Ask and you shall receive

God really answers prayers!

Today, I received a text from a friend who teaches ESL to Japanese and Korean students. Her school needed a person to teach a class for the month of May and she immediately thought to recommend ME!

Ah! I've never really taught before... outside of leading Bible studies and speaking at our Student Ministry Team training seminars. So I'll be coming up with lesson plans and taking these students through conversational english and teaching about the LA area.

This is awesome!

If you have ideas for me or would like to give ANY input at all, please please please leave comments.

As always, please keep me in prayer. Pray for my lesson planning, ability to be a friend with these students and for my time with them. Pray that God would be using me to impact these lives and His kingdom!

Still in process...

A friend of mine sent me a message and asked me about what God had been doing in my life lately. I felt really cliche´when I told her that God was teaching me how to trust in Him more. I feel like that is a lesson He NEVER stops teaching... sometimes, we (or at least I) feel like there is a point in the lesson where the conclusion has been reached and there is no longer a need for teaching...

I went into Aerie to pick up my schedule today and was greeted with one shift this week... I already knew of this, but was secretly hoping that I had an extra shift somewhere on the schedule. When I inquired why this was still happening, I was informed that new hires all have to wait out a 90-day probationary period where they receive one or two shifts a week in order to prove themselves worthy of working more hours. Hmm...

Here's where trusting God comes back into play. I realize that when I was hired at Aerie, I immediately stopped looking for jobs. I took my resume offline, discontinued all of the job update emails I had been receiving and was completely convinced that this was it. I no longer needed anything and that God had completely met my need. God was done working.

I'm learning that God isn't through with this process yet. He's teaching me a lot about what it means to trust Him, to seek His kingdom first and how to be in the present season where He has led me.

Please continue to pray for me. Pray that I would trust that where I am is exactly where God Himself has placed me and that I would continue to have an open/soft heart to receive what He has to teach me.

Aerie :)

I should update...

I got a part-time job!! The LORD blessed me with employment at Aerie in the Cerritos Mall. Aerie is a store with the American Eagle Outfitters Inc. and specializes in bras & undies :) Sounds fun. I had my first day yesterday and not only met all of the goals set for me, but exceeded them. As my shift went on, I became more comfortable about approaching customers and helping out as much as possible. I'm looking forward to continuing to work there. This provides an opportunity to further ministry and make new friends that I wouldn't ordinarily have the chance to make. I'm so blessed to be working in this store and amongst the girls I'm with.

It's funny to me that as I am thankful for this part-time job, I still find myself feeling a bit anxious. This job is definitely needed, but receiving hours is not something that has been happening for me. I learned yesterday that sales associates receive hours based on how well they perform while working and how available their schedule is. So with my good day on Sunday, I'm hoping that next week I'll be granted with more shifts. So far... I've only received one 5-hour shift (which was yesterday) and I'm beginning to feel anxious about bills. I guess this shows me as soon as I received my one answer to the many fervent prayers that I (and many of you) have prayed, I assumed that from here on out, everything was going to be easy. Once again I'm reminded of how desperately I must cling to the LORD for my provision in all things. Just because He has provided for me (and this was a huge blessing) does not mean I do not need Him anymore. I must daily look to Him and also trust in Him.

Thank you for continuing to pray with & for me in this battle of finances... and in this battle of trusting God.

Please keep praying:

• For God to be glorified through the work at Aerie and in me
• For the women with whom I work: That they would know Jesus and find life...Proverbs 14:27 "The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death."
• That I would continue to trust and see God provide for all my needs
• For more shifts at Aerie... not just for my finances but also to build relationships with the ladies around me.
• That I would continue to see God provide in abundant and unexpected ways.

remaining faithful...

even when it's hard and feels impossible...

I just wanted to post to thank you for keeping me in your prayers. I didn't get called today about the job... or at least as of 5pm I haven't been called for the job... so I'm back at applying for part-time jobs again.

Wow... large... large.. large.. steps of faith right now.

Please keep praying for God to provide and for me to remain encouraged.

Thanks :)

I need to go shopping...

So that I can get a suit for my group interview a week from Monday!!!

Thanks for praying :) Please continue to pray with me that this job would be a good part-time job for me!

truth

This weekend is going to be amazing :) I'm looking forward to gathering with the Sunland region to talk about the Good News of Christ.

Please be praying for us... 64 students and staff head down from Long Beach State this afternoon to join the rest of our region in Pine Valley, CA. We have close to 300 in total... California, Arizona, Hawaii and I think even Utah? Pray for safe traveling and great conversations in the car & planes :)

Last year, we saw two women from Arizona State make decisions to give their lives to Christ. Would you be praying that others would come to know Jesus this weekend? Pray for God to do great things in the lives of my friends from Long Beach. Oh! I'm also excited for the gospel choir that is happening Saturday night. Seriously, I'm really happy to see us exploring many different ways people praise and worship the Lord. Also, I hear its supposed to be cold and rainy (per usual of Pine Valley this time of year), so will you be praying for all of our health as we experience a really great weekend?

Thanks for reading. Thanks for praying. :)

a little update...

So I went to the temp agency today and now I am waiting to hear back about any jobs available. Pending two tests on Word and Excel, I should be hearing about jobs as soon as they come in. I'm still attempting to remain encouraged, although waiting is incredibly challenging.

Meanwhile, I just applied for an after school program coordinator position... it's for a non-profit and meets the qualifications I've been looking for in a job. This was actually really exciting to apply for. So, I'm continuing to pray and learning a healthy lesson in waiting.

On another note... The Truth Conference is this weekend and I'm really looking forward to it! Some great new friends of mine from Long Beach will be there and I'm sooooo soooo soooo glad they decided to come with us :)

I'll keep you posted as I know more. Thanks for praying. I seriously appreciate all of the support.