Where's Rayelle: Wisconsin:) for 1 week

WOW... Where do I start?  A friend told me the other night on the phone that this part of my journey might be my toughest... the time of limbo... he was right.  Here is the update.  I'm currently at my parent's house in Wisconsin, over the last week I've emptied my home, had a garage sale that was fantastic (even with snow and freezing weather) where I sold 75% at least of what I had, afterward packed everything I own into a 10' moving truck, and I've said many good byes (or "see you laters" anyway) and they don't get easier.  For those of you in Pella, I miss you already and you've made me feel so loved. 

Driving across the border to Wisconsin on Tuesday night was strange... my normal WOOHOO! just didn't feel right as I feel like I left a small piece of me behind (whoever thought... Iowa :)).  Being home I'm not really unpacking, more organizing, simplifying and learning how to lean into God a new way.  I'm ready to be on my way, but enjoying seeing family, because 1 week from now I'll be on my way to YWAM!

That's right, the time is actually here!  Next Thursday (April 7th) I have 3 flights to catch, and at 1am central time I'll be landing on the beautiful island of Hawaii, that I will call home for 3 months.  There are 35+ students in the class I'll be joining, and they come from all over the world!  Africa, Canada, Ireland, US, and Korea just to name a few!  The base where I'll be will be quite busy as 5 classes are all starting (so figure over 150 new people).  I'll be bunking it with roommates again and loving every second of it (I hope)!  I'm so excited for YWAM to start, and to learn more about God and to serve others in new ways.  I'm so excited I feel like I want to jump out of my skin. ;)  (I never understood that phrase before... but I think I get it now).

Thanks to all of you for your prayers, your compassion, your partnership, and more.  Email me at rayellem@gmail.com to be on my prayer email list and if you can lift up a prayer today for me, please pray for my house to sell.  No worries, God continues to show His awesome power in all of this :).

Rayelle

Where's Rayelle: Iowa :) for a little bit

What a strange week.  I'm back in Iowa and am unemployed... weird!  I'll be in Pella till the 19th then off to Wisconsin for a bit, then back to Iowa for a weekend, then back to Wisconsin... then God willing on a plane April 7th headed to YWAM for the next giant step in my life!  God is continuing to prove that He is with me every day, even when those days are quiet at my house, starting to consolidate my belongings.  He is teaching me about control this week, that I want it and that's not how it works... I'm not always the fastest learner and I like to be in control, but the plans He has for me are much greater than I could ever "plan".  So I'm thankful He is reminding me of that and calling me to spend time with Him in the midst of the hectic world around me.  God you are good!  And you know me... been sitting in Psalms 139 all week, check it out! :)

Where's Rayelle: MICHIGAN :)

I just realized today, I'm unemployed!  Weird.  I guess the best part that comes of that for me this week is that I can take a mini road trip!  So here I am in Michigan visiting AWESOME people!  I feel refreshed (partly from the naps) but mainly from the way God is continuing to show himself!  I even met a woman, and her family, today that I had talked with on the phone through another Christian friend... as they had left everything here in the states a few years ago to move to Italy to do mission work.  They literally sold their home, everything they owned, and went!  What a great encouragement.  So glad to be here!

Yeah Pure Michigan :)

Where's Rayelle: PELLA, IA :)

Some of you may have started to receive my little "Where's Rayelle" cards.  Right now I'm in a place I truly call home, and hope I'll return to some day... Pella, IA.  You know God has a sense of humor when he moves a gal from Wisconsin here. :)  (you Wisconsinites will understand that).  I'm so excited for the next steps in life and each present day.  They are truly filled with joy.

If you are around Monday, February 28th plan to join me for my "last day at Pella Corp" party at the Opera House in Pella from 4:30-7pm.  You can just stop in, give me a hug, get some great sweets (including a chocolate fountain) and enjoy the celebrating with me!  Hope you'll join!  Families are welcome.

ANNOUNCEMENT: What I believe the next step will be!

