Welcome Again

 I knew it had been a long time since I visited this blog but I did not realize it had been 9 months.  Forgive me for not keeping this updated and I ask that you continue to pray for me and I will be keeping this updated at least once a month.  I guess I need some help with accountability on this, so if you are praying for me and don’t see regular updates please email me a friendly reminder.  Please subscribe to the blog if you can so you get the updates.  Also, I promise all entries will not be this long but this one was 9 months in the making.  For those that don’t like to read a lot I have bolded some specific prayer requests.

As we enter into a new year I do not believe in resolutions but I do like to reflect on all that God has done in the last year.  As most of you know 2012 was not an easy year, but thanks to God, His miraculous provision and all of you prayer warriors I persevered. He has taught me a lot and I look forward to many new adventures in 2013. 

2012 started with God really guiding me to take some next steps when it came to His call for me to enter into Missions full time.  He led me to continue the pursuit my Masters in Christian Ministry now at Charlotte Bible College (check it out: www.charlottebiblecollege.com) and to go to an IMB meeting to get more information which led to the beginning of this blog and building my prayer support. 

It was also impressed upon me in 2012 to go somewhere different (or “funky” as I like to say) on a mission trip and somewhere more difficult physically.  As most of you know I am a planner, but God in His infinite wisdom told me not to plan in 2012.  So, I looked into a mission’s trip to Asia and waited on God and His timing to work it out.  Little did I know that God had other plans for 2012 and for any vacation time that I had.  I love how God has everything already worked out, I sent an email to the person about the trip ready to commit if it felt right for the fall of 2012.  This person did not email back for two weeks and when he did it was the day after I hopped on a plane to California after a call in the middle of the night that my mother was being airlifted to the ICU at Stanford Hospital after suffering a ruptured aneurysm in her brain.  If I had received that email just 24 hours earlier I would have said I was going on that trip and committed my time to that journey, but God (love that expression, BUT GOD) in His ultimate wisdom had waited.  I had the privilege to spend 11 days with my mother in the ICU at Stanford Hospital and I have some amazing memories and answers to prayer from those days.  For those that don’t know I flew back to North Carolina after 11 days with my mother leaving her in stable condition having told her over and over how much I loved her and that myself and lots of others were praying for her.  Well, less than 36 hours later she suffered a complication and we had to make the decision to let her go. 

Losing my Mom and then my Grandmother later in 2012 were some of the most difficult times in my life BUT GOD had everything prepared and worked out and I know He has got this all under control.  So, I go forward.  We are studying about crucible life moments in a small group I have recently joined.  A crucible is a vessel that is heated (I remember them from Chemistry class) and nothing comes out of this crucible the way it went in.  Just like these crucible moments in my life over the last few months, I am not the same but I am ok.  Isaiah 43:2 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire, you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you”.  Throughout this whole experience I have not been overwhelmed or consumed and that is all because I have a God who loves me deeply and I am His.  I pray and ask you to pray incessantly for those that do not know this God who loves them and wants to be with them. 

I prayed in the New Year, I am ready for 2013 and excited for God’s plans.  I am also studying Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby, wow is all I have to say and if some of you have not read this, please get it (thanks Pastor Terry Seamon for mentioning the study).  I am asking for prayers for 2013 and God’s plan on my life in general.  He has impressed upon me to wait, I have a magnet that says Wait, Hope, Expect and that is what I am striving to do.  Pray for my patience and for me to let go of any expectations or plans I may have so that I may pursue and come alongside God’s plans where He is working.  Pray that I would completely trust God and draw nearer to Him.  Pray for me to be obedient when God does call me to something or somewhere.  I believe there may be a short term mission trip I am supposed to be on in 2013 but have no idea when or where, so please pray for that. 

I know that I am chosen by God and precious to Him and He will place me where He desires.  I have no idea what that looks like and I am ok with that.  1Peter 2:4 “As you come to Him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”  This blog is entitled roca fuerte, strong or solid rock and we believers are to be strong and living rocks showing Christ’s love to others.  I pray I may be better at this. 

God Bless all of you and thanks for reading this LONG message, look for an update around 2/1/13. 

Alison