Web Image Wednesday.

Pretty awesome Japanese graphic artist - Marumiyan. 

www.marumiyan.com for more!

that last one is from an ad the artist did.

enjoy and have a great week!

Great week!

This has been a really busy week, and it's actually still pretty busy -- but I wanted to stop and jot down a few lines of thanks to some special people:

God - You are amazing, and I love You.

Mom - For real, you are a support raising machine.  Thank you.

Kathy and Craig - We couldn't have pulled off the chicken salad fundraiser without your help.  Thank you so much for donating the ingredients we needed and for cooking the chicken.

NaNa - Who knew you had mad raffle ticket selling skills?  Thank you for getting a heads start on that while we were finishing up the chicken salad luncheon.

Brenda Moore - Thank you so much for inviting me to the Women of Worship meeting this week.  It was great meeting all of your ladies.  Talking about Japan was a bonus.  I really appreciate Church Central Women of Worship's support.

Women of Worship - See above, really thank you! It was great talking to you and the food was delicious!

Tina - Thanks for teaching me and mom how to make homemade tamales, they were delicious and really did sell well! It was really fun - also, just thanks for all the hard work you do with Wagoner First's Women's Ministries.

There are many more people who have just really got on board with my support team for the next year - and I appreciate each and every one of you.  A few dates to remember:

June 3-5 - Wagoner Summerfest....we'll have a booth with Wagoner First Assembly to sell raffle tickets for the grill!

June 5 - Last day to buy raffle tickets for that Grill Master 4-Burner Gas Grill!

June 6 - Raffle drawing - winner will be contacted.

July 16-17 - Missions Garage Sale, location will most likely be my house. More info TBA.


As always, if you would like more information - you can contact me:

Amanda Fosburg

P.O. Box 105

Wagoner, OK 74477
fosburg@alumni.nsuok.edu

Facebook: Amanda in Japan

Web Image Wednesday.

Foggy Mornings.

Monday morning, I drove through a white cloud of fog for half the journey between Wagoner and Tahlequah.  As I turned out of my driveway onto the nearly imperceptible road before me, the Lord spoke a little something to my heart.

There is so much unknown about my immediate future, let alone the long term.  If life really were a road, I'd be standing in the midst of a fog bank - straining my eyes to see ahead.  If there are dangers on my right, or my left, dangers ahead, or sneaking up on me from behind...I can't really know.  There is always a little fear when staring into the face of the unknown.

God tells me that not only has He walked this path before, He designed it just for me.  If life really were a road, I'd be standing in the midst of this fog bank with Jesus holding my hand.   If we really understood God's love, we would know without doubt that though the journey is shrouded in mystery, the destination is a prize - and we would be running without hesitation into the unknown. Why doesn't it occur to us that He knows our hearts and wants to surprise and delight us - why rob us of the gift of elated surprise by making our days completely known?  I'd say half the excitement of His blessing, provision, and plan is how it didn't seem possible before, and then He made it so.

On my way across the bridge Monday morning, the fog lifted and the morning sun greeted me on the other side and I had to smile knowing He was teaching me a lesson about discouragement before it even comes.  The next few months might get harder; there are a lot of foggy pathways to travel.   But, I really can't wait to be surprised and delighted by My Love - He gives good gifts and He knows my heart.  These are paths and roads He created for us to walk together.  Family and friends will be coming alongside as we go with their love and support - provision for a long journey that I couldn't do without.

* * * * *

I also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who helped me celebrate my college graduation this past weekend.  The financial and sentimental gifts given do not go unappreciated!  As always, if you have any questions about Japan or my support team - you can contact me anytime!

Amanda Fosburg

P.O. Box 105

Wagoner, OK 74477
fosburg@alumni.nsuok.edu

Facebook: Amanda in Japan

Graduation, Support, and Other Things.

