When God Opens a Door....
Why a Missionary?
When I was a little girl, about eight or nine, a woman missionary from Africa came and spoke at our church and had even brought artifacts from the tribe she worked with. When she allowed me to hold a wood carving in my hand the place she spoke of became real to me, and in that moment I knew that one day I would be a missionary in Africa. When I grew older my visions of serving in Africa were mostly working with tribes in the Central or Southern regions. My ambitions were always to help serve in the medical centers, teach hygiene, dig wells and build irrigation systems, work with orphanages, and teaching the Word of God [and living it] wherever I went and whatever I did.
But if Africa is known for anything it is not just its Safari's. It is the poverty, sickness, deformities, blood diamonds, starvation and violence. South African friends of mine have also described how open and strong spiritual warfare is in their country. To go bring the Word of God to so much hostility is not to be taken lightly. And God does not send His children into the midst of battle untrained. I have been praying for years asking the Lord to help prepare me for whatever He was calling me into.
DTS
Despite the passion in my heart to go into foreign missions and serve in Africa, I never went anywhere except serve with the church and a few local mission trips growing up. My parents separated when I was 12, and we moved in with my Gran in Texas. When I was 17 my mother was disabled with a severe heart condition. I would spend the following years providing for and taking care of my mother and Gran until their deaths. Gran passed away in 2010 and my mother in 2013.
It was during my grief that the Lord opened the door for me to Discipleship Training School in Harpenden, England April-Sept 2014. During the first 12 weeks we studied various spiritual topics like 'Holy Spirit, Father Heart of God, Evangelism, Forgiveness,' etc. We also had weekly worship, prayer meetings, small groups, work duties, and served with some local churches and projects. It was a wonderful time spent getting 'to know God' more.
The second half of DTS was outreach in Brazil where we took all that we had learned and applied it to serving in various places, churches, projects, communities, etc. in over seven different locations. We did nearly everything from working on the streets with homeless, to ministering to drug lords, to teaching English. It was a time of 'making God known' to others. It was a life-changing experience for me mentally and spiritually. And it was also during DTS that the Lord confirmed that the time had come for me to serve in the foreign mission field.
Upon returning to the States after our graduation I pulled out my possessions from storage and relinquished all that I owned that did not fit into my three suitcases. I knew that it would probably not be an immediate process to jump right in, but I didn't want any of my material possessions to have a hold on me. I was preparing for the first step of committing myself to go 'wherever/whenever.' Little did I realize that my first assignment would be in Las Vegas where I would work with a local church and community.
So, Why SBS?
What Will SBS Be Like?
Before Esther was brought to the king she underwent a full year of preparation. Six months of a very intense purification regimen followed by six months of cosmetic treatments. There was no missing appointments or skimping on anything. It was a complete overhaul of her body inside and out. In many ways, that is how I see SBS. Only SBS will be a complete overhaul of my mind and spirit. It will be an extremely difficult year for me. I know that. But it is one I eagerly anticipate!
SBS will involve 9-10 hours of class three days a week back-to-back. We will read through the Bible five to six times plus additional books. The assignments will be heavy. There will also be six hours of work duties on the base, and 3-4 hours of worship and intercessory prayer times. Including homework I was told to expect to put in 40+ hours a week. That does not include the personal struggles of the heart, mind and body. SBS challenges both the mental and spiritual side. It is a time to put oneself on the altar, be broken and crushed, but to also be renewed and overflowing with God's truth, mercy and love.
What Happens After SBS?
After SBS is over, a couple of months following is The Titus Project(TTP), a three month program which will train SBS graduates how to become teachers of what they have learned. You can click on the TTP to read more about it.
When, Where and How Much?
SBS begins every September in Baja California, Mexico. The school will also extend to Israel where we will walk in the same places Jesus walked and learn first-hand about the country our Lord and Savior choose to come from as a human. You can click on this link and learn more about SBS, the base, and what I will be doing there.
The entire cost for the SBS is $11,000. These fees include schooling, books, health/accident insurance, plane fare to/from Israel, room and board. There is an option to donate directly to the school base for my fees. You can follow this link for instructions.
If you prefer to send support directly to me I have an account with a Outreach Christian Fellowship who will also send annual reports for tax purposes, or I have a PayPal account.
I appreciate any and all donations to help make this possible.
It is something I researched and prayed over a great deal, and it is something I know He wants me to do. I am a soldier in training. I have the necessary weapons and armor to go into battle, but I need to learn the proper way to use them. Even armor is no good if you expose the vulnerable spots to the enemy to pierce through. Everything the Lord is doing in my life now is to prepare me to help make way for His Kingdom. And I know He will never stop doing His work in me, and I pray, through me.
What Happens Now?
I have been serving this whole summer in Las Vegas and learning, serving in the community and working with youth in local missions and VBS. I have also shared my testimony with churches and small groups.
I finally set up my own website full of my mission trips, my beliefs, fundraisers and information. I am even in the midst of making a couple of fundraising trips as well as trying to raise money to feed children in various third world countries through a company called Xango that has developed a meal pack to help starving children to receive proper nourishment.
