perfect night

...my heart is so full I really think it might burst! God is so good and always gives just what is needed. Today was my last day at work {for 11 weeks~yikes!} It felt good and weird to flip the pages of my appointment book to August and to pack up things at work. After feeling down right crummy all day {thanks to my usual pre-trip gonna get sick at some point hitting today} I was completely looking forward to a girls night of prayer planned by Laci just for me. It was EXACTLY what I needed. Small, intimate, powerful. I'm so blessed to have TRUE REAL friendships in my life. The ones that listen and move at what the Spirit tells them to do. All day friends were dropping in at the salon, giving cards, hugs and prayers and that filled my heart up. Tonight the ladies surrounded me and I sat there and tears streamed down my face and my heart burst as I heard their heart lifted up to God for this journey for me and for those I will serve with and serve. Humbled and grateful my heart just kept saying Thank You Jesus. Thank You for ALWAYS giving me just what I need, thank You for being faithful. Thank you to everyone who has gone out of their way to show me their love and support...my heart is truly full and I can't wait for all the Love of Christ inside to spill over into the lives I am being sent to. It was a perfect night!

humbled.broken.grateful.

1 Corinthians 12:12-27

New Living Translation (NLT)

One Body with Many Parts

¹² The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. ¹³ Some of us are Jews, some are Gentiles,^[a] some are slaves, and some are free. But we have all been baptized into one body by one Spirit, and we all share the same Spirit.^[b]

¹⁴ Yes, the body has many different parts, not just one part. ¹⁵ If the foot says, “I am not a part of the body because I am not a hand,” that does not make it any less a part of the body. ¹⁶ And if the ear says, “I am not part of the body because I am not an eye,” would that make it any less a part of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, how would you hear? Or if your whole body were an ear, how would you smell anything?

¹⁸ But our bodies have many parts, and God has put each part just where he wants it.¹⁹ How strange a body would be if it had only one part! ²⁰ Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. ²¹ The eye can never say to the hand, “I don’t need you.” The head can’t say to the feet, “I don’t need you.”

²² In fact, some parts of the body that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary. ²³ And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect those parts that should not be seen, ²⁴ while the more honorable parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together such that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. ²⁵ This makes for harmony among the members, so that all the members care for each other. ²⁶ If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.

²⁷ All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

I'm reminded of these Scriptures tonight as I reflect on God's provision...I cannot say it enough...seek God as to what HIS plan for you is...make sure it's HIM leading you...then, watch Him provide. I've seen way too many times {my life included} that we look at the price of what God wants us to do and then the excuses start flooding in...{I can't take off work, that cost too much, seriously, it would be ridiculous for me to do that...} Don't get me wrong, don't misread what I am saying...I'm NOT saying be foolish or a bad steward of what God has given you...what I AM saying is ...ASK HIM what He desires of your life...get CLEAR direction from HIM and when HE says GO...take the leap of faith and watch HIM provide. You won't be disappointed...I guarantee it! {if you want specific stories some time, just ask...I've got plenty to tell of His faithfulness time and time again.} 


Tonight, as I look at my blessings tree that is growing daily, I pray specifically over every name...{and even the names that aren't on there, I KNOW there are friends partnering with me on this journey...in prayer, in love, in support}....I ASK God to bless each person...more than they could ask or think...I pray that He shows them HIS faithfulness just as He has used them to show me His faithfulness...I sit here with a heart that is overwhelmed with gratitude.

I'm reminded that I AM NOTHING SPECIAL...I'm no different than any of these names...I'm humbled by so many who have said YES when God prompted them to move...I'm reminded that we All are HIS BODY...and every part of HIS body is important. I think of how each one of these lives are represented in His body...His hands {the client that quickly grabbed my hand yesterday in the midst of the salon to offer up prayer on my behalf and then 5 minutes later got to eye-witness her prayer answered}...I see His eyes {in the friend whose eyes light up with excitement every time she tells me how excited she is for my adventure}...I hear His voice {in the little voices of those who call me Tia/Aunt Amy/Mimi}...I feel the words of His heart {in EVERY sweet letter/card/text/message/email that I have received from SO MANY PEOPLE...I am embraced by HIS LOVE.}...I see His ears {in every family member and friend who has taken the time to listen to my stories...and sincerely want to hear what God is doing in my life}...I have experienced His mind {in ALL the wisdom that has been given by so many}...I see His knees {for every prayer that has been lifted up on my behalf}...and I'm humbled...broken...grateful.


