Rocky Mountain High

Emily and Me :)

I'm home again! After a good 4 weeks of traveling over the last month-ish I have to admit that I'm glad to be home. However, I had a great time visiting family and friends!! This post I dedicate to my friend Emily, who I visited in Colorado. She and I were roommates in college for a year, and it was great to spend time with her and her husband, Ryan! So here's a little about what we were up to during my visit...

Being so close to the Rocky Mountains we had to take advantage and go exploring! So one day we took the 4-wheel drive truck up to a place called Rollins Pass. The roads were super duper bumpy and there were huge mud puddles, so of course we drove through them!! :) We found some gorgeous lakes and the scenery was just stunning. The temperature was a lot cooler, too! We went from the 90's at the house to in the 50's on the mountains. It was a lovely little relief! On the way up we saw a German restaurant called Westfalen Hof and decided to go back and eat there for supper on the way home. We did have a little hiccup though...the bumpy roads jiggled the truck's air filter right off! So we had to get that taken care of before we kept on, but it all worked out. I was excited to eat German food, and was even more excited when I found out that the staff was actually from Germany! Our server was actually from Switzerland, but he spoke German. I got a delicious pork meal, the name of which I can't remember, but I did go ahead and try to say it when I ordered! It was a fun time :)

We also took a drive up to Estes Park and the Rocky Mountain National Park another day. It's just gorgeous in the Rockies!! I loved being in the mountains again...felt like home in a way. The Rockies are different from the Andes, but they're still big beautiful mountains! We saw some elk that were grazing, so that was cool.

Other activities included swimming, shooting an air soft pellet hand gun, eating deer steak (yum!), watching “Brave,” and going to IKEA (I had major sensory overload in there! Craziness!). All in all it was a great time!! I'm working on convincing them to visit me in Germany... Any others are welcome to join!

The 10^th of August, the day I'm supposed to be arriving in Germany, is in two weeks from yesterday. What?!?! How did this happen?! I'm telling you, time is a slippery sneaky thing! It hasn't quite hit me yet...I think it might feel like a brick wall when it does... Good news, though! As of today I'm at 59% of funding! Yahoo! Praising the Lord for this progress and thanking all of you who have partnered with me in this way! Last night I had the pleasure of sharing with a group of friends, and that went well, I think. I'm thankful for the encouragers, prayers, and givers! So many amazing people that I know! As I mentioned, there are just 2 weeks left until I'm supposed to be boarding a plane, but I'm still 31% away from being able to do that. That equates to about $540/month that I still need to raise to get to 90%, and $720/month to get to 100%. Would you be willing to partner with me financially? If so, you can donate online following the link that is on the sidebar (there is a PayPal fee deducted for every transaction, FYI), or you can print the pledge form by following the link to the right, filling it out, and sending it to TeachBeyond. You can also contact me if you have any questions!

Thanks friends!

Psalm 95:3-4

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountains are his also.

Sunny CA

Some of the Tabor clan

Sitting here in my grandma's living room in So. Cal. The sun is out, the breeze is nice. Ahhh. I'm so glad that I was able to come out here for a week to see family and friends before heading off into the great wide yonder. On Saturday we had a cook out at my aunt's house, ate lots of food, saw uncles, aunts, cousins...some of them anyway! There are so many of us that it takes a lot for us to be all together all at once! Been enjoying getting to spend time with my brother John (and his girlfriend!)...and I enjoyed the free iced caramel latte he made me at his work! Thanks, John Boy! :) Wish my sister Hannah could be here, too. I also miss my grandpa. He passed away back in February, and it's been a rough road for family dealing with the loss. But we're so grateful for the life he lived and for the life he's living now in the presence of the Lord. Just this morning I was reading in 1 Thessalonians about having hope for those who go before us...they fall asleep, but are raised in Christ. What a wonderful encouragement and gift!

