God is sooo good!

Wow...I just got an amazing email newsletter from a very good friend who is a missionary in Africa. It is definitely eye opening...enjoy. Peace Out ~ Jenni :)

“For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, be will have whatever he says.
“Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray believe that you receive them and you will have them.”
Mark 11:23, 24


This has been a wonderful month. Sorry I didn’t really get out a newsletter earlier but I wasn’t near a computer….

Last month we decided to go to Tanzania for a recon mission to a place where we have never been before. We were told we were going to Mafia Island. When we met the pastor he said to us, “I don’t even want to go to Mafia.” They warned us that it is a really hard place 100% Muslim accept for this pastor and his wife they have lived there for over 13 years and only 60 people have received Jesus in all that time. He said we’ve had many out reaches where not a soul has accepted Jesus. But he told us, “You are still welcome to come.”

So we leave Dar on a bus to Kisiju where we would take a boat to Mafia. When we reached Kisiju the tide was out so the sail boat we would use couldn’t sail until the next morning. So I started to talk with the pastor about healing. We talked about Isaiah 53:3-5 He took our iniquities and bore our sins and by his stripes we are healed. I said, “When I was watching the Passion of Christ, I looked at the price he paid for my sicknesses and God doesn’t want us sick.” He replied, “But God teaches us through sickness.” So this bothered me, how can a loving father put sickness on his child to teach them something? So I prayed most of the night and asked God how can I show him God doesn’t want to teach us through sickness. And God spoke, “And said, ‘Ask him this… Show me in the Bible in the life of Jesus where God used sickness to teach us a lesson.” Pastor Mosha said, I don’t know, but in the life of Paul, but he’s not Jesus, and I do believe God heals.” You know many times we can’t explain why we get sick, but the Bible says it’s a work of the devil and God doesn’t want to teach us through a work of the devil.

So we went in the boat the next morning it was supposed to be a 6-8 hr. boat ride and it took us 48hrs. During the second day the wind stopped to blow and we were going backwards instead of forwards. So I started to pray, “God please send us wind, please, please.” It was so hot and I had to cover by body with a skirt in order to keep from being sunburned. So I fell asleep and started to dream. In my dream God said, “ Jesus spoke to storms, trees, sickness, and disease and told them to go. Speak to the wind and tell it to blow in the name of Jesus.” So while I was still dreaming I spoke to the wind and told it to blow and I said God I don’t know where Mafia is but maybe it’s north of us so I pray, “Wind blow from the south in Jesus name.” And I woke up with a huge wind blowing over my body. I was in the middle of the ocean and I had no idea where I was or what direction the wind came from. Finally we arrive in Mafia and the pastor says to me, We needed a north wind to blow us to Mafia but when the wind came it blew from the South. Praise God he answers our prayers, I got my south wind even if I need it from the other direction.

Once we were in Mafia I prayed and ask God please allow me to teach faith here. I’ve never prayed like I did for those two weeks. I was asked to teach and I taught on faith, the pastor was so blessed, he saw the Word of God like never before. I taught for 3 days on the 4th day we went on our first outreach. As I preached the people were yelling and mocking us the entire time and we left. As I was praying that morning I felt everyone says Mafia is a hard Island, but that’s not a good confession. As I was praying I couldn’t think of anything to call Mafia that was good. So we minister the second day and the people at least listened but still no response. The third morning I started to seek God for a breakthrough on this Island and as I was praying I spoke Mafia is a fruitful Island and it will bare fruit and this fruit shall remain. That evening 7 people accepted Jesus into their lives. It was the first time so many people came to know Jesus at one time. Even a drunk man came and said, “ I don’t want to drink any more I want Jesus.” God is so good. We had fruit on mafia.

When we left the pastor was blessed and so was the church and there were 7 souls added to our family. Praise God!!!!!!!!!!!

Please pray for me. I’m planning on going to Zimbabwe in a week for three weeks and then come back and teach. Please pray for our team and for Wisdom on leading.

God Bless you,

Amber

p.s. one more testimony…
Oh yeah I was telling you…when we were on Mafia I used the name of Allah when I was preaching, the pastor told me they if it was before the war with Iraq we would have been stoned. To use the name of allah is like taking god’s name in vain to them. But since the war in Iraq things have opened, and they are realizing that they are not so safe anymore. I praise God that we went to war. Not only that but they were sending millions of dollars every month to pay people to convert to Islam now the money isn’t coming anymore. Please let people know that it is causing people to come to know Jesus.

Love ya,
Amber

More Excitement!!!

Ok...so I can't seem to blog more than once a month for any extended period of time...but that's ok...I don't think anyone actually reads them anyway...except for me and maybe...God?

Anyway, a have a new addition to my family...a new kitty!!! He is the most playful thing I have every seen. He is still nameless, unless you count "Little Man" or "Little One" or whatever I feel the need to call him at the moment. He is definitely a handful, but a real sweetie too!

In addition, my best friend is getting married on Saturday...and I'm in the wedding. It's been such a stressful time for her that I do pray that everything goes well. After that, I have another wedding to attend in October & then, hopefully the weddings will cease for a while.

I'm enjoying the single life with all of my animals, a job that I like & a quiet house (except for the manimals). Life is good.

Peace Out,
Jenni :)

Oh, to gain the love of a cat...

That's right, I said it! Cats are amazing creatures, contrary to some very twisted popular belief. They seem to be so self sufficient, and not in need of any real affection at all...quite the opposite of dogs. However; even while that is completely true, I still find that it warms my heart when my little Allie jumps up into my lap and lazily falls asleep...calmly purring all the while.