Dear Friends, what an amazing journey I am on. As I create in my kitchen this very afternoon, my mind is reflecting on God’s love for us. One of the main things I’ve been finding myself focusing on today is the fact that as God has continued to call my heart, my actions to follow Him are not about “not doing” a bunch of things some people call bad, but it is more about a love and yearning growing inside of me to do the good he calls us too!
Philippians 4:8-9 says Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
As I focus on this I find myself mostly listening to Christian music, reading Christian books, not watching scary or heavily romantic movies, and much more. This has been happening over the years and it’s not about a checklist of good and bad, God has been changing my heart and it feels so good! My prayer is that He won’t let you stay the same and that you can enjoy the JOY I feel each and every day even during the days I want to just stay in bed .

With all that said, here it is… the announcement… what I believe God is calling me to next! I’ve done the research, called people, put in applications and PRAYED and I’ve waited, and in all that God has been gracious. It is with great excitement that I share with all of you that I believe the next step on my path is to join the group YWAM (Youth With a Mission) for 6 months in their DTS (Discipleship Training School). YWAM has been around since 1960s and has bases all over the world! Please look online http://www.ywam.org/  if you want to know more info, and please keep me in your prayers. The training would have me at a base for 3 months and then doing outreach somewhere in the world for the last 3 months. I have been accepted to a program with the theme “Call 2 All” that would start in April. God willing I will be able to share more soon! I believe this is the path, but that can always change. Check out http://www.uofnkona.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=452&Itemid=658&lang=en.

If you are willing to pray, please pray for my family as they support me in this new direction, that God would give clear direction on the house I own and all my belongings, and that I may love well where I am the next few months.  If you are interested in financially supporting, there is opportunity to give directly to YWAM for me by donating online at https://apply.uofn.edu/OnlineAppDocs/OnlinePayment.cfm as part of my student tuition or outreach.  Or contact me for more details!  The cost for the 6 months will be about $10,000.

Thanks to all of your love and support, and I hope that you will be walking this journey with me!

Rayelle

Getting closer?

Dear Friends, I want to say thank you for all of your care as you've asked how things are, how God's direction has been, and how I can be prayed for!  I feel so grateful for all the relationships I'm honored to have with so many amazing people.  This process has been something very new for me... I call it the: RESEARCH, PRAY, and WAIT cycle :).  Because that is what I do, sometimes it feels mundane, but I'm savoring the process and so excited by the many opportunties out there for Jesus light to shine! 

I don't have the exact answer yet to what I might be doing but I think I'm getting close to what the next step might be.  Please continue to keep me in your prayers and I hope to share soon!  One thing I know for sure is that God is faithful and His timing is perfect.

Rayelle

Some things I'm looking at:
Teaching internationally (they  need math/science teachers that speak english all over!)
YWAM (Youth With a Mission DTS class)
Global Expiditions
Nannying in Italy
??? :)

Is the rumor true?

Dear Friends…

   I have an announcement to make.  I’ve been a rumor at Pella Corporation twice in my life, once when I took the position as Quality Engineer about 4 years ago, and second this last week or two regarding that I may have handed in my voluntary resignation.  I want to clear up the rumor today and tell you it is true I have turned in my resignation and it has been accepted. 

   I know some of you have been shocked (and will be) by this and have told me to stay (and I appreciate that, it has reminded me tremendously how wonderful Pella Corporation and the community is, and how much I’m loved).  You will be happy to know that I will be at work for a few months yet, so you can’t get rid of me that fast. J

