints. Ephesians 6:18
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Faith
Sometimes one of the most difficult things in life is trusting and continuing on when you have no idea what is going to happen or see any way that it could all happen. As I journey in obedience to Christ I am constantly amazed at how Christ takes care of the little things in life that seem like insurmountable mountains in the moment only to be small little bumps in hindsight. When Jesus says to not worry about tomorrow for tomorrow will take care of itself, I don't believe so much that He meant tomorrow will take care of itself but that He will take care of it. We don't have to stress out about how the bills will be payed or how to fit 48hrs worth of work into 24 hours. God can literally stop time, though He usually just helps us get things accomplished in record time! Money is His and He can stretch it in ways that are impossible on paper. He can move mountains!
As I look at all the things that need to be done and how much everything costs and wondering how it will all be taken care of I am reminded that the most frequent phrase by the Lord is "Do not be afraid", He really means it. He says He is with us and that is why we need not fear. He is faithful and He is all-powerful. So as I see the dollar amount that needs to be raised and as I see the time-line and how crazy busy it is, I stop and rest in Christ. Whenever I look ahead and see "Himalayas" of obstacles in my path I read my Bible and see the stories of men and women of faith who have gone before me and have watched as those Himalayas were crossed or laid flat. It is so true, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He can do all things through me and for me and for you.
I am so thankful for this opportunity to dig deep into my faith and watch as my wonderful Savior provides and shows His strength in the most unsuspected ways. He is doing the same thing in your life. I hope you are able to see Him in the little things as well as the big!
Blessings,
Bethany
P.S. In order to make it more enjoyable to read. I will be trying to post regularly on Thursdays. Thanks for being a part of this journey!
As I look at all the things that need to be done and how much everything costs and wondering how it will all be taken care of I am reminded that the most frequent phrase by the Lord is "Do not be afraid", He really means it. He says He is with us and that is why we need not fear. He is faithful and He is all-powerful. So as I see the dollar amount that needs to be raised and as I see the time-line and how crazy busy it is, I stop and rest in Christ. Whenever I look ahead and see "Himalayas" of obstacles in my path I read my Bible and see the stories of men and women of faith who have gone before me and have watched as those Himalayas were crossed or laid flat. It is so true, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. He can do all things through me and for me and for you.
I am so thankful for this opportunity to dig deep into my faith and watch as my wonderful Savior provides and shows His strength in the most unsuspected ways. He is doing the same thing in your life. I hope you are able to see Him in the little things as well as the big!
Blessings,
Bethany
P.S. In order to make it more enjoyable to read. I will be trying to post regularly on Thursdays. Thanks for being a part of this journey!
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Servanthood
This past week the idea of servanthood specifically in the form of feet washing, has been brought up multiple times. I usually figure that if something is repeated in a bunch of different settings in a short time, I should be paying attention! Just a thought...
Jesus was and is God but it talks about in Philipians that He didn't consider equality with God something to be grasped. So often I want what I deserve, or what as an American, I think is my right. But I am reminded that first I must be a servant and empty myself just and Christ did for us. When Jesus talks to His disciples He tells them to follow His example, that He came to serve and that no servant is greater than his master. Too often I am caught up in how 'great' I am or the praise I think I deserve, when in reality, all the praise and all the greatness should be directed back to my Savior.
My prayer is that I will be a servant who follows in the heart of my Master, my wonderful, kind and loving Father. Jesus does the will of the Father and has asked me to do it too. My serving Father doesn't make me great, it proclaims His greatness. And if all I ever do in going to Guinea and serving the Maninka is show just how awesome and wonderful my Father is then I have accomplished all that I can.
It is because of His wonderful love and greatness, through the Holy Spirit, that people are transformed. I am in the ministry of living for Jesus; Jesus is in the ministry of transforming lives! What an awesome thing to be a part of!
Jesus was and is God but it talks about in Philipians that He didn't consider equality with God something to be grasped. So often I want what I deserve, or what as an American, I think is my right. But I am reminded that first I must be a servant and empty myself just and Christ did for us. When Jesus talks to His disciples He tells them to follow His example, that He came to serve and that no servant is greater than his master. Too often I am caught up in how 'great' I am or the praise I think I deserve, when in reality, all the praise and all the greatness should be directed back to my Savior.
My prayer is that I will be a servant who follows in the heart of my Master, my wonderful, kind and loving Father. Jesus does the will of the Father and has asked me to do it too. My serving Father doesn't make me great, it proclaims His greatness. And if all I ever do in going to Guinea and serving the Maninka is show just how awesome and wonderful my Father is then I have accomplished all that I can.
It is because of His wonderful love and greatness, through the Holy Spirit, that people are transformed. I am in the ministry of living for Jesus; Jesus is in the ministry of transforming lives! What an awesome thing to be a part of!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Missions Training
Well my time in Denver is almost at the end, just part of Friday left. It has been a wonderful time, getting to know other mid-term missionaries as well as all of the fantastic staff at WorldVenture. There is a lot of information to retain and act upon. But it is also encouraging to know that Jesus is enough and that He is helping me get through this crazy time in my life! Please keep praying for me as I start sharing with everyone what God is doing in Guinea and in me and as I discover who it is that God would have partner with Him in the work He is doing in Guinea. He is faithful
Bethany
Also please note the links that are now on my blog, thanks to the wonderful support of the WorldVenture staff!
Bethany
Also please note the links that are now on my blog, thanks to the wonderful support of the WorldVenture staff!
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