You see, God is using me right now to be His feet...the one that GOes...but I couldn't GO if not for the rest of HIS body that is partnering with me...I couldn't GO if not for HIM using HIS body to provide...and all this does is make me fall to my knees and worship Him...because HE ALONE is worthy of all the praise. He is Provider. He can and will provide...all He wants is for us to say YES to HIS PLAN. I love what the verses below say..."He thought of EVERYTHING, provided for EVERYTHING we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans HE TOOK SUCH DELIGHT IN MAKING." {emphasis mine}. The GOD of this universe, Creator of the world...took delight in making plans for ME! FOR YOU! Don't you wanna know what that is??? Every day??? I sure do!...and with those plans comes provision...don't miss out! Find out what HIS PLANS FOR YOU ARE, say YES to those plans...and watch Him provide...you won't regret it!

Ephesians 1:7

The Message (MSG)

 ^7-10Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

{emphasis on Scriptures-mine}

...the time is NOW.

...when I was praying about this journey to Peru, I KNEW in my heart that I needed God's word to stand on when making the decision to go. I knew I would need it because I KNEW that the journey would not be easy. I sought for Scripture and He gave it to me, and I am so grateful He did because trust me, there have been several times where my enemy will place a seed of doubt {because of a trial of some sort} in my mind and I will immediately up root it because I KNOW God made it very clear to me that I am to GO!  God's word doesn't promise that every step we walk with Him is paved with a perfect life, no problems, no worries. No, but HE does promise that He walks every step with us and that even in hard times, there can be joy. Joy is from HIM alone, not from circumstances.


As I sit here contemplating what lies in front of me and the journey it has been to get here, I feel at rest. I KNOW I'm right where I need to be. Has it an easy road to get there? Not so much...but in every situation, I have personally seen God's hand, I have heard His voice speak stillness over my storms, I have experienced the love and support of the body of Christ in ways I never dreamed...I've been carried by His mighty right hand...and the time is NOW...I am ready to go! {no joke, bags are packed, sitting by the door!}


Sometimes, I focus too much on the difficulties around me, it seems like all there is lately is bad news. It's easy to give in to discouragement and defeat and think that there is no way out of the situation we are in {trust me, I know, this is a test I am still living out to this day...am I going to give in to defeat? or am I going to claim the Scripture I KNOW to be truth and stand in Victory?}...tonight I hear His voice saying...look up, there is hope in every hopeless situation. There is joy in the midst of sorrow. There is peace when the storm is raging...now rise up and offer that to this broken world that is hurting. I'm reminded again tonight of the words of my pastor Joey..."live a life of urgency." What does that look like. Tonight it looks like praying for those that are hurting, encouraging the broken hearted, spreading joy and hope to those who have none...{even if it's just a smile and a hello}...it's being His hands and His feet, no matter where or who. The time is NOW...how will they know if no one tells them? We have the most precious gift of all in Jesus...He is all this world needs, whether that is here at my local grocery store, or in a children's home in Peru...and living a life of urgency that ALL would know Him is what I plan to do. 


until the whole world hears,
Amy

...counting my blessings

Can I just say {as my jaw is on the ground} that GOD IS MY PROVIDER! He always has been and HE ALWAYS WILL BE. The words of a song continually echo in my head: "YOU were Faithful before, YOU'LL BE FAITHFUL AGAIN!"

As I wrote in the previous post, I HAD to have Scripture to stand on for this journey. I HAD to know that it was God leading me to do this, not my own desires. I HAD to know because I knew that once I put the money part on paper, my fears would set in...and let me tell you friends, on paper, it looks ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS for me to be stepping foot on the plane! {the ridiculous part I am referring to is being self employed and taking off 11 weeks of work with no pay...:)} BUT, let me say again...GOD IS MY PROVIDER!

I absolutely did NOT want to send out support cards...nope! My pride said..."just work a ton of extra hours, you can do this...you can make it happen!" And then God used one of my clients {thank you Shannon D.} to say..."Amy, if you don't send support cards out, then you are not letting us {others} go on this journey with you, we don't get to have a part". Well, let's just say, God used her words to kick me out of the "provider seat" that I had just gotten quite comfy in. As I was humbled, He was exalted to His proper place.

His provision began, and it has been overwhelming. Every day He has provided something for this journey, and every day I just stand in awe of how He loves. {even today, I had an anonymous very large check in my mailbox-if you're reading this and it's you...thank you!!!} I feel God's love pouring over me through His people. I feel loved and supported by so many people and I visualize every single one of them walking with me as I continue walking out the adventure in front of me. I couldn't do it without God using His people. I have learned that God is unexplainable and quite unpredictable too. I have learned that I don't want to live a life that can be explained or figured out on paper. I want to live a life that says..."yep, this looks absolutely ridiculous on paper, nearly impossible, but NOT with God." I desire to keep taking steps of reckless faith that will hopefully inspire others to walk in reckless faith too in their own journey. I don't want to miss out on 1 thing that He has planned just because my fear stood in the way. I want it ALL!

