Just a quick update while I'm on here. I've got a part time job at Chase's Daily in Belfast. I am working two days a week, Friday and Saturday. On Fridays I wait tables and on Saturday I work at the front counter. It's a good job that will stretch me and help me develop multi-tasking, time management, and prioritizing skills.
I am praying that I can get another job or two that I enjoy. I'm hoping to go to Brazil in January. If that is the plan then I really need to be making some money to travel there and to have some extra for the first few weeks or even months that I am there.
More than anything else, I want God's will. I want him to lead me in the direction that he wants me to go in.
Sunday 26 September 2010
Starbucks Wi-Fi
Right now I'm sitting down at the Starbucks on Bangor Mall Boulevard. This morning I went to my parents church in Winterport and was very blessed by the presence of God that was so strong in that place. My Gram went home with my sister and I drove here to Bangor. When I came I saw an old Starbucks co-worker of mine, Tanya G. We spoke briefly, she giving me all the updates on other co-workers and what they are doing now.
A few weeks ago I came in here and found out that Starbucks was now offering Free Wi-Fi. Today I knew that I was going to be in Bangor for the afternoon on my own with nothing to do so I brought my laptop to take advantage of that Starbucks customer perk. It just makes me love Starbucks even more. :D
Anyway. So I sat down first of all in a place where there were no electrical outlets. While I waited for someone to move I ate my Cinnamon swirl coffee cake and started drinking my Grande mocha. About fifteen minutes went by and two girls near an outlet on the wall left and I took their place. It was a table of four and at first I felt a little funny taking the whole table for myself...but it was my only option.
A few minutes later there was a man on a mission who came into the store with a laptop in under his arm ardently searching for a place to sit...I could tell that he was looking for a place next to an outlet. He came to where I was sitting and with an urgent thick foreign accent said, "I'm sorry, do you mind if I sit here. This is the only place with an outlet and I need it." And I said, "Sure".
He pulled out his cup of coffee and a big container of Nutella and began spooning the nutella. It was funny. He has the space around his laptop filled up with bags full of cds and an external hard drive.
Before he began digging into his nutella he got up to get a spoon. While he was away momentarily the guy at the table behind his chair looked at his stuff and then I caught his eye. He chuckled and said, "There was an outlet in that corner. I think he saw it. It's strange."
We were both minding our own business when all of a sudden he picked up his cell phone, dialed it and then my phone rang. haha. It was as if he was calling me. Obviously he wasn't but it was funny anyway. His phone call ended up being a conversation in another language. It sounded like a Slavic language similar to Bulgarian. My phone call was in English and it ended up being my best friend, Kristina.
Anyway...I think that this is hilarious. When I go to a cafe in Glasgow, Scotland or one in Bangor, Maine, USA I end up bumping into people from another country. They are drawn to me. Hahahahaha.
Well, I think that is all I'm going to write about right now. I'm going to go back to surfing the net.
A few weeks ago I came in here and found out that Starbucks was now offering Free Wi-Fi. Today I knew that I was going to be in Bangor for the afternoon on my own with nothing to do so I brought my laptop to take advantage of that Starbucks customer perk. It just makes me love Starbucks even more. :D
Anyway. So I sat down first of all in a place where there were no electrical outlets. While I waited for someone to move I ate my Cinnamon swirl coffee cake and started drinking my Grande mocha. About fifteen minutes went by and two girls near an outlet on the wall left and I took their place. It was a table of four and at first I felt a little funny taking the whole table for myself...but it was my only option.
A few minutes later there was a man on a mission who came into the store with a laptop in under his arm ardently searching for a place to sit...I could tell that he was looking for a place next to an outlet. He came to where I was sitting and with an urgent thick foreign accent said, "I'm sorry, do you mind if I sit here. This is the only place with an outlet and I need it." And I said, "Sure".
He pulled out his cup of coffee and a big container of Nutella and began spooning the nutella. It was funny. He has the space around his laptop filled up with bags full of cds and an external hard drive.
Before he began digging into his nutella he got up to get a spoon. While he was away momentarily the guy at the table behind his chair looked at his stuff and then I caught his eye. He chuckled and said, "There was an outlet in that corner. I think he saw it. It's strange."
We were both minding our own business when all of a sudden he picked up his cell phone, dialed it and then my phone rang. haha. It was as if he was calling me. Obviously he wasn't but it was funny anyway. His phone call ended up being a conversation in another language. It sounded like a Slavic language similar to Bulgarian. My phone call was in English and it ended up being my best friend, Kristina.
Anyway...I think that this is hilarious. When I go to a cafe in Glasgow, Scotland or one in Bangor, Maine, USA I end up bumping into people from another country. They are drawn to me. Hahahahaha.