My other cat, Cassie, who is somewhat estranged to touch, is equally estounding in a completely different way. Like when I wake up in the mornings and she, who cannot and will not be held and is rarely ever touched, is napping just an arm's length away and blinks at me with sleepy eyes as if to say..."Thank you for not trying to pet me and allowing me to just lie here calm and secure."

Now, I do imagine that if my cats actually could speak, they would probably be much more eloquent than I could ever be while attempting to dictate their thoughts. Even though some cats are somewhat standoffish when it comes to public dispays of affection, they can still show their love in the smallest of ways - and those small displays seem to be all the more precious simply because they are only witnessed by the cat and their beloved human.

Coming Soon to a home near you...Kitty Love!

Peace & Love,
Jenni :)

Change.....is good

Well, the last 6 weeks have really brought about some huge changes for me. First of all, I quit my job of 6 1/2 years...this was the single most stress relieving thing I have ever done. Secondly, I moved out of my free apartment & in with a long-time friend...into a house with a massive back yard for my dog to run...along with my roommates 4 dogs. In addition to the 5 dogs, we also have 6 cats, 2 geckos & quite a few fish. Yes, it is safe to say that we run a moderately sized zoo! Last, but definitely not least...I got a new job doing more of what I really love...creative advertising. I really could not ask for a better place to work at this point; life is good!

You know, the whole drama from my last entry was what finally put me over the edge at work. Constantly feeling like you have to defend yourself and what you think in regards to your superior at work really sucks. I just decided that there is much more to life than having a 24/7 job...and I couldn't be happier. I work my 40 & then go home...I have every weekend off to do whatever I want...and the best part is.....I no longer live in an apartment!

I love having a driveway with a parking space that is never taken. I love being able to water my flowers with a hose like normal people & not a little watering can that must lugged through the kitchen 3 times to water everything. I love the fact that my dog no longer has to be on a leash each time we leave the house. I love not having to use a key to open my mailbox. I JUST LOVE IT!

God is good! He always knows what's best...we just have to listen...sometimes, waiting for that small little voice can be a real struggle, but when we do...it's magnificent!

Peace & Love,
Jenni :)

I said WHAT????

Well, today I received a quite disturbing phone call from my supervisor informing me that a co-worker from another office had expressed a few concerns to her...about me. She then went on to tell me that that this employee said that I had said all kinds of rude things during a conversation we had last week. After I recovered from being stunned, I asked my supervisor to tell me what I had supposedly said...the words that she spoke after that point were absolutely appalling to me.

The very crazy thing is that most of the things I supposedly said were originally uttered by the person who made the accusations against me. I am a bit confused here, I must admit. First of all, the conversation that I remember having did not even involve any matters that were confidential...in fact, my assistant was in the next room and heard pretty much the whole conversation.

Why is it that people cannot just do their jobs? Why do people try to make themselves look better by trashing others? I just cannot even comprehend why on earth this even occurred today. I put my entire heart & soul into my job & always try to do everything to the best of my ability. All of my actions are to improve our team and the service that we give to our customers. It is completely absurd how my words have been so badly twisted that there is not even a shred of truth in them.

Even with everything that happened today, and after venting to my mom and several close friends, I have come to a conclusion...God is still on His throne. No matter what happens, no matter what people may say, in the end, God is still God & He is still in control. The events of today do not change that, nor do they change how I feel about myself. I do everything to the glory of God and as long I know I have been true to that...in then end, nothing else matters.

Peace Out,
Jenni :)

Waste not...want not

Today, I had a manager's meeting...yes, I am a manager of...well, something. Anyway, the only thing I can say about today was that it was a complete waste of time. For the first hour or so, our regional manager was out running errands...and then after lunch, they decided to have a Mary Kay party. That's right, Mary Kay...and on top of that, I was not allowed to leave. First of all, I cannot wear MK because I am slightly allergic to it...and secondly, I have actual work to do rather than spending an entire day that was a waste of time.

I really wonder what the president of the company would think about this wasteful attitude. What was even better was when my regional asked me why I wanted to leave & I told her that I had work to do...she then proceeded to ask me what. WHAT? Now, this is the same woman who came to do an inspection last week and gave me a huge list of things that she wanted me to do...so WHAT ON EARTH COULD I POSSIBLY HAVE TO DO? I am really confused here.

Can anyone save me from this horrific downward spiral of time wasters?

Jenni ;<

"Have you thanked God today?"

Ok...to begin, I must vent for just a moment. This morning @ 8am, I awoke to the obnoxiously loud sound of lawn mowers just outside my window...so not cool! Do landscaping companies know the only day I have to sleep in? Are there satellites or cameras beaming down into my brain looking for such information? If not, the thought that it is just coincidence is completely absurd. Well, at least it was an exciting way to begin the day...annoying, but exciting none the less.

So, after some cereal ~ wishing I had strawberries or peaches for color and oh-so-yummy sweetness ~ I have finally named my site & the world of Everyday Excitement is born! What exactly is Everyday Excitement, you may ask? Well, I believe in celebrating daily! Those celebrations could be for a number of things, both large and small...I think the smaller they are, the more dear to my heart they become. I have a sign by my front door that I look at each time I leave that says "Have you thanked God today?"...to me, it's the same thing.

If it's raining outside & I can get to the car without getting wet...WOO HOO ~ celebration time, baby! Or, I so have to get a bank deposit in by 2pm, and there are 3 people in line ahead of me with exactly 3 min. 25 sec. left, and the bank tellers fingers are moving at light speed...it's finally my turn in line and my transaction goes throught without a snag! I walk out of the bank, look at my receipt and the time on it is 2:01pm with a processing date of TODAY...WOO HOO ~ time to celebrate again!

It's the small things in life that keep me going...so, thank God today for His everyday excitement!

Adios,
Jenni :)