Talking at the church, LCF

Yesterday I was able to go visit a church that my family has been connected to for a while, and was happy when they asked me to share about going to Germany with them during the service. I was blessed by their encouragement, prayers, interest, and generosity. Came at just the right time! God knows these things...His timing is so good.

I'll be here in CA for the next few days, and will be heading to Colorado on Friday to spend a few days with a good friend of mine there. So grateful for this time of visiting, but am getting a little stressed about everything that needs to be done! Please pray for peace and strength to get everything done that I need to do, and that I fully enjoy these precious times with dear ones. Also please pray for traveling mercies for myself and for my family. They will be going up to Canada on Saturday to see my dad's family. I am not making that trip this time, since I was up there in January, but I will miss seeing that side of my family this time around. My Grandpa Peters has been having some heart troubles and blood pressure issues, so I ask that you also keep him in your prayers.

In regards to finances I am (unofficially) at about 49%. Praise the Lord for His good gifts! Just to remind you, though, I am not able to leave until I am at least at 90%, so if you are interested or know of anyone who might be interested in partnering with me financially, please let me know! My email is mpeters@teachbeyond.org. My ideal departure date is around August 8, so there are just a few weeks left! Questions, comments, suggestions...send them my way!!

Thank you so much for reading this blog, for sharing this journey with me! You are loved and appreciated!

1 Thessalonians 5:9-11

For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Getting Out of the Boat

I like Peter. He was just a guy, ya know? A sort of “open mouth, insert foot” kind of guy. I bet he was thinking something like that when he saw Jesus walking across the water to the boat the disciples were in and said, “Lord, if it's you tell me to come to you on the water” (Matthew 14:28). After he said it I can imagine him biting his tongue and thinking, “Why the heck did I just say that?!” I mean, getting out of a boat into turbulent waters to walk to this guy who is standing on top of the water telling you to go over to him is a bit crazy, right? And scary! But Peter had to put his money where his mouth was, so he got out of the boat and started walking on the water towards Jesus, “But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, 'Lord, save me!'” Fortunately for Peter, Jesus immediately reached out and saved him from drowning. Then Jesus told him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” When they got back in the boat the wind died down and everyone worshiped Jesus.

Maybe your boat looks more like this ;)

I've been thinking about this account a lot recently. We all have a boat...maybe a yacht, maybe a leaky canoe...but that boat sure feels good when we're out in the water and there's a lot of wind and waves. I feel comfortable in my house, with my family, things I know, people I know, places I know, safety. It's a good place to be, right? Well, I think the Lord gives good things to His children, and there is nothing wrong with enjoying the familiar and comfortable. But sometimes He wants us to take a risk...sometimes He calls us to get out of the boat and walk on water. That's the first big step; actually getting out of the boat. So there you are, standing on water, perhaps a little wobbly, but you made the decision to obey and have taken a leap of faith. You keep your eyes on Jesus and start walking towards him, amazed at how you are not sinking. And then the word “sinking” becomes a little clearer in your mind and you start wondering what's going on around you...you see the waves, you feel the wind buffeting your clothes, the water splashes you, and maybe there's a great white shark swimming around you in circles (eek!!). You take your eyes off of Jesus and all of a sudden you aren't floating anymore, but sinking in despair and fear. That great white is thinking he's going to have a tasty snack! You cry out to Jesus to save you...and He does! Jesus didn't tell Peter, “You know, I'm kind of disappointed that you looked away so I'm going to let you keep sinking until the last possible moment and make you wonder if I'm going to save you.” No, he immediately reached out and took Peter's hand.

Making a decision to be a missionary in Germany was definitely a getting out of the boat decision for me. And now it's a matter of keeping my eyes on Jesus. There are so many things to distract me, to pull me down. I'll admit that sometimes those waves look pretty intimidating, and I start to feel the water rising around me. I'm so grateful that Jesus is there to grab my hand and pull me up as soon as I cry out to Him to save me. I have a feeling that I'll be doing a fair bit of crying out to Jesus over the next couple years, but what a beautiful gift to have such a Savior. While I pray that my faith will be strengthened and that I would look away less and less, even when I do start to sink and have to be saved I end up in the same state as the disciples on the boat were...worship.

