Even though I've job hopped today for a grand total of 12 hours of work, I still want to post a quick update about some things going on before I fall asleep!
First, I have FINALLY mailed out my first chunk of letters! It's all getting real very quickly, especially thinking about the fact that within the next few weeks I will be purchasing my plane tickets! It sounds simple, but it has been hectic writing multiple different letters and trying to sort lists of names into categories depending on what letter I am sending to them (close friends/family, close church friends/family, etc.). So I was thrilled that I got out my first stack! Yay! :)
On to the second bit of exciting news! I got an email from my school today letting me know that 6 more students have been accepted to the program! Two of them are girls my age, one from Ohio and the other from Germany. So I was super excited to hear that! I will be getting to talk to them sometime soon when the school sends out contact information for us to do so.
Lastly, but definitely not least.. thank you so much for all of the sweet words of encouragement and for sharing in my excitement about this journey! It gets overwhelming at times, but I have the most amazing support system of family and friends. I love you all!
P.S. Between all of the insanity of the past week, I have been trying to start learning some Czech! My favorite word so far is simply "hi" which is ahoj, pronounced ahoy! Hahaha love that!
:)
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
What's the dealio?
Many of you know the basics of what I am doing and where I am going, but I should probably share some more details! So I figured I would give further information about what is about to be coming up. Before I get to that, I will tell you all the craziness that is happening right up until I leave..
*For extra fun, add the usual work schedule and full time school into the equation for each month...*
October- all focus is on starting fundraising for my trip. Mailing letters, making phone calls, meeting with people.
November- (still fundraising), the 20th-26th I will be in New Jersey for my first Thanksgiving away from home. I am so excited to be visiting my cousins that I haven't seen in a few years!
December- (still fundraising), final exams, final papers/projects, and of course... CHRISTMAS! Plus making lists upon lists of what I need to purchase and pack so I am prepared for the insanity January will bring.
January- this is where it gets crazy... final month to fundraise anything I still need, Jan 1st-4th in Atlanta for Passion conference, January 20th one of my best friends is getting married plus I am the maid of honor so there will be lots of wedding stuff going on the entire month, then finally I depart for the Czech Republic on the 31st!
WHEW! My plate = Full!
So now for the details of what will happen in those 6 months!
As many know, this program is called the Heart of Europe - Discipleship Training School through YWAM, and it is the very first DTS for this new base! The program focuses on human trafficking, which was the type of program I really wanted to be involved in. The school will actually be held in an old brothel that the school and group there had been praying for to be closed for years. It was shut down and has been empty for a while, and it was offered to the YWAM team to rent after some needed renovations are done.
The first 3 months in Cheb, CZ will be lectures and just time for learning, growth, and bonding as a group. We will be spending at least 2 weeks at the school in Herrnhut, Germany as well during those first few months.
The two months following the "lecture phase" is our outreach/field experience! So far we have been told that we will most likely be going somewhere either in Central Europe or Vietnam. I am excited for anywhere we go! I have had a lot of people ask me if I'm scared of where we might go. Honestly, I'm not. I'm really excited about wherever we may be lead to go, and for what God has planned for us to do there. The final month will be a continuation of outreach back in Cheb applying what we have learned!
Then the school will end on July 25th.
If you have any questions, just comment or message me!
:)
*For extra fun, add the usual work schedule and full time school into the equation for each month...*
October- all focus is on starting fundraising for my trip. Mailing letters, making phone calls, meeting with people.
November- (still fundraising), the 20th-26th I will be in New Jersey for my first Thanksgiving away from home. I am so excited to be visiting my cousins that I haven't seen in a few years!
December- (still fundraising), final exams, final papers/projects, and of course... CHRISTMAS! Plus making lists upon lists of what I need to purchase and pack so I am prepared for the insanity January will bring.
January- this is where it gets crazy... final month to fundraise anything I still need, Jan 1st-4th in Atlanta for Passion conference, January 20th one of my best friends is getting married plus I am the maid of honor so there will be lots of wedding stuff going on the entire month, then finally I depart for the Czech Republic on the 31st!
WHEW! My plate = Full!
So now for the details of what will happen in those 6 months!
As many know, this program is called the Heart of Europe - Discipleship Training School through YWAM, and it is the very first DTS for this new base! The program focuses on human trafficking, which was the type of program I really wanted to be involved in. The school will actually be held in an old brothel that the school and group there had been praying for to be closed for years. It was shut down and has been empty for a while, and it was offered to the YWAM team to rent after some needed renovations are done.
The first 3 months in Cheb, CZ will be lectures and just time for learning, growth, and bonding as a group. We will be spending at least 2 weeks at the school in Herrnhut, Germany as well during those first few months.