It has been awhile since I've had a spare moment to post.  A lot has happened since my last entry.  Here's a run-down and then I'm going to touch on some specifics and a few prayer needs:

• I graduate college in two days! In case you don't know me that well, I'll be graduating with a B.A. in Mass Communications - Advertising, and a minor in Leadership Communications! Pretty exciting...
• I have the best family and friends in the world, and that's a fact.  These past two weeks have been a little up and down emotionally because of all the goodbyes, but knowing these people will remain a part of my life long after I leave Tahlequah helps with the transition.
• True support raising has begun! I sent out my letters a few weeks ago and the Women's Ministries at Wagoner First kicked off a raffle drawing this week.  I cannot tell you how thankful I am for my church - they are behind me 100%! (interested in a brand new gas grill? let me know, I'll get you hooked up with some tickets!)
• My literary journey around the world is also about to start.  My dear friend Sara and I have compiled a list of 40 books from around the globe to read together over the course of the next year.  She bought me the first 6 on our list for my graduation present.  I cried...we get a bit emotional about books (and each other!).
• I'm officially counting down the days to vacation with my family in June.
• I should be sending off my Visa application soon!  Yay!

God has been good, like always.  As I said in a previous post, it's been difficult to really get started on things for Japan when I'm trying to tie up all the things I have or had going at Northeastern.  Regardless, support has been coming in little by little and it shows me that God is preparing the way on the path He has laid before me.  It means everything to know He's set the groundwork for my year in Japan, because, ultimately, it's all about loving Him anyways.  

Rob, my Chi Alpha teammate last summer, is back in Japan right now for three weeks with a team from the International House of Prayer. Please be praying for their weeks of ministry ahead and for the team.  I heard a few of them aren't feeling so well, but my God is bigger than any traveling bug that they've caught! So, please pray wholeness over the team and just a powerful anointing over their ministry this month! Thank you, and if you would like to get blessed with their testimonies, here is a link to their blog: http://thunderinjapan.blogspot.com/

Need more information about joining my support team? Feel free to contact me anytime!

Amanda Fosburg

P.O. Box 105

Wagoner, OK 74477
fosburg@alumni.nsuok.edu

Facebook: Amanda in Japan

Web Image Wednesday.

I've been aching to write a real post all week, but I need to wait until Friday.  I can't sort through all I'm feeling for a few more days.  It's a little overwhelming.

This Day.

Today held my heart in its hands -
together we turned it upside down
and shook out the memories,
spreading them wide on
these familiar tables already beginning to take dust.

I want to gather them all up to keep forever -
but I can't stop this
and I don't even know that I would,
faces already fading into what will
too soon become past in the light of future.

I can't relive the moments I forgot to savor -
tomorrow, I'll be both drawn and dragged by clock hands
through doors and down new paths with unknown curves,
and, knowing time slows down for no one,
I'll run wherever tomorrow leads.

But, today's name was Goodbye -
I collected my things and turned in my keys,
and shed smiles through the tears I couldn't stop,
I held on to what has been mine for as long as I could
before I knew I had to let go and fall apart alone.

af. may 2010

Web Image Wednesday.

This week is dedicated to Bridget - 

because friends dedicate Web Image Wednesday to friends.

^^ I don't know why...but this belongs to you ^^

(giggles)

As We Learn to Sing.

Open your eyes wide,
and begin to take in the endings -

tunnels widen to green expanses
the path behind starts to fade

for long moments don't move at all
you have to stand still

the hum of the familiar mixes with the ring of the new
into a harmony of past and present converging -

and you realize just how much it costs to be
grown.

af 2009

For Chi Alpha -

Unrelated

We are a family

Of mismatched faces

And different smiles

Each cling to our own dreams and

Childhoods without one another

And homes separated

By memories and miles

And yet

We are family

Stand strong with me and

I'll call you my brother

Touch hearts with me and

I'll call you my sister

Together

We laugh, we pray

We grow and

I can look at our faces

And know

We are a family

Drawing blood lines

From Calvary-

Our common gene.

af 2007