Excitement

"As it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death."
                             ~ Philippians 1:20

As the date for my departure gets closer I get more and more excited! I am looking forward to whatever the Lord has for me this summer! I can't wait to be stretched and challenged beyond myself and further into the strength of God. Thankfully there is a large list of things to work on while I wait for the day to arrive otherwise I would probably drive myself crazy. I feel like a young child waiting for Christmas to arrive.

A couple of the things that I still have to do are to finish raising the remaining $977.03, and the purchase of my airline tickets which are roughly $700. I would greatly appreciate any support that you are able to do. Every little bit helps.   If you would like to help me get there you can donate at the Joni and Friends website and it's tax-deductible if you donate here. Just enter my account number in the correct slot (743A75 is my account number).

If you are unable to monetarily support me, your prayers are greatly appreciated. Prayer that the Lord will use me to bless the families I am going to serve, and that my heart will be open to the lessons he has for me.

Thoughts

       I was realizing the other day that I hadn't shared my story about how I got involved with Joni and Friends. It's been such a fun trip down memory lane thinking back over the last 4 years, so much has happened.
       It all started the summer of 2011 roughly 2 weeks before the Twin Rocks Family Retreat. I signed up to go as a STM (Short Term Missionary) and be a buddy to a child in a family affected by disability. These family retreats are a week long, starting on Sunday for the STMs and Monday afternoon for the families. All day Sunday and Monday morning is training for the STMs. After the first day of training I realized that I hadn't fully grasped what I had signed up for. It was most definitely the hardest week of my life! I was stretched emotionally and physically. I cried every night that first family week.

       I was completely changed after that one week. I had to tell everyone about it! 4 years and 7 family retreats later I am now attending my first Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life Internship! My love for these families and individuals affected by disability has grown astronomically. Each family retreat has taught me something  different. That very first camp I went expecting to bless the families and found out that I had very little to offer. I was the one who came away extremely blessed.

     Now you couldn't pay me enough to stay away from family retreat. Every week that I'm not there is like being away from the home and family that I love.

Fundraising

I am getting so excited about the internship!! It's 157 days away, and while it sounds like a long way aways there is so much to do in that amount of time that it doesn't seem long enough. One of the many things that I have on my to-do list is to raise the tuition amount. The internship costs $3900, which includes all my living expenses and travel costs once I'm there. What it doesn't include is my travel expenses to get to Virginia and back home. I have applied for and been approved for a scholarship for $1950 which is half of the cost. However to have it applied to my account I have to make sure that I come up with the other half of the cost by May 9th. I have already come up with $743.07 which leaves $1206.93. If you are interested in helping me monetarily you can do so 3 different ways: Online with a Credit Card- www.joniandfriends.org/support and just enter my name and this number 743A75
                         Credit Card over the Phone- 818-707-5664
                         Check in the Mail- Joni and Friends/Attn: C4L, PO Box 3333, Augora Hills, CA 91376  (Please write on the memo line- Kirsten Arthur-C4L-MMA)

Thank you sooo much for your interest in my adventure and your willingness to invest in it in some way!


Soli Deo Gloria!!

Welcome

Thank you for liking my Facebook page and for reading my blog. I will be posting more in depth updates here about progress made as well as prayer requests and special moments. I am very excited to say that I have been accepted into the Joni and Friends Cause 4 Life East Coast Internship! I will be starting June 18th, 2015.  The cost of my tuition to participate is $3,900. I have received a scholarship for $1,950 which is half the tuition and just need to raise the other half by May 9th.  So far that is all that I have to report, but if you would please be praying that everything goes smoothly for me and the other interns and that God will show us amazing things and that we will be stretched beyond ourselves to trust in our Lord even more.