Packing/ Preparation/ Prayer

       The Information packet was hefty.  I have been having trouble trying to figure out how I am supposed to get all the supplies they said I will be needing over to Italy.  Most airlines only allow one suitcase and one carry on.  I do not see how that is possible at this point so unfortunately it looks like we will end up having to pay a fee to bring a second suitcase.   

Also 64% of the needed $4000 has come in.  Thank you all.  The Lord is really providing.  =)    I have a little more paperwork to make sure the credits will transfer, but I think that is the last of it.  The only thing left after that is arranging the travel. 

       I would appreciate prayer as I finish out this fall semester. I have had a rough couple of weeks and I am having trouble concentrating.  My stress level has been growing consistently over the past few weeks and will be hitting its peak this week as all my final projects are due and exams are right around the corner.  I am restless for it to just be over – the Christmas break syndrome lol – yet at the same time I want to have more time with the friends that I will not get to see next semester. I am torn.

Keep praying.  Stacy

Financial Support Update

So my mom came to visit me at PBU November 5 to help me with support letters.  Thank you mommy.  We spent the morning putting the finishing touches on the letter and running spell check and such. Then around lunch we tried to print them and the printer ran out of ink, so we made a Wal-Mart run.  Eventually we got them all printed and I addressed and signed them all while mom put the labels and stamps on the envelopes. There were about 170 of them I believe.  By the time we were done it was dinner time.  We ate then prayed over them and sent them out.  Since then we have been praying for all you receiving the letters.

I would like to thank those who have responded to my letters thus far.  The Lord has used you to provided 10% of the needed $4000.  That is an amazing encouragement.  It is really great to see the money starting to come in.  I pray it continues.  Please keep my family and I in your prayers as we progress preparing for this Spring. 

In Christ, Stacy

Why SBI?

So the story of how God directed me to SBI:

I believe that God has given me much confirmation about this trip because of the way I found out about SBI and the way that everything has fallen into place.  One night, I felt prompted, for no apparent reason, to go to the Eagle’s Nest (a café-type hang out on campus).  I went all the while trying to figure out why I felt that I should be there, and trying to convince myself to turn around and go do homework.  The meeting for SBI was in there.  I sat down not understanding what the program was, and was in no way expecting to actually apply, never mind go.  However, while I was sitting there I felt like I was in the right place.  As the meeting went on, I had a strong feeling, almost like a drum beat, reverberate through me and I knew it was God saying “you are going to this.” I fought this idea with every argument in my arsenal, telling myself that these thoughts were illogical and/or impossible.  After the first fifteen minutes of the meeting, however, those arguments still did nothing to squelch the ever loudening drumbeat.  After a while, I gave in and asked every question I thought someone who wanted to go through this program should ask; all the while the drumbeat, and my heartbeat, increased in intensity. 

By the end of the meeting, I was overflowing with an overwhelming confidence and joy because I knew that this was where God wanted me.  There were only two doubts in my mind about actually going to Italy with SBI: money and my mother.  I called my mom immediately after the meeting, expecting a complete shutdown of operations from her and received, instead, an extremely excited and receptive flood of encouragement and support; I was baffled.  Since then I have been taking every measure I can to prepare for this trip; all the while praying for guidance and asking for God to shut the door if this is not where He would have me grow and serve next semester.  So far, every door headed toward Italy has swung wide open.  For example, new signs were put on the wall that directed me to the office of the one person I did not know how to find, and financial support has been offered from unbelieving family members despite the evangelistic focus of the program.  Everyone we have talked to, who has had personal experience/interaction with SBI, has had nothing but praise and thankfulness for this program and its founder.  I was officially accepted into the SBI program a few weeks ago.  And financial support seems to be the last door that God would have to close if He so chooses.  

Why a Blog?

I have been advised to start a blog concerning the amazing study abroad/mission opportunity God has brought me in recent weeks so that those who wish to learn and follow how God has been working can do so at their leisure (and so I do not have to repeat the story a hundred times over).  At first I was tentative, but alas here I am.  So how did I get here?

About a month ago God directed me to Saints Bible Institute (SBI) in San Lorenzo Italy (the one in northern Italy, by Venice – there is two).  It is similar in style and organization to the Wisconsin Wilderness program (WWC) that I completed my freshman year of college; however it has a different focus.  WWC was a year long program had a very strong emphasis on defining worldview, evaluating the worldviews of others, and fleshing out the details of our own worldview.  SBI is a semester long program with a very strong emphasis on international missions/evangelism.  Only a small group of students is accepted every semester (20-30ish) and it is very community oriented.  I am going this coming Spring semester (2012), which means that I would be in Italy from February 3^rd – April 30^th (88 days).  Any longer and the participants would need visas.  This program would offer me the chance to get some really cool first hand exposure to Italian culture while still working toward my degree.  I would have a full course load all geared toward the purpose/focus of the program, plus an “Introduction to Conversational Italian” language class (not for credits).   Even though most of the credits will not transfer to PBU they will still be on my transcript.  And, by the LORD’s blessing, I will still be able to complete my degree by the end of Spring (2014) as was expected/planned.  Yay!

 I was hesitant to create a blog for a few reasons, the main two being that: I was not sure if I would have the time and/or the discipline to update it regularly and because I did not want to the loose the personal interaction.  The first reason stood out to me because I like to finish what I start.  If I commit to something I like to see it through (that doesn’t mean that always happens, but I do my best).  Also I have had friends and family insist that I give them pictures and regular updates while I am over in Italy and if I did not have this blog that means I would be telling the same stories 50 zillion times over which would take a lot of time and energy that I am not sure I will have.  This brings us to reason two.  Through interacting with a few people in my immediate proximity about how God brought this opportunity to me and has guided every step of my life since then towards Italy I have realized how much I love encouraging others by sharing the stories.  I really do not mind telling it a hundred times over for those who take the time to listen because of the joy it brings others to hear it and me joy to share it.  However, for practicality’s sake and for the convenience of others and myself, I have reflected and prayed about the idea.  I came to the conclusion that the wisest thing to do would be to create this blog and obviously I have decided to do it.