Overwhelmed

The last several weeks have been constant change. The five days I took to drive across the states from Washington to Michigan was a fun adventure. I loved the hours in the car listening to one CD after the next. Seeing sights and country that I've never seen before, thanking God for the creation and that I have this opportunity to see it. Eventually the tunes got old and I would talk to my mom on the phone as well as my sister. The last couple days got heavy and more difficult to enjoy the more tired I became. I arrived in Michigan on Friday night after my most trying day of driving (toll roads, construction, and Chicago). I had lots of catch up time as I saw one person after another. It was good to catch up with old friends and reminisce at the place I'd spent the last two years. 

As I left for Canada on Wednesday morning I felt nauseous and not ready to face the day. Despite feeling ill I made it to the school in Canada that evening complete with a school visa. I then settled in knowing I'd spend the next year and a half of my life here. I knew this was everything I'd been planning and praying for and now as I was finally here all I could do was fight back a mess of tears. I was completely uncomfortable and nothing was familiar. (Let me clarify so you don't get me wrong everyone here is friendly and I love it, the apartment is beautiful and like I said it was everything I'd been working toward.) It was just like all my insecurities and struggles where just under the surface like an ugly zit on my forehead just about to burst. I was so overwhelmed with all the things I'd seen, and all the conversations I'd had. 

My second evening here I finally had a moment where it was all about me and I just cried laying all of me on the table, all of my insecurities - I'm not the one to do this, I can't, this is crazy, there are so many more qualified people in this world, why me, ect.

So to reflect on what I was feeling and still do feel in a form, I'm overwhelmed by the weakness of myself. During the summer I heard about the strength that other Christians have, I watched them parade it like a prize. That was exactly the problem though, it wasn't about what they have or what I don't have. It's about Christ. How I feel about others is a constant heart check of where my eyes are. Are they on the temporary things of this world or are they on Christ?

I am overwhelmed by Christ and that's why I choose to follow Him to missions training and to the mission field. Not because I'm strong, many are stronger than I am. Not even because of compassion for lost people. No, I don't go because of who I am. I go because of who God is and what He has done for me and every person on this planet. Christ gave His life for us, he paid the punishment and if I can trust Him with my salvation then I can certainly trust Him with the next year and a half in Canada, and wherever He leads from here. His strength is enough and I go not because I have a strength to parade but because God has a strength to be paraded. To God be the glory, great things He has done.

So in summary of the last month, I am overwhelmed with many things as I transition to the next chapter of missions but I am more overwhelmed by God and His greatness.

Prayer

• Praise God for getting me here safely and with all the necessary papers
• Praise God for the people here who have made me feel at home
• Praise God for how He has been working in my heart
• Please continue to pray for my growth here at school
• Please pray that I would completely rely on God as He continues to grow me. That I would have confidence in who He is as I find myself to be lacking.

Thank you for your continued support as the body of Christ.

-Josephine

Graduated!

On May 14th I graduated from New Tribes Bible institute. The two years at this school has gone by fast. As I look back on my time I am impressed with how God has been growing me to trust Him more and more every day. The two years have been characteristic of God showing me how great and faithful He is and how fallen and frail I am. I already miss the good fellowship I had with fellow students, but I know God will provide a community of believers for each of us where we are going next.

I've talked a lot about going to the New Tribes Training Center in Missouri. Plans have changed slightly. I will be continuing on with New Tribes training but in a different location. I will be going to the training center in Canada instead of the USA location. The place I will be attending is called Emanate, it's the Canadian New Tribes training center. For the most part it is the same training with some minor differences. The class size for this Fall is about 15 students. The training is three semesters in length. This training also has a month of jungle camp which the Missouri location doesn't have, this will be a good way to put into practice a lot of the planning and basic living that will be helpful on the field. I am planning to drive to the training center which is about 40 hours drive from my parents home in Washington. I'm still working out a lot of details of this trip, but I'm excited about this next chapter in my life.

 I'll be back in Washington for June and July. I have plans to be a supervisor at Christian Youth and Action camp in June. I'm excited to be involved in some ministry this summer and look forward to seeing how God uses the time.

Update Letter

Hello to all my family and friends, 

Thank you for your continued support for me as I pursue missions with New Tribes Missions. I am in my last semester here at the bible school in Jackson Michigan. As of this month all my bills for school here at New Tribes Bible Institute (NTBI) have been paid. Thank you for your prayers, financial support, and encouragement. I have been blessed to see first hand many of you partnering with me in missions while I am still in training and ministry here in the states. Thank you for being a part of what God is doing in my life and in the world.

