So, here I am. Africa Inland Mission formal application papers in hand. One, two...twelve pages in all.
Some are simple personal details--birthdates, addresses, etc. Others...not so simple. You know...life sketch, personal theological beliefs, and so on. This is gonna take a while--especially with one to four kids underfoot most of the time! ;o)
Looking back to my last post, I told you that I'd give you more details about how you could pray for us as we travel this road that has been laid out before us. The first step we need to get through is to actually complete our applications. After that, should we be accepted to a TIMO team, there are several Bible training requirements we need to complete before "entering the field". And I do believe it would be wise to get rid of our debt before taking on the stresses of raising monetary support.
So, here is what you can pray for as we travel this journey:
-Make and/or find time to prayerfully finish formal applications
-Begin Bible training requirements
-Continue the "snowball" method of aggressively tackling our debt
Until next time,
Pam
A Fresh Start
There are plenty of reasons I haven't updated this here blog in quite some time. The main one being...
We weren't quite sure that entering the mission field was still in our fairly-near future after adding another little one to our brood.
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| Jesse Daniel - Born 17 February 2012 |
We weren't quite sure that entering the mission field was still in our fairly-near future after adding another little one to our brood.
So, for far too long, we have been totally non-committal on getting our formal applications filled out and turned in. (Yes, we 'passed' the preliminary stuff and now have the "real" applications in our hands.) But, as time goes on we are still feeling a call to the mission field. And, to be perfectly honest, it's getting stronger.
And while we're being blatantly honest...I am scared to my absolute wit's end if I think about the (possible) reality of it all. Leaving home. Leaving family. Leaving friends. Leaving my church. So many blessings to leave behind!
God has an awesome way of reassuring us (okay, me). We decided to rearrange the house a week ago. We got all the 'stuff' moved around, but I am still in desperate need of organizing no less than a bazillion piles of paper and other various project--all in different stages of progress. Well, one of the piles consisted of some index cards with verses on it from a Bible study I went through this past spring. As I pawed through the pile, I was struck by this passage:
Duh! God is with me wherever I am, all the time! That's reassurance in my book. And I might just make that our family verse-for-the-year for 2013 (or beyond...); it seems pretty appropriate!
So...what's next on the agenda? Well, there's the formal applications, of course. But beyond that, there are some Bible classes that I need to take before we leave, should we be accepted to a TIMO team. These classes are available free-of-charge online, but just the thought of "taking classes" again is pretty daunting. Prayers for getting through them would be much appreciated!
My next post will detail more of what is expected of us and how you can help at this point. (Prayer, prayer, prayer...)
Thank you for keeping up with us,
Pam
And while we're being blatantly honest...I am scared to my absolute wit's end if I think about the (possible) reality of it all. Leaving home. Leaving family. Leaving friends. Leaving my church. So many blessings to leave behind!
God has an awesome way of reassuring us (okay, me). We decided to rearrange the house a week ago. We got all the 'stuff' moved around, but I am still in desperate need of organizing no less than a bazillion piles of paper and other various project--all in different stages of progress. Well, one of the piles consisted of some index cards with verses on it from a Bible study I went through this past spring. As I pawed through the pile, I was struck by this passage:
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.-Psalm 139:9-10
Duh! God is with me wherever I am, all the time! That's reassurance in my book. And I might just make that our family verse-for-the-year for 2013 (or beyond...); it seems pretty appropriate!
So...what's next on the agenda? Well, there's the formal applications, of course. But beyond that, there are some Bible classes that I need to take before we leave, should we be accepted to a TIMO team. These classes are available free-of-charge online, but just the thought of "taking classes" again is pretty daunting. Prayers for getting through them would be much appreciated!
My next post will detail more of what is expected of us and how you can help at this point. (Prayer, prayer, prayer...)
Thank you for keeping up with us,
Pam
Saturday - February 5, 2011
Aaaahhh...
We had our interview over dinner and dessert at Mynt Fusion last night. It was a very enjoyable evening; good food, good company, good conversation. As far as we can tell, things are still progressing "smoothly". We were even told that we were a very 'boring' couple, in the kindest sense, because there were no red flags raised over the course of the evening.
And now we wait. The write-up of our interview will be composed and then sent on to the appropriate office. If we are to move forward into missions, we will be invited to a candidate week at AIM's headquarters in New York.
I had to chuckle when I read my fortune cookie. We had just finished up talking about how the Holy Spirit works through the little things; how we need to NOTICE the little things in order to get to the BIG things God has planned for and through us. My fortune cookie read: "You will have a very pleasant experience."
I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!
We had our interview over dinner and dessert at Mynt Fusion last night. It was a very enjoyable evening; good food, good company, good conversation. As far as we can tell, things are still progressing "smoothly". We were even told that we were a very 'boring' couple, in the kindest sense, because there were no red flags raised over the course of the evening.
And now we wait. The write-up of our interview will be composed and then sent on to the appropriate office. If we are to move forward into missions, we will be invited to a candidate week at AIM's headquarters in New York.
