Dear Friends,
I can’t believe how fast time goes… especially working a 40 hour+ work week again. I’m thankful for the time to write to you as it helps me reflect on all God has been doing even when I don’t feel it day to day.
QUICK UPDATE: I’m living in Plymouth, WI with a girl who didn’t want a roommate until mid-July (huge blessing) and working for Kohler Company as a Senior Quality Project Engineer. I have a lot of projects going on, but it is a good company to work for. BIG NEWS: In less than 12 hours I’ll be on my way to CHINA for a week for work (back June 8th). I’ll be in Nanchang and Beijing. Please keep me in your prayers as it has been a wild “internal” week for me in preparation.
For the slightly more detailed version… I moved back to West Bend and had the great opportunity to stay with my parents for 3 weeks in April. It was wonderful to spend time with them, they are such amazing parents and being away over 12 years means we’ve all grown a little older. So, I’m relearning who my parents are. J We did some projects around their house, and I started to explore the Wisconsin area on weekends. I cannot tell you how many times the term “Memory Lane” has popped into my head as roads I took in my past, and buildings I saw, brought a flooding of memories from my high school years and such back. Don’t worry, they made me smile J
After doing the commute a couple of weeks (about an hour each way) I realized it was taking a lot of out of me, and I was struggling making connections in the Kohler area, where this “new life” is that I’m building. I had been praying about where to live, and God answered that prayer with a step to live in Plymouth for a few months. I met a lovely gal at work, who after a 5 minute conversation, that included my past year of excitement… she offered a cheap place to stay for a couple of months while she is traveling for work. She would prefer not having a roommate after, but what a great gift for me! So I have almost 3 months in the Sheboygan County area as I explore, meet people, visit churches, and pray for God to show me where to live.
As for meeting people… you all know me J I’m thankful that God connected me already in so many ways. I was able to finish up the “Perspectives” class I had started in Pella back in January time frame, here in Fond du Lac (oh I hope all you Iowans like the Wisconsin city names). Through that I met people involved with churches and ministries in Wisconsin. I also found Coastal Connections, the local young professionals group, as well as some people at work. It has been amazing how God has brought some amazing Christian families and new friends into my life through just being able to share my story when asked “so where did you come from?” My favorite story might be meeting a gal from Kohler, that I walk over lunch sometimes, with because I met her mom when going to be prequalified for a loan J. I’m also extremely and especially thankful for reconnecting with a past high school friend, Coralee (see photo of our gardening below), and a fellow UWP graduate, Tanya, who invited me to Tuesday night “bike club” and dinner (bicycle that is). Oh, and this week's bike club included a woman who did YWAM and went to the Philippines, in my same area!!! God is so cool.
In the realm of weekends… you won’t be surprised to hear I drove to Michigan to see some of my girls (photo below) and to attend a friend’s wedding, and over Memorial Day weekend drove with my mom and sister to Kansas City for another amazing wedding. I’m so excited to be within 2 hours of our family cabin, but have only made it up once so far. Please know if you are in the area, you are invited to come up to my favorite place on earth!!! I’m thankful for the time with my family, and the fun in planning my sister’s wedding shower coming up in a few months, much easier being closer.
With all of this going on, I still struggle more than I want to admit with yearning for the Christian Community I had in YWAM and in Pella. God has been so good to me with all of that, and I know he will more here. A person just tends to miss someone who knows their history, will just stop and pray with you, and so much more. But God is teaching me to be content wherever I am, and thankfully technology has helped to be able to talk with amazing friends around the world.
I’m excited for what the future holds. As mentioned earlier, I’m already going to China for work this week! I’m nervous/anticipating all God has for me while there. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE be praying for me this whole week (write my name on the fridge white board) that God would give me his eyes, heart and ears for the people, and for protection. With all the heaviness around me this week I’ve been feeling, I have no idea what could happen. But thank God with that, He pulls me in closer to Him, and I get to connect more deeply in preparation. When I return, I’m hoping to start meeting weekly with a group of college students with Campus Ministries here in Sheboygan County and am excited for the churches I’ve been to, that God will show me which one to call home.
I’m thankful that even though I don’t feel like my mission field is as obvious as it was in YWAM, God is still opening fun doors. I prayed with a 70+ year old woman who is hearing from God that she is supposed to do a DTS with YWAM. I met a worker in a local clothing store who said “God Bless you” when I sneezed in the dressing room… and I shared with her my last year and we are going on a walk when I return so she can learn more about my mission work. I thank God for these moments and hope and pray for so many more! If I can be praying for you, please let me know. It is such a joy to bring hopes, dreams, struggles, and anything to God…. And an extra honor when it is for others. I love walking with people as God is working so obviously.
Finally, if you will pray for me this week while in China, and also that God would show me how He wants me to “MAKE WAVES”. In a prayer time with a high school youth group this week, we listened to a missionary share and we had a time to pray asking God what our mission field looks like right now… and God showed me and told me “MAKE WAVES”. This correlates interestingly to YWAM’s founder seeing waves of young people going over the nations…. So I believe it has to do with getting those people excited and moving… J I LOVE THAT!
So in closing, thank you all for being a part of my life. I’m so thankful for each of you, and what you have shared and taught me in this journey. Your encouragement and prayers are needed and so appreciated. May God bless you with great dreams of the future He longs for, and great love in your hearts that comes with the truth of how He sees you.
His Beloved,
Rayelle
