I've been meaning to post about this for 4 days now. I should have done it when it happened!
On the 2oth I was so excited about being able to attend my church on the 21st for the Christmas service! However, I woke up the on the 21st to find a lot of snow, and church was canceled for the entire day! I was so disappointed, but then I remembered the last time church was canceled and I got excited!
This time around was no different. I got out of bed to find Mom and Dad sitting with their Bibles on the little couch we have, they had turned it to face our slider. From the slider you have a good view of our back yard. They where watching the snow fall, drinking coffee and reading their Bibles. It was a special time, and I enjoyed seeing them together so much.
We had church in the family room in our PJ's. All five of us. For the rest of the day we just hung out together, watch a movie, read. Later in the day Dad, Mom and I braved the cold and went for a walk. In the evening Ben and Rachel and their friend Luke came over. It was great being together as an entire family!
It was a exceedingly good day. Sunday's usually are. When I'm not at Well of Grace we would be together for the whole day. We would all eat lunch together and just enjoy each others company. I often times get asked, by many of the young people at church, if I would like to join them for Sunday lunch. I just about always turn them down because I love to eat Sunday Lunch with my family. It is an occasion filled with laughter and family jokes. It has to be one of my favorite times of the week.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Monday, December 15, 2008
Good bye Well of Grace
Well this weekend was a good one, but hard as well.
For about the last 13 months I've been working 2 jobs. My first job (started in May of 2007) is with Family Christian Stores. My position is Inventory Control Specialist (ICS). I check in all the merchandise that enters the store, do card orders, track special orders etc.
My 2nd job has been at Well of Grace Ministries (WOG), it is a home for young ladies ranging in age from 18-24ish. I've been a weekend care manager there for a little over a year now. When I am at WOG I'm usually there for about 48 hours (7am sat to 7am mon.)
This weekend was my last weekend at WOG and I'm going to miss the other staff members and the girls a lot. I've made many great friends of different age ranges and from different places. It has been a lot of fun but also challenging in many ways.
I would like to thank the staff members at WOG. It has been amazing to work with so many women who love God passionately, and desire to minister to young women. It has been exciting to see the staff use their gifts to share God's love. I love the enthusiasm, energy and love that is poured into Well of Grace. We all share the excitement and also the sadness felt by each resident and staff member.
For about the last 13 months I've been working 2 jobs. My first job (started in May of 2007) is with Family Christian Stores. My position is Inventory Control Specialist (ICS). I check in all the merchandise that enters the store, do card orders, track special orders etc.
My 2nd job has been at Well of Grace Ministries (WOG), it is a home for young ladies ranging in age from 18-24ish. I've been a weekend care manager there for a little over a year now. When I am at WOG I'm usually there for about 48 hours (7am sat to 7am mon.)
This weekend was my last weekend at WOG and I'm going to miss the other staff members and the girls a lot. I've made many great friends of different age ranges and from different places. It has been a lot of fun but also challenging in many ways.
I would like to thank the staff members at WOG. It has been amazing to work with so many women who love God passionately, and desire to minister to young women. It has been exciting to see the staff use their gifts to share God's love. I love the enthusiasm, energy and love that is poured into Well of Grace. We all share the excitement and also the sadness felt by each resident and staff member.We've seen quiet a few staff members come and go, and also residents. Some of use have been there since the beginning and others for only a few months. The part of me that likes things organized and controlled desires that everyone stay forever but God has some people in our lives for very short times and others for longer. I've come to love the way God uses many different people to add little bits and pieces to our lives.
It was very strange to walk out the door this morning, into blowing snow, and think that it was my last time spending time there with friends. Well of Grace has become a home away from my home as well as a family away from my family. I will miss you all so so much! May God be with you and my you grow in, and seek continually after a stronger relationship with him!
It was very strange to walk out the door this morning, into blowing snow, and think that it was my last time spending time there with friends. Well of Grace has become a home away from my home as well as a family away from my family. I will miss you all so so much! May God be with you and my you grow in, and seek continually after a stronger relationship with him!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Gearing up!
I'm slowing gearing up, very slowly. I really need to pack. I was realizing as I was leaving work today that I only have 2 more weeks of work. Then I'll take 5 days off to pack and get ready to leave.
Work has been crazy. I work in retail and during this time of year, even though I love my current job I am really relieved to go home everyday.
My sister Rachel and her husband Ben have been moved back from Omaha, NE for about a week now and we've been having a great time being together as a family.
Pray for me that I would use my time wisely!
Download
This is the link to my church's website where you can download a copy of my support form!
http://www.rbckalamazoo.org/Missions.html
http://www.rbckalamazoo.org/Missions.html
Friday, December 5, 2008
Support Letter
Hello Everyone!
This is my first post on this blog! How exciting. I'm sorry if you visited before and there was nothing posted yet. This post will be rather lacking in details unless you have not read my support letter. I mailed out a lot of them but also have a many friends that I do not have current addresses for.
Just a quick note! Many people have asked when I will be leaving for Texas. I leave to drive down on Jan. 1, 2009 and my sister Rachel will be driving down with me. We plan to arrive in Los Fresnos on Jan. 3 in the early afternoon. Your prayers for safe travel would be greatly appreciated!
Here is my support letter.
Dear Family and Friends,
I will never forget the first missions trip I went on. It was about a week after the end of my junior year of high school, in June of 2001. The trip was to Mexico and I went with a group from my Grandma Borduin’s church. This was the first time I had ever been out of the country. I took a lot of pictures and journaled pages and pages about my experience. This is when God began to give me an interest in the Mexican people and a desire to be involved in some sort of ministry someday.