Every semester here at NTBI has brought new challenges and responsibilities on top of school. Here's a few of the highlights. The first two semesters and half of the Summer I was working at an adult care facility. I learned a lot about dependence at my job as I cared for those who couldn't care for themselves completely anymore. I also had the opportunity my first semester to teach at a Good News Club with CEF. I had the sweetest girls in this club who taught me that I'm a missionary right now. Unfortunately working with GNC didn't continue past the first semester. My second year I started co-teaching 7^th and 8^th grade Sunday school with two other students. I've been learning to work with a growing team, learning when to step up and when to hold back and let others step up. This school year I've also been learning Greek from my pastor here, it's been difficult because I don't have as much time as I would like to devote to this. I'm learning to have both patience and diligence in my time working on Greek. I've also been meeting about every two or three weeks with two ladies I used to work with. We have been doing a bible study with the book By This Name. For this last semester here at NTBI I was asked to be a part of the student leadership team. I am the new RA (Resident Assistant) of the dorm that I have been in this year.

So what's next and how can you be involved? I am planning to continue on in New Tribes training with the intention of working with them as my missions organization. They have a two and a half year training program in Missouri where I plan to go next, where I will get training for cross cultural missions. The reason I'm getting all this training is because I want to have the long term in mind. I want to be a missionary who is a part of reaching people for the gospel of Christ, those who don't have any Christians that speak their language. To do this will be a long process and I want to be well equipped to not just get there, but stay there long enough to have a successful church plant. New Tribes has set up their training to prepare a missionary for the long term successful missions. The cost per semester will be $3,091, not including personal expenses, food, or books for classes. I am in the process of applying to go this upcoming August. Please be praying for both the finances and the approval to go this next August. I am trusting God with the timing and finances of this next step.

Many of you have asked about what country I want to go to. I intend to choose a county to go to while at training in Missouri. I am not set on one country or one specific job, my desire is to be a part of reaching the unreached with the gospel. I have been thinking and praying about Papua New Guinea (PNG), as it has over 800 different languages and many people there are asking for missionaries to come. Also New Tribes is already active in PNG, they know of the needs and there are roles ready to be filled. My desire right now is to have a role in church planting and bible translation, but I will continue to trust God with this and see where He would have me.

Here are some ways you can continue to pray for me:

• For my continued growth in my faith and understanding of God. 
• For my new responsibilities, and continued diligence with what I've been doing. 
•  Pray for me to become a better communicator and that I would have my confidence in God with the things He has entrusted me with.
•  Please pray for the next step of training, both for finances and timing.

With Love in Christ

- Josephine

Courage to Continue

In less than a month I'll be done with this semester at school. I'm coming home to the west coast for my Christmas break. As I have less than a year left here I've been thinking a lot about upcoming plans. I hope to be going to New Tribes Missions Training Center (MTC) in Missouri next. MTC is a 2½ year training program for missionaries headed to be a part of a church planting team. The training focuses on church planting, Christian living, along with culture and language acquisition. From there I will then decide on the place to go and start raising support to go.

Thinking of all the things that could stop me from going to the missions field or even just everything that will need to come together to finally get there can be overwhelming. This then leads my mind to the difficulties of missions on the field in a different culture. I know people way more qualified. What would make me have the courage to go? It's not my abilities that give me courage, it's the one who is with me. Matthew 28:18-20 “Then Jesus came up and said to them, 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”

I can walk forward in faith not because of who I am but because of who is with me. This week as I've had the future on my mind one of the most encouraging verses for me has been 2Corinthians 12:9 “But he said to me, 'My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may reside in me.” 

Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.

Josephine

We got our first snow of the season today.

One of my new friends :)

Summer is Here

A year of school has just flown by and now here I am back in summertime again. I have chosen to stay here in Michigan for the summer at my current job, at which I am now working full time. I have been considering not working during this upcoming fall semester at school because I have heard it is one of the more difficult semesters and I also want to take full advantage of the classes offered, I am signed up for 18.6 credits for the Fall. Also I have been considering taking on a middle school age Sunday school class for this next year with some other New Tribes students. Please pray for me in making these choices concerning this next semester. I have plans to take a trip back to the west coast in August before school starts. I look forward to seeing all of you out there.

