Write Now

Last week my boss asked me if I wanted to write a brief "memo" for the AG Mission, the monthly employee newsletter for headquarters employees. Usually the executive leadership team is featured in this column, but I guess there was some miscommunication about whose turn it was in February and instead of featuring an exec, somehow I ended up filling the spot. My boss, Dan, wanted to give me a chance to share my preparations for Thailand with a larger audience and I really appreciate his support. The issue is hot off the presses today and I suppose it will be delivered to employees this afternoon.

I really did pray as I was writing this. I wanted to convey what God's been teaching me and hopefully it will encourage others. (And let's just hope my first few lines don't offend anyone.)

So here it is, the February 2008 Mission Memo:

It all adds up

Can I make a confession? As an Evangel student, I firmly stated, “I will never work at Headquarters.” At the time, it seemed too cliché: graduate from an AG school and work at AG Headquarters.

But through a course of events that I can truly say was God directing my path, a few weeks after graduating last May, I was working as summer staff in AGWM. And now, since November, I’ve been an assistant editor in the Office of Public Relations.

Not only did God provide finances and a great work environment with both jobs, they’ve been preparing me for a call He gave me almost one year ago.

When I look back and see how God has guided me the past few years, I’m amazed how decisions that seemed minor at the time have had life-impacting results.

One of those decisions was to take an extra Bible class my last semester at Evangel, simply because I enjoyed the professor and needed that amount of credits to be a full-time student. Little did I know that as a result of taking that class, the professor would ask me to pray about becoming a missionary associate.

In October (well, depending on the unpredictable nature of itineration), I will leave Headquarters to spend a year in Thailand as an MA. I’ll still have the title “assistant editor”, but for Women’s Connection Asia, an outreach magazine developed by missionary Michele Dove.

As I work on articles here in OPR, I wonder what seemingly inconsequential experiences will take on new significance in light of the ministry opportunities I’ll encounter in Thailand. I believe that through the two positions I’ve held at Headquarters, God is preparing me, strengthening me spiritually and sharpening my abilities.

Ephesians 2:10 says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Aren’t you thankful that, whether we are aware of it at the time or not, God is shaping us for the good works he has in store?

Ice Day

Well, I work up this morning to the sound of ice hitting my window, but didn't think much of it. However, when I went to leave for work, my car was caked in ice and it was still coming down really hard. I didn't have a good feeling about driving to work, so I called in to take the morning off without pay (I have to save my vacation days for pre field orientation and friends' weddings). Then about ten minutes ago, I got the call that headquarters was actually shutting down for the day- something that apparently never happens.

So, it's very nice to have a day off work, but, the forecasters are saying this could be ice storm part two. Oh Springfield weather. It's crazy out. There's lighting and thunder, but then tons of ice coming down. 

Brrr... I'm thankful for blankets and slippers today.

Love is in the Air

Well, the highlight of this past weekend for me (better than receiving a Thai-English dictionary and seeing Tom Brady get pummeled) was hearing that one of my best friends is now engaged! Yay! I'm so happy for Melissa and Shawn. They are both so great and Springfield won't be the same when they move to North Carolina.



But until then, I can look forward to the fun of being a bridesmaid for the first time in my life! I can't wait! I feel honored to be a part of Melissa's special day and I have to admit that I'm a dork and have already looked online at bridesmaid dresses. July 19th will be a wonderful day!