been a while

I just got done with a 30 minute (free) massage and I fell asleep on the table. Now I just can't seem to wake up!

I haven't written in a while because there has been NOTHING to write about. I am still here in Colorado, still working on support, and still aching to be in Missouri.

The last several days I have cried at each thought of Missouri State University and the students there. I think of the women just preparing to leave home for the first time, saying good bye to childhood friends, making out with their boyfriends for the last time (promising that they will never break up, though we all know they will), getting bedding and picture frames packed. They all have a vision of what college is going to be like at MSU.....and I can't wait to see how God intersects their lives! Oh how I want to be there to be a part of that!

Please pray with me that my support would come in quickly. I only need $1700 a month and I will be able to report to my assignment!!!!!!!

well, here we are

I am sitting at Panera, my office, "working" on support. More like checking my email, drinking some tea, talking with Meehee on Skype, making eye contact with the cute guy behind the counter, and THEN I will make support calls.

I am officially home from New Staff Training. I came home Thursday night, late, and then spent all weekend alone because the Layne's were camping. It was good to be alone after a summer in the dorm, surrounded by 50,000 people. But at the same time, I'm such a verbal processor and overall extrovert that being alone for four days straight about did me in. And when the Layne's got in I was a bit overwhelmed (not sure why yet) so I decided to come here to Panera to "work" on support. I really will, I promise.

You might be wondering "how does Amy feel about going to Missouri?". That is a great question. Thanks for caring and asking.

Well, first of all, I am SO excited about the team. I spent some time this summer with several people on the team and I think it is really a great placement for me. It seems that everyone on the team has walked through similar things I have and that their desire for health is parallel to mine. And, after talking to them about the ministry, it seems as though students in Springfield are very similar to students at UNC. The culture seems very laid back and friendly, pretty open to the Gospel today.

I am not excited about moving to Missouri. It is 13 hours from home, hot, humid, my bread will mold faster, a different time zone, away from ANYONE that I know ... different. But I trust that when it comes time to move there my heart will have changed. You could probably pray for that.

So that's how I feel about Missouri.

I went to a new church today. I found it on the internet last night and I think I liked it. Here are my observations:

• I saw no one close to my age but MANY people close to my parents age. Enough said about that.
• I was the only one there in a tank top. My home church tends to be a bit more liberal then most (it's in Boulder, after all) so I figured I should wear a tank top instead of a strapless dress since I've never been to this church before. Apparently everyone else thought long sleeves would be better. Oops. Then I just went with it and played the role of "lost sinner wanders into a church" and flashed my tattoos just to confirm my depravity to them.
• The teaching was amazing. The teacher was a guest speaker...hmmmm. He talked about the need to carry our cross in order to be disciples, but that in order to be successful in "carrying our crosses" we must be connected to the power of Christ and also the community of believers. This is something I am passionate about...authentic living. So if this is something the church is all about then I'll go there. Unfortunately, this was a guest speaker, so who knows. I'll go back next week to hear the head pastor talk.
• If I was not a believer I would have turned around and walked out the minute I got in there. Nothing appealed to me, in fact everything seemed really fake and starchy. Now, don't hear me wrong, there are probably tons of people who need to know Jesus who would be drawn by the people there and the feel of the church. I just don't know those people. It makes me want to throw up when I think about lost people walking into 90% of the churches in America because we are all so fake! Grrrr, I have no answer to this, and really no well formed thoughts, I'm just rambling.

I think that's it. I'm going to go back next week to get a better feel.

Well, I guess that's it. Thanks for reading my "verbal" processing. Back to "work"...