Stateside Update 7: Summer Plans and 7.5 Months

I have officially finished my junior year of college with all As this semester. Tomorrow, I'm heading to Mentone, Alabama to work at a girls' summer camp for ten weeks. Then it's a road trip with my grandmother and a drive down to Georgia to take the teacher certification test before I move into college for the last time. Crazy!

I sent the following email out to my supporters, family, and friends, and you may have stopped by here because you received that email. Welcome! I hope you'll stick around, watch the video, and sign up to receive email updates in your inbox! 

Friends and Family,

Last week, as I finished up my junior year of college and got ready to calmor into my overflowing car and drive home, a dear friend stopped me and told me about the impact I'd had on her last school year. She said that experience had encouraged her to impact the girls on her hall this school year and she thanked me for the role I had played in her life as she now ministered to others. That was such a blessing!

I realized today that each of you has been that impact for me. Through your support emotionally, mentally, spiritually, physically, financially, and in every other way throughout my life, you have influenced me and inspired me to be an influence on others. Just as God comforts us so we can comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4), you have all impacted me, so I desire to impact others.

As part of that influencing, I will spend the next ten weeks working at a girls' summer camp in Alabama, loving on some young ladies and having fun with them while encouraging teamwork and spiritual growth. In the fall, I will return to Georgia for one final semester of college before completing my student teaching at Grace International School in Chiang Mai, Thailand from January to April/May 2014. I will return to the states just in time to graduate from Toccoa Falls College in May. As you can see, it's going to be a busy year, but God is good!

I would love for you to join me on this adventure and continue to support and impact me as I go support and impact others. I can't do it without you. I plan to update my blog instead of sending out emails, so if you would like to receive updates, follow my blog at www.AlexsAdventuresinAsia.blogspot.com. You can also sign up to receive posts by email to stay in the loop!

What I need most is your prayers. Prayer requests and praise reports are listed on the left hand side of [this homepage], and I am also asking for people who will commit to prayer as a part of a prayer team. Let me know if you would be interested. The reason this is so important is because Satan does not want people going about God's will and doing God's work. Even seven and a half months before I leave, your prayers are needed because God is already working in Thailand and Asia even now. And He is doing great and wonderful things.

Thank you!

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"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."
"‎It is the people who endear the city to our heart." - Chandler

Stateside Update 6: Answered Prayer

Dear Friends,
Earlier this week, I received an email from Gen, who served as my team leader last summer while I was in Hong Kong and Laos. She told me that the organization that sent us last summer is partnering with her in a new ministry. This is an answer to prayer! Gen will be leading three teams a year to serve as prayer facilitators and encouragers for teachers and international workers in Asia beginning later this year. I am so excited for this opportunity Gen has because I believe in the importance of support and encouragement for those who are serving overseas.

In the Southeast, where there is a church on every corner, we tend to forget that there are countries where not only are there no churches, but meeting for church is illegal. When international workers are sent to these countries, in the thick of ministry, warfare, and giving of themselves, they can't just drive over to the nearest church for community and fellowship, unless that church is in their home, for example. Part of my desire to teach overseas is to support the ministries of people serving overseas, and a great way to do this is by teaching their children!

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In other news, I got a summer job! I will be working at a girls' summer camp in Alabama from the end of May to the beginning of August. This is such a blessing and I am so excited for the opportunity. I will definitely keep you updated on how that goes.

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Henna Fundraiser Tonight
for a refugee ministry

We have a group on campus that supports student ministries overseas that meets once a week. Each week, there is a stated prayer focus, and then we divide into small groups by area of the world. Since I have been attending, I always join the Asia group. Last night, the prayer focus was prostitution and the sex trade, which weigh heavy on my heart. It was such a blessing to be able to pray for the people involved in this tragedy with a group of people who also have hearts for Asia. I was so humbled and encouraged because I felt like a united effort, beseeching our Father for these broken people, both the perpetrators and the victims.

Thank you for joining me in prayer, friends. His praises never cease.

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"Seek Him. Be Here. Be His."
"‎It is the people who endear the city to our heart." - Chandler