Falling Forward.

The time is here! Graduation has come and gone and the day that I pack my car and move to Austin is approaching quickly...

Partnership updates: 
Goal: $1,400/a month
Progress: almost 70% raised

Still needed:
only $182/a month to my move-in/starting work goal of 80% (due this week)
and $459/a month to my total goal of 100%
 

What it means to partner with me: 
First and foremost, you are not only supporting me, but you are becoming part of a ministry. Support is so much more than the dollars raised; it provides the means by which God works in people's lives. In the specific ministry I have the privilege to be a part of, my partners will have the opportunity to hear of specific stories and numbers of changed lives by the Gospel through community. The Lord has shown me this summer just what an active role my supporters will play. You are, figuratively speaking, the hands on my back, guiding me each day through every decision and each person I come in contact with. I am not here on my own. God alone brought me to this place, and He is teaching me to trust His promises.

He is my Provider.
He is my Sustainer. 
He is my Rock. 
He is the Great Shepherd. 

The list goes on and on. These are just a few of the titles that I have clung to lately as I look ahead at His mission for me. I pray that you have also seen the Lord in these roles, and will continuously be in prayer about what your role may be in this mission. As Matthew 6:24 and Psalm 16:11 portray so well, there is no greater joy than to fall forward into our Father's arms. There is nothing that this world has to offer that compares to the complete and everlasting joy that serving Him with our lives gives to us. With this journey, I am taking a greater leap of trust than I ever have before and have already seen His grace drench me, as it cleanses and prepares me for what is ahead. I simply ask that you would take a moment and honestly seek the Lord's will for you in this ministry. If it's partnering in prayer, great!! Please let me know! If it's financial support, ask Him to place that number clearly on your heart. $10, $20, $50, $100/a month or one time. He simply asks for our obedience. If it's another ministry, incredible! I can not be more sincere when I say that what my heart desires most is for all of us to be obedient to His call. I am learning what it means to love, give, and trust until it hurts. He is still worth it. 

What brings life to my soul in this calling: 
Changed lives that change lives. Simple as that. I get to see people come into community, get trained, sharpened, and equipped and sent out to this city and around the world. Austin Stone is not about simply living "inwardly", loving those who are easy to love and within close reach. This body feels the urgency of reaching God's children in other parts of the city, this nation, around the globe to tell them the good news of the Gospel. This comfortable life is challenged for more, the kind of 'immeasurably more' our Father promises He will do. By His grace, my skills and gifts will be used to help further the kingdom in this process. This is just a taste of what sets me on fire to be a part of. 

Thank you for taking the time to hear about what I'm heading into this year. If you have ANY questions about the program, partnership, or anything, please feel free to contact me. If you have more specific questions about the program itself, please feel free to visit the website. If you wish to partner with me financially this year, the secure online giving page is here. 



Falling forward into Him,

Callie

Love to Fight.

August is here! I can hardly believe it. This immediately sends a rush of emotion (a fun little mixture of excitement and nerves) because this means I only have one month until a new chapter begins. In less than one short month from today, Lord willing, I will be settled into my new home of Austin, TX. As I am pressing toward this goal, I thought I'd give you a few updates...

- I moved out of my house in College Station and graduate in a week. Gone are the college days!
- I received news that housing will be provided by Austin Stone. HUGE blessing to the budget and answer to prayer!
- I am continuing to press into the Lord in this process of support, as I know He will be faithful to provide for this next year.

Partnership updates: 
Goal: about $1,400/month
Progress: 43% raised

Still needed: 
80% support pledged/raised by August 22th 

Monthly pledges and special one-time gifts are greatly appreciated before that date.
If you have any questions about partnering with me, please feel free to contact me.

Journey updates:
     This past month or so has been far from easy. Right about the time I accepted the offer to work at the Austin Stone, I was having lunch with a dear mentor and friend who has worked in ministry for some time. Some her first words of wisdom and advice were, "You have to love to fight." I didn't have a clue what she meant.
     Slowly but surely, in those secret little moments, doubts and insecurities crept in. I pushed them down, thinking this was what I was 'to fight.' My pride grew, daring to think I could persevere, feeling the power of (false) independence. I could beat this inner struggle. Yet each day I felt more and more broken, dirty and inadequate. My sin was before me. In my heart, I told the Lord that He had made a mistake. How could He use me? He knows my past and sees the ugliness of my heart, why would He put me in a place that intentionally strives to further His kingdom every day? I am no warrior for that battle. Then it hit me like a wall. I am His creation. He has called me. And He doesn't make mistakes. 
     Back to the 'have to love to fight' statement. When we take a stand for the God of creation, perfect and righteous in all He does, we are told that we have an enemy. He is not one that we can see or we know how to fight on our own (Ephesians 6:12). From the moment we take a stand for Christ (as with our salvation), we are at war; war for the souls of this world, that our Heavenly Father loves and says are His. How else would an enemy fight a battle than to try to attack where he perceives the other side is weakest? Trust me when I say that I have seen every bit of my weakness rise to the surface. I quickly realized that I am inadequate. But I am not ill-equipped, nor am I alone. I need only to lay down my pride and submit (Exodus 14:14).
     I am confident of this: the enemy does not attack where he does not feel threatened. The Lord has incredible plans for this year, whether I feel worthy of playing a role in them or not. I am choosing to trust His promise that He will win in the end. His will prevails.

I ask for your continued support through prayers. I ask that He would give me peace (Philippians 4:7). The kind of peace that brings about total trust in His plan and keeps my wandering heart close to His. As this month continues, may I continue to surrender and give Him the glory for what He continues to do!

For Him alone,

Callie