Current Thoughts and New Dreams

How has the weather been where you guys are? I've been keeping a check on Munich and Rostock, and I'm tellin' ya, they've got quite a bit more pleasantness than us. But it certainly has been an interesting spring. I've been praying for no more basement flooding, but lately it seems we have more to worry about than just a little standing water. Check out this video I took of an incoming storm yesterday:

Not just a little scary, eh? Recently, we've been absolutely inundated with tornado warnings, sirens and just all kinds of craziness. Pray that we don't all fly away!

One of my favorite things to do on a Saturday (when not otherwise engaged) is to watch public television programs like Burt Wolf's Travels and Rick Steve's Europe. Yesterday, while enjoying a lovely cup of coffee, I tuned in and had my eyes opened to the world of pilgrimage. It's not that I had never heard of taking pilgrimages, but just that I had never really entertained the idea of taking one myself. The episode that aired featured the highlights on the Camino de Santiago, which begins in France, crosses the Pyrennes then travels through Spain, eventually culminating in the Santiago de Compostela, where they believe the apostle James is buried. Here are a couple sites I found that I felt were particularly informative: Camino de Santiago and El Camino de Santiago.

I am FASCINATED by this. This particular route takes 5 weeks, conservatively. But what a wonderful 5 weeks it would be! On the show, they spoke to a few different people about why they had chosen to take so much time to do this (the total distance is around 500 miles ON FOOT), and surprisingly, many of the people were not Catholic or even Christian...they just recognized the spirituality of walking in silence, surrounded by beauty and reaching a specific and workable goal. I thought that this was just wonderful. And what a way to be introduced to the Gospel! I would absolutely love to do this. Where I would find 5 weeks of free time and the money, I'm not sure. There is an ECMI conference in Spain in 2012...perhaps I could do it after that? Hmmm...

Have any of you done a pilgrimage? I would LOVE to hear about your experience!

As for my support raising, things are moving, slowly but surely. I think I average about 1 or 2 new supporters a week, which is such a blessing! Of course, I would like things to move more quickly than that, but I know that God will move things in his own timing and that while I am still here, he is preparing me in other ways. It certainly takes much more than support to make a missionary, and I am learning something new about myself, my faith, God and His kingdom every day.

P.S. -- Prayer really works. Try it and see. 

Thanks for keeping up with me, my friends!

Love and Blessings,

Alison

To Donate:

1. Send your checks made out to ECMI-USA with a separate note with my name, Alison Settle on it to this address:            ECMI-USA
                                                                             PO Box 181
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3. Or for monthly donations via electronic transfer, send a request by email to rebekah.burkholder@ecmi.org

What I'm Working On

Warning: I'll be talking about my daily life, and it might get a little tedious. BUT, I did say in the beginning that I wanted to document this journey as genuinely and truthfully as possible...and right now, this is where I'm at. And above all, I want you to know me and this path as truthfully as you can.

I've never been a busy person.

During childhood, I never was involved in sports or other activities. In high school, I was in the band, and so marching band was a large part of my life, but it was my only extra-curricular aside from a few "clubs" or "committees" that were mostly for the benefit of college admissions. In college, I worked and went to school. Aside from other social activities, that was about it. I was always a "fly by the seat of my pants" kind of girl, and I basked in it. I was spontaneous and carefree. Suddenly, ever since the beginning of the missions process, I have become absolutely inundated with tasks and meetings and activities and you name it. I also felt a strong heaviness in my heart, I believe a God-given heaviness, to take control of my life.

Simply said, it became time for me to grow up.

Two interesting things have happened in regards to this:

1) I am suddenly feeling more fulfilled with my life than I have in, well, maybe forever. I never thought that busy was what I needed. But as it turns out, having not just one, but several purposes and goals for my life have brought upon a new desire to accomplish it all.

2) I am suddenly learning a lot about myself... how hard I can push, how much I can fit in, how much my body can handle, how much I dream, how much is possible AND more importantly, how much I need to grow in order to live life to the fullest capacity that I want.

So here is my current task...and any of you organized self-motivators who know how to do this, please chime in with any suggestions you might have...I am currently in a state of overhaul, trying to learn, basically from scratch, how to make it all happen (and if this is even possible).

Here, in no particular order, are my goals, dreams, things that are important to me, things I have to do and things I want to get better at:

• Be a better employee and a better coworker. This includes, but is not limited to, being respectful of other people's time by being punctual.
• Come up with a system for support partnership development. Spread sheets, designated phone call times, at least two meetings a week with potential partners. I need to be making this a top priority, and it should be organized like one.
• Cook more. This is something I love to do...it absolutely recharges me and relaxes me. Not to mention that on top of that it is much healthier and much less expensive!
• Focus on my artistic side. This includes making jewelry and raising my new Etsy store to a respectable level, writing and photographing more creatively for this here blog and even being more creative regarding my personal sense of style...not in a materialistic way, but in a way that makes me feel confident and individual.
• Clean up. I know that I will be more productive, more relaxed and clearer of mind if I learn to be a cleaner, more organized person on a daily basis. (Hopefully the Great Flood of 2011 will aid in my motivation.)
• Get financially under control. I am not thousands in debt or anything...don't worry! But I need to have a better system of bill paying, budget following and savings building.
• Get moving. I'm not getting any younger and my metabolism isn't getting any faster. Now, I don't have a weight problem, nor am I struggling with any health issues, but I do feel like developing good habits of exercise and health are important. Especially while I'm still young...do it now, and I'll be more likely to follow it in the future.
• Be a better family member and a better friend. I do not ever want to allow my personal endeavors or desires to overshadow what is important and necessary in my relationships with other people. I'm not really growing if I leave everyone else in the dust.
• Grow a better relationship with Jesus, a better foundation in Him. Everything I've said above is moot if I don't put my relationship with God first and center. Period.

