CAO - Day Three

Today was awesome!!!  I just sat here for a bit trying to think of a more "grown up" way of saying that, but that's honestly one of the best descriptors for today.  It was a fantastic day!


It started with another yummy breakfast (our hotel is really great - we are all extremely comfortable!) and then to the UWM offices.  Again, we started with a devotional to get us focused and centered on God and the Word.  Today we talked about the work of the church and the different ways that "teaching" can look.  A few of the notes that I took said "Unless God is at work in us, it's impossible to be effective" and "My goal is God Himself - not the byproducts that come from knowing Him."  I loved it because it's so easy to get caught up in what I can do and looking at my gifts and abilities and trying to do things without God, but He needs to be working in me and through me and I can't be complacent and relying on myself otherwise I'm not going to be effective.  But with that, I shouldn't seek to know God so that I'll be effective or so He'll bless my ministry or to receive joy and passion - I should seek God because He is God and He deserves my praise and worship and devotion.  Those other things will come if He is my ultimate goal.


This morning was full of mini-meetings.  First up was my appointment review.  That meant that one-on-one we went over our "roadmaps."  A Roadmap is a big (and extremely helpful) list of the various things that need to be completed and the time frame they need to be completed in.  Then were the personal requirements which came from the counselor including the list of books I need to read and the various issues I'll need to be mentored in.  


Second was my health review.  I skyped with a nurse who told me the things I'll need to complete health-wise before leaving.  That includes a physical, immunizations, and blood work.


Finally was my Training Map meeting.  For the other appointees this included things like CIT (the 7 week pre-field training that they like their missionaries to go to - honestly, it sounds really incredible and like it would be super helpful but since I've only got about 8 weeks until I go and I go to a separate TCK-PFO training for the school, I'm not required to attend.  Though, if at the end of 2 years I decide that I'd like to continue as a long term missionary, they said that they would encourage me to attend then) or Bible training (again, very jealous that I don't get to do that.  I love school and the Bible so naturally, I think I'd love to take Bible classes).  This was a short meeting for me as I'm already signed up for TCK-PFO (Third Culture Kid Pre Field Orientation) and that's the only training I'm required to attend.


After all of us had finished our various meetings, the candidates and staff came together and we had a little ceremony.  One of the staffers read a prayer from Philippians (pretty sure it was Philippians...) and then he presented us one-by-one with a certificate (pictured below) and a book about the history of UWM.  After we'd all received our official appointment (and we all did - woohoo!) he prayed for us all.


Giddy doesn't quite do justice to the emotion I've been feeling since.  I'm so filled with joy and happiness and peace and excitement.  I am so thankful to God for bringing me to this point, to this ministry, and to this organization.  I have so much fun with these people - fellow appointees and staff.  I love the way that our conversations go from light-hearted to silly to deep and spiritual and back.  I love the sense of community.  


After lunch was our Finance and Human Resources meeting - which didn't have too much paperwork.  We got to go over fun topics like financial history, health and life insurance, expense reports, mileage logs, and support schedules.  And honestly, as much as that sounds like it would be boring, I actually rather enjoyed it.  It was a lot of information, but it was all necessary and essential and I enjoyed seeing in more detail how UWM works financially and talking lots about fiscal responsibility.


We had dinner at another staffer's house tonight.  It was pulled (chopped?) pork with homemade BBQ sauce (yyyuuummmmm), roasted asparagus, sweet potatoes, and a delicious lemon and poppy-seed salad followed by brownies and vanilla bean ice cream.  Also, this family has an adorable 18 month old son (who reminds me so much of Wesley).  After another great dinner of good food and conversation, we played that telephone pictionary game (which in this setting was called "Papers").  As always, it was hilarious and we had a blast.  As we were eating, I couldn't help but think of Acts 2:42-47.  "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer...all the believers were together and had everything in common...Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.  They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God..."  I was sitting there thinking about how much fun I was having and how much I was deeply enjoying the company of the people around me.  We're all different.  We're in different stages of life, we have different passions, we have different interests, we have different backgrounds and families and come from different places.  Some of that overlaps, of course.  But the one thing that we all have in common is Jesus.  And that's all we need.  


Again, I'm exhausted but so, so content and overjoyed.  I posted a picture of my certificate.  I'm kicking myself because I meant to take a picture of the back yard of the house we ate dinner at.  They had this great little porch area and then there was a small hill that backed right up to the woods.  I loved it!


I love you and I'm so thankful for each of you!  The encouragement and support I've received today has brought a smile to my face.  I've loved sharing all of this with you via texting and blogging and hope that I get a chance to share more with you face-to-face!  Have a wonderful night!

My certificate! So cool!  And I can frame this one since my name is spelled correctly, unlike my diploma