Where's Rayelle? ( :) God has a sense of humor)

*For John S. and other who want cliff notes… see the RECAP at the bottom of this blogJ For the rest of you enjoy the story version J

Dear Friends, so literally one year ago today, I was finishing up my time at Pella Corporation, starting to pack things in my house, and finalizing paperwork to join YWAM-Kona for a Discipleship Training School.  I'm in awe, of God's faithfulness and provision.

I've had a number of you ask me what I'm up to now, because I had shared continually that God had given me direct steps until the end of 2011, but hadn't shared anything past that.  Well, let me tell you, life is a great adventure when it's following Jesus! :)

I finished up December with my family, and it was wonderful.  My dad considered me his personal chef, and I didn’t mind that at all.  It was terrific to be together, to play cribbage each night at dinner, to see my extended family at holiday parties, and even to have the TARK 4 together for Christmas one last time, before my sister gets married in October.  It was extra sweet as she and I stayed up late talking and laughing about so many memories!

As the New Year approached, I had not heard from God what was next.  I decided I’d make sure I was ready!  I literally packed up my car with all of my clothes, toiletries, sheets, pillows, and blankets… enough to live wherever I’d be (except for furniture).  I took a quick trip to the Wausau area to see a friend from high school, and 3 of my best guy friends from college, that now have families of their own.  After 7 hours in the car the next day, I made it to Kansas City in order to spend a day at the Onething conference, and to spend time with the wonderful people I met there in November.  I remember thinking, “God, I have high expectations of you sharing direction with me at this conference.” Sadly, I didn’t get what I had hoped for, however, God lavished His love on me so heavily that day I wouldn’t have traded it for anything!  He did share two specific words of direction with me: discipleship (not the way I had done it before) and freedom prayer.  The next couple of days I found myself thinking God would affirm that I should stay in Kansas City… either to continue with Call2All or to staff the DTS school starting in January.  That answer was “no”.  So, I returned to Iowa with a quick stop in Des Moines, and had the opportunity to “hide out” in Pella for a couple of days to seek God, while staying with a wonderful family that opened their home to me.  As I arrived on a Tuesday, I was excited to be invited to a meeting about “Reach Groups” hoping to build a new kind of community in Pella.  I was blown away at what God was and is doing in Pella with intentional community, especially since I had been sharing with many that the biggest thing I missed from YWAM was the community.  The next two days were followed by multiple meetings with friends and mentors where God blew me away with things He was sharing, regarding freedom prayer in the area, and opportunities for me to grow.  God was affirming that I should be in Pella!  And He was showing me things that I did not know where going on here before!

At this point I should say I was pushing back pretty hard about the idea of living in Pella again… I had “left” Pella twice in the last year and didn’t want to make connections without having direction.  And, unwisely, I was trying to tell God that He was not going to be as glorified in my story of “mission life” by me being in Pella.  But God, in His amazing grace, continued to affirm.  As I accepted the idea I asked God about where I was to live, and he gave me a specific name.  I met up with that person and was amazed to see all God had been doing in their life too!  So awesome!  So, God opened a door for me to rent monthly from my friend Lexi, and I also rejoiced with her as she was being moved by God to leave Pella.  Not only have I been honored to walk with her in life as her friend, but also to be able to help at her house as she has worked hard to finish well here in Pella.

Couple of fun extra things… I had asked God when I should move in with Lexi and within 3 minutes a friend asked if I could dogsit in town… and with that came house sitting that next week with aligned perfectly with moving in at Lexi’s in February.  Then as I asked God about provision for His leading, I was blown away that my very good friends, the VanVeens, persisted that they wanted to pay me for a website I had designed for them ‘just for fun’ (check it out at www.vanveenchocolates.com) and the payment was the exact dollar amount that I needed for the month of rent.  And then… on move in day, I found myself provided for with a bed and nightstand, but also really needed a dresser.  I had called up my new friend Kat, and asked if she wanted to go to the thrift stores with me before helping paint some boxes for a Super Bowl food drive at church (where we later collected over 1,500 items for our local food pantry, Praise God!).  On my way to pick her up at 2:30pm on a Saturday, I called the local thrift stores only to find out they closed at 2pm.  I remember praying, asking God for help so I could truly unpack in my room (first room I called “my own” in 11 months).  As I turned on Kat’s street, my eyes shot open… on the side of the street was a dresser!  It is not uncommon for Pella folks to put things out that are not wanted anymore, but in decent shape.  So, God provided for me a dresser!

