So close!

After graduating from Grove City on May 15 and returning yesterday from a roadtrip out west with some GCC senior girls, I was delighted today to find that my support has increased to 88.5%! This is a huge praise :) With only 11.5% left to raise, this equates to $2409. I will be leaving on July 15 and I trust that God will continue to be faithful in bringing in those last few dollars! Your prayers are most appreciated! More updates to come...
To Jesus!
Lauren

Wow.

After two more weeks of fundraising, I am now 77.18% funded for my first year in Germany! Thank you all so much for ministering to me in this way through your financial support and prayers.

Grateful

After four weeks of fundraising, I am so excited to share some great news with you...I am currently 48.9% funded! I am so thankful for numerous family members and friends who have chosen to support me financially, not to mention those who have committed to pray for this ministry. I couldn't do this without you all, thank you so much for joining me :)

I am beginning to understand to an even greater degree that the Lord is such a faithful provider and He would not have called me to this service unless He also had the funding in mind. It's in our Lord's nature to know the needs of His children and to extravagantly provide for them in a way that is not reckless but completely purposeful.

Blessings to you all,
Lauren

He deserves praise that is fit for a King...

To the left, my BFA buddy, Heather Brown, and I are enjoying Spring! After graduating from Grove City, Heather will be teaching at BFA while I be serving as an RA. We are so thankful to be going together!

Below, a picture with Mr. J Howard Pew, one of the founders of Grove City College... Heather and I are giving him a goodbye kiss...it's almost time to leave Grove City for Kandern,Germany!

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AN UPDATE:

I am so excited to share that through the generous donations of family and friends, I am now more than 25% funded for one year in Germany ($5800 has been pledged of my $20,000 goal)!

I was certainly convicted this week that I have not been kneeling before our Maker and responding to His faithfulness with enthusiastic praise and worship that is fit for a King as the psalmist writes in psalm 95. After receiving such generous gifts over the past week, God totally deserves praise for His provision over me as well as the ministry of BFA. People are seeing my heart to do this service and people are beginning to understand the need to care for God's children in Germany. He is extravagantly good and extravagantly gracious and I am able to recognize this more with each day that passes...

The Call...

Graduation from Grove City College is quickly approaching, but there is another very exciting journey just beginning...

I am so excited to tell you all that on July 31, 2010, I will begin my two-year assignment at Black Forest Academcy (BFA), a Christian boarding school for missionary children, in Kandern, Germany. At BFA I will be serving as a full-time missionary in the position of a resident assistant. It will be my daily task to live among these children, love these children, and participate in the beautiful task of raising this next generation of missionaries.

I never would have expected to be a missionary, but the Lord has certainly changed my heart and mind in order that they can now be conformed to His desires, His plans, and His own heart. Friends, this is the most beautiful and delightful place to be...in the center of His will. More than ever, I know what it is to want only what the Lord wants...I know what it feels like to have my heart's desires completely aligned with His. I am so unworthy, but extraordinarly thankful that He has called me to love these children.

I must say that I do worry about leaving my family for undetermined amount of time...I do wonder how I will raise $20,000...I am anxious about asking people to support me financially...AND yet, I know that the Lord is faithful and that He would not have so clearly called me to this position if He would not provide.

Please pray. Pray that people would see the lives of these missionary children as worthy of support. Pray that people would not be blind and deaf to the needs of missionaries. Pray that the Lord continues providing for BFA. And finally, pray for my own heart as I prepare for this work. Pray that my words would be full of grace as I begin to tell my family, my friends, and my church about this work.

My hope and prayer for you is that this Holy weekend will extravangantly bless you as you recall to mind the greatest love story of our Jesus.

May grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Lauren

Please let me know if I can pray for you or encouarge you in any way...

p.s. April 2010 newsletter should be coming to you next week! If you would like to join the mailing list, please email me at rooplaurenm1@gmail.com