So beginning in April I started the "get rid of everything" process. I moved out of my gorgeous condo on Big Mountain and into a 1970’s truck bed camper. I got rid of all but 4 boxes of kitchen items, my art, and a portion of my clothes. The summer was simple. I lived on my sister’s property with no electricity and hauling buckets of water from the nearby stream. I showered wherever I could, (which was sometimes the creek) and loved every night around the campfire.
After applying for the Harvest School of Missions there was not much I could do to prepare until my letter of acceptance that came on July 23. As I read the letter, the flood of emotion hit me so hard I was crying and laughing and knew that from this point on my life would forever be different. While going through the 50 pages of everything that must be done I began to question what I was getting myself into. The rules, the money, the list of what to bring, it all began to overwhelm me and for about 3 days I was worried.
By the end of the 3 days I realized that I had already been given $550 specifically for my trip and all 11 of my required books where provided for me. 3 DAYS! At that point I knew that I had nothing to worry about, and from then on all I did was work, read, sew, and create.
On September 12th I set up my parents yard as a Melody boutique with food, my mother’s art, and some stuff I had made. This day was just as much emotion as the acceptance letter. I cried with every hug and every smiling face that made a trip to come and encourage my dream.
But it didn’t end there! Everyday since I have had a testimony of the goodness of people and the goodness of God! As I am days away from getting on the plane I just want to say thank you to everyone who has impacted my life!
Thank You:
Bob and Kimberly Johnson
My Parents
Robin and Dan Reese
Jenna Hille
Aglow Ministries
Meadow and Eric Reese
Bill Fischer
Bob and Lori Hoback
The Corne Family
Dan and Kathy Jordan
Kat from the Coffee shop
Flossy Fletcher
Arnie
Greg and Sherry Wassell
Greg from Big Mountain
Mikki and Barbra Robinson
Tony from the Coffee shop
The Lazy Coffee Club
Danny and Katlyn
Paul and Lisa
Brenden and Tarah
The Kiehn family
Betty and Woody
Lisa Croteau
Zach and Nicole Dowler
Luke and Jacey Dowler
Sammi and Justin Dyck
Brett Bollweg
Adam Larson
Jordan Vaughan
Chris from the Coffee shop
Dustin and Elisa
The Hille Family
Tupelo Grill
Montana Coffee Traders
Amy Keeler
Matt Brussard
Gatlin Hardy
Pam
Beth
Hillary
DEE!!
Everyone else from Coffee Traders
Marlene Hanson
Lavonne
Dave and Collette Taylor
Tim and Alex Torgerson
Joseph and Christy Rauwolf
George and Marty Miller
Rachel Knox
Ben Brittsan
Sarah Brittsan
Karen Reese
Sherry Vanslyke
Promise Joy
Ron and Jan Brunk
Kim and Kyle Fedderly
Brian and Naomi
Dom and Shelly Garefino
Snell Family
Cheryl Sausen
Joe Lieski
Nixon Family
Jeremy Wishart
Nate Townsend
Nicole Croteau
Abby Carlson
Julie Smude
Marlene Eccles
Melanie Reimer
Ty and Megan Unruh
Kelly
Joanne
Robyn
Phill
"best friend" Adrianna
Kate
Anise
Cassie
Everyone else from Wasabi
Sharon Barker
All the Fernie boys
Crystal
John Arrends
Olivia Stark
Gene and Olivia
Jeanie and Don
And I know I am forgetting people and I’m so so so sorry but know I love you and I appreciate all of you. This is OUR adventure!
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Friday, September 25, 2009
The Back-Story
I'm about to embark on a new adventure and although it is exciting it also feels completely normal. So I'll begin this blog with the back-story on how it all started.
Just over a year now, I finished my Associates Degree at Flathead Valley Community College and was throwing around ideas for what next. I let God in on my ideas and told Him about maybe moving to Portland and continuing my education, becoming a flight attendant, and the other 50 random theories about my life. In just asking Him what He thought about it all, clearly He told me that I could do any of those things, He would go with me, and life would be enjoyable, OR.... I could wait for the opportunity that had yet to present itself. I decided that the mystery opportunity sounded more exciting. So I waited. I continued to be a Young Life leader, and work at the coffee shop. I met some amazing friends from Fernie, had enough free time to be in a play at the college, got a second job at the sushi bar, and had a fabulous winter.
In January Bob Johnson came to visit my home church and one evening after he finished speaking at the conference we were sitting at my parent’s dining room table and he said to me, "tell me about yourself." In response I told him just what I told you. His wife Kimberly was listening to my "wait for the opportunity speech," and asked if I had ever heard of Heidi Baker's school of missions. I had not heard of the school and just thought of her comment as another suggestion to add to the book of other people's opinions on “what I should do with my life.”
The next morning however, I woke up and knew that this was it. I started telling people that day that I was going to go to Africa. Each time after that spilled out of my mouth my head said, "You idiot why did you just say that, this is just another idea." But here I am 9 months later, blood stream flowing with vaccinations, a checklist 3 miles long on the borderline of completion, 5 boxes of material items to my name, and 9 days until my plane leaves Montana soil.
Just over a year now, I finished my Associates Degree at Flathead Valley Community College and was throwing around ideas for what next. I let God in on my ideas and told Him about maybe moving to Portland and continuing my education, becoming a flight attendant, and the other 50 random theories about my life. In just asking Him what He thought about it all, clearly He told me that I could do any of those things, He would go with me, and life would be enjoyable, OR.... I could wait for the opportunity that had yet to present itself. I decided that the mystery opportunity sounded more exciting. So I waited. I continued to be a Young Life leader, and work at the coffee shop. I met some amazing friends from Fernie, had enough free time to be in a play at the college, got a second job at the sushi bar, and had a fabulous winter.
In January Bob Johnson came to visit my home church and one evening after he finished speaking at the conference we were sitting at my parent’s dining room table and he said to me, "tell me about yourself." In response I told him just what I told you. His wife Kimberly was listening to my "wait for the opportunity speech," and asked if I had ever heard of Heidi Baker's school of missions. I had not heard of the school and just thought of her comment as another suggestion to add to the book of other people's opinions on “what I should do with my life.”
The next morning however, I woke up and knew that this was it. I started telling people that day that I was going to go to Africa. Each time after that spilled out of my mouth my head said, "You idiot why did you just say that, this is just another idea." But here I am 9 months later, blood stream flowing with vaccinations, a checklist 3 miles long on the borderline of completion, 5 boxes of material items to my name, and 9 days until my plane leaves Montana soil.
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