In May of 2004, Steve Henry came and spoke at my church’s Spring Enrichment Conference. Steve introduced us to To Every Tribe Ministries (TETM). I found out that they did short term mission trips, and I signed up. Over the next few months, there was a lot of planning that took place. In August, I went to Media Luna, Mexico with 3 others from my church. We joined with a large group down in Texas before breaking into smaller groups to head over the border to minister to several small villages. These villages are about a two hour drive into Mexico from Brownsville, Texas.
TETM’s main mission mandate can be found in Roman’s 15:20-21: to spread the Gospel to places that have not heard it and to plant churches. More about their ministry can be found on their website www.toeverytribe.com.
In 2005 and 2006 I returned to Media Luna. In 2007 I went to Centenario. This year I went to Emiliano Zapata. Each year I went though To Every Tribe. I met a lot of new people, but also built on some friendships that began in 2004.
In January of 2006, TETM started a missionary training school called the Center for Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP). I was very interested in attending, but decided to complete my last year of college first.
In December of 2006 I graduated from Western Michigan University with my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. In May of the following year I took a position with the local Family Christian Store as the Inventory Control Specialist. I have been working there ever since, paying off my college loans.
Earlier this year, I was still seriously considering, attending CPCP in January of 2009. However while on another mission trip though TETM, I was made aware of the possibility of working with them, rather than attending CPCP. After a lot of time, questions, input from many people including my parents and the elders of my church, and prayer, I am confident that is where God would like me to be.
In September TETM offered me a job as Office Assistant. Some of the things I will be doing include bookkeeping, correspondence with TETM supporters and CPCP students, receptionist duties, helping with brochure and newsletter production, assisting other TETM Staff, and also assisting in short-term mission trip preparation.
TETM has generously offered to provide me with a certain amount of my living expenses, and I have agreed to raise the remaining portion.
I would like to ask for your support. Would you consider supporting me financially, or in prayer, or both?
In this envelop I have included a form. I would appreciate it if you would mail it back to me. If it is more convenient, you can e-mail me at stephanie.dupraw@gmail.com. You can also follow my blog on the internet at www.stephaniedupraw.blogspot.com
For His Glory,
Stephanie DuPraw
Note: I will post a link soon to a downloadable copy of my support form. Which was included in the support letters that were mailed. Should God lead you to support me you can down load a copy and send it in.
Thanks for reading - more to come soon!
This is my first post on this blog! How exciting. I'm sorry if you visited before and there was nothing posted yet. This post will be rather lacking in details unless you have not read my support letter. I mailed out a lot of them but also have a many friends that I do not have current addresses for.
Just a quick note! Many people have asked when I will be leaving for Texas. I leave to drive down on Jan. 1, 2009 and my sister Rachel will be driving down with me. We plan to arrive in Los Fresnos on Jan. 3 in the early afternoon. Your prayers for safe travel would be greatly appreciated!
Here is my support letter.
Dear Family and Friends,
I will never forget the first missions trip I went on. It was about a week after the end of my junior year of high school, in June of 2001. The trip was to Mexico and I went with a group from my Grandma Borduin’s church. This was the first time I had ever been out of the country. I took a lot of pictures and journaled pages and pages about my experience. This is when God began to give me an interest in the Mexican people and a desire to be involved in some sort of ministry someday.
In May of 2004, Steve Henry came and spoke at my church’s Spring Enrichment Conference. Steve introduced us to To Every Tribe Ministries (TETM). I found out that they did short term mission trips, and I signed up. Over the next few months, there was a lot of planning that took place. In August, I went to Media Luna, Mexico with 3 others from my church. We joined with a large group down in Texas before breaking into smaller groups to head over the border to minister to several small villages. These villages are about a two hour drive into Mexico from Brownsville, Texas.
TETM’s main mission mandate can be found in Roman’s 15:20-21: to spread the Gospel to places that have not heard it and to plant churches. More about their ministry can be found on their website www.toeverytribe.com.
In 2005 and 2006 I returned to Media Luna. In 2007 I went to Centenario. This year I went to Emiliano Zapata. Each year I went though To Every Tribe. I met a lot of new people, but also built on some friendships that began in 2004.
In January of 2006, TETM started a missionary training school called the Center for Pioneer Church Planting (CPCP). I was very interested in attending, but decided to complete my last year of college first.
In December of 2006 I graduated from Western Michigan University with my Bachelors Degree in Business Administration. In May of the following year I took a position with the local Family Christian Store as the Inventory Control Specialist. I have been working there ever since, paying off my college loans.
Earlier this year, I was still seriously considering, attending CPCP in January of 2009. However while on another mission trip though TETM, I was made aware of the possibility of working with them, rather than attending CPCP. After a lot of time, questions, input from many people including my parents and the elders of my church, and prayer, I am confident that is where God would like me to be.
In September TETM offered me a job as Office Assistant. Some of the things I will be doing include bookkeeping, correspondence with TETM supporters and CPCP students, receptionist duties, helping with brochure and newsletter production, assisting other TETM Staff, and also assisting in short-term mission trip preparation.
TETM has generously offered to provide me with a certain amount of my living expenses, and I have agreed to raise the remaining portion.
I would like to ask for your support. Would you consider supporting me financially, or in prayer, or both?
In this envelop I have included a form. I would appreciate it if you would mail it back to me. If it is more convenient, you can e-mail me at stephanie.dupraw@gmail.com. You can also follow my blog on the internet at www.stephaniedupraw.blogspot.com
For His Glory,
Stephanie DuPraw
Note: I will post a link soon to a downloadable copy of my support form. Which was included in the support letters that were mailed. Should God lead you to support me you can down load a copy and send it in.
Thanks for reading - more to come soon!
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