 

As I look back on this year of school I have observed that God has deeply impacted my heart and mind. I am pleased to say that those of my home church are responsible for many of the seeds planted that I now see growing in my life. The theme of New Tribes Bible Institute is “where Bible education and missions are one” knowing this I expected my heart for missions to grow, and don't get me wrong it has grown, but in a way I did not expect. I have seen great value and opportunity in ministry in our own country and in our own churches. Both the ministry here and the ministry to those in places that have much less or no opportunity to hear the Gospel are important and a part of what God is doing in the world. Both are needed and we should be working together as the body of Christ to see results.

As we studied the book of first Corinthians to finish out our school year here, I appreciated the picture of the body of Christ, and the importance and need for each person, it helped to complete this view I have of the importance of every christian to be involved. I have met several people with a strong passion that Christians should either be on the mission field to the unreached or supporting it. I agree with this and I would highly encourage you to be involved in supporting missions to the unreached in some way, but don't let it end there. I remember my first summer working with Child Evangelism Fellowship, the reason I did it was because I knew God wanted me to share the Gospel and CEF was doing that and they could train me to do the same. The reason I am so passionate for missions to the unreached is because I believe it is what God is doing in the world and I want to join Him in that.

So, why am I sharing this with you, because I want to encourage you to continue to or begin to seek God in Scripture. I want you to view this world through what He has said, discover what God is doing and join Him. As I start out this Summer, I want to begin by challenging you my friends, how are you involved in what God is doing? He has a place for you in the work He is doing, but it is your choice whether or not you will join Him. 

“Missions exists because worship doesn’t. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and the countless millions of the redeemed fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more” -John Piper Let the Nations Be Glad

Wrapping Up Fall Semester

 

     It's unfortunate that I haven't been able to write more updates this last semester. It has been a busy semester, and I'm hoping this upcoming semester will be less crazy.

     The GNC here went well, two girls came who don't attend church and have strong Catholic influence. One had previously accepted Jesus as her savior and the other did so during club. They were both eager to learn more, they struggled with understanding that they don't need their own works to be saved. By the last day of club they could tell me the wordless book story and quote three key gospel verses. Please pray for these dear girls as there probably won't be a GNC in that school this Spring. Unfortunately I won't be doing GNC this Spring because of the time consuming aspect of it.

      I stayed in Jackson for most of Christmas break. I have been working for most of my time over break, it has been good to spend a lot more time with the residences of the nursing home I work at. In this line of work I see and feel grief that is much easier to avoid in life elsewhere. Death, even when expected, is not the way this world was meant to be. This life is short and we will fade away faster than we think. My job has been good for my perspective of life – I look at people and what is important in a more eternal mindset than I ever have before.

      School has been challenging in some ways and familiar in other ways. Going through the Old Testament I have come to a deeper understanding of God's wrath and His hatred of sin. It was difficult for me to see this part of God's character, it made me feel deceived and made me wonder what I really do understand about God. Seeing this made God's mercy and compassion so much greater in beauty and strength. It still boggles my mind to think of how God is so complete in his character and beyond my understanding.

      My initial payment for Spring semester has been covered, praise God for His faithfulness to provide. Thank you to all of you supporting me financially and in prayer – I appreciate seeing the body of Christ being fully involved in my missions training. Please continue to pray for me as God prepares me for the work He has prepared for me to do.

      Some of you have asked about helping with my school payments. A scholarship is set up with my church for those of you who would like to help financially with my missions training. Gifts can be sent to Faith Community Bible Church / 3648 F Street / Bremerton WA 98312. Gifts will be tax deductible. Please make checks out to Faith Community Bible Church and add a note designating the gift is for “Mission Training: Josephine.”

      -Josephine

Fall Time, Job, Church, and Good News Club!

The weather has turned to fall time. It's getting colder and the trees are so colorful. It's nice to go for walks when it's not raining. In the last 6 weeks a lot has happened, I have been so busy, but so many exciting things are happening.

I found a job here in Jackson, a little more than a mile away. I work at an adult care home, as a caretaker. I am currently working about 13 hours a week. So far I am really enjoying my job, it gives me the opportunity to serve people. It has been a good way to make connections outside of the school and it is a good non classroom learning experience. Please pray for this opportunity to witness to and disciple fellow coworkers and residences.

I chose the church I'll be a part of while I'm here, it is the first one that I went to that I mentioned in my last blog. A few of us from the school often carpool with a family in the area, then they usually have us over to their house after church. I also go to a mid week prayer time at this families house. The church and this family are already very dear to me and they have been a blessing in my life as they are so loving and hospitable.

Also I'll be the main teacher at a Good News Club here in Jackson. I have a few girls from school helping me, they are all new to GNC. We start club on the 28^th, please be praying for our team and the kids.

Thank you for your faithful prayers and financial support.

Josephine