I realize that this post is highly logistical and highly boring...I didn't find Jesus on a potato chip today, and I haven't come to any crazy epiphanies regarding my faith. I wish I could give an award-winning post every single day. Wouldn't that would be wonderful? But, life is a marathon, and sometimes periods of growth and change come slowly and in the most generic of ways. Like, for example, getting a perpetually-late-forgetful-billpaying-lazy gal to get life in line. If God can give me the strength to make all the changes needed to do all the things listed above, it will truly be a miracle.

Would you pray for me that this miracle would come?

With love,

Alison

An Update (Better Late Than Never!)

Good afternoon, my friends!

Things have been crazy around these parts. With the coming of Spring, there comes great change. Lately, social season (as we Southerners like to call it) has begun in the Bluegrass. Everyone is abuzz with excitement over the Keeneland spring meet, hiking and climbing trips to the Red River Gorge, and just a general desire to meet up and spend time together. We're officially coming out of hibernation around here, and I couldn't be happier about the end of a long winter. Last Saturday, I enjoyed a wonderful day at the track with my friends, and I look forward to many more Saturday's like that to come. Below is a picture of Thursday's activity,  our minor league baseball team's opening game.

One of the greatest Lexington spring activities:
Lexington Legends Opening Day

Unfortunately, with spring comes a general increase in rainfall. When paired with an older house and my living in that older house's basement (I call it the basement bungalow), things can get a little wet. I came home on my lunch break yesterday afternoon to find that all of my belongings that were currently living on the floor were enjoying a little swimming party. I would post a picture, but frankly, I am embarrassed to have left so many items of clothing on the floor. Shame on me for dropping the ball cleaning wise. Perhaps this will teach me to not be a "messy" anymore. Sadly, my day will likely be punctuated with frequent trips to the washing machine carrying very heavy, very wet fabrics. If there ever was a dislike button to punch, I would do it. Now.

In other news, I have decided to start a little garden in our backyard. Since I have cut back my hours to focus more on support development and getting ready for Germany, I have been feeling a little bit more of a financial strain than usual. I am not complaining in the least, as it has been extremely beneficial to have more flexibility during the week, but money is a little tighter. As we all know, produce these days has been getting pretty ridiculous price-wise. As I am also getting no lighter weight-wise, and refuse to begin survival on ramen noodles and instant macaroni and cheese, I am beginning a little veggie garden.

My Prospectin' Pete Pickaxe

The current level of my progress.

Silly me. I thought, "How hard could it be?" Three days later, I have an almost turned over patch of dirt and weeds, plus a sore back and burning hamstrings. I'm no good with a shovel and had to go Prospector Pete on that beast. If anyone saw me, I apologize. I probably looked ridiculous. The good news is, I have several little seedlings that have germinated in the seed starter and I'm ready to get planting. The bad news, I seem to have taken on a large, time consuming job that may not be worth in the end. Cost efficient, yes. Worth the amount of time I will need to devote to it? Time will tell.

My aggressive little seedlings. The trees right there are cucumbers.

Lately, I've been feeling a little discouraged by my process with support raising. I always knew it would be hard. And it has been. The whole of becoming a missionary has been dotted with anxiety, elation, fear, disappointment, encouragement, fun, fulfillment and a bevy of other words. For the last few weeks, I would say that discouragement currently fits the bill. I have had a lot of people offer to support me lately, and it always puts a smile on my face when someone shows interest in this ministry! The problem is, a lot of people don't come through. I am never upset or angry about this, as I understand that life gets in the way and things happen. As I said, I am currently parting flood waters in my basement...but I don't always know how to handle this situation. Do I bother people that have offered their support with phone calls and texts asking whether or not they've filled out their pledge cards? Do I accost them in social situations by cornering them with a smile and asking if they still feel a call from God to invest (these are clearly sarcastic options)? I am very scared to permanently damage my friendships or to turn people off from the Church by asking too fervently. Any missionaries out there with answers? I am open to them.

But just as often as I have been discouraged, I have also received encouragement from God to stay faithful. I did my devotional a couple of days ago, and here is what was on the agenda:

"When Trusting God is a Handful" 

I mean, how often do you feel this way? I know that lately this is a bigger struggle than I'd like it to be.

It is hard not to continue to be amazed by what I like to call "the tapestry He weaves." This particular devotional went on to bring 1 Kings 17:7-16, which speaks about Elijah's faithfulness in God's promise to provide. God told Elijah to hide out near a brook where he could drink and the ravens would bring him his meals. When the brook dried up, God told him to go to a village called Zarephath and that a widow had been instructed by God to feed him. Not surprisingly, the woman was shocked by Elijah's asking for her last handful of flour, and was a bit hesitant to believe that God would provide for her family. But Elijah, in his seemingly unending faithfulness, simply said that the jar of flour and the bottle of oil would not run out because God had said that it wouldn't. That's it! Elijah believed so firmly that God would provide and fulfill His promises that he told a woman to give out the last of her flour...the only thing standing between the starvation of her and her son. He risked their lives AND his purely on his steadfast belief in God's provision. 

Now I just need to do the same.

Alison