It's a crazy life!

As promised, I am posting today! I'm sorry it's so late.. My computer broke earlier this evening right after I had finished typing all this up. I didn't get a chance to post it then though, so I am now doing so from my parents computer. I am also sorry that it's been so long since my last post.  Things have been crazy since getting home.  When I first got here a month ago I had two jobs (as well as continuing some of my volunteer work from Thailand) and that was taking almost all of my time.  I was working 7 days a week with little time to rest.  I realized that it was just to much, so I quit my second job and am now just working for my dad at the youth camp. (Which is still pretty much 7 days a week.)

When I left thailand, my plan was to continue working for Emmi at Lighthouse in Action, keep doing communication work for the iDTS as well as Home of Joy, along with possibly continuing my administrative work at Create International.  Well that was just my plan, and it has become quite clear that my plans are not always the same as God's plans...

About 5 days ago I messaged Emmi at Lighthouse and asked how everything was going there.  She responded by telling me that she had left YWAM.  What a shock!!  I had no idea that was going to happen.  But at the same time, I started that maybe it was a green light from God to go ahead and try something new.
The past few months Israel has been heavy on my heart.  And as the weeks pass I keep thinking about it more and more.  So I messaged a base there and asked if they might possibly need any administrative help.  That was about a week ago now, and still no response.
Another option that I just recently heard about is a couple who are starting a BAM (Business As Mission) in Chiang Mai working in the Red Light District, which is what I am really wanting to be working with.
Before I got the news about Emmi leaving YWAM I was hoping to work with her and see how she runs her business.  All the ins and outs of it, while taking online business courses.  Then, I was hoping to start my own business (possibly partnering with on already established.)
So, today I went to Centralia College to finish my financial aid forms and take the Compass Test.  Much to my surprise, I got almost perfect and perfect scores on my reading and writing tests!  Not as surprisingly, I didn't do as great in math... (Not only did I get my dad's looks, I unfortunately inherited his math skills and not my mom's..  Thanks Pops.)  But still good enough to enroll in the online business AA course.

So, basically, I am torn about what to do.  I could really use prayer as I am trying to hear and follow God while making this decision.  I am hoping to have everything figured out before I leave for Florida at the end of this month, so that when I get back I can get everything moving in the right direction.  But that is just my plan, not necessarily God's.. However, I am hoping that this time they are the same.  :)

Blessings to you all!

Going home... :)

Wow! I can’t believe that I come home in just 10 days!  I am so excited to be back and to see you all.  Please pray for my trip though… I really don’t like flying, and 18+ hours in a plane is going to be a little hard for me.

I will be home for three months, July through September.  While I am home I am hoping to be able to work enough to earn back the price of the plane ticket as well as save a little so that I will have some finances to pay for rent and transportation when I get home.  I also have the opportunity to drive with my mom to Florida in August to drop my sister off at college. I’m so excited and proud of her!!

I will also start taking college classes this fall.  I am enrolling in Centralia College’s online business course, which will allow me to study while I continue working in Chiang Mai.  That is another expense that right now I’m not fully able to take on, but I’m hoping to get financial aid and I know that the Lord has everything under control.  Which is so nice, because I know for sure that I cannot do all of this on my own!!

I have recently taken on two new jobs.  One is working with an organization called Lighthouse In Action.  It has three main missions: X-Life, Love Acts, and WonGen/Zion Kafe.  X-Life sends small, short term groups into one of many villages and helps the farmers up there.  The hope is that if the farmers are able to have self-sustaining farms, they won’t feel as though they need to send their girls into the city to work in bars and the red light district.  Love Acts is focusing on building relationships with the girls and lady boys already in the bars and helping them get out.  The founder of Lighthouse In Action, Emmi, offers the girls training and bible studies.  And WonGen/Zion is reaching out to university students and giving them a fun and safe place to hang out.
I work as a PA/Administrator for Emmi.  I have only been helping her for a few weeks, but I already love it.  Her ministry focuses on something that I have a passion for so I feel so blessed to be able to help her.  When I return to Chiang Mai I am going to be looking for an apartment closer to the area that she is in so I can help her more.

