Rejoice in the Lord - Always.

Well, well, well...I have been pretty silent this summer! For that, I apologize. I guess in my efforts to get things ready, I decided to hold off until I had some concrete news.  Okay, enough excuses, prepare to get filled in on my life!

In early June, we had about a third of the money raised for my missions trip. I quit my campus job a few days before I left on a family vacation (an extended family family vacation) and have just been spending time at home and fundraising since we've been back.  Before we left on vacation, we did complete the grill raffle at Wagoner Summerfest.  We made $800 with the raffle, so that was a super blessing! It's been really nice just to spend some time at home before leaving - the past year has been really busy with it being my senior year of college, so I really didn't get to spend as much time with my family as I would have liked. God provides, right? Not just financially, but in other ways too!

But, boy, He really does provide.  If you'll look back two posts or so, I wrote about a morning drive when God was teaching me something about doubt. I didn't think I'd have that moment, but it came in June when there was a complete lull in activity both in fundraising and general planning. I was struggling a bit with acquiring the documents I needed for part of my Visa application, I wasn't hearing back from the anyone about support letters, and it just seemed like everything was perpetually on hold. Along the way though, God has put people in my life to remind me of His faithfulness to His promises, His provision for His plans, and His overwhelming love for His people.  My parents, especially, have worked insanely hard to help me make this happen and to keep me focused on the days ahead - no matter how difficult it will be for them to see me leave.  I don't think I deserve such awesome family members, but that is God's grace kicked in...He blessed me with them anyway. (Thank you, Family!)

And then, as if a floodgate were opened holding back a ton of garage sale items, we were launched into the three week process of getting ready for the most epic yard sale I have ever had the joy of being involved with.  A lot of people really helped us out and donated boxes full of great stuff to add to our ever expanding collection of "Things for the Yard Sale."  We tore our house apart - I think I touched every item in my room in those two weeks, some I hadn't seen in years, some I didn't even remember at all. Into the garage it went to be sorted and priced.  There were at least ten people who donated to the sale - so a huge thank you to all of you! You helped make it a success. In the end, after three days behind the little table in my dad's shop and after selling a ton of stuff, we had made $1,600 at my missions yard sale! Pretty amazing, huh? God is super cool...

After that, everything seemed to start falling into place with the money and my Visa.  We are about one third shy of my budget now, all the documents for my Visa have been sent in and I'm just waiting to hear back, and I'll be able to buy my plane tickets in the next week or so. I am preparing to speak at Church of God in Wagoner on August 8 - they have been so kind in inviting me to come and share my heart for the nation of Japan!

Most recently, we have been preparing for the spaghetti dinner and dessert auction tomorrow night! All of the food has been donated, so that is a huge blessing.  There have been attacks left and right this week coming up on this dinner and I think there is a certain someone who wants to steal the joy out of God's provision, but it's not working. Almost as soon as problems arise, they are solved - and we're moving forward again.  A few other big thanks:

Tina - really? You're awesome. Thank you for everything.  Food Donations -  Thank you, you know who are! First Assembly of God - Thank you for your constant support and for letting me completely take over the Fellowship Hall for a few days.  Erika Maru - Domo arigato gozaimasu! Thank you for being here to support me and help me out this weekend!  Sis. Darla, Daniel, Haven - Each of you have blessed me with your talent, I can't wait to hear you on Saturday. Uncle Derrial - Thanks for being our auctioneer! I appreciate it! Mom - Thank you! I can't do this without you, but you already know that!

Again - SPAGHETTI DINNER w/ SINGING and DESSERT AUCTION - I hope to see you there! Everyone is welcome and it's only $5 for dinner! Wagoner First Assembly of God - JULY 31st - 5 PM!

Thank you for your prayers and support and I'm going to be more consistent with my posts from now on, so stay tuned!

  As always, for more information:

Amanda Fosburg

P.O. Box 105

Wagoner, OK 74477
fosburg@alumni.nsuok.edu

Facebook: Amanda in Japan

A Story.

A girl took a long train ride -
the landscape dissolving into glass,
cold and breakable. She sighed often.
She read more, trying to find suitable
material to draw from when they met.

Night fell, a book dropping to the floor
with a dull thud and no one to pick it up.
The train cut through the dark, the girl
silenced in a vision of the coming dawn,
opening her eyes upon a cherished smile.

It was what it instantly was. Natural.
Hands taken because there were no others.
A journey unmapped on the horizon, meager
bags on their shoulders, two pairs of shoes
set on the same unknown path through sunrises.

They broke bread in hostels, they drank moonlight -
napped under the Eiffel Tower in France,
danced in Spain, tried art in Venice and Rome,
rode motorbikes in Greece with the ocean below,
laughter marking their presence on the wind.

In Egypt, they stood hushed before the pyramids,
the magnitude of the human spirit - its genius
and its cruelty - quietly changing their souls,
molding them into something more than they were.
They slept in desert tents with tears on their lips.

She gave him Asia, her heart's country, the exotic
language of her deepest self. Weeks passed by
steeped in the flavors of a half dozen countries.
She took a photo of him on the ancient root bridges
of Cherrapungee, the river whispering below.

They were called to the coast of the Andaman Sea,
the limestone walls of the Krabi province rising
from the deep like a refuge for their weary bones.
They buried their secrets on the beaches and left
them behind as the fisherman's boat pulled away.

Drifting, the warm air broke with a sudden whistle -
the book scratching across the floor slowly
as the train stopped. She turned with a sigh
and stared at the ceiling for a long moment,
taking in the sunlight like this were the dream.

As she disembarked, her eyes lit upon a cherished smile.
A man waited, stamping out a cigarette as she approached.
He had two tickets to Paris in his jacket.
It was what it instantly was. Natural.
Chance taken because there were no others.

af July 2010

Sorry for neglecting you, blog world. 

I've been busy.