Psalm 105:1-4

Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his name; let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Getting Oriented

Farm where we stayed in Iowa

It's amazing how much can be packed into a short period of time! On Saturday, June 23, I hitched a ride with a fellow TeachBeyond family from Arkansas to Minneapolis, Minnesota for TeachBeyond orientation. It was nice to get to know them better along the way. We stopped for the night in Iowa, and stayed with a family that lives on a farm that has been in the family for over a hundred years. They were very hospitable, and I enjoyed our short stay with them. On Sunday we arrived at Bethel University in Minneapolis where we all stayed for the week and had our meetings. We stayed in a dorm in suites, and it was great to get to meet all the lovely people who were there. I met probably about 100 new people! I'd been in contact with some of them already, especially staff, so it was nice to meet them in person after seeing their names on emails for so long. This year TeachBeyond has 87 new members, which is awesome!


Our president, George Durance, came to speak to us on Thursday, and spoke about how impactful Christian education is and has been and will be in mission work. The world craves good education, seeks it out...what an amazing opportunity and avenue to share Christ! TeachBeyond's ultimate goal is to bring people to Jesus, and as an organization has recognized the incredible effectiveness of transformational education in bringing this about. Schools around the world are asking for help from organizations like TeachBeyond, and the Lord has been opening doors for Christian workers to enter fields that have not always been accessible. Mr. Durance gave a great description of what MK education does for the Kingdom...by giving MKs (aka TCKs – Third Culture Kids) a quality education and building them up in their faith, we strengthen the infrastructure of the Kingdom. MKs have a unique set of experiences and skills that allow them to enter different cultures and relate to different peoples on a level that is not easily accomplished by those who do not have the same experiences and skills. God can use anyone, obviously, no matter what they are equipped with or who they are, but I believe that MKs can be a an amazingly effective force in missions. And let's face it, MKs aren't perfect people! They need encouragement, instruction, and to know that Jesus loves them, too. They struggle, just as everyone does, though some of their struggles are different. Being an MK myself, I am happy that I'll be able to relate to them in this way and share what I have learned over the years. So I'm very excited to have this opportunity to work with TeachBeyond at Black Forest Academy to help educate and prepare these kids for Kingdom work! May God be glorified in and through us!



TeachBeyond folks going to Kandern, Germany!

So just a bit more about orientation...we had loads of sessions about culture, TCKs, education, personality differences, calling, transition, finances, IT, etc etc. It was great to get this information and have the opportunity to ask questions and get answers. I think the part that I appreciated the most, though, was the relationship building. We were only together for a week, but we had this bonding experience, and I am so happy to be linked to such a great group of people! It will also be really great to see familiar faces when I arrive in Germany in August. So overall it was a great blessing!

Right now I'm in Alabama with my family and our great friends, the Scroggins. We've known them since I was about 2, and we love to see each other when possible. Spending time on the creek and just lounging around so far. It's just lovely :) On the plane ride over here from Minneapolis I sat next to a woman from Canada. We started talking, and then next thing I knew I was sharing the Gospel with her! That's the first time that has happened to me, and I know I could have done a much much better job, but I thank God for the opportunity and pray that He does the real work in bringing this woman to Him! So like I said, lots of stuff packed into a short period of time! 

Please continue to pray for me as I prepare to leave and develop partnerships in the ministry. Pray that God would prepare my heart and mind for the change and work ahead, that He would prepare my coworkers and the kids and their parents, that He would bring in the funds necessary to go, and that He would bring me closer to Him during the whole process. I'm grateful for your prayers! Here's a praise, too...I learned this week that the numbers I had for my support schedule were a bit off, so I am currently at 100% of start up costs, and 33% of monthly support! Praise Jesus!!! Let me know if you want to learn more about how to give financially. I'd love to hear from you anyway! Fyi, there is now a link on the sidebar to download and print the TeachBeyond pledge form. There is also the online option for giving, but know that there is a Paypal fee taken out for every transaction. Automatic withdrawal is available, as well, you just have to fill in that section of the pledge form. I am so grateful for your generosity and support!  