I had to chuckle when I read my fortune cookie. We had just finished up talking about how the Holy Spirit works through the little things; how we need to NOTICE the little things in order to get to the BIG things God has planned for and through us. My fortune cookie read: "You will have a very pleasant experience."
I can't wait to see what the future holds for us!
Tuesday - February 1, 2011
Phew; it's been a while since I wrote on this site! Let's get it updated, shall we?
We are still in the midst of the AIM application process, and are currently praying about an interview we have set up with the Jackson's this Friday, February 4th. We should know more after that!
Please keep our family in your prayers. Pray that we stay open to God's calling on our family, wherever that may take us.
We are still in the midst of the AIM application process, and are currently praying about an interview we have set up with the Jackson's this Friday, February 4th. We should know more after that!
Please keep our family in your prayers. Pray that we stay open to God's calling on our family, wherever that may take us.
Friday - November 12, 2010
We fully intended to take our parents (and Josh's parents, in turn) out to dinner to Mynt Fusion before Thanksgiving to announce that we have applied for the 2-year TIMO program with AIM International. But the timing didn't work out; we were too slow. Grandma and Grandpa were babysitting for us (at our house) when an AIM representative called to let us know that our references have not all been turned in yet. Oops!
I'm pretty certain we shocked them when our answer to "How long are you thinking of going to Africa?" was "We're applying for a two-year program." Yes, Grandma...we know you can't keep the kids that long--they'll come with us should we be accepted into this program!
My apologies to all for keeping such a secret; Josh really wanted to keep it 'under the radar' until we knew it would be an absolute for-sure thing. Now that it's out there, I'd like to ask that you join our family in prayer as we ask for God's will to become fully evident for us, especially concerning missions.
Thank you, to all of you!
I'm pretty certain we shocked them when our answer to "How long are you thinking of going to Africa?" was "We're applying for a two-year program." Yes, Grandma...we know you can't keep the kids that long--they'll come with us should we be accepted into this program!
My apologies to all for keeping such a secret; Josh really wanted to keep it 'under the radar' until we knew it would be an absolute for-sure thing. Now that it's out there, I'd like to ask that you join our family in prayer as we ask for God's will to become fully evident for us, especially concerning missions.
Thank you, to all of you!
Wednesday - August 25, 2010
*sigh*
We have yet to inform either of our parents of our intent to enter the mission field. We've told a mere 3 people so far (outside of our small group). Hopefully they've honored our request to keep it to themselves. I'm sure they have, but then again...I'm never really sure. Is that an awful way to think?
Don't worry. We plan on 'spilling the beans' soon. You see, we have to. Our preliminary candidate applications for Africa Inland Mission are sitting in the mailbox, ready to start their journey to New York, where they will be reviewed. I'm still in shock. We actually doing this. We're applying to become missionaries. Actually, we're applying to enter a 2-year program that gives you a "foundation for a lifetime of ministry". I'll get to specifics in another post, 'kay?
All I can imagine right now is how un-okay with it our families will be, should we be accepted. I'm praying that they will find peace in our choice to pursue this opportunity.
We have yet to inform either of our parents of our intent to enter the mission field. We've told a mere 3 people so far (outside of our small group). Hopefully they've honored our request to keep it to themselves. I'm sure they have, but then again...I'm never really sure. Is that an awful way to think?
Don't worry. We plan on 'spilling the beans' soon. You see, we have to. Our preliminary candidate applications for Africa Inland Mission are sitting in the mailbox, ready to start their journey to New York, where they will be reviewed. I'm still in shock. We actually doing this. We're applying to become missionaries. Actually, we're applying to enter a 2-year program that gives you a "foundation for a lifetime of ministry". I'll get to specifics in another post, 'kay?
All I can imagine right now is how un-okay with it our families will be, should we be accepted. I'm praying that they will find peace in our choice to pursue this opportunity.
Wednesday - August 18, 2010
*BIG sigh*
Today went much better for me and the kids, in case you wanted to make sure I haven't harmed my children after yesterday's post. Spending the day at Grandma and Grandpa "Tanner's" definitely helped!
While we were there, the kids were able to run around with some cousins and have a good old time while Grandma and I canned some potatoes. We (I say we very loosely) were able to can 14 quarts, and only 2 of them didn't seal! Yeah!
I haven't yet done my devotions, so that's where I'm headed. I'm hoping I have my listening ears on so that I continue to experience God-breezes like I did yesterday!
Today went much better for me and the kids, in case you wanted to make sure I haven't harmed my children after yesterday's post. Spending the day at Grandma and Grandpa "Tanner's" definitely helped!
While we were there, the kids were able to run around with some cousins and have a good old time while Grandma and I canned some potatoes. We (I say we very loosely) were able to can 14 quarts, and only 2 of them didn't seal! Yeah!
I haven't yet done my devotions, so that's where I'm headed. I'm hoping I have my listening ears on so that I continue to experience God-breezes like I did yesterday!
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