The other organization that I have recently started helping out is called Create International.  It is a group that focuses on using media arts to get the message of Jesus out into all the nations.  This particular branch that I have been helping these last few weeks is in Chiang Mai, but they are located in other areas of the world as well.

Tomorrow I will also start working for a lady who runs a children’s home in Chiang Mai, Home of Joy.  Please be praying that I will be a blessing to all of these ministries.  My goal is simply to bless them by volunteering any way I can.

Another prayer request, although not super important, is my cell phone.  The other night I was driving home and listening to music and suddenly there was a very loud POP and then my phone when black.  I tried turning it back on, but it wouldn’t.  I let it sit overnight and tried again in the morning.  Still nothing. So I took it to a shop in hopes that they could fix it. But they couldn’t, and neither can anyone else in Chiang Mai that I know of.  So this weekend I will try to get it fixed in Bangkok.  But if it can’t be I need to buy a new phone. Luckily, cell phones are much cheaper in the states then in Chiang Mai, but I still don’t have much that I can spend on it.  So please be praying that it can either get fixed, or that I can find an exceptional deal on a phone.

I am looking forward to seeing you and spending time with you this summer! Thank you for all your prayers and support!!

Blessings J

"Donate"

You may notice that on the right side of this blog there is a new button.. And that it's labeled "Donate."  I just added that today.  I did not add it to try and get people to give me money. Actually, if don't feel like God is calling you to give but you feel somehow obligated or feel like you need to do your "good deed" for the day, please don't. There are many other good things that you could do.. (weed your mothers garden, wash someones car, offer to clean someone's house, etc..) I only put this option here to help make it more convenient for those of you who feel like God is leading you to support me.  Or maybe you want to send money, but not for me. Such as a new staff member that will be coming to Chiang Mai at the end of August. Perhaps you feel God is calling you to help her, or maybe to give towards someone school/staff fees. If that is the case I would be happy to pass that along.

I will try to update this more often, things have just been crazy busy around here lately!

Thank you all so much for your prayers and support. It really means alot to me.
Looking forward to seeing some of you this summer!

Love and blessings!

One month!

Sorry that it's been so long since my most recent update!

I'm not even sure if I can remember everything that has happened recently, but I will try!!

So my mom bought my plane ticket home!! I leave July 4th just before midnight (Chiang Mai time) and I will land in Seattle July 5th sometime around 1PM. (Seattle time)

Since booking the ticket I have moved back to Chiang Mai. Bruce and his family left for a summer in the states so I am looking after their house for them until I leave.
BUT! When I return to CM in September I am going to be looking for an apartment. If you could pray for that (finding one quickly, finances) that would be awesome and much appreciated!

I have also gotten a new job! Emmi, a local Thai missions worker, has really been needing some admin/communications help. She found out that I have been looking for more stuff to do so she messaged me and I started working for her that day!
So another prayer request would be that I am able to really help and bless her. She just shut down her old cafe (Wongen) and started a new cafe called Zion. She works with women in the red-light district of CM, trying to get them out and to stay out. She also gives them job training and Bible training. She also works with/organizes/and houses many short-term missions groups that come to CM.
Please also be praying for her.. She has a lot going on!

And today I will go talk with someone at Create, a local organization/dts school in CM about doing the same thing for them. I am hoping it works out, but if it does that means I will be working 5 days a week all on a volunteer status.

That is a lot of time and also a lot of money for transportation.
I am really going to be needing your prayers this next month!
But I am really looking forward to seeing you guys when I am home for a visit :)

Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting me financially and prayerfully. (I didn't know prayerfully was a word.. But apparently it is!)

News!!

Well, something that I have been praying a lot about lately is when to go back to the states for a visit.. And I believe this summer is the right time! There isn't going to be a DTS this year, so I will have a little more free time and will be able to stay longer.
Right now I am looking at flying out of Chiang Mai on the 4th of July, and staying until the 18th of September. This is all just plans right now though.. I have not booked my flights yet. I am still waiting for some funds to come through. In the meantime someone (my mamma) has graciously lent me what I need to buy the tickets. I am planning on purchasing them tomorrow, but tickets have been going fast and the prices have been skyrocketing! So right now it is all in God's hands. Lucky for me I only have until tomorrow to wait. I am very excited!! I am really looking forward to seeing you guys again and getting to catch up.
If you would like me to come visit your church please let me know! So far I am planning on attending Summit Christian Fellowship, Shoestring Valley Community Church, Toledo First Baptist, and Westside Baptist Church. If there are any others you think I should visit please tell me! I really want to catch up with as many people as possible.

