March Newsletter
"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls, For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" – Matthew 11:28-30
This verse has popped up in several ways over the last few months and I wanted to share how God has used this to teach me during this season. This season of support raising has its ups and downs, but reading this verse reminded me that even though it can be hard, I have a gentle and humble God who calls me to rest in Him. He knows exactly what I struggle with and as I anchor myself to Him, He will guide me through every challenge I face. There is grace in the midst of the struggles.
My year so far
At the beginning of the year, I moved in with the Stokes. They are an amazing family from Springfield that I met through my church. They graciously invited me into their home as I continue to build connections and raise support in the Springfield area. It has been such a blessing to get to know them and see how God has been at the center of their family.
January and February were spent getting settled back into a routine and making lots of phone calls. I was able to get quite a few meetings towards the end of February and into March.
March was full of exciting opportunities!
Towards the beginning of March, I was able to go in front of the Kids Life at my church. During that time I was able to share with the kids what missions look like, where I will be going, and why I am going into missions. It was so much fun to get to share what I will be doing and answer all of the AMAZING questions the kids asked me! We played a super fun game that the team in Hungary taught me and all of the kids were able to go home with this fun packet that talks about the kids in Hungary to share with their families.
During Spring Break, I had the opportunity to travel to Greenwood, Indiana where the One Mission Society Headquarters is located. While I was there, I met so many wonderful people that I have been communicating with over email/zoom, as well as some new faces! At the end of the first day, I was able to help at their Family Fun Night where we made tie blankets for children in need! It was such a great experience to hear more about how OMS started and some of the incredible things that are happening within the organization and around the world.
During the last week in March, my church held a week dedicated to Missions and Missionaries. At the end of all three services on Sunday, I had the opportunity to get up in front of the congregation to talk about how God has been calling me to serve in full-time cross-cultural missions. I was also invited to host one of the tables for the Missions Dinner that evening. During this time, I was able to meet with other members of my church and talk more in-depth about Hungary and the preschool where I will be teaching there. It was so amazing to see all of the love & support that I have from my church. I have felt so encouraged by every single person that prayed over me or pulled me aside to talk throughout the day.
God has been doing amazing things in my heart and life to draw me closer to Him these past few months. Through the scriptures I've been reading, the conversations I have had, and the connections I have made, I have seen God leading every step of the way. He is so good! God continues to give me those constant reminders, exactly when I need them the most. I am so excited to continue to be changed by Him as I raise my support and ultimately transition to the field. I know that no matter what, He is providing exactly what I need at exactly the right time.
Support Raising Update
I have hit the 11% mark of my monthly goal & have reached 46% of my Lump-Sum goal
Praises
- That the preschool project has hit 100% of its funding goal & the team is in the legal process of purchasing an amazing building
- The increase in my required monthly and lump-sum support
- New connections within my church and community in Springfield
Prayer Requests
- That I will continue to make great connections with old and new friends and that many will prayerfully consider supporting my future ministry.
- I will be starting to disciple a college-age girl in April. Please pray for wisdom to lead well during our time together.
You can support my mission here:
