A Time of Waiting

My brother and I celebrated Spring by having a little mudding fun with Lester (our pretty red Jeep). I think we celebrated a little too soon - today it is snowing and in the 30's!

Hello friends,

As I write to you, I am sitting in a house in Wausau, WI waiting for my parents to come and get me. I have been in Wausau all week, first at District Conference and then at a missionary appointees retreat. They were both excellent. I was encouraged and prayed for and fed spiritually. I was supposed to stay until tomorrow to speak at the Wasuau Alliance Church tomorrow, but my body has decided that it has had enough. I am learning to listen to my body and it has reached its limits for now. So my parents are going to come and get me and I will have to miss the rest of my time here in Wausau.

I am still struggling with this auto-immune disease, whatever it may be. I don't really have any new news, but I wanted to touch base with all of you who are praying for me. I won't know anything until June 17th when I have my next doctor appointment. At that time I will be completely off the steroid I am taking (awe, no more big muscles...just kidding, it is not that kind of steroid!) and my long-term medication will be working at full strength. At that appointment we will evaluate how I am feeling and determine if I can go overseas or not. If I am feeling like I am now, there is no chance. However, if I am able to function at a normal level then we can talk about what country would be good for me. Even if I get the go ahead from my doctor, the C&MA may still decide not to send me at this time or at all. So, I am asking for your prayers for complete healing so that I can go wherever it is that God has for me.

Honestly, I am doing really well (besides the physical stuff)! I know that God has a plan for my life and that He will bring me to the place that He wants me to be when He wants me to be there. I do not know what God has planned for my future. Maybe He wants me to stay in the US and work here. This has been a very hard thing for me to come to terms with. I never thought that I would have to consider staying in the United States. God has given me a great peace and I will be happy and content wherever He has for me, even if I can never live overseas. I would rather be in the center of His will here than living overseas out of His will.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. I have felt so loved and encouraged through all of this and I know that God will continue to lead me. Even though it is not easy just waiting, it is a time where I am learning even more how to depend on the Lord each moment of each day and that is good.

A friend shared the following verses with me and I was greatly encouraged by them. I pray that you will be encouraged as well in whatever you are going through.

Psalm 77:16-20 (emphasis mine)

When the Red Sea saw you, O God, its waters looked and trembled! The sea quaked to its very depths. The clouds poured down their rain; the thunder rolled and crackled in the sky. Your arrows of lightning flashed. Your thunder roared from the whirlwind; the lightning lit up the world! The earth trembled and shook. Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters--a pathway no one knew was there! You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

Praises and Prayers

Hello dear friends!

It's about time to send out an update as much has happened over this past week. First of all I want to start out with the praises. Last week was Spring Missions Conference at church and it was excellent. We had some really awesome events, from our third annual Great Commission Race, to The Ends of the Earth Coffee House to a Progressive Dinner after church on Sunday. God really moved in people's hearts. Our theme was Being a Sending Church and the missionaries were all of us in our district who are appointed to go out in the next year and a half. Being one of the speakers this year was different for me, but it was a lot of fun. I was so encouraged as I shared with people what God is doing in my life and how they can come along side of me. I was encouraged by our congregation and by the other missionaries. So thank you all who have been such a blessing to me lately!

Another praise is that this past Sunday was my Consecration service and Erik Wahlen's Ordination service. I am now "officially" consecrated. It was a lovely service and very special. Diana Stimmel, my pastors wife, preached to me with a very encouraging charge for ministry. It was just what I needed to hear, thank you Diana! My dad shared some very special things with Erik and I and also read scripture. He did so good, thanks dad! The church staff and elders prayed for us and it was a very encouraging, affirming time. Lots of family was able to come and I even got to see some wonderful family friends that I haven't seen in about 3 years. It was so great to see you Merv and Lisa!

I am praising God for His faithfulness in bringing me where He wants me to be. I am also asking for your prayers right now. I had another doctor appointment on Friday and the short of it is that if I am not significantly better in 3-4 months, I will not be able to go overseas. It seems as if I have been getting worse instead of better lately and that is not good. We are trying some things with the medication and hopefully when I have my next appointment in 10 weeks I will be good to go. If I am not, I will need more tests and more medication. If at that time I am better and functioning at a normal level we may still have to reconsider what country I go to. A country in Europe may be a better option than Southeast Asia. I am praying for complete healing. Please join me in this prayer. I can't imagine that God would prepare me for this my whole life and just when I am ready to go stop me. Most people struggle with God is calling them overseas and have to come to the point where they are willing to go wherever He calls them. I never thought that I would have to come to the point of being willing to stay in America if that is what God has for me. I am so grateful that I am not alone as I go through this. I have a God who loves me and cares about me and wants only what is best for me. I trust that He has a perfect plan in all of this and that He will bring me to the exact place that He wants me to be exactly when He wants me to be there. I am encouraged knowing that this is so far beyond myself that only God can help me! Whatever happens it will be for Him and His glory! Praise the Lord!

"Corrie ten Boom used to say, 'When the train goes through a tunnel and the world gets dark, do you jump out? Of course not. You sit still and trust the engineer to get you through'." (Safe in the Shepherd's Arms by Max Lucado)

P.S. (I have my prayer cards done! If you would like one, you can either pick one up from the missions table at church or send me your address and I will mail you one! - That's not the picture on my prayer card, I just wanted to put a picture of me and Quigley on my blog because he's so cute!)