February has gone very quickly, and I’m continually amazed at God’s provision.  Because of that original dog/house sitting “job” I have had calls to help others 3 times!  It has been so much fun, and great company.  I’ve also spent time in Third’s prayer tower, hanging with some awesome young ladies in town, have “caught up” with some of the ladies I mentored in the past, I’m taking “Perspectives” an amazing class on missions (check out www.perspectives.org to see if there is one in your area!), and completed a 5 week prayer class at Third Church.  I continue to learn that I have an issue trying to tell God what He is doing J and He continues to remind me that His thoughts are bigger than my thoughts.  As I’ve felt called to be here for a time (which God has told me is not 2 years while I save a bunch of money… my idea, not His) I have been interviewing for engineering roles, talking to non-profits in the area about positions, praying about a business venture, and spending lots of time in prayer! 

One thing I’m hopeful of… I believe God is allowing me to be in the Midwest for an important event this year… my sister is getting married in October and as the Maid of Honor, loving her well is a top priority.  I’ve also been blown away with another opportunity that has come up for March.  To my great surprise, my parent’s called and blessed me with an amazing gift… they told me they wanted to help me with the plane cost to attend a wedding of a very good friend I met in YWAM named Johanna… in GERMANY!  So yes, in a little over a week, I’m heading for the second time in my life to Europe!  Another way of God’s amazing provision… I’ll be there a little over 2 weeks and I’m having the opportunity to travel to 5 different places!  I’ll be starting in England with a YWAMer and her family (Jess), then we’ll be headed to Italy together to explore and check out the YWAM Milan base, next up to Germany (near Mannheim) for the wedding (eek, so excited), after that I’ll split from Jess and head to Greece to stay with a wonderful missionary couple (including Meggan from Sully, Iowa), and I’ll finish in Amsterdam where I know 3 people! (2 YWAM friends, and a wonderful friend from Kansas City).

So… for those of you who have asked me about “what I’ve been up to” I thank you, and I apologize for not writing sooner… I didn’t want to put too much down of what “I thought” was happening, and God has been teaching me even more to wait on Him.  But that is the fun of “Where’s Rayelle” over the last 2 months, with great hope of things beyond my wildest dreams to come!  At this point I’ll be in Pella all of March (when I’m not in Europe) and April is ???  I believe God is asking me to do some tough things soon, which will be more challenging than going to the tribes in the Philippines.  I will keep you posted!  Thank you to all who have been praying for me, and listening to me, and who have been walking in faith with me!  I do not have the words to share how thankful I am for each and every one of you.  This year has truly been one of the best EVER, and I reflect, with a laugh, at how even though I’ve not “worked” a typical job in a year… how I’ve never been “wanting” and if anything God has allowed some amazing adventures and gifts as I lean into Him.  To be obedient to God is so awesome!  I pray you are blessed by reading this, that the Holy Spirit will pour out truth and love onto you, and that your faith will be built up on the rock of Jesus Christ.

If there is ANYTHING I can be praying about for you, please let me know!  And if there is anything you have questions on, want to “talk out loud about”, or just anything, don’t think twice, and contact me!  Jesus is “alive” and I’ve seen it more than ever this year!  A relationship with Him (which means talking and listening both ways) is the BEST thing in life!!! (Psalm 139 has been a great reminder of how He sees me lately… check it out).  May God bless you this very moment with His peace and joy.

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RECAP:
January: God called me back to Pella again (to my surprise!) where He amazed me with new connections, prayer learning and practice, direction on where to live and a “new career” as a house/dog watcher J

February: Time of interviews, praying, being home with family for a few days, and a great surprise to go to a friend’s wedding in March… in Germany!

March: I’ll be in Europe a little over 2 weeks… will return March 26^th with next steps ?

*Praise God for flat bike tires, learning to drive a manual car, dressers on the side of the road, homemade dutch letter making, dogsitting, and so much more!*