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.”

 

 

Car Washes, Coffee Bars, and Soccer

Happy Summer Vacation! Well, if you are on the same schedule as Siloam Springs, anyways :)

Saturday, May 26!! Car wash at Community Christian Fellowship in Siloam Springs!! 9:30-3:00! Come out and treat your car to a hand-wash! There will be two different kinds of washes:

Regular (by donation)

-exterior wash

-seat in the shade

VIP (minimum $15)

-exterior wash

-interior wipe-down

-interior windows

-vacuum

-seat in the shade

-complimentary bottle of water

The address is 525 S. Lincoln St., Siloam Springs, AR 72761. I would love to see you there!

This last Sunday I had the honor of being introduced to my church congregation and let them know just a tad of where I'm going and what I'll be doing. Hopefully I'll get a chance to talk to some Sunday school classes a bit more in depth about it, as well. One thing the church has decided to do to help me on my way is to give donations from their coffee bar to my ministry account. The coffee bar has been a project they've been developing over the last several months, and it's pretty cool! There are a variety of coffees, syrups, creamers, tea, hot chocolate, and pastries. Yum! Anyone is welcome to whatever is available, for free, but donations are welcome. We get to serve people, which creates a great opportunity to talk and get to know people better. Donations have been going towards a mission trip to Thailand that a group from church is making, but since they are leaving at the end of this month, the donations will start going towards my journey to BFA. I'm so excited to get involved and meet people and make coffee! I started learning the ins and outs of it on Sunday and really enjoyed myself. So praise God for this opportunity!

Soccer time!!

My dad, Cliff Peters, works part of his time with the Institute for Biblical Community Development, and some of that includes teaching at their Center for Integral Mission during summer courses. They get a wide variety of students, some come from other countries, some from other states, and some locals. Last night we had the students over at our house for supper, and I just loved it! Internationals, MKs, and others all in one house eating Filipino food and playing soccer in our front yard! Yes, it was awesome.

I would like to ask you all to continue to pray for me during this process of preparation to go to Germany. There are a lot of things to plan for and work on, and sometimes it's overwhelming! Please pray for God's peace and reassurance as I seek to follow His will, and for everything to come together on time. Pray that God will continue to develop a strong team of partners in prayer and support, that we would work together to bring Him glory in our lives and ministries. Thank you!

Numbers 6:24-26

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.”

Blessings

Volleyball!

Boy, playing sand volleyball for 3 hours with multiple dives and face-plants does a number on your body when you're not used to moving like that! My neck doth protest. But it was fun!! I'm really enjoying the warmer weather and getting to spend more time outdoors. My mom's birthday was on Saturday (yay Mom!) so our family went to Natural Falls State Park to cook out and enjoy time with each other outside. It was lovely! I also saw “The Avengers” this weekend, which pretty much rocked. So yes, it was a great weekend!

I'm feeling very blessed. I know I'm always blessed, even when I'm an ungrateful grump and don't feel like it, but do you ever have those moments when you just are floored by how awesome God is and how amazingly generous He is in your life? He's been so good to me, and I just feel so grateful!! Counting my blessings would be impossible, but I'd like to share a couple things that I'm thankful for.

With a couple lovely girls from community group

Back in December I started going to a singles community group through Fellowship Bible Church in Lowell, AR, since there wasn't really anything comparable in Siloam Springs, unfortunately. But I've been so blessed by our Bible study and the fellowship that we've shared over the last several months! There's some pretty great people that I've met and am so happy that I was able to connect with them. We had our last official group get-together for the semester last week, which is sad for me since I'll be leaving before they start up again, but I look forward to some unofficial get-togethers! They are going to be helping me with a car wash and rummage sale to help raise funds for Germany, which is wonderful, and I'll let you know when they come up so that if you're in the area you can come join the fun! :)

There have been some developments with my church here in Siloam, Community Christian Fellowship, with getting the word out about me going to Germany and the need for funds. I'm excited to get more connected with the congregation and share this great experience with them! Please pray that the Lord would work out the details for all the different plans that are in the works.

I am grateful for all of the people that have been so encouraging and supportive in this venture! It's a team effort, and I am so appreciative of all you beautiful people! Thank you for asking questions, sharing in my excitement, giving suggestions, and being generous with your prayers and funds. I pray that God meets your every need and that He fills you with His joy!

My fambly, a couple years ago

I just want to say how thankful I am for my family. Well, I can't really say how thankful I am for them, cause it's just too much! I love them!!!!!

Another thing I am grateful for is that I'm past that phase that I had when I was in middle school where every time I ate mustard or chocolate it got on my clothes...oh wait...that happened to me yesterday...all over the front of my white shirt. I guess I'll have to keep working on that one...

Psalm 100

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his loves endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”

Fun Factoids

Salutations!

I hope you all are doing just dandy! I didn't have work today but I got mountains of laundry done, baked a cake, did some other house work, wrote some emails, and played several rounds of Draw Something...altogether a productive day for me. :)

I thought of some fun bits of info that I thought you might like to know about...so here they are!

#1 – My dad became a Christian after watching a film at a Good Friday service...this film was by the Janz Brothers, who are the same ones who founded TeachBeyond, the mission I am going with to Germany! I think it's pretty special that I get to serve with the mission that helped bring my father to the Lord!

The Kaesebiers

#2 – This little factoid is probably one that many of us have in common...I have German ancestors. While that may not be so unique, I'm pretty excited to be going to the motherland! =P Here is a pic of my great-great-great grandparents on my dad's side, the Kaesebiers. They emigrated from Germany to Canada way back when. I'd love to find out about what area in Germany they are from and possibly take a trip to visit during some time off.

#3 – My apologies for not getting the word out about this sooner, but to make things a bit more convenient for many of you, you can donate to the ministry I'll be doing online! You can find the link to the page on the right sidebar, right under the contact information section. Also, you can find a printable pledge form on the same page if you'd like to send any donations in by mail. Once again, I'd like to invite you to participate in the ministry with me, and one important way to do that is through financial support. I have 3 months left before I'm supposed to pack up and head to Germany, and still have a ways to go financially in order to make that happen. So I ask that you prayerfully consider joining me in this way. Questions? Ask!

#4 – Apple Oatmeal cake is the bomb. Randomly started thinking about it today so I had to make one! It is delicioso! And I don't feel like I'm eating cake cause it has oatmeal and apple in it...which means I can eat double the amount. If you want to try it, I can send you the recipe!

#5 – Ever thought about doing overseas missions yourself?? Black Forest Academy is still in need of staff and faculty for the coming school year. If you are interested or know anyone that is, please visit their website for more details! www.bfacademy.com

#6 – If you have never heard of The Piano Guys, you should look them up. They are awesome!! This is one of my fave songs of theirs. Enjoy!