Marion, Easter, Mississippi

The past couple weeks have blurred past me in a quick whirlwind! The 15th, 16th, and 17th I spoke at Marion First Church of God for their annual Faith Promise weekend! We had a great time together! The Holy Spirit really moved people during the weekend meetings, and I was able to reconnect with several of my friends and former students! The fellowship was incredible--I am so thankful for the Body of Christ! I stayed with a couple that I had lived with for a summer during college. They became like family to me that summer, so it was great to live with them for a few days again. :) The church family was so welcoming, plus I was able to spend some time on the IWU campus again, reconnecting with the faculty and friends who are still on campus or in the area. God's provision, as always, blew my mind. I am so excited to welcome First Church to my monthly supporting financial team!

Last week was spent at the local high school! I enjoyed a week of relationship-building since I subbed for the same teacher all week. Good Friday, The Grounds held a bonfire and service at our pastor's house. Despite the predicted rain, God gave us a dry, beautiful night to focus in on the cross and take communion together. It was incredible. This Easter, I was able to be at my home church for the first time in six years (being on staff at churches doesn't usually permit an Easter vacation). My family had a wonderful lunch together as well. However, the weekend was a bit difficult because a member of my extended family passed away earlier in the week. The visitation was Easter Sunday and the funeral Monday. I appreciate your prayers for my family members who are hurting right now. Monday I taught again at the high school, and that night I preached at Uncommon student ministries in Owensville, Indiana. The Grounds leadership and students were there for a combined service with Dayspring Community Church's youth ministry (Uncommon). Their students performed a percussion special and drama for us along with leading us in a sweet time of worship. It was a great night. The next day, I headed to Mississippi!

I am currently sitting in my favorite coffee house in the Jackson metropolitan area, catching up with email and phone calls, spending some time with Jesus, and finishing up my online class for Global Partners. Tonight I will visit my "kids" at Wired Student Ministries, tomorrow is graduation practice, Friday the senior banquet, Saturday graduation! (I have to give a short speech at graduation--pray for me!) After graduation, the Faith Promise weekend at Olde Towne Community Church will kick off! My parents will be down here Friday through Sunday to be a part of these weekend events with me. It will be a busy and great time! Next week, I will stick around for a few days to finish connecting with people before I head back to Indiana.

Thank you again for all your prayers!

In Him,
Amber Janelle

Prayer for Christchurch

Please keep praying for NZ. Christchurch continues to suffer daily aftershocks from the quake. Tonight they had one of a 5.3 magnitude that initially knocked out power for 20,000 homes and businesses. Power has been restored, but this country is really still struggling from the effects of the terrible quake in February

Church, church, and more church!

It has been a week of CHURCH! :) I spent last weekend at Wesleyan churches in Evansville and French Lick. It was a great Sunday of meeting some awesome people, and I am excited about our future partnerships for the advancement of the Kingdom. This week, my home church was in revival, and I was blessed to be able to house our music ministers who just happened to be some of my best friends from my youth group days. We had an incredible time together, catching up, laughing, and even doing some music together for old times' sake. Tuesday night, the kids from The Grounds came to the revival service and then to my house after for a movie and food. Tonight I am staying with friends in Salem, Indiana before sharing at their church in the morning. Yay for a house with wifi! :)

It has been a blessed week even though it has been extremely busy. I subbed three days again at the high school and am still loving every minute of it. I was also able to reconnect with some friends and hear awesome testimonies of how God is working in their lives. God is good, and I am learning to trust Him for my future testimony of being funded to go to New Zealand. Please pray for me as I try to re-evaluate the support-raising process to determine how I can be a better steward of my time and resources. New Zealand is beckoning me to come--and I want to get over there!!!!