New Beginning

As 2013 comes to an end and a 2014 is about to start, I cannot help but to reflect on what has happened and dream of what is to come! I have a feeling this coming year will be a big one!

Let me update you on some changes are taking place for how this is going to work. ;) For the next 6 months I will be posting prayer requests 1-2x a month on the blog. I will also try to update as these requests are answered! This has to be God's trip...and so we must first begin with prayer.

Prayer requests for January 2014:

--That God will remain as the Captain of this journey as we move forward

--That Alyssa and I can come up with a reasonable working budget as a frame-work for fundraising

--That Alyssa and I will be able to come up with a rough draft route for the trip

Ornament Making Fundraiser!

Come join us for a time of ornament making!! These ornaments could be given as gifts or used to add to your own holiday collection!! Please invite friends! :)

Details:

Date: December 7, 2013

Time: 2-5pm

Location: Contact me if you are interested, and I will send you the location! (nshute1308@gmail.com)

Cost: $6 donation/ornament

All money donated will be going towards Backyard Mission {Trip} which is a year-long mission trip my friend and I will be taking in 2015. 

Announcement

My friend, Alyssa, and I, Nicole, would like to share with you something that has been on our hearts for a long time:

A one-year mission road trip beginning in June 2015 in which we will serve around the US with various non-profit organizations.

Who will we serve?

This was the biggest question we had when we began. And then…it became clear. Our hearts are strongly drawn towards people with disability and people struggling with poverty. So, those are the people we want to focus on serving during this year of travel. Of course, we are open to serving whoever God calls us to, so there will likely be some variety, but those two groups of people will be our focus. We would love to help out various Habitat for Humanity locations as well as Joni and Friends outreaches. Helping disability ministries and those who cannot pay for respite care or babysitting at different local churches is also on our hearts. Jill’s House in Washington DC is another outreach we would love to volunteer at when we are there. They provide overnight respite for families whose kids have disabilities. 

Why 2015?

Every seven years, God has given me a “Sabbath year” or a year of rest in Him. 2015 is my next "Sabbath year." They are hardly ever easy years, but they are defining years in my growth as a Christian. Thus, this seemed a fitting year to choose.

Why are we telling you?

We need your help. It has been a humbling 24 hours where we have realized just how big this undertaking is. We CANNOT do it alone. Do you have any ideas for fundraising? Anything that comes up as you pray for this? Do you want to help in any way? Do you have recyclables (in California) or change that you would like to donate?

Can you help us make this God-sized dream a reality?