SBS begins in less than a month, and I have not yet raised all the funds. They do accept the fees in payments throughout the trimester, and I would like to have all of it paid off as soon as possible. So, even after SBS begins on Sept 24th you can still send funds to help pay. This is a very important time for me as I prepare to serve full-time in the foreign missions field.
When I was a little girl, about eight or nine, a woman missionary from Africa came and spoke at our church and had even brought artifacts from the tribe she worked with. When she allowed me to hold a wood carving in my hand the place she spoke of became real to me, and in that moment I knew that one day I would be a missionary in Africa. When I grew older my visions of serving in Africa were mostly working with tribes in the Central or Southern regions. My ambitions were always to help serve in the medical centers, teach hygiene, dig wells and build irrigation systems, work with orphanages, and teaching the Word of God [and living it] wherever I went and whatever I did.But if Africa is known for anything it is not just its Safari's. It is the poverty, sickness, deformities, blood diamonds, starvation and violence. South African friends of mine have also described how open and strong spiritual warfare is in their country. To go bring the Word of God to so much hostility is not to be taken lightly. And God does not send His children into the midst of battle untrained. I have been praying for years asking the Lord to help prepare me for whatever He was calling me into.
DTS
Despite the passion in my heart to go into foreign missions and serve in Africa, I never went anywhere except serve with the church and a few local mission trips growing up. My parents separated when I was 12, and we moved in with my Gran in Texas. When I was 17 my mother was disabled with a severe heart condition. I would spend the following years providing for and taking care of my mother and Gran until their deaths. Gran passed away in 2010 and my mother in 2013.The second half of DTS was outreach in Brazil where we took all that we had learned and applied it to serving in various places, churches, projects, communities, etc. in over seven different locations. We did nearly everything from working on the streets with homeless, to ministering to drug lords, to teaching English. It was a time of 'making God known' to others. It was a life-changing experience for me mentally and spiritually. And it was also during DTS that the Lord confirmed that the time had come for me to serve in the foreign mission field.
So, Why SBS?
"Finally, be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength. Put on the full armor of God so that you can stand against the tactics of the Devil. For our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. This is why you must take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and having prepared everything, to take your stand.
Stand, therefore,
with truth like a belt around your waist,
righteousness like armor on your chest,
and your feet sandaled with readiness
for the gospel of peace.
In every situation take the shield of faith,
and with it you will be able to extinguish
all the flaming arrows of the evil one.
Take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is God’s word.
Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert in this with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints."
-Ephesians 6:10-18 (HCSB)
It was actually in the beginning of my DTS that I first learned about the School of Biblical Studies (SBS). I watched a video about it and my heart was pulled towards the mission of SBS. But I had just begun DTS and knew that I had to focus on that for the present and set SBS aside to look at later. After graduation I pulled the information back out and spent time researching and praying about it. As I said, I had asked the Lord for years to prepare me for my calling, and I felt strongly that SBS was the answer to that prayer. I sought out others counseling and prayer as well. Everyone I spoke with agreed that it seemed like the Lord was leading me to SBS.
What Will SBS Be Like?
Before Esther was brought to the king she underwent a full year of preparation. Six months of a very intense purification regimen followed by six months of cosmetic treatments. There was no missing appointments or skimping on anything. It was a complete overhaul of her body inside and out. In many ways, that is how I see SBS. Only SBS will be a complete overhaul of my mind and spirit. It will be an extremely difficult year for me. I know that. But it is one I eagerly anticipate!
SBS will involve 9-10 hours of class three days a week back-to-back. We will read through the Bible five to six times plus additional books. The assignments will be heavy. There will also be six hours of work duties on the base, and 3-4 hours of worship and intercessory prayer times. Including homework I was told to expect to put in 40+ hours a week. That does not include the personal struggles of the heart, mind and body. SBS challenges both the mental and spiritual side. It is a time to put oneself on the altar, be broken and crushed, but to also be renewed and overflowing with God's truth, mercy and love.What Happens After SBS?
After SBS is over, a couple of months following is The Titus Project(TTP), a three month program which will train SBS graduates how to become teachers of what they have learned. You can click on the TTP to read more about it.
When, Where and How Much?
SBS begins every September in Baja California, Mexico. The school will also extend to Israel where we will walk in the same places Jesus walked and learn first-hand about the country our Lord and Savior choose to come from as a human. You can click on this link and learn more about SBS, the base, and what I will be doing there.
The entire cost for the SBS is $11,000. These fees include schooling, books, health/accident insurance, plane fare to/from Israel, room and board. There is an option to donate directly to the school base for my fees. You can follow this link for instructions.
If you prefer to send support directly to me I have an account with a Outreach Christian Fellowship who will also send annual reports for tax purposes, or I have a PayPal account.
I appreciate any and all donations to help make this possible.
It is something I researched and prayed over a great deal, and it is something I know He wants me to do. I am a soldier in training. I have the necessary weapons and armor to go into battle, but I need to learn the proper way to use them. Even armor is no good if you expose the vulnerable spots to the enemy to pierce through. Everything the Lord is doing in my life now is to prepare me to help make way for His Kingdom. And I know He will never stop doing His work in me, and I pray, through me.
What Happens Now?
I have been serving this whole summer in Las Vegas and learning, serving in the community and working with youth in local missions and VBS. I have also shared my testimony with churches and small groups.
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