The two months following the "lecture phase" is our outreach/field experience! So far we have been told that we will most likely be going somewhere either in Central Europe or Vietnam. I am excited for anywhere we go! I have had a lot of people ask me if I'm scared of where we might go. Honestly, I'm not. I'm really excited about wherever we may be lead to go, and for what God has planned for us to do there. The final month will be a continuation of outreach back in Cheb applying what we have learned!
Then the school will end on July 25th.
If you have any questions, just comment or message me!
:)
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
The Verdict...
I WAS ACCEPTED TO THE PROGRAM!!!!!
I'M SO HAPPY AND EXCITED AND OVERWHELMED AND AHHH!!!
God is amazing. Just last night I was starting to worry and let my fears control me... maybe I didn't write enough, maybe I didn't clearly communicate, maybe I should've reread my application ten more times before submitting it. I came home from class after taking an exam, and I was worked up over the fact that my car was blowing hot air all day on top of me being stressed out with school and other silly little things. Luckily Lena was there to greet me and help me calm down. What was really special about that night though was Steve walking downstairs with one of his devotional books. He said he just felt like he was supposed to read out of this one particular book tonight and that he wanted to read it with us. So we all sat on the couch together and he opened it up to October 8th. What was that devotion about? Casting all of your cares and worries on God, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Hello!! Talk about a message from God. I immediately realized that I needed to hand it over. None of this was in my control. I had been praying all week that if I wasn't supposed to go, that God would shut the door and my application would not be accepted, and I prayed that same thing again that night.
I woke up this morning ready to go take my mid-term exam and feeling much better about whatever was to come. I pulled my laptop into bed and signed into my account for the program. There at the top of the page was what I had been waiting for the past week, "Hello Carley, You have been accepted!" I laughed a little, cried a little, and freaked out a little. Needless to say, I was a little distracted in school this morning, but hey. Today has been a whirlwind of figuring out what the next steps will be and making lots of excited phone calls.
Oh and another little answer to prayer... my car a/c suddenly started working again today. Thank you Lord!!
Thank you so much to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging throughout this process. It means the world to me that you have stood by me and believed in me. And thank you Mom & Dad for being supportive even when you are scared. I love you all!
:)
I'M SO HAPPY AND EXCITED AND OVERWHELMED AND AHHH!!!
God is amazing. Just last night I was starting to worry and let my fears control me... maybe I didn't write enough, maybe I didn't clearly communicate, maybe I should've reread my application ten more times before submitting it. I came home from class after taking an exam, and I was worked up over the fact that my car was blowing hot air all day on top of me being stressed out with school and other silly little things. Luckily Lena was there to greet me and help me calm down. What was really special about that night though was Steve walking downstairs with one of his devotional books. He said he just felt like he was supposed to read out of this one particular book tonight and that he wanted to read it with us. So we all sat on the couch together and he opened it up to October 8th. What was that devotion about? Casting all of your cares and worries on God, because He cares for you. 1 Peter 5:7 Hello!! Talk about a message from God. I immediately realized that I needed to hand it over. None of this was in my control. I had been praying all week that if I wasn't supposed to go, that God would shut the door and my application would not be accepted, and I prayed that same thing again that night.
I woke up this morning ready to go take my mid-term exam and feeling much better about whatever was to come. I pulled my laptop into bed and signed into my account for the program. There at the top of the page was what I had been waiting for the past week, "Hello Carley, You have been accepted!" I laughed a little, cried a little, and freaked out a little. Needless to say, I was a little distracted in school this morning, but hey. Today has been a whirlwind of figuring out what the next steps will be and making lots of excited phone calls.
Oh and another little answer to prayer... my car a/c suddenly started working again today. Thank you Lord!!
Thank you so much to everyone who has been so supportive and encouraging throughout this process. It means the world to me that you have stood by me and believed in me. And thank you Mom & Dad for being supportive even when you are scared. I love you all!
:)
Sunday, October 7, 2012
The Beginning..
Hello! Welcome! It's currently 10pm, and I am sitting at the table trying to figure out how to work my new blog. My mind is racing a million miles a minute, or at least that's what it feels like. Most of you that will be following me will be to keep track of what is going on in my life! As of right now, my application for the 6 month YWAM Heart Of Europe Program is in, and I am SOOOO EXCITED!!! It's been three days, and yes I check my email probably way too many times waiting to hear if I got in or not.
That being said, my next post will probably be the verdict. YAY!!!... well, hopefully yay! We shall see!
P.S. I'm laughing at myself a little bit right now because I realize that by the time most people read this I will probably be on my way to the other side of the world, if not already there. BUT I'm okay with that, because at least you have something to read.
:)
That being said, my next post will probably be the verdict. YAY!!!... well, hopefully yay! We shall see!
P.S. I'm laughing at myself a little bit right now because I realize that by the time most people read this I will probably be on my way to the other side of the world, if not already there. BUT I'm okay with that, because at least you have something to read.
:)
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