Well, I think that is all I'm going to write about right now. I'm going to go back to surfing the net.
Thursday 16 September 2010
Extraordinary Quote
To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and affection of children; to earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends; to appreciate beauty; to find the best in others; to leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition; to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded - Ralph Waldo Emerson
Monday 13 September 2010
Back in the States
Back in the States...
Well, another year has come and gone. On July 7th I returned back to Maine from nearly a year being in Glasgow, Scotland for the second year in a row. Judy Petros recently asked what I learned while I was in Scotland this past year and I said, “I learned a lot!” She then asked me a very good question, “What was the most outstanding thing that you learned this year?”
This year was very different than the year before in Scotland. My time in Glasgow from June ’08 – May ’09 I was not alone. I shared a three bedroom flat (apartment) with three other missionaries. We were all there for the same reason and we served as wonderful support systems for each other. We all went out into the big bad world of the city of Glasgow as a team and then returned to our humble abode where we could encourage one another in the Lord, where we shared daily devotions, where we rejoiced with each in our victories, where we exhorted one another when one of us was going astray and where we shared in our excitement as we learned how to better evangelise the lost as well as minister to fellow Christians in Glasgow.
My time in Glasgow from August ’09 – July ’10, as I said before, was very different. I went for the second year in a row to continue to give my help and service to the International Missions End Times Church, New Mercy Church (www.newmercy.org.uk). At the same time, due to difficulties of entering the country for any other reason, I was studying full time at a local college there in Glasgow. My accommodation was at a Student Accommodation where I shared a five ensuite bedroom flat with four other girls. We all studied at different College/Universities in Glasgow. Three of those girls had already been living in the flat for at least three years.
When I first moved into the flat, I had a very difficult time adjusting and making myself feel comfortable in my new surroundings. It was also very difficult to go from living with likeminded Christians who all had the same focus as a missionary to living with all lost people. Even at College I was the only Christian in a sea of many lost souls. To be very frank and honest, I felt very alone at times.
At first because of the great difference between the situation of this year and the last, I questioned, “Am I really a missionary?” I can’t count the times I felt so insecure with my flatmates that I questioned my ability to be a witness to them. I did so want to be an example, but I found myself many times hiding in my room. This happened especially on occasions when my flatmates would invite people over for parties. This, too, was very different for me.
As I said, I questioned, “Am I really a missionary? What am I doing here? I don’t feel like a missionary at all. I’m not doing anything different here than I could be doing at home.” This troubled me so. But one day God showed me something. I don’t remember how or when but it was so real. He showed me that it didn’t matter where I was or what I was doing, whether I was holding a position in a church or attending college while serving at a local church somewhere. One thing I kept saying to myself before was, “I felt more like a missionary last year.” But God showed me that living smack dab in the middle of the lost made me more of a missionary than I ever was the year before. I realized that what mattered was that I be a light in the darkness no matter what!
I learned a valuable lesson this past year. We are all ministers, no matter where God sends us, no matter what we may become, no matter what our profession, no matter if we preach from a pulpit or stand up for right in a flat full of wild, young partiers. We are all ministers of the Gospel and we all have a mission field and that is in the place that we find ourselves.
This year was a test of obedience to the call, many times a test of trusting God, and toward the end even a test of faith IN God but as I briefly testified on Sunday morning, “God is good!” He has to be. I’ve gone and come and I know he holds the future. I want to thank everyone who prayed for me. It was not in vain.
I am thankful because although I won’t be returning to Scotland long term I still have good connections with New Mercy Church there in Glasgow. While in Glasgow I was transcribing Pastor Mike McKeever’s sermon series’ which were edited and published into several books. Today I continue to transcribe his sermons. That is something I can do wherever I am.
At the moment I have been blessed with a part time job at a Vegetarian Restaurant in Belfast, Maine. I’m going to be looking for another part time job – maybe a couple more. The next step, God willing, I will be going to Brazil. For a few years now my friend, Rod de Freitas, has been inviting me to come and teach in one of his English Schools called, JET Incorporated (www.jetincorporated.com.br).
This past Summer I helped Rod with the production of one of his own English books that is used as part of the English material in the JET schools. The wonderful thing about these books is that they have scripture throughout that can be used as a tool to share the Gospel with the students that study at JET. We also worked on the videos that will go along with the books and assist with the learning process. At the end of each unit of each book there is a video with a pastor giving a two minute sermon. This is wonderful because most of the people who study at JET are unsaved. The program goes on for several years which mean that as teachers in JET relationships are made with the students. And with these relationships there is the opportunity to share the Gospel with these students.
