I am always, always, always yours

God is so gracious. God is so good. God is so awesome. God is so amazing. God is so marvelous. God is the greatest being of all time. God is so mysterious. God is so wonderful. God is so sacred. God is so holy. God is so perfect. God is so right. God is so beautiful. God is so terrifying. God is so HUGE. God is so astounding. God is so breathtaking. God is so remarkable. God is so spectacular.

And I could go on and on until I used up all the good adjectives in the English language, and then I could go on in other languages, and there wouldn't be enough time left in my life to continue speaking these words until I ran out of adjectives.

This last week has been particularly marvelous. God presented me with a new (yet old) job with Kidstop. A before and after-school program I have worked with in the past (for four years)! Long story short, I was offered two positions rather than the one I was interviewing for and they decided to pay me the same hourly wage I was making when I left Kidstop three years ago. Which funnily enough is almost double my hourly wage at Curry Up! Praise the Lord for this provision!

The second huge answer to prayer last week happened just yesterday/this morning. I met with the missions committee at my old church and shared my plans (God's plans) to go back to India in June and they decided to help by funding half of all my expenses! Praise God again! That is a large weight off of my shoulders and another confirmation in my mind that I am still needed in India for God's glory. I used to think that if I didn't have a heart or calling to do "God's work" here in Minnesota, in my hometown, I was going about this missionary thing all wrong. This thought is loosely based on Acts 1:8 where Jesus tells his disciples to go to Jerusalem, Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth. We've all heard that to be interpreted as our hometown, county, state, and then the world. But Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM, spoke at a conference I was recently at over New Year's Eve, and he interpreted it differently. Were any of the disciples actually from Jerusalem? Jesus was not even from Jerusalem, and if you remember, when he did go to his hometown eventually they just ran him out of town. Jesus, the cornerstone of our faith, his ministry started far from "home." Actually, maybe only 5% of people who start their own ministry are started in their hometown. So now, the thought of me going all the way to India to do something I could very well do here, does not seem so out of whack.

I am soon setting up an account with YWAM in Tyler, TX where you can send your checks or cash that you wish to donate for my time in India. As a staff member now instead of a student, all your donations are tax-deductible and you can even have them automatically withdraw from your checking account, or pay by credit card! I still have to fill out all these forms and have my base leader sign something, but this should all be put in place by the end of March at the latest!

Of course, with all this blessing in my life there comes some hurdles. My car would not start today at all. It almost started, but then it just stopped and made some strange sound. I haven't heard from my dad yet what exactly is wrong with it, but we all think the starter is kaput. Pray that gets worked out soon because I start my new job on Monday and this weekend I need to drive back and forth to Elk River to help lead worship at The Crossing.

All this goodness happened right after I realized the need to wholly surrender my life and my desires into God's hands. He wants to take care of me, and he will take care of me, only if I let him and want him to.

Please Pray:
- the rest of my financial needs are met (maybe God is nudging you to give!)
- Car troubles.
- I'm trying for a different type of visa, there are some hurdles with this as well. I need to find an organization in India to write a letter saying I'm volunteering with them there.
- no worries or anxiety both of which I am usually the Queen.