Snow, Traveling, Ignite, and More!

This past weekend I was finally able to make it up to Michiana Community Church of God in Granger, Indiana. Our date had been postponed because of lake effect snow (22 inches of it!), but this week they only had "flurries." Their flurries would equal total shut down in Mississippi, but travel went smoothly. :) My time up near the Michigan border was SO enjoyable. The pastor and his wife are long-time friends of mine, and we enjoyed catching up and sharing about God's faithfulness with one another. Their hospitality was SUCH a blessing. The congregation was beautiful, giving, and supportive. It is so awesome to have them on the team. Here are some of my observations from the weekend:

1. A G.P.S. seriously makes my life easier.
2. Home-made pizza is the bomb! (Thanks, Marcia!)
3. Coffee tables and stool-chairs around a sanctuary are fun and build community!
4. Interview-style presentations are way less exhausting than giving monologues. :)
5. It's encouraging to see the majority of a congregation show up to church when there's snow on the ground.
6. I am learning more about the Holy Spirit everywhere I turn, and this weekend was no exception. Once my thoughts are more developed, I will blog them.

As to news on the other side of the world, Ignite recently took place in New Zealand. Ignite is the annual youth conference of the Wesleyan Methodist Church in NZ. Several of my friends were deeply involved in making the event happen. The Enemy fought hard... to the point of keeping the speaker, my good friend Josh, from being able to fly over from the States due to weather conditions. A lot of last minute planning had to be done for the services, and as my best friend Joanne put it, it seemed like everything that could have went wrong did. However, the leadership team recognized that God wanted to work, and HE DID! More teens than ever attended, and the testimony is that God transformed lives in a powerful way! I will get more details once I am able to have a phone date with Joanne. Below is a picture of the camp sign where the conference is held. (I am the donkey haha). Hopefully I will be back there in time for next year's Ignite.


This week I sent out probably a hundred church packets in the mail along with visiting some churches to drop off packets in my local area. Please keep praying for God to send opportunities to share! The next three weekends it looks like I will be in churches in Princeton or neighboring towns, so the travel will be minimal. Also, please pray that paperwork will be processed quickly in regard to my substitute teaching application. Thanks so much for going on this journey with me!

In His Love,
Amber Janelle

The Lord's Faithfulness on the Journey

Change. It is amazing how changes can throw us a bit at first, but in the midst of them, we see God's unchanging faithfulness ever more clearly! Amen?

In the past months, I said "see you later" to my community in Mississippi (my friends at the seminary, church family, youth ministry, and even Fusion, my favorite coffee house) to move back to Indiana. (Pictured: my home church in Indiana).

It is so strange to think that my seminary education is complete! I have been in intensive training for ministry for seven and a half years now, and I am finally ready to specifically prepare for service overseas in New Zealand. God's faithfulness on this journey continues to blow me away. He is my Constant no matter how circumstances shift around me (such as temperature, for example. Mississippi winters had me spoiled!) It was very hard to leave the community in which I had been planted for three and a half years, but my last semester in Jackson was the best one. The Lord encouraged me through incredible friendships, fruitful ministry, and helpful seminary courses. I had three sweet "send-offs," one from my friends (pizza and arcade games at Gatti-Town!), one from Wired Student Ministries (involving a Disciple t-shirt and framed pictures of the group), and one from Olde Towne Community Church (powerful prayer of commission). The parting was difficult, but God is so faithful to help us see exits from each others lives in the Kingdom as temporary. He is present with all of us, keeping us connected even when geography separates.

Since I moved back at Christmas, I have already visited one church to speak about New Zealand (Marion First Church of God where I youth pastored for three years), have two more coming this month, and have been able to make other fruitful contacts as well. It is so exciting to be in this intense time of preparation and focus, when I can be about "one thing" rather than feeling like I have irons in too many different fires. I have applied this week to be a substitute teacher in local schools, anxious to be around teenagers. Also, I have enjoyed awesome fellowship and spiritual nurture at my home church and with old friends from my own youth group days. God has been moving among us, and it is awesome to watch. Several of them came over to my new "grace house" for New Year's Eve and didn't leave until three in the morning. (God has provided a home as a base for me while I am support raising through the people at Grace Fellowship Church. I feel so blessed by God's provision through His people. He has sent furniture, decor, and then-some.)

My time in Marion was sweet, as I was able to reconnect with church family there as well as my former students who are now adults, many of them married and having babies. It was surreal and sweet to be with them all. This week has been spent in fellowship with my home church family, connecting with my support team, and planning future church visits. This weekend I am off to visit another church in northern Indiana.

I would appreciate your prayers over the next few weeks in the following ways: 1) That God would continue to prepare me on a personal, spiritual level by drawing me ever closer in fellowship with His Spirit; 2) Wisdom as I contact churches; 3) Work opportunities in the local schools to present themselves in the right timing; 4) Protection as I travel to churches and anointing as I share God's vision for New Zealand 5) Guidance as I try to pour out in my home community in proper ways while I am here.

Thanks for being part of the team!

In His Service,
Amber Janelle