1 Corinthians 15:58

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.

"Follow Me"

Daddy and me...notice the toy tools :)

Happy Father's Day (belated)!! I just want to say that I love my dad. He is amazing. I've never known someone like him, and he is such a great example of following Christ with all the gifts that he's been given. I am grateful for the support, teaching, encouragement, and love that he and my mom have given us kids all these years, even though we aren't always perfect. :) Thanks, Daddy!!

There is like a black hole that is sucking time away...seriously, it's just disappearing! At times when I was working in the school district I would get tired and flustered and say, “I wish it was Friday already!” Mr. Larry, our school custodian (who by the way is one of the sweetest men alive), would say, “Now don't you go wishin' your life away!” Hm, he was right! We've only got one, and it goes by fast enough!

This last week I went to visit some friends in Texas for just a couple days, which was nice. We chilled out at their land, did some fishing, played some horse shoes, and I shot a shot gun for the first time. That skeet didn't stand a chance! ;) The day I got back I spent a good amount of time doing assignments for orientation...stuff about families of origin, TCKs, and personality profiles. All good stuff! I'm just a terrible procrastinator...always have been. But it worked out alright! The next day I went to Tulsa to pick up a couple of buddies from high school who randomly decided to come out to visit me from Cali for the weekend. It was the first time they had ever been to the “south,” and luckily the rodeo was in town, so that was a high light for them! We also did some hiking at a lovely state park. It was fun to hang out and share with them what life is like in this neck of the woods. I was definitely wiped out by the time I got back from taking them to the airport, though! I fell asleep at 5:30pm haha.

Yellowrock Trail outlook, Devil's Den State Park

This weekend I'll be heading up to Minneapolis for a week of TeachBeyond orientation. I'm so excited to get to meet everyone!! It's going to be awesome and make this all start to feel even more real! Check out this cool video about BFA by clicking here. So exciting! Right after orientation is over I'll be going to Alabama with my family to visit some dear friends of ours who we've known since I was 2. They are basically our 2^nd family. I'm pumped about spending the 4^th of July with them! So lots of traveling in the next couple weeks! Please pray for traveling mercies for me, my family, and all the other TeachBeyond members going to orientation. Thanks!

I'm spending this week getting more things in the mail, doing paperwork, spending time with loved ones, and getting a bit of rest. It's amazing how many things there are to do and to think about! I've really been grateful for the time that I set aside for just sitting still and being with the Lord. It's always a good thing to do, obviously, but it seems even more crucial during this time. There is so much faith and trust that we need to put in the Lord at all times of our lives and in every area, but this experience of preparation to go on the mission field has deepened my understanding of what it means to really trust Him. It's a hard but beautiful thing. You know how sometimes you hear a recurring topic in all kinds of places and it's just like, “Ok, God...I'm listening”? Well this thing about trusting God has come up all over the place for me lately, from my devotions, to church sermons, to the daily verse on my Bible app, to comments made by other people. Sometimes I get discouraged and think, “Am I doing the right thing? What if I got confused?” And then a soft but clear voice speaks to me and says, “Follow me.” Peter struggled with questions, too, but Jesus' command was clear: “Follow me.” Yes, Lord.

In Other News...

Hola amigos!