I decided to make a "countin' my blessings tree" that sits on my coffee table...a daily reminder of God's provision for me, a visual of how God is using HIS body to be a "tree of support" in my life for this journey. I'm so grateful. I cannot even put it into words...

If I could emphasize 1 thing in this post it is...PUT ALL YOUR FAITH IN THE PROVIDER. He desires to do the impossible for you too. He can be trusted...He's been faithful before, He will be Faithful again!

Reckless faith-you'll never regret it!

...God's leading to Peru 2012

...it's time...time to tell my story of the beginnings of my journey to Peru this summer.

For 2 years now, I have known that God has been preparing me for this. In January 2010, God made it very clear that it was time for me to simplify my life a bit more, sell my house, get rid of some possessions, and be FREE to follow after Him. So, I put my house on the market, I started purging out my possessions and I began a LONG wait.

Long story short, my house did not sell immediately, in fact I really thought God might of forgotten about the plan He had for me seeing as my roommates moved out and I was ALONE in the house for a little over a year. Not what I had expected.

But the year alone was good, difficult, but good. I learned to trust and depend on God in a way I hadn't been doing previously. You see, on paper, it was nearly impossible for me to afford the house payment by myself...let alone my other bills. In that year, God showed me ONCE AGAIN, that HE is my Provider. He wanted me to rely on HIM ALONE.

When I returned home from a missions trip to Peru in June 2011, I had a buyer for my home...and let's just say, life started moving...real fast!

Last November, I was on a plane back to Peru (this time to journey with my best friends to bring their long awaited adopted daughter home)...and I remember praying..."God, I NEED to hear you SCREAM what You are doing in my life. I know Scripture tells us that He speaks sometimes in a still small voice, but I was very specific with HIM and I asked Him to scream. I wanted to know exactly what He was up to. I was grateful for this 3.5 weeks to be away from home and to just get alone with Him.

The day after I arrived in Peru, we found out that again, God was moving fast and the adoption would be finalized much quicker than planned, which meant we'd only be there for 1.5 weeks...major praise! Which also allowed me to go spend 4 days at Hannah's Home {a children's home}, a place I have served at the last 4 years and have completely grown to love. Usually when I am there, I am responsible for 20+ people as I am there leading a mission trip. This time, it was just me...me and God.

The 1st night I was there I felt so alone when I was finally in my room. I remember the loneliness was nearly overwhelming. I had no phone, no internet {in my room}...and I KNOW God planned it that way. I grabbed my Bible and a stack of cards that a dear friend had given me...when I opened the 1st card there it was JEREMIAH 29:11 on the front of it...and the tears immediately filled my eyes and spilled down my face. I felt like God just grabbed me and pulled me up in His lap and said..."child, I have your story...I've got GREAT plans for you....you can trust Me!"

Jeremiah 29:11

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

I cannot tell you how many times I read and re-read that verse that night...I know I have read that verse so many times, but that night...it meant so much more than ever. It was HIS word...JUST FOR ME.

The next day, I found myself on a ladder, in a cafeteria {that I'd been in many many times} eye level, with a paint roller in hand, painting OVER....yep, JEREMIAH 29:11. Coincidence??? Don't think so...I just had to smile in my heart...God was speaking...it couldn't be more clear.

The next day I was asked to work with the children {by myself, without a translator} on making Christmas Cards for their sponsors. Ok, so I know a little spanish...I can understand it better than I can speak it, and I had 8 children that day that didn't speak much English...good times! We made it work... One-word sentences, lots of hand gestures...and lots of laughter! {mostly them laughing at me...and saying..."Hermana Amy...nooooo...."} When I was helping the youngest lil guy...I managed to ask him {in Spanish} what he wanted to write on his card...and I about fell over when he looked up at me with those big brown eyes and said in perfect English {in the sweetest lil voice} "for I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord...plans to give you a hope and a future." {tears again and jaw on the ground}...I looked at him and said..."Jeremiah 29:11???"...."si! si!" he replied.

