Less than 10 days and I will be home for the first time in six months!

I can't wait to see my family and Roxie, Linzzz, and Anisa!

Also, I can't wait to see my church families!  It's been so long!

But I had no idea how hard this last few weeks would be!  I never could have imagined the intense emotions of saying good-bye to such dear friends, knowing that I may not see them again until we meet in Heaven.

But this has also been the sweetest few weeks!  I have had some very special times with some very special people!  For that I can thank God for the wonderful relationships He has so generously blessed me with!

It won't be long friends!  I'll see you soon!

God's Blessings

Last week I was really struggling with thoughts of wanting to be home and also trying to determine if my efforts here have made a difference.  My hearts desire is to love people and build relationships with them, so that I can continue to love and serve others.  But sometimes it is hard to gage how well that kind of thing is working.

On Wednesday, I received an e-mail from a girl that I met here.  She is an international student at UO from China.  I have had so much fun getting to know her and she's such a joy to be around.  The previous week she had a panel interview for a job that she really wanted.  The e-mail she sent me was the disappointing news that she had just opened a rejection letter.

I quickly e-mailed her back, because I was online at the time she sent the e-mail, and asked if I could spend some time with her that evening to help get her mind off of the disappointment of not getting the job.  She responded with joy and I picked her up soon after that.  We spent the entire evening just hanging out and laughing!  It was so incredible!  I love this girl!  She's amazing and I feel so blessed to know her.  By the end of the evening she had almost forgotten why she had been so sad earlier that day.  So my mission was accomplished.

The next day...I received the most precious e-mail from her telling me how much it meant to her that I was there when she was sad.  It went on to say how thankful she was that I was her "friend, teacher and fun."  She thanked me for showing her a "new lifestyle" and for thinking about her always.

It is so amazing to me how God can bless us through other people.  Especially when we are the ones trying to bless/serve others.  I always feel like that I have ended up with more of a blessing through my experiences with others.

So God answered my frustrated prayers through a sweet girl, and all I had to do was love her and be her friend!  How amazing is that?!?!

Also, I had turned in my report for last month's ministry response, for my job, last night.  This morning, I woke up to an e-mail from the Director of Collegiate Evangelism for NAMB in Georgia.  I wasn't sure what to expect when I opened it, but it was a message from him saying that I had an "outstanding report" and that he wants to use it as an example for all the college missionaries.  He said that I was "right on target" and that my "goal focus" was exactly what they were looking for.

Wow!  Totally didn't expect that.  I was so encouraged by his affirming response!  It could only be from God!  It is only because of His working through me, a screwed up....self-centered....unfaithful...undeserving....worldly sinner.  God can even use me.  How humbling?

Currently Reading The Case for Christ: A Journalist's Personal Investigation of the Evidence for Jesus By Lee Strobel see related

Oregon Waterfall

This beautiful image was captured by a camera phone, owned by my supervisor, Ryan Moore, after a cold visit to the slopes for some awesome snow-tubing!

Honestly, I love it here!  It's amazingly refreshing!  The culture.  The people.  The weather.  The food.  The atmosphere.  The air.  The city.  The arts.

I love it!  I have been really busy, so I haven't been able to post on here very often.  Sorry for that. 

But as much as I love it here, I do miss everyone terribly!  My friends.  My mentors.  My apartment.  My roomies.  My brothers.  My family.  My church.

But God is doing some amazing things in my life and in this place!  I am making friends and building relationships, though it still gets lonely at times.  The church here is really friendly, and though it's not Rock Creek, it is a nice church family to be surrounded by.

I am learning and growing each day.  Making mistakes, realizing them, humbling myself to acknowledge them, and trying to learn and make things better.  It is an awesome experience.

I really am changing.  The most obvious to me and to others would be my eating habits.  Haha....seriously though.  People eat differently here and so I have chosen to open my mind and mouth up to more exotic and unusual flavors and entrees.  It's a good thing for me to do.

Also, I am totally not a loner.....well I wasn't.  But I am spending more and more time alone and going out in public to restaurants and stuff by myself, something I would never consider before moving here.  I'm actually getting kinda of ok with it....still not used to it....but definitely getting more comfortable about being alone in public.

Books!  I actually have time to read!  I haven't had time to read like this in such a long time that I am burying myself in too many books at once cause there are so many books that I want to read.  This is a wonderful problem.....if only I could read really fast like John Travolta's character in Phenomenon.  Haha....ok not really....but that image entered my head just now...so I had to include it.  Random.

Well....if anyone has any ideas or suggestions on movies to watch as part of an outreach that I am starting on campus here.....please let me know!  I am planning to watch a film with students every week and then have a discussion about it afterwards.  Which means that the movies we watch should be somewhat wholesome and mostly clean with great life application stories in the content.  That's what makes the choice so difficult.  Also.....we don't want to be too cheesy or out-dated.

Hope everyone is doing well!  I love phone calls, so if you get a chance....please give me a call!

Currently Reading Blue Like Jazz: Nonreligious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality By Donald Miller see related

Beginning my second week as a semester missionary at the U of O....

I am moving in with Andy and Kaye Martin (Angela and Konner's parents) today!  I am excited!  It will be nice to settle in and get situated in my own space, well for at least the next few months.  I am also looking forward to getting to know them.

The first break from rain was yesterday.  The sun was shining bright and it didn't rain at all as far as I know.  Though I am not really minding the rain, after being deprived of it for so long in Oklahoma.  Believe me everyone up here is praying for the rain to go your way.  Most Northwesterners are sick to death of the constant rain.

Everyone drinks a ton of coffee up here.  Seriously.  When people get together or meet up someone it's, "meet me at the coffee shop over there" or "let's grab some coffee."  Crazy.  I was just informed that my supervisor and co-worker are determined to get me drinking "real" coffee by the end of the spring term.  Sounds like an odd goal to me.  So what if I only really like cappuccinos or mochas.

Praise the Lord!  They have Dr. Pepper up here!!!  I am definitely excited about that.  But for those of you who are or have been concerned (Tyler and Anisa) I have had very little Dr. Pepper since I have been here.  Yes, I am drinking one now for breakfast, but I have been drinking lots of water and juice for the most part.

Anyway, I know this is a random post, but I just had a little time to update, so I thought I would.  Take care everyone!  Remember the U of O students in your prayers!

Next time I will try to give you a picture of what kind of ministry things I am doing up here.

Here I am in Eugene, OR!  Writing you from the U of O campus. 

Crazy.  New.  Wild.  Bizarre.  Wet.  Intense.  Overwhelmed.  Cold.  Green.  Tired.  Excited.  Lost.  Happy.  Weird.  Challenged.  Disturbed.  Changed.  Distant.  Out-numbered.  Drained.  Ecstatic.  Responsible.  Burdened.  Awkward.  Timid.  Confident.  Determined. 

Those are just a few words to describe the place I am in physically, emotionally and mentally.  God is incredible.  This is an indescribable journey.  I am amazed.

Blessings from God to each of you, my friends!  Please remember me in your prayers!