Yes, I am moving to Germany, no I don't speak German, yes I do speak Spanish. Make sense? Haha. One of my friends picked up a book in Germany when she was there a few years ago, and I've decided that I am going to use it as my source of German language-learning. See picture ;)

Well the dessert at my friend's house on June 2 was good. We had German Chocolate Cake, Black Forest Pie, and German-made chocolate and cookies from Aldi...yummo! Good time of talking about Germany and having fellowship. I'm grateful for the interest and prayers! The day after that I had the first real day of working the coffee bar at church, which was a little hectic but great! I love getting to talk to folks and greeting them with a smile and a hot cup of coffee. I also got to talk to Sunday School classes for a couple minutes during a brunch and let them know a little more about what I'll be doing at BFA. My apologies for the shortness of breath when I speak in front of people...it's just one of those silly physiological reactions to public speaking...I promise I'm fine and don't need a medic. ;) Please continue to pray for partners in the ministry with me. I am so very thankful for the generosity that has been shown so far and am excited to share this experience and work with you! I need to be at 90% of monthly support in order to leave for the field in August, so every little bit helps! Please contact me if you are interested in partnering with me in this. You can comment below, send me an email at mpeters@teachbeyond.org, send me a facebook message, call me, skype me, etc! I would be more than happy to answer any questions you may have and tell you more about the ministry.

Lots of travel plans for this summer! I'll be in Texas and Minnesota this month and then Alabama, California, and Colorado in July. And then on to Germany in August! Lots of places to be and things to do! I'm excited about seeing loads of people, though, before I leave. It will be a good time of visiting and sharing! Orientation for TeachBeyond is in Minneapolis at the end of this month, and I'm really looking forward to meeting the other new members of the mission. I've gotten to know a few other girls that are going to work at BFA through emails, and that has been a blessing! I actually met another girl at church yesterday who is going to be an RA at BFA as well...she was visiting the church with a friend and came over by the coffee bar, and we made the connection! Fun! I think God's putting together a great team!

Buffalo River, right in front of our campsite

Camping friends, about to hit the trail

This last weekend I had the opportunity to go backpacking and camping with a few friends. It was awesome! I've been camping and hiking many times, but never together like that...hiking into the Buffalo River Valley with all our stuff on our backs, camping right next to the river, and then hiking out with everything the next day. Some little critter kept running off with some of our stuff, but we eventually found some of it in the brush. At night when I was trying to sleep there were many strange animal sounds, some of them extremely close to my head (as in if I turned my head and looked out the screen I would have been eye-to-eye with Mr. Opossum...which is why I didn't turn my head and look out the screen!!), but thanks to an amazing sleeping pad that a friend let me borrow I had one of the best sleeps I've ever had while camping! It was so nice to get out of town, enjoy the beautiful scenery, have sweet time with 

friends, and just breathe a little. God is so good!

Romans 8:35, 37

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? [...] No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

Go Team!

I am happy to report that the car wash went great on Saturday!! We started setting up at about 8:45am, and packing up at 4:45pm, and once cars started coming in they just kept coming! We were super busy all day long, which was awesome but very tiring! By the end of the day we were plumb tuckered! But what a blessing! I would like to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who helped make it possible...some people came in shifts, some people stayed all day long, some people helped buy supplies...ALL of you were amazing!!! I am so grateful for the experience of getting to work alongside you guys. I also would like to thank all you people who got your car washed!! There was a great turn-out, and I appreciate your generous donations! We brought in $575! Praise the Lord! What a team! I've included several pics at the bottom so you can see a little of our car wash day.

This next weekend I have a couple things happening, too. On Saturday I will be having a dessert at a good friend's house with ladies from her church. I will be presenting my ministry to them, and at some point to their church mission board as well. On Sunday I will be talking to all the adult Sunday School classes at my church during a brunch, giving some more details about the journey to Germany and answering questions. I ask that you please pray for these events, that the Lord would give me the right words to say and that He would prepare the hearers.

I hope you all had a wonderful Memorial Day (if you are in the States)! My family got together along with a friend of mine, and we grilled steaks, had a campfire in our back yard, and played Farkle. It was lovely. :)

John 15:16

“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.”