Really??? Let's see here...writing on the wall, now a audible voice...hmmmmmm...God's speaking?, um at this point, I think He was raising His voice at me...:)

...that night, I was back in my room, and I had brought a book to Peru with me that I'd been wanting to read that one of my client's had given me several months prior and I just hadn't had time. Wouldn't you know that very night the place I was at in the book was talking about Jeremiah 29:11-14

I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for. ¹²"When you call on me, when you come and pray to me, I'll listen. ^13-14"When you come looking for me, you'll find me. "Yes, when you get serious about finding me and want it more than anything else, I'll make sure you won't be disappointed." God's Decree. "I'll turn things around for you. I'll bring you back from all the countries into which I drove you"—God's Decree—"bring you home to the place from which I sent you off into exile. You can count on it.

God talking loudly??? YES!

I decided to get serious about finding Him...I wanted it all...everything He had prepared for me...I began asking Him to show me every step to take...

That Sunday, we went to church in Lima. Wouldn't you know...there was a visiting pastor from the states...preaching in English...and part of his message was on JEREMIAH 29:11-14...ok, at this point I am really laughing out loud, through my tears...and I just had to look up and smile because God was answering my prayer...He was SCREAMING at me that He already had things written for me...and He was revealing them.

{While I was at the children's home earlier that week, I was asked to pray about an opportunity for Summer 2012. An opportunity to co-lead a missions discipleship program for college age students...for 8 weeks. I wanted to say YES immediately, but I knew that with a decision like this, I needed to KNOW this is what God wanted and I needed Him to confirm it in Scripture. So again, I was seriously asking God to show me and make it very clear that this is what He had for me.}

2 days prior to leaving Peru, I went to borrow {Laci's} ipod charger that was in her room at the apartment we were staying at in Lima. It was laying right on top of her journal that just "happened" to have JEREMIAH 29:11 engraved on the front of it...it makes me laugh even now to remember that moment. I picked it up, put it in Laci's face and said..."do ya think God is trying to say something to me???" and then He reminded me..."uh, you asked me to SCREAM at you...member?" :) oh, yah...ok. :)

So, fast forward...I get back home, and I began to search Scripture, pray and discern about this opportunity. I remember one day, I received a text from a friend saying she was praying that God would make it very clear to me what I was supposed to do...that day when I was reading in Ephesians this verse stuck out to me...

Ephesians 1:16-17

But I do more than thank. I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers,

I asked Him to make my eyes focused and clear so I could see EXACTLY what He was leading me towards...

2 days later, I received an email from Jim {in Peru} telling me that he had the packet of info about the summer program, and did I want to see it, he understood if I didn't, he didn't want to persuade my decision. I told him to go ahead and send it...

That night, when I was reading again in Ephesians I read these verses...and then sat straight up in bed when I realized what God was saying to me...

^1-3In light of all this, here's what I want you to do. While I'm locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don't want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don't want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences.

^4-6You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.

I WANT YOU TO GET OUT THERE AND WALK, BETTER YET RUN ON THE ROAD GOD HAS CALLED YOU TO TRAVEL...

It couldn't be more clear...

The next morning, I emailed Jim and TKay in Peru to tell them my decision was YES!

I kid you not, as soon as I sent the email to them, Jim's email WITH the packet of information came back to me...it was as if God was saying...the decision was between Me and you...and He didn't want anything to cloud it. Because after reading the packet...I was 10x more excited about the opportunity that was in front of me...

So, fast forward to today...I am both feet in in preparing for this journey and I am eagerly anticipating this adventure!

I will be co-leading this program with David M. and God has given us 7 college girls who will be spending 8 weeks with us in Peru as we live in community and serve with Jim, TKay, the ChildReach Staff and children at Hannah's. I am humbled and excited that I GET TO invest my life and the experiences that God has given me into these girls lives. Our summer will be focused on discipleship through missions along with studying the book of Romans as we learn who God is, what He wants us to be, and what He desires to do with our individual lives.

I covet your prayers for our team.

I will use this blog to update my journey prior to going and while I am there. I'm so grateful for all the encouragement and support I have already received...I am blessed.

Mission to Peru: May 20-August 4

Resting in HIS Faithfulness, definitely NOT disappointed, and COUNTING on Him to keep surprising me with HIS AMAZING PLAN! {Jeremiah 29:11-14}

~Amy

my story

I could have chosen to be a victim, I was voted my senior year of high school, "first to get married and have a family"...it's almost as if right then in that moment God said..."really? Are you sure you don't want MY plans for you?"

I'm 33 years old and so far, that has not been God's plan for my life.

Has it been easy? No.

Have I struggled with being content? All the time, ask those who know me best.

Do I get lonely? You really have no idea.

But I CHOOSE to be a Victor...

