To GOD be the Glory

Psalms 19

  The heavens declare the glory of God; 
    the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 
 Day after day they pour forth speech;
    night after night they reveal knowledge. 
 They have no speech, they use no words;
    no sound is heard from them.
 Yet their voice goes out into all the earth,
    their words to the ends of the world.

Philmont in New Mexico

This week I had the opportunity to travel with my awesome dad as he took a contingent of 97 boy scouts to trek through the mountains of New Mexico.  We left early on Saturday Morning (understand by early I mean 2am) to meet the scouts at the Sandusky Amtrack station and traveled 30 hours on the train across the country to drop the boys off at Philmont – the 137,000 acre boy scout camp that has sent boys and girls off on adventures for over 50 years. 

After dropping the scouts off and spending the night at Philmont dad and I got to take a few days to travel through New Mexico and Colorado – visiting his cousins and enjoying some father daughter time.  It was an amazing few days and being out west reminded me of a few things as I quickly approach the departure date for Vienna….

As the Rocky Mountains first appeared out of the distance and we spent the next several days driving through them you can’t help but think to yourself in Matthew 17:20 that Jesus promised that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains.  Some of these mountains are upwards of 14,000 feet…they were carved by the hand of a creator that has himself promised me that he will be faithful to me.  Support raising continues to be a wait on a miracle.  My humanity makes me worry so much that the finances will come through – but God’s creation speaks otherwise.

The Garden of the Gods

I am convinced that the Garden of the Gods in Colorado is one of the most beautiful places in the world.  The towering red rocks are eroded and shaped so beautifully against the frame of the mountains that just looking at them reminds me that God has not just a plan – but a beautiful plan.  He didn’t just create a functional world he created a beautiful one, and he has promised that his plans for me are just as well thought out and beautiful (Jerimiah 29:11).  Why worry about how God will come through when he has already promised that his plan and calling for me is shaped out?  I can be confident.

The Garden of the Gods reminds me of Job 38 :-)

My Milkshake at Whit's End

What important and timely reminders!  I am sad to leave the west but was so happy to spend the time with my dad (and eat good food, visit a cheesy Mexican restaurant with a 500lb gorilla, and have a milkshake at WHIT’S END!).  Now it’s time for the next stage!

On  Sunday I will be leaving for 2 weeks of orientation and training before my missions work in Vienna begins.  I still need 90% of my monthly support by the end of July.  The God that shaped the heavens and the earth also planned out my entire life and the call that he has on me.  Having just been reminded of the beauty and scope of his creation I know that he has this well in hand – but I do still need support – especially monthly.  If this is something you feel called to do please contact me for more information.  

Prayer

In just 8 1/2 short weeks I will be leaving to fulfill the call that God has been preparing me for my whole life...to the mission field, people, and ministry that I have felt so enormously burdened by and passionate for.  I have been in prayer about this for the past 6 months and have had so many prophetic and encouraging words spoken into me since I first felt this possibility...now it's becoming a reality and it's both terrifying and exciting beyond what mere words can express!  

However I am now entering the most terrifying part of this process.  The part that I know God is using to grow and prepare me to depend on him...but which in my human estimation is completely insurmountable.  I feel like Frodo in the Lord of the Rings and I've just been given this huge and important job to do...and I know that I will fulfill it because it's my calling...but it seems pretty insurmountable through human perception.  In faith I have left ODCS, purchased my plane ticket, accepted a job, and begun to pack up my life to move to Vienna. And yet, the move itself is entirely dependent on the support that the body of Christ provides for me.  

This call has been confirmed every step of the way both in my own heart and through the prophetic words, prayer, and encouragement that others have already been pouring into me...and the initial cost of getting to Vienna - between my own savings and what has already been donated - is on track (by my human estimation) to be almost a non-issue.  

However, the monthly pledges of support that will enable me to live overseas are still over 90% away from what they need to be in order for me to sustain my ministry.  In my human estimation this is so terrifying - but I know God will provide.  In many ways I don't know what the next step should be.  Would you pray for me and my ministry?  Pray that God encourages me and confirms what I already know - that this is his work and he will provide the way.  Also pray that those churches and individuals whom God is preparing would be enabled to pledge to support this ministry.  If you are able and feel led towards partnering with me on a monthly or quarterly basis you can go to RCE International's webpage or print out a donation card from the documents tab.  I would love to answer any questions.  

Also, if any of you followers have any Sunday School groups, churches, or other ministries that would be interested in learning more about my ministry and my heart for Vienna please contact me at abrown1429@gmail.com and I would be excited to share!  If  you and your family would like to know more and would like to meet for ice cream or a phone chat that's also something that I'm excited to do! 

I know that this is the huge step where I MUST turn everything over to God so that he can miraculously provide and grow me spiritually through this process...but knowing it and actually having peace about it are two different things.  I've got one down...now God willing...I'll get the second!

In Christ,

Amy

Last Week at ODCS

My 5th graders in Bible class on the 1st day of school!

Wow what an emotional roller coaster this last week has been!  For those of you who aren't aware, I've spent the last 4 years teaching at Open Door Christian School in Elyria, Ohio.  This is the same school that I graduated from in 2004 and I was so blessed to be called back to the school as a teacher just after college!  The school has become like a family and it was very hard to say goodbye.  I may or may not have had a good long ugly cry on Wednesday in anticipation of the final goodbye!


Amid all of my tears, however, God so blessed me with what all of these students, their parents, and the faculty of the school spoke into me in my final days.  I am reaching that point in this process where things begin to become overwhelming and it is very easy to let my faith slip and to wonder whether God was "just joking" when he called me to Austria; or whether he really has a solid plan to get my financial support together so that I can fulfill my call.  After this week, however, I am so SURE that this is what God has for me.  Each of my students that came up for a hug, some of them in tears, all said to me that they were sad to see me go, but they knew that God was going to use me to help these kids in Austria.  I have had so many encouraging words from parents, and my co-workers have all been pouring into me confirmation and encouragement.

Bye Bye Birdie sets I designed - Beautiful memories with an awesome cast and crew!

One student sent me a letter with the following two verses included:
     "Psalm 62:8 "Trust in him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge."


     "Isaiah 25:9 "In that day they will say, Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the LORD, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.” 


She assured me that these verses mean that I need to trust God, even if I'm feeling unsure or am sad, because I'm doing what he has planned for me!  Thank the Lord for these awesome kids and the way that they've blessed me!

Winter Play (2-6th grade) 2011!  The three years I directed
these shows are some of my best memories!

I'm so excited to be following God's call.  For those of you who are praying for me I so appreciate prayers in the following weeks for the following: 1.  That God brings together the financial support necessary to afford the cost of living overseas.  2. An unspoken prayer coming in the next 2 weeks that will be hugely important for support 3.  Pre-Field orientation is coming up in 3 short weeks, I'll meet the Vienna team there and am praying for that to be a really good training experience.

I hoped to have some pictures from the last week of school up but I was so busy saying goodbye I forgot to document it!  So instead I've included some pictures of great memories from this past year with my students and with things I've been involved in.  Thank you ODCS for this chapter of my life!  Who knows whether I'll be back someday but remember all of you that, "Because I knew you, I have been changed - for good"


-Amy