Another thing that has just recently happened is, I have decided to move back to CM this coming Tuesday. I will leave Korat Tuesday morning and arrive sometime in the afternoon on Wednesday. Please be praying for me! I will be driving, and my car has been having some issues lately. I am going to bring it in for a "check-up" tomorrow afternoon and hopefully if there is anything wrong still they will get it taken care of!

Please also be praying for my health.. My eyes have recently started hurting. It has gotten so bad lately that I have been getting very intense headaches and it makes it difficult to do almost anything. Sometimes even just moving my eyes to look at something hurts. I went to the doctor today, but he just asked me a few questions and then started prescribing medications. Typical of the doctors I have experienced so far while being here... So I will go see a doctor in Bangkok this weekend. Please pray for safe travels and that it will not be to expensive. I cannot afford multiple doctor visits on top of everything else.

Please also pray for the students at Global Connections Centre. Pray that they will have open hearts for relationships as well as for the Gospel. I have gotten close to one student in particular. I am not sure why, but we just sort of connected. And God really put her on my heart from the beginning. I am very sad to be leaving her when I move. But I know that God will either somehow keep me in her life as a witness to her or He will bring someone else. And I know that as long as she continues to take classes at GCC she will continue to be exposed to God's love and also to wonderful people of Christ.

I hope that you all have a wonderful rest of the week!

Blessings,

Annie

Who's in control...?

Thank you all so much for your prayers! It has been pretty incredible what has been happening these last few weeks.
I am someone who really likes to be in control. Actually typically, I feel like if I'm not in control of at least one thing my whole life is falling apart!! Not really of course.. But that is how I feel. Well... These last few weeks have been pretty rough on me because of that. So many unscheduled and completely "out of the blue" things happened that I didn't know which way was up and which was down. For real. I feel like these past days I have been a blind person trying to feel my way around a war zone safely.
I think it mostly started when the tires on my car blew. That was one of the first times that I felt completely lost and helpless. I had no idea what to do. And ever since then one thing after another has been happening, (having health issues, my bank account almost running out, forgetting my car keys at the car shop, ect... ) that made me feel like I was just getting further and further into the "war zone."
I started trying to find something that I could take control of and finally gain something back. But the more I reached for that, the worse things got.
Yesterday, my boss asked me to prepare the devotional for the Monday morning staff meeting. My first thoughts were "No way!! This is going to turn out awful! Whyyyyyyy??" Or something along those lines... But of course what I said was " Yeah, sure! :) " (Or once again, something along those lines.) Well I was planning on putting it off until the night before. But this morning I woke up early and there was nothing to do on facebook, so I decided to start thinking about it. Instantly the words 'Trust in the Lord' popped into my head. "What the heck? Okay Lord.. Maybe I'll look up some verses on trust to share and that'll be good enough. Okay?" Nope! While looking up verses on trust online, I came across 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10. Basically it says trust in the Lord. When you trust in Him your weakness will be turned into strength. Whoa. That was sort of exactly what I needed to hear.. But as if that wasn't enough, when I went to turn on my music to try and block out those thoughts that started telling me I had been wrong to push God out of control, the song He Said by Group1Crew came on. Basically it's about trusting God to take care of you. And how He won't give you more then you can handle.
One more thing telling me that He is in control.. Not me. Ughhh. Okay God. I admit it. I can't do it on my own. I can't be in control of everything. It's just to much for me! I can't handle it all. I need your strength....
And basically, after I admitted that I need His strength, I felt better! Not completely better. There is still alot of stuff going on in my life and the lives of the people I care about. But I felt I huge burden lift off of me.
So I just want to thank you all so much for your prayers! Please keep praying...