   The question is… why?  Short answer… I feel called by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ… (this is going be long but worth reading) So for the last 7 years I’ve been growing exponentially in my faith while in Pella.  I’ve been leading a small group that whole time, going to a wonderful church where I’ve taken the best classes I’ve ever been in, and I’ve been on 3 mission trips outside the US.  Behind the scenes of all of that, God has been working on my heart and Jesus has truly become my everything.  The last couple of years I’ve felt a calling on my heart… when people would pray for me and the future (different people and locations) they kept hearing… I’m not supposed to know yet and I’m on a trust walk.  This was frustrating at times… but in June before I went to Haiti I was at a time of prayer called “Encounter I Am” in Pella that I had been at many times before.  As we were spending some time doing Lectio Divina (reflecting on Scripture) God gave me an AWESOME picture (a gift I’ve been graced with the last few years)… you see the next week I was switching jobs at work and the girls I had mentored for almost 7 years had graduated high school and would be leaving college in a couple months.  I knew big changes were going to happen but I was “not going to focus on it until it happened”.  But God spoke to my heart and told me I needed to hand over my fears to Him.  In my mind I pictured myself taking those fears to the cross.  I saw my future in my vision as a book I laid down at the foot of the cross.  I spent some time there in my mind soaking in God’s love.  This is where my part of the vision stopped and God took over… as I was focused on the cross, Jesus (as I see Him) came over to the cross, picked up the book and took it over to what looked like my dad’s lazy boy chair that we had as I was growing up.  Jesus sat down and started to read out of the book.  I saw myself as “little Rayelle” sitting on the floor listening intently.  As He continued I realized the book He was reading was my life story… and not just so far, but the whole thing.  As the little girl continued to enjoy the story, the part came of where life was at now… the little girl looked up with great excitement and squealed, “This is my favorite part!”.  Woe… had I just heard that right, oh yes… woe… ok, God the last 7 years + of my life have been AWESOME… so if you are telling me that my Favorite Part is just coming up… anything, anything you want God it is yours was all I could spit out.

   If any of you have ever said these words before you know this is a “dangerous prayer” but let me tell you God has been working overtime on that prayer and my life.  Long story short… there was a lot that was going on in my heart.  When in Haiti I had an awesome time, but didn’t feel any huge God moment at that time that I was going to do work in Haiti.  I came home with an open heart for God’s kingdom.  The girl’s left for college and I was feeling quite empty.  I’ve not understood what God is wanting with me… why isn’t it happening faster?  I’ve been struggling at work with a loss of passion in my old role towards the end and I hoped it would return with a job change about 5 months ago… but the fact is it didn’t.  Nothing at work specifically was a problem, I love the people and the company… but I couldn’t shake it.  I have great co-workers, quality techs that had worked for me that mean a lot to me, and good leaders.  I found myself praying often God please help me be able to do a good job and enjoy it just a little, until the time you call me to move on is shown, I will go when you call…

  Well, that time has come.  Pella Corporation is going to have a rough winter with the housing market being down, normal slow season, and the government tax credits planned to end on Dec 31^st.  There was an announcement of a closing plant in Ohio in a little less than a year and a call for voluntary retirements and separations.  My poor father got a phone call from me rambling with confusion, fear, etc. and I am so thankful he is a good listener.  After sleeping on it, talking to a friend who prayed for me and asking God for confirmation… tons was given.  I was on a trust walk, and I was being called to let go of my job (I should note that I had on my heart that I needed to sell my house in the summer and have had it for sale since July with a short break when a friend moved in with me for a bit).

  So, this is it.  I’ve put in the request it has now been approved, and I have never felt better about anything in my life!  I feel like the whole world is ahead of me but I am different now as a person than I was before, and I’m truly waiting on God’s time.  I’ve done some research into going to Italy to do some missions for awhile (I had been researching taking a Leave of Absence at Pella Corp. this winter for the last 6 months… guess this will just be longer now).  God showed up to in an awesome way of a phone call from a woman in town asking me about my house for sale by owner… she asked why I was selling and I gave her the basic answer of why I had put it up… roommate got married, job had more travel, too much work for me at this time in life.  I also added about how God was changing me and I thought He might be calling me to do missions in Italy.  She gasped on the other end in shock… and said I am supposed to give you a name and email address… I was like, huh?  I had researched multiple things and nothing felt right.  Here was this lady calling literally out of nowhere giving me direction, God is awesome.  I’ve been in contact with the missionaries in Italy I was told about, but not sure if that is going anywhere yet or not.

   So yeah… this is where I’m at.  I have a peace that is beyond all human understanding, even with a house to sell and no idea what is next.  But I wouldn’t change it for anything.  Please keep me in your prayers as I am truly in a moulding process right now and a preparation time, and Satan likes to work on those hard when God is doing big things with them.  Also for my family as they love me so much, but don’t totally understand either.

  May all praise and glory with all that happens here be given to God who sent His son to die for me.  He is worth everything I have.  I’ll keep you posted on the rest ;)