So little time so much to do

I realize I have over 4 months before I go to Brazil.  But, did you just hear that I only have 4 MONTHS UNTIL I GO TO BRAZIL!!! Ok I am done shouting.  As my roommate put it I have way to long to start freaking out now. But, there are moments when I do not have victory over my emotions and my irrational fears begin to show and I once again need to give my cares to God for Him to hold. And I know He holds them and cares for them much better than I can.

Ok so little time and so much to do.  Timelines have always been hard on me, I get things done but usually just in time. But, I am trying hard to get things done sooner.  My visa is still not even applied for yet. I am waiting for letters to arrive from Brazil that I need to send in with my application.  I am praying the mail delivery services take good care of them and that they arrive soon.  I feel that there may not be enough time for me to feel accomplished in speaking Portuguese before I leave and that is to say nothing about the ministries and tasks in Brazil that God maybe calling me to do that I have no confidence to complete.

Wow those things are kind of a downer.  Now on to what God is doing.  He continues to give me time to complete my tasks and friends along the way to encourage me.  I am filling up my free time with memories I will take with me to Brazil and I am planning fun trips along the way.  God has also given me snow, yes for those of you in the Northern States of the USA you might think I am crazy but for someone who is moving to a country without snow I am soaking it up and loving the cold and beauty of God's creation.  That said if you are in MN and want to do a winter activity with me please let me know!

Thanks for reading and I hope that by next week I will have an update on my Visa and my next step towards Brazil!

Visa

I feel like to have so much to do before I can go to Brazil.  One of the major hurdles is getting a Temporary Residency Visa for Brazil.  I have been compiling the list of items that I need but I am still waiting to get the letters from Brazil that are hopefully in the mail on their way to me.  This whole process has 2 steps.  I need to fill out forms and send in letters, and then they send it back to me and then I have more things to send in again.  So the few months that I have left may not be enough time to get it all done.  Please pray for God's will in this. I do have my tourist visa from the last time I went so  I am allowed in Brazil for 180 days in each of the next 4 years. So that is a big blessing.

My thoughts are often on what I should be bringing to Brazil, what I can fit in my car to bring home and what I should sell/or get rid of.  I have never thought that I have a lot of stuff, but right now it does seem like a small mountain's worth. I am glad I have a few months to figure all of this out.  If you have any advice on things I may need there or creative ways to get rid of stuff please share.

I attended a free Portuguese class last night at a local Brazilian Church.  I am reminded of just how much more I need to learn, but I am encouraged by just how much I do understand. I never seem to find enough time to sit down and study portuguese so having a class to go to helps a lot. Languages have never been my thing, but that is just one more way I see God working and changing my thoughts towards His. I am excited about learning and understanding a new culture, language and people.  I am looking forward to the day that speaking in Portuguese comes naturally and Brazilians can understand me. = )

Well that is all for now.  If you want to know more please email or call!

Singing Hills and Clapping Trees

Isaiah 55:12  - "For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

So this is my blog, I am starting it in the hopes that I can stay connected with friends, and family and make new connections as I begin this next stage of my life.  I am leaving for Brazil in 5 months.  I have so much to do before then and so much to do once I get there.  I am going to Brazil with Roque and Adriana Albuquerque and we will be living in NE Brazil in the state of Ceará. I hope to serve God there with various tasks mostly with music and kids.  Two things that God has given me a love for an enough talent to give it a try.


The name of this blog was inspired by my good friend Sylvia.  She was thinking about my dilemma in naming my blog and did a word study on joy in the Bible.  She came up with a number of encouraging verses, but I picked this one because of its encouragement to go out and teach others about Christ and expect the mountains and hills to sing and the trees to clap their hands.  The Lord's name will be glorified and He will be exalted and I want to be a part of it.


So as of right now I am working towards a departure date in the first few days of July, 2011. I am working on my portuguese, figuring out how to get a Visa, and starting the daunting task of letting people know what I am doing and hopefully raising support of both prayer, love and money so I can stay in Brazil for up to a year and a half.


I plan on writing on this blog every week or so while I am still in the USA and maybe more often once I am in Brazil. Feel free to let me know if I am talking to much or if there is something else you would like to know about.  Please call, email, text, comment or stop by soon to see me I would love to connect while I am still in  the states!