Hello Friends!
It's been awhile since my last blog post and so much has happened since then! Just yesterday, for example, I bought a new pair of shorts for 37 cents!! *Smile* okay, so maybe that's not the kind of "big event" that you all want to read about...
Seriously, though- this past month has been totally packed. Summer Mission Adventures ended at the beginning of this month (as mentioned in my previous update) and I had a few weeks of down time trying to relax and get to know Richard Taylor more. Yes, for those who don't know, I do have a boyfriend. :) Now, for the girly crowd, maybe I can post a sappy relationship update, but if I was a guy I seriously could care less! So, for all your sakes, I'll hold back on that for now :)
After our two week rest, we left on a mobile tour of the west coast (CA and OR). We visited Ventura, Pismo Beach, San Fransisco, Whittier (LA), and Salem. We basically went through visiting some of the kids that came through this summer and some from Spring Break. It was so fun to hang out with some of the cool cats that came through this summer again. :)
The trip in terms of van ride was not as pleasant as getting out of the van, but we all survived (although there was definitely some conflict that had to be resolved)!
We got back a few days ago, and now I will be starting work at the base as a Mission Builder (kind of temporary staff until I'm accepted). Right now, my project is revamping the website, correcting the errors... it will be a lot of hours staring at a computer screen! Yippee ....
Current Events:
I went surfing at Pismo Beach! And LOVED it!!! I'm not very good, but it's so stinkin fun!
I got hurt surfing... it hurt to sit down or lean forward for a few days. Not good when you're riding in a van for hours and hours!
The boys did paintball standoffs in Salem- so fun to watch, but they all got ridiculous welts... not worth it :)
I finally met Sam's (on MA staff with me) Mom who he always talks about. She's a fun person- we stayed with her on the mobile tour. I understand Sam more. lol. Which is good because I'm supposed to be working with him this year as his kind of secretary for MA next year.
I'm applying for a passport renewal.
Richard left to go back home to England. It's hard. Today is the second day that I haven't seen him in three months. Although I've talked to him :)
Please pray for:
-FELLOWSHIP! I need friends here and a church body to challenge me. I feel a bit lonely at times.
-Wisdom in support raising. I'm new to the whole monthly support raising thing. Please pray that I know just how to do it and that God moves on peoples' hearts to be generous.
-For Richard and I; we are endeavoring to do our relationship right. It's going to be hard from far away, but right now the plan is that he is going to fly me to England in November if he can earn the money soon enough. That would be great, because he could meet all my "family" over there and I could meet his.
-Family- I'm really missing them and they're missing me. It's also really difficult because they haven't met Richard.
Thank you guys, I know you pray for me and I appreciate that SOOOO much! If you ever want to know more about how I'm doing, I'd love to talk to you! :)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Saturday, August 04, 2007
MA is Over!!!
Thinking of how to start this update, I just let out a huge sigh… Mission Adventures (MA) is now officially over for the summer and I have been stretched, changed, pushed, used and blessed in so many ways. I’m exhausted, but I’m also completely jazzed on what God did this summer. I was a witness to the theory/formula of exponential growth and effect. For all you number nerds out there (including myself) this is what I mean-
One leader, Kevin, comes in to start, not sure how he’s going to get any staff and none of his attempts to recruit them really work. His effort was soon doubled into two when Frauke, a base-staff YWAMer decided to come on board and help. Then, from the corners of the world came us five summer staff… Richard (England), JD (Oklahoma), Laura (Colorado), and Sam (Idaho/CA), and Me! We were all unexpected staff in that we hadn’t really planned on doing MA, but God led us to. Then, the teams came, and this is where the exponential growth goes sky-high!! Thirteen Church teams came through Vegas to do Mission Adventures this summer. That adds up to Two-Hundred and one people!
The last number can’t really be figured out or pin-pointed… you see, it’s still growing- it’s the number of people’s lives that were affected by us. And it all started with one guy- Kevin… This summer, God has totally given me a glimpse into what people talk about when they challenge me to be the one to start something. So many times in church growing up, I’ve been told how this generation can be turned around if a few of us will stand up- be accounted for in the ranks of God’s army. To go into battle everyday with our hearts open to talk to people about Him. I’m still not all the way there…As MA is over now, I’m going to be tested. Will I continue this life or give into fear? With God’s grace and strength, I want to be one of those generation changers. A world changer.
So many things could be said about what God did this summer. So many more could be said about how I felt about all those things :) But for the sake of your attention span and because I know how hard it can be to read those mega-long updates, I want to take the last little bit of space and tell you about my next step.
