Sometimes it is easy to just say "God is good" but not really believe it or actually think that He is good to me. However, in one way after another, I've seen God's goodness and faithfulness this summer, be it from the way He has provided financially, to an amazing church to be involved in, to being able to participate in new experiences in ministry, to making new friends. Wow...

How have you seen God's faithfulness this summer?

Coming up...in a week!

Guess what?!?!?! In less than a week--on Saturday, to be exact--I will be leaving with the youth group from Medora Community Bible Church and heading to Chicago for week-long missions trip! No, I was not planning on going on this trip until only a few weeks ago, but yes, I am very excited about it! Please pray for this trip, as there are still lots of details to figure out...part of the teens will be working with a day-camp and the rest will be running a VBS! We will also be doing some personal evangelism and then holding a 3x3 basketball tournament on the 31st! While I might be able to help out with some of these things, my main responsibilities for the week will be making sure that all of these teens have food to eat (in other words, I'll be working in the kitchen). Yes, it is going to be one full week, and I can already imagine how I'll be feeling when I finally get back home on Monday, August 2nd: E.X.H.A.U.S.T.E.D., but it will all be worth it if it means spreading the Good News of the Gospel to those who don't know the Lord!

(when you think of it though, I would especially appreciate your prayers for me...while I am excited about it all, it will definitely be a stretching and learning experience for me. Last night at a meeting, Pr. Ron said that the motto for the missions trips has become, by default, "Roll with it!" because of how much plans always change and such, and for those of you who know me at all, my comfort zone is knowing exactly what is going on when, and where, and how, and what exactly I'm supposed to be doing, which is like the furthest thing from what will be the case next week! )

Filling my days. . .

Ahhh, the days continue to tick by--minute by minute, hour by hour--each passing day bringing my family closer to June 9th. In the meantime, I'm keeping busy with various things:

• Packing--I thought that after having to sort through all of my earthly belongings back in Brazil and fitting it all into not even two suitcases, I would not have much trouble packing things up now. Well, as you can guess, just the opposite is true. I have accumulated so much stuff in the short while that I've been back in the United States--if only you could see my room right now (it is a good thing, though, that you can't!) I have been sorting my things into somewhat-identifiable piles of things I need, things I want to keep( even though I don't exactly need them,) and other items that I don't need, (and really don't want either), thus landing them in either the "Goodwill" bag or the trash can. Now, all I have to do is put everything that I have decided to keep into some kind of suitcase, footlocker, or box. Until I do that, I think the floor of my room will be hopelessly cluttered. . .

• Preparing for VBS--Next week is VBS at Medora Community Bible Church. My entire family will be involved in various aspects of it: my parents will be teaching the missions-emphisis lessons; Patrice will be assisting the kindergarten class and acting as "Sally" in the puppet skits; Melissa will be busy helping, wherever necessary, with the second-grade class and serving snacks; and finally, Jared wil be attending the special classes for fourth grade! Oh yeah, what will I be doing? That is a good question! Originally, I was supposed to be a helper for the second-grade class, but now, I'm helping with the fifth-grade class, which will be a little awkward. No, it is not because of the fifth-graders that it will be awkward, rather it is because of who the teacher will be--the new intern, who just got here this week! As you have probably already guessed, the intern is a guy, and I don't even know him! Yikes! Yes, I think next week will be a new experience, to say the least! However, on another note, if you could remember to pray for me, I would appreciate it, as I have been asked to give the "salvation lesson" one day for the classes up to second grade. Pray that God will give me the right words to say and help me to clearly convey the message of salvation; pray also that the lesson will possibly draw some of the children closer to a saving knowledge of God, if they haven't already. I will probably be teaching on Wednesday or Thursday (June 3rd or 4th).

• Working--My job at Plesant View Home has been going well. During my first few days there, I wondered how I was ever going to make it for the entire summer, but now that I've gotten used to the routine of things, I really enjoy it. I believe that God has me there for a definite purpose--to share one my reasons for believing that, would you believe that in the little town of Inman, at Plesent View Home, in the kitchen (where I'm working), there works another MK girl?!? I mean, what are the odds of that ever happening? Unfortunately, she has obviously turned her back on the Lord and chosen to reject Him Whom her parents have given their lives to share with others. I definitely think God has caused our paths to cross for a specific reason, though I'm not sure what that may be.

• Practicing--This Sunday I will be playing the offertory at church! I've been practicing and practicing, and yet the music still doesn't quite seem to be "fitting together"--one time I can play it perfectly, and then the next, I will totally mess it up! I will definitely be glad when both services are over and I have gotten through both times without stumbling over the all notes!

Hopefully I will be able to update this blog again sometime soon!

~ Angie