Of Closing Doors and Breezy Windows

Hello Good Friends!

If you have not been informed yet I would like to let you know that my trip to Serbia for the year has been postponed for a year or two. The Lord has very clearly asked me to remain where I am for the time being. This instruction has come with much pain and tears, and many hours of crying out to God (literally) about what I should do and why I wasn't clear about it sooner. I assure that I would not abandon this project which my heart is so fully connected to, and complete inseparably from, with out being 100% positive that it was the Lord's clear and direct instruction to do so. As it is I yet have hope as the Lord has also made it clear that I will be there eventually, and probably for an extended time. So the Lord has closed this door.

The good news is that He has also opened a window. Because I am staying here I have at least one whole year more to invest on my campus at CSU-Pueblo. This is particularly good news because our school now has a football team which has caused our enrollment to sky rocket! There is so much more work for us to do on campus than there ever has been before. I am so excited for the opportunities that await for this coming year. It's going to be fabulous.

There is another consequence to this turn of events. The other woman that I was supposed to room with in Serbia will not be allowed to go to Serbia either as there are no other women going. That has been sad for she and I both, but the Lord has a plan. At this point there are no American female leaders for the Crusade ministry in Serbia. This has certainly caused some distress for the men who will be going as there is no one to help lead the women! However, I feel that this is God's hand at work again and that He has a clear plan to have the Serbian women take ownership of the ministry there to their own people! I must say, that is a dream come true, although it's come true much more quickly than any of us expected. God has clearly pulled the foreign women (like myself) out of the picture for ministry in Serbia of the next year, and I firmly believe that it is because He wants these beautiful Serbian women to take up the mantel. Something which quite literally brings tears to my eyes and songs of praise to my lips. I don't think it could be any sweeter than this.

As for myself, I am still under a great deal of stress. Most of those who have supported me financially have decided to continue supporting the ministry even though I'm not going, PRAISE GOD!!! However I am now in a very, very difficult position. My Dad has decided fairly definitely that it's time to close the business, a difficult and yet some how releasing decision for him. We'll be shutting down in October. This leaves me in a precarious place. I am trying to get into school, I am registered for my classes purely by the grace of God, but I have positively no way to pay for it. At the very least I need $600 by the 20th in order to go to school HALF time, if I want to go FULL time I need $900. I simply have no way to procure that kind of wealth. I didn't realize I should have been support raising for school! ;) Also, I am in dire need of finding employment, which if you've ever attempted such a thing in Pueblo you are well aware it's extremely difficult. I've sent out a half dozen applications today and tomorrow I intend to go out in person and see if there is anything I can do. This also creates a problem for my involvement in Crusade this semester, I'm not sure if I'll be able to do leadership this year, which I believe is where I will need to be.

Please be praying for my situation at this time, that the Lord would show his power of abundance and provide a way for me go to school full time and have a job and still be able to serve His ministry all at the same time. I truly appreciate your prayer and support. I'm still praising God for what He's doing and how He's been faithful to lead me this summer. Be blessed!