After much prayer about the next step (a ridiculously over-used phrase in my life… lol) I really feel led to stay on as staff here in Las Vegas. It’s not at all something that I would have expected to do, and I never thought I would live in Las Vegas!! But God is bigger than my conventions and my thoughts. As I’ve surrendered to Him, this way has become something that I want to do and feel I should do.
I will be helping Sam (who’s leading MA next year) plan and re-vamp the program a bit. I’ll be helping teams that want to come next year and keeping in contact with them. Also, I’ve been approached about being the administrator or the accountant for the Las Vegas YWAM base. Please pray for me about this!! I’m nervous about such a big responsibility, but I know that God has given me talents that I need to use.
So right now, I’m in the application process. I will know if I’m officially accepted in the next few weeks! My plan is to stay here for about another year- until MA is over next summer at least.
So much is happening, and I know that your prayers are what have kept me sane! Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! There’s one more important number of the summer, and that’s one you’re a part of… the hundreds of people praying for me and others here. You have been a big part of what happened here this summer. Thank you for partnering with me!
Prayer Points:
- Wisdom for the base leadership team on my application
- Rest after an exhausting summer
- God would fill my loneliness after missing my family, friends, and will soon become the only girl living on base.
- Self-discipline in so many areas.
- Finances. Being base staff means that I will need monthly supporters- something that honestly scares the dickens out of me right now! :)
- Peace for my family. It’s hard for them to think of me being gone longer.
Thank you so much~ God bless you with his joy and peace!
~LeAnna Rae
One leader, Kevin, comes in to start, not sure how he’s going to get any staff and none of his attempts to recruit them really work. His effort was soon doubled into two when Frauke, a base-staff YWAMer decided to come on board and help. Then, from the corners of the world came us five summer staff… Richard (England), JD (Oklahoma), Laura (Colorado), and Sam (Idaho/CA), and Me! We were all unexpected staff in that we hadn’t really planned on doing MA, but God led us to. Then, the teams came, and this is where the exponential growth goes sky-high!! Thirteen Church teams came through Vegas to do Mission Adventures this summer. That adds up to Two-Hundred and one people!
The last number can’t really be figured out or pin-pointed… you see, it’s still growing- it’s the number of people’s lives that were affected by us. And it all started with one guy- Kevin… This summer, God has totally given me a glimpse into what people talk about when they challenge me to be the one to start something. So many times in church growing up, I’ve been told how this generation can be turned around if a few of us will stand up- be accounted for in the ranks of God’s army. To go into battle everyday with our hearts open to talk to people about Him. I’m still not all the way there…As MA is over now, I’m going to be tested. Will I continue this life or give into fear? With God’s grace and strength, I want to be one of those generation changers. A world changer.
So many things could be said about what God did this summer. So many more could be said about how I felt about all those things :) But for the sake of your attention span and because I know how hard it can be to read those mega-long updates, I want to take the last little bit of space and tell you about my next step.
After much prayer about the next step (a ridiculously over-used phrase in my life… lol) I really feel led to stay on as staff here in Las Vegas. It’s not at all something that I would have expected to do, and I never thought I would live in Las Vegas!! But God is bigger than my conventions and my thoughts. As I’ve surrendered to Him, this way has become something that I want to do and feel I should do.
I will be helping Sam (who’s leading MA next year) plan and re-vamp the program a bit. I’ll be helping teams that want to come next year and keeping in contact with them. Also, I’ve been approached about being the administrator or the accountant for the Las Vegas YWAM base. Please pray for me about this!! I’m nervous about such a big responsibility, but I know that God has given me talents that I need to use.
So right now, I’m in the application process. I will know if I’m officially accepted in the next few weeks! My plan is to stay here for about another year- until MA is over next summer at least.
So much is happening, and I know that your prayers are what have kept me sane! Thank you! Thank You! Thank You! There’s one more important number of the summer, and that’s one you’re a part of… the hundreds of people praying for me and others here. You have been a big part of what happened here this summer. Thank you for partnering with me!
Prayer Points:
- Wisdom for the base leadership team on my application
- Rest after an exhausting summer
- God would fill my loneliness after missing my family, friends, and will soon become the only girl living on base.
- Self-discipline in so many areas.
- Finances. Being base staff means that I will need monthly supporters- something that honestly scares the dickens out of me right now! :)
- Peace for my family. It’s hard for them to think of me being gone longer.
Thank you so much~ God bless you with his joy and peace!
~LeAnna Rae
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