It is Monday July 21st, and I my target date to leave is still August 1st or 2nd. That's a week and a half away. I have about a million things to do before then. If i divide a million things over ten days, that's about 100,000 per day. Writing this new post is one so that leaves roughly 99,999 things left to do today. Yeah, I've been busy.
As far as my support goes, by my own calculations, I'm around 70% right now. That leaves about $500 per month left. I'm allowed to get my plane ticket at 80% so I'm getting close. Over the past weeks and months, my feelings have ranged from encouragement and confidence that God will raise up people to get me to 100% and discouragement and hopelessness, knowing there's no earthly way I can ever raise that much money. But there's nothing to do the whole way but trust God, and my mind is being blown right now as I watch God faithfully working for me and watch His people rise up and allow both them and me to be blessed. God is good!
As I've told a couple people, my packing level is more like 0%. I've got a list a mile long of people I want to connect with for lunch or a coffee before I leave, and my connect for lunch level is at about 20%. My organize my things I'm leaving behind level is also 0%. My odds and ends list and little details I need to take care of level is at maybe 10%.
So I will leave you with this post for now and go find something else to do. But be encouraged! I'm still hoping to be able to leave very close to my target date, which is something I wasn't sure would be possible. Thank you for reading and for being a part of this adventure with me.
"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God."
Psalm 20:7
Monday, July 21, 2008
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Fine, I'll start a blog
I don't even like blogs. They don't interest me. But as I get ready to embark on a journey that leads me out of the comfort of the States, I might as well get used to trying new things. Several people have suggested I look into getting a blog, and I am ready to give in and take their recommendation. It seems to be a good option for you (my family, friends, people praying for me, people supporting me financially, anyone interested) to stay updated on me and my ministry and what's going on. So I submit to you my first blog.
As this is my first post, I suppose I need to lay out everything that is going on. In less than a month (Lord willing) I will be in Germany as a missionary serving at Black Forest Academy. BFA is a boarding school for missionary kids that exists to provide a quality, international Christian education that equips its students to influence their world through biblical thought, character, and action. I will be working as an RA (Resident Assistant) and living in a dorm with a bunch of high school guys. My job will involve helping with their daily needs like cooking, laundry, and driving. I will also get a chance as an RA to build relationships with the students, showing them the love of Christ and helping them to grow. This is the part that I'm really excited about! Now it seems like you know nearly as much as I do about the coming months.
Like I mentioned, I am going over as a missionary, and I'm raising all of my own support. This is the part that's scary - not the fact that I'm moving to another country away from everything that I know. I have to raise about $1800 per month for the next two years. As I write I have raised approximately $700 per month. That's about 40% (I'm allowed to leave once I have at least 80%). I'm supposed to fly over around August 1st so I should try to have my support in by mid-July. That's about a week or so from now. Does the last $1100 per month that I have to raise represent a lot of money? Yes. Is it too much for God? No. Do I know where all of that money is going to come from? No. Does God? Yes. A lot of you probably haven't had to raise support before, but trust me, it is a stretching experience. But I feel that God has called me to serve Him in Germany, and now I have to trust that He will get me there. I am committed to taking joy in watching God raise up the people whom He has already appointed to partner with me in my ministry. Slowly, more people are committing to help me, and I am crawling closer and closer to Germany. Never before to this degree have I been forced to admit that I am helpless and just trust God, and it feels good. I will try to post again soon to keep you updated. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your prayers! God bless!
In His service,
Brandon
As this is my first post, I suppose I need to lay out everything that is going on. In less than a month (Lord willing) I will be in Germany as a missionary serving at Black Forest Academy. BFA is a boarding school for missionary kids that exists to provide a quality, international Christian education that equips its students to influence their world through biblical thought, character, and action. I will be working as an RA (Resident Assistant) and living in a dorm with a bunch of high school guys. My job will involve helping with their daily needs like cooking, laundry, and driving. I will also get a chance as an RA to build relationships with the students, showing them the love of Christ and helping them to grow. This is the part that I'm really excited about! Now it seems like you know nearly as much as I do about the coming months.
Like I mentioned, I am going over as a missionary, and I'm raising all of my own support. This is the part that's scary - not the fact that I'm moving to another country away from everything that I know. I have to raise about $1800 per month for the next two years. As I write I have raised approximately $700 per month. That's about 40% (I'm allowed to leave once I have at least 80%). I'm supposed to fly over around August 1st so I should try to have my support in by mid-July. That's about a week or so from now. Does the last $1100 per month that I have to raise represent a lot of money? Yes. Is it too much for God? No. Do I know where all of that money is going to come from? No. Does God? Yes. A lot of you probably haven't had to raise support before, but trust me, it is a stretching experience. But I feel that God has called me to serve Him in Germany, and now I have to trust that He will get me there. I am committed to taking joy in watching God raise up the people whom He has already appointed to partner with me in my ministry. Slowly, more people are committing to help me, and I am crawling closer and closer to Germany. Never before to this degree have I been forced to admit that I am helpless and just trust God, and it feels good. I will try to post again soon to keep you updated. Thank you for reading, and thank you for your prayers! God bless!
In His service,
Brandon
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