So is has been a couple weeks since my last post and much has happened. I wouldn't do most of it justice by combining it in with this post. I will use this post only to say that I am approved! After a lengthy application process, I am official. I am now an Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God World Missions.
The notification came on Friday night, April the 1st, while I was at work. They had actually send me a message online earlier in the day around 5. I didn't see that message until 8 pm. I have to tell you, being April 1st, I thought about whether it was a joke for about a minute. I kinda realized that it wasn't and started telling everyone around me. I still had another hour and a half of work left before I could truly go celebrate. That was a scattered hour and a half. It was very hard to focus on my job. My last hour at work is one of the most important because I wrap everything up and make sure that the next technician who will work on anywhere from 20-30 computers, has clear enough notes from me to pick up right where I left of and the entire Geek Squad Precinct is in order. As I was leaving, a co-worker asked me what I was going to do to celebrate. I told him, "Praise God and go home and pray." That is exactly what I did. I had not been cleared to raise any funds up to this point. I have worried about the fact that I was going to have very little time to raise all of my support (I have until the end of the year) and until I was fully approved by AGWM, I would not have an active account. So the first thing for me was to praise God for his continued faithfulness throughout this journey. It was a wonderful feeling to be able to finally say that I am an AGWM missionary. I haven't doubted that this day was coming but that little green light lifted a weight off my shoulders... and added another.
I thanked and praised God my entire ride home. I was and am still very excited but now I am a bit nervous for a new reason. I have never been a very outgoing person when it comes to people. I am more quiet and reserved. I prefer to be in smaller groups of people. I am more of a listener, than a talker. I do talk sometimes. I guess I talk about things that I am passionate about. I'm not sure how that will work with my itineration. I feel kinda like how I think Moses felt in Exodus 4. I go back and forth with my prayer to God. Sometimes it is "Please Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue", wanting for Him to send me an Aaron, all the while knowing that His response is "go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say." Other times I am reminded of advice from some itinerant missionary friends of mine (the Smiths) who received this advice from other missionaries (the Coles) that "God already has all our support prepared for us, and He will prompt the hearts of those who are to give towards our journey. All we need to do is walk in obedience to His calling."
That is the point when I remember all of the things God has done for me and through me (Josh 4) and allow it to encourage me. It changes my prayer to "God, I surrender. Lead me where to go, speak through me and have me say what needs to be said. This is all about you and you being glorified in all nations."I had heard many stories saying that my final approval could take from two weeks to two months. Mine took TWO DAYS! God is amazing! I also am thankful for all of the people working behinds the scenes at AGWM. My online account was supposed to take up to a couple weeks to get active, but it is up an running. Thanks to the tech guys who made it happen. I appreciated your hard work. Time to get started!
6"Let this be a sign among you, so that when your children ask later, saying, 'What do these stones mean to you?' 7then you shall say to them, 'Because the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD; when it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off ' So these stones shall become a memorial to the sons of Israel forever."