I choose to believe that God knows me better than I know myself and He has GREAT plans for me.

I will never forget being at

a church service in 1999, where on my knees I prayed and said, "God, if it is just me and You the rest of my life, then I'm ok with that."

I surrendered. I gave Him my dreams of being a wife, my desire to be a mother

...I gave up MY PLANS.

Little did I know the great exchange that was taking place.

My plans...for HIS PERFECT PLAN for me.

I began to say yes, as I heard His voice say..."I want you to go and serve Me by serving others." I've had the privilege of serving not only at home in my community, but in 7 other countries around the world, some of them multiple times. He has taken me more places in life than I never dreamed possible, I have literally traveled to the ends of the earth to share His love.

Not only have I been able to go and serve, I have come to know and live out my identity in Christ. I know that God has made me to serve and to lead others to serve. At Gateway Church I have had the opportunity to do both. God has used others to mentor me and show me how to use my gifts to their fullest. I have had many opportunities to share my passion in missions and pass it on to others.

God has used family and friends to fill voids that are overwhelming at times. He has given me SO MANY children to love, and so many friends who let me love their children. He continually fills the times of loneliness with more of Himself.

Some people think I choose to be single, no, I choose to follow hard after what God wants for my life.

I choose to believe that He already has my story written, and, I choose to daily surrender my plans so I can get lined up with HIS PERFECT PLAN which satisfies my heart like nothing else can.

As I continue on this journey of life, I hope to always say as Jesus did in the garden, 'Not my will, but Yours God."

Faithful

Faithful. The word keeps resounding through my head this morning. It's a word I use some what on a daily basis, yet today it has an extra special meaning. Dictionary.com defines the word Faithful as "true to one's word, promises or vows. Reliable."

Yep. That's my GOD! He's true to His word...His promises, His vows...HE IS RELIABLE! And today, I saw with my own eyes, HIS FAITHFULNESS.

This particular story of God's Faithfulness began 4+ years ago. I remember sitting at the same kitchen table I sat at this morning. My dear friends, Larry and Laci Thurn had me over with some others to share with us what God was doing in their hearts, how God was stirring their lives to become a part of HIS great plan of adoption. I remember thinking...WOW! How awesome would this be. I remember Larry saying "this is nothing like we had planned for our lives, we're just supposed to make a difference in the life of a child."

4+ years and the wait is finally over. I have seen God's Faithfulness woven like a piece of thread through every step of this journey. I have seen His FAITHFULNESS in provision for the adoption. He's been faithful in all the small and big victories. I have seen HIS faithfulness in the valleys of discouragement and the mountain tops of joy. He's proven He IS RELIABLE, HE ALWAYS delivers what HE HAS promised. His word is true when HE says "if you obey Me, I will bless you..."~Deut. 28 I have seen Him dump truckloads of blessings on this precious family. I even saw His faithfulness in the simplicity of a song playing on the radio yesterday{My God will come through always} as it played as Laci was leaving her last day of work...you see, it was the very same song that was playing the day that Laci got the call that they had finally been placed with a child, coincidence? Absolutely NOT! God's faithfulness? Undeniable!

And today I was reminded once again of HIS FAITHFULNESS as I saw 2 of my best friends off at the airport...going to finally get their daughter. As I drove away from the airport driving straight towards the most beautiful sunrise I heard HIM say..."do you see, Amy, I AM Faithful. It is MY NAME, it is Who I AM, I cannot be anything else." It was as if I had this rewinding take place as I mentally walked through the steps of this journey...His reliability has been at every step. He has NEVER once failed, His timing has been perfect. And in my heart, I felt my own faith take a HUGE step. For this same God is writing my own story, ALL of OUR STORIES and His SAME FAITHFULNESS is weaving in and out of every single detail of our lives. Contrary to the lies we are fed, HE has NOT fallen asleep in writing our story, He hasn't stepped out for a coffee break or gotten side-tracked. HE is however, FULLY AWARE of EVERY detail and HE IS working them out for HIS GLORY and our good, in HIS TIME. I have seen first hand that the wait is WORTH IT.

Romans 8:28

That's why we can be so sure that

every detail in our lives of love for God

is worked into something good.

Wherever you find yourself on your faith journey today, my prayer for all those who read this is that you would KNOW that there is a God Who is Faithful and He desires to prove HIS Faithfulness in every detail of our lives if we will just trust Him with our lives and KNOW that no matter what, He has got it all planned and HE will NEVER fail! I pray that the story He has written for The Thurn Family will inspire you to trust Him with your story. You can follow more of their adoption journey at www.thethurnfamily.blogspot.com