God Provides!!!

Hi friends and family,

Thank you so much to those of you who have provided to me financially, and also to those who have been faithfully praying! I have seen all of my financial outreach needs met! Hurray!!!

On top of that, yesterday we saw the final thousands drop and the announcement that our last two students would be going on outreach (one of which is on my team). Thank you Jesus! We would have felt the absence had he not been able to go. It is absolutely faith-building to have seen God provide around $40,000 in the last few weeks for students and staff. God is so faithful! Some donations have been from family and friends, while others have been completely anonymous and unexpected. It's incredible to witness the generosity of people.

With that, we continue to prepare for outreach. As a team, we have spent the last few days preparing ourselves mentally, physically and spiritually for our departure to Indonesia on Wednesday. I cannot believe how quickly it's come. One of my favorite moments in preparation came as our team was dropped off on Hotel Street (high homeless population) on Thursday night and given the mission to complete two open airs. An open air is basically a loud church service in the middle of the street, directed toward those who don't know Jesus. We usually start with an attention-getter, such as a dance. Then, a skit or drama displaying some aspect of God. We performed a drama that hammers the point that Jesus has died to take the burdens that we carry on a regular basis. His desire is to carry them for us. Very powerful drama and message. We also had a time of worshiping God, as well. The reason this was my favorite moment of outreach prep was that a man - who had felt very burdened - walked by as we were worshiping and said he could feel the difference. He asked one of my male students for prayer, and my student ended up leading this man to the Lord! This man accepted Christ - even though he had been raised in a Christian environment. Such an incredible moment!!!! This is only the beginning of the incredible things I know that God will do through our team in Indonesia and the Philippines.

Today is a rest day for me, so I am currently nursing my cold and attempting to think as little as possible about outreach preparation in order to give my mind a rest. :)

My main purpose for writing today is truly to say thank you! Your sacrifices have blessed me tremendously, and I really do appreciate it. :)

Blessings!

Megan

Life with Jesus this week...

It's worth it. It's all worth it. Following Jesus is all-inclusive. "Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory" (Romans 8:17). It is my privilege to share in it all.

This week has come with both sufferings and glory. I've begun to feel the reality that we are leaving for Indonesia in less than three weeks. God has brought me so much freedom in the past months to not stress as much in the things I cannot control anyway. But, I am still learning. So, sometimes it is a fight for me to trust God fully. To trust that He has my back. To simply listen to His word for me and only pick up the things He is asking me to pick up. To do less or more would be disobedience. So, in my obedience to only do what He has asked of me, I trust that He will take care of the rest.

And, He is providing! I still needed a bit more money for my staff fees this month, and a couple from my church family here in Hawaii sent a financial gift to me that will cover the rest of what I need. So cool! The Lord reminds me this week that He is my provider in ALL things. I am never in want when I am relying fully on my Creator.

I have found a lot of peace the past few weeks in Psalm 23. I pray that same peace for you...

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,

for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.

You annoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

and I will dwell

in the house of the LORD forever."

~Megan

It's a new day...

The last couple of weeks have been incredible. Our lectures have focused on Intimacy & Intercession, and then this last week on the Holy Spirit. Amazing!

If there was one thing I could point out as having been a major focus the past few weeks, it is that God's highest calling for us as His children is to know/receive His love for us! Secondly, to love all of those around us. It is not always easy. Loving those that hate us, slander us, abuse us. He helps us to know and learn physical and emotional boundaries with these people. However, we are still called to love them. I don't pretend to know exactly what this looks like every time. I think that every time and with each person, how we are asked to love them looks different. This way, we are forced to rely on the Lord's love! It all comes back to His greatest commandment for us. "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind'; and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself'" (Luke 10:27).

Like I said, it has been an incredible week! I'm moved by the Lord's love for me. I'm receiving it in new ways, and learning to love Him back. And, I'm learning more and more to love others out of the love I receive from Him.

Things with our team are great. :) Liz (my co-leader) and I absolutely love them all. We are growing more into a family every week. God is giving me His heart for them, and it's so fun! We are getting mentally, spiritually and physically prepared for outreach. We leave at the end of this month! I can't believe it's already less than 4 weeks away. We've been blessed to meet with our Philippines contact (who was living on the YWAM base for a couple of months at the beginning of this year). And, we met with one of the staff who went on outreach to Indonesia a couple of years ago. She was able to give us a great idea of the ministry we will be doing in villages. It will be quite different from what we are all used to. No electricity. Bathing, cleaning dishes, and washing clothes usually in the same water. YES! I'm so looking forward to getting back to the basics/necessities of life. I'm looking forward to how it will free up time to spend with people and in relationship.

Prayer needs:

- That our visas for Indonesia would go through quickly and smoothly.

- That we would continue to grow closer to each other, as a family, in unity.

- That Liz and I would continue to grow closer and closer, in unity with what God is doing in our team and as we move into outreach mode.

- That our hearts would grow greater for both Indonesia and the Philippines. So, that when we arrive, we are ready to jump in and love all those around us. :)

- That all of our/my money would come in. I think I am needing around $2,000 for plane tickets. If you feel led to give financially, I would love for you to partner with me in all God is doing and will do on this outreach! Directions for giving financially are on the home page of my blog. Please let me know if you have any questions. :)

Lots of love!

~Megan

Thank you so much for listening & caring!