Life in Korat

Hello!
I'm very sorry for the lack of posts/emails lately. It's been pretty busy here.
I have been teaching and working on stuff for the iDTS in Chiang Mai.
Things with my car have been rather interesting... In my last blog post I believe I mentioned that two of my tires blew out while I was driving. Well it turns out that the guys who put the new tires on my car put two different sizes on, neither of which are the same as the two that were already on. So I now have three different sized tires, which is quite scary! Also, just recently my brakes decided to stop working properly. I think it is just that they are worn down.. But I am trying to find an affordable place to get them checked out at. Hopefully I can get my tires changed to all the same size when they check the brakes.

I want to thank all of you who prayed for me and gave towards the class that I was hoping to take in Chiang Mai next month. I have all the funds that I need for the class and I am heading up there on Friday! I am very excited. I have heard that this is a really great class. I am also really looking forward to seeing my "family" up there. I have been very homesick for Chiang Mai, but I do enjoy living in Korat.

We started our holiday course here at the centre last Monday and I have a class of three teenage girls. When I heard that I was going to have the high school class I was a little nervous... I had always said that I never wanted to teach high schoolers. But this class is great! I really enjoy teaching it and the girls are wonderful. I feel like it is helping me find my passion for teaching again. Which has made me think that maybe I should try to find some tutoring jobs when I go back to Chiang Mai.. But it's all up to God!

These last few weeks I have been having to rely on Him more then ever before. With so many unexpected bills and health issues and just missing Chiang Mai so much I have realized that the only way that I am able to get through all this is to completely rely on Him. I know I have said this before but I feel like every week I am having to just surrender to Him more and more and give everything to God over again.
I have to admit that for about two weeks I was going through a really hard time and not wanting to rely on anyone but myself. I tried to get through some stuff on my own and just ended up falling farther and farther. I felt like I had hit an incredible low point and that is when I realized how much I truly needed God to be in control and my strength in everything. I hope that I never have to fall so far to realize how much I really do need Jesus to be in control. I really wish I wasn't so stubborn sometimes!

Thank you all so much for praying for me. I really appreciate it and can feel the support daily.
Love and miss you all.

Nakhon Ratchasima!

Well it has been two exciting weeks since I moved!
Getting used to a new job, new area, new house and new people. It has been a little overwhelming at times, but God is always faithful to give us the strength to get through everything He puts in our lives. Which is something that I am realizing more and more.

I have started teaching at the centre, and I have 6 classes (I think it's 6, we will see how everything works out) that I am responsible for. It's nice to be busy and to feel like I am doing something that is making a difference and a change in people's lives. Learning English is so important and many of the school here don't put that big of a focus on it. So places like the Global Connections Centre are very important.

I am also doing administrative work for the Chiang Mai iDTS base. So I have been pretty busy, but I really enjoy it and it isn't more then I can handle. Actually, doing the admin work is part of what recharges me after teaching so much! It is definitely what I love and a passion of mine. And also a blessing to the base leader. (I hope..)

Please be praying for me though, as I am here for the next 4 months. It is hard for me not to be in Chiang Mai. I really miss it and my family there alot. Teaching is also really draining for me and I know that there is no way that I could be doing all of this without God's help and strength.

I have decided to start looking at apartment buildings when I go back to Chiang Mai in May for some conferences, and in July when I move back there I will start renting my own apartment! Very exciting for me! But also quite stressful/scary. At this point I have no idea where the money for that is going to come from, and I have had a few more unexpected expenses (such as having to replace my tires after two of them blew out.) But I do feel like that is what I need to do.
And I know that God will supply! I have complete faith in Him. He supplied the money for my car, and I know He will provide a place for me to live as well.

Speaking of my car.. Thank you all so much for the incredibly generous gifts you made towards it. I was praying so much for that and each of you were an answer to my prayers. It is how I got down south and it is also how I get everywhere that I need to go. Korat isn't like Chiang Mai, it doesn't have taxis that can take you anywhere you want. So this is a major blessing for me.

If there is anything specifically that you are interested in knowing about please send me a message either on facebook or through email.

Blessings to you all!

Annie

Korat!