It is a wonderful project that I am very happy to be a part of. If it works out for me to go to Brazil in January then I will probably be teaching in one of these schools at some point. Until then I am back in the States and very happy to see friends and family.
Well, another year has come and gone. On July 7th I returned back to Maine from nearly a year being in Glasgow, Scotland for the second year in a row. Judy Petros recently asked what I learned while I was in Scotland this past year and I said, “I learned a lot!” She then asked me a very good question, “What was the most outstanding thing that you learned this year?”
This year was very different than the year before in Scotland. My time in Glasgow from June ’08 – May ’09 I was not alone. I shared a three bedroom flat (apartment) with three other missionaries. We were all there for the same reason and we served as wonderful support systems for each other. We all went out into the big bad world of the city of Glasgow as a team and then returned to our humble abode where we could encourage one another in the Lord, where we shared daily devotions, where we rejoiced with each in our victories, where we exhorted one another when one of us was going astray and where we shared in our excitement as we learned how to better evangelise the lost as well as minister to fellow Christians in Glasgow.
My time in Glasgow from August ’09 – July ’10, as I said before, was very different. I went for the second year in a row to continue to give my help and service to the International Missions End Times Church, New Mercy Church (www.newmercy.org.uk). At the same time, due to difficulties of entering the country for any other reason, I was studying full time at a local college there in Glasgow. My accommodation was at a Student Accommodation where I shared a five ensuite bedroom flat with four other girls. We all studied at different College/Universities in Glasgow. Three of those girls had already been living in the flat for at least three years.
When I first moved into the flat, I had a very difficult time adjusting and making myself feel comfortable in my new surroundings. It was also very difficult to go from living with likeminded Christians who all had the same focus as a missionary to living with all lost people. Even at College I was the only Christian in a sea of many lost souls. To be very frank and honest, I felt very alone at times.
At first because of the great difference between the situation of this year and the last, I questioned, “Am I really a missionary?” I can’t count the times I felt so insecure with my flatmates that I questioned my ability to be a witness to them. I did so want to be an example, but I found myself many times hiding in my room. This happened especially on occasions when my flatmates would invite people over for parties. This, too, was very different for me.
As I said, I questioned, “Am I really a missionary? What am I doing here? I don’t feel like a missionary at all. I’m not doing anything different here than I could be doing at home.” This troubled me so. But one day God showed me something. I don’t remember how or when but it was so real. He showed me that it didn’t matter where I was or what I was doing, whether I was holding a position in a church or attending college while serving at a local church somewhere. One thing I kept saying to myself before was, “I felt more like a missionary last year.” But God showed me that living smack dab in the middle of the lost made me more of a missionary than I ever was the year before. I realized that what mattered was that I be a light in the darkness no matter what!
I learned a valuable lesson this past year. We are all ministers, no matter where God sends us, no matter what we may become, no matter what our profession, no matter if we preach from a pulpit or stand up for right in a flat full of wild, young partiers. We are all ministers of the Gospel and we all have a mission field and that is in the place that we find ourselves.
This year was a test of obedience to the call, many times a test of trusting God, and toward the end even a test of faith IN God but as I briefly testified on Sunday morning, “God is good!” He has to be. I’ve gone and come and I know he holds the future. I want to thank everyone who prayed for me. It was not in vain.
I am thankful because although I won’t be returning to Scotland long term I still have good connections with New Mercy Church there in Glasgow. While in Glasgow I was transcribing Pastor Mike McKeever’s sermon series’ which were edited and published into several books. Today I continue to transcribe his sermons. That is something I can do wherever I am.
At the moment I have been blessed with a part time job at a Vegetarian Restaurant in Belfast, Maine. I’m going to be looking for another part time job – maybe a couple more. The next step, God willing, I will be going to Brazil. For a few years now my friend, Rod de Freitas, has been inviting me to come and teach in one of his English Schools called, JET Incorporated (www.jetincorporated.com.br).
This past Summer I helped Rod with the production of one of his own English books that is used as part of the English material in the JET schools. The wonderful thing about these books is that they have scripture throughout that can be used as a tool to share the Gospel with the students that study at JET. We also worked on the videos that will go along with the books and assist with the learning process. At the end of each unit of each book there is a video with a pastor giving a two minute sermon. This is wonderful because most of the people who study at JET are unsaved. The program goes on for several years which mean that as teachers in JET relationships are made with the students. And with these relationships there is the opportunity to share the Gospel with these students.
It is a wonderful project that I am very happy to be a part of. If it works out for me to go to Brazil in January then I will probably be teaching in one of these schools at some point. Until then I am back in the States and very happy to see friends and family.
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