Well I have arrived in Korat! After about 10 hrs of driving almost all the way across thailand by myself I arrived yesterday afternoon.

DTS ended early in the month, and since then I have just been visiting with family. I also took a few days off and went to Bangkok hoping to get some rest, but that didn't end up working out quite how I planned it to.. I did get a little rest but most of the time I was pretty busy down there. Visiting friends and trying to get everything worked out for being here in Korat.
After getting back to CM from Bangkok I got to visit with my family a little more, I purchased a car, learned to drive, and also started work as the administrative assistant for the base leader of the Chiang Mai idts. So things have been really busy! But I'm enjoying it for sure. And God has definitely been giving me supernatural strength. I would not be able to be doing any of this if it wasn't for you guys and your prayers and for God's faithfulness in listening.
Thank you all so much!

Outreach 2013 - Gin Yut Yut!

First off I just want to say how awesome it was to be able to go up to Doi Inthanon 
and serve P'Bruce and P'Dia Taylor up in Khun Wang. Bruce didn't want to take a team this 
year, but he was willing to try taking all 18 of us and give us a shot.

When we first went up I was really hoping to be able to be a blessing to the Taylor's and 
the Hmong people up there. However, it was them who was an incredible blessing to me. 
There wasn't a day when I didn't feel blessed to be up there with them.

It was so great to meet Bruce Taylor and his wife Dia. Before going up if as had heard 
some things about Bruce that made me a little nervous to go up, but I was determined to 
keep an open mind about him and what happens up there. And I'm so glad I did. Bruce and 
Dia are two of the most incredible people of God, and are truly servants for God and for 
the Hmong. It was so crazy to see how truly devoted to the Hmong and God and just serving 
they really are. And it was so awesome to be able to be a part and hopefully bless them a 
little.

While we were up there for seven weeks we would work in Bruce's tea fields 8 hours a day, 
6 days a week. Then we would have Sunday off and get to go to the local Hmong church and 
they let us sing specials and give testimonies every Sunday. It was so much time to get 
to spend time with them and get to know them.

We also got to spend three nights with 6 different village families. We were expecting to 
be working harder then ever. Like from the crack of dawn to after dark. I was also 
expecting to not be eating a lot because we were warned that it might be like that. Out 
of the six groups, there was only one like that. I would definitely say that the house 
that I got to stay at with Steph and Isaiah was the best! P'Pong, who we later nicknamed 
Paa Taro which means father Taro (Taro is a vegetable that he would eat all the time) was 
afraid of making us work to hard so most of the time we just hung out with him and ate 
snacks and rice out the ying yang. Seriously, he would feed us so much rice every meal, 
sometimes I would have to eat 3 heaping platefuls of rice. And I don't even eat rice 
usually! But it was so much fun, and he was such a sweet guy. We all loved our time there 
with him and his family.

After that we got to climb up one of the tallest mountains in Thailand. I heard that it 
was actually THE tallest, which is easy for me to believe after climbing it.. But I never 
got a for sure answer from anyone about whether it was for sure or not. But that was 
definitely one of my highlights from the whole outreach.

We also got to eat dog our first week up there! I had eaten it last year in China, but 
for all the other westerners it was their first time. So it was a lot of fun. Bruce was 
the one who got the dog and then he let some of the students help cook it. That was one 
of the weekly meals that we would have with them at there house. Which was another huge 
blessing for us. That one meal a week was always one of the best parts. The food was 
always incredible and the fellowship was so encouraging.

The we're definitely parts of the outreach that were difficult, like showering in the 
freezing river and having to share one bathroom with 18 other people. But everyone did an 
incredible job with handling it and everyone had great attitudes. Over all it was one of 
the most incredible times I've ever had, with everyone growing so much.

Thank you all for your prayers! They are much appreciated and needed. If you guys have 
any questions or want to know anything else or would like prayer for anything or even 
just want to say hi you should email me or message me on Facebook :)

My email is sara_ann93@juno.com
My Facebook name is Annie Petersohn
And my cell phone number here in Thailand is 66-083-947-2450
That is my international #. My local is 66-091-301-2146

Miss you guys!