Too often we thank God only AFTER he's done something for us. We beg and plead for him to give us something, or do something for us, or whatever...And we don't thank him or what he's doing in our lives now or even what he's done in the past. We ask and ask but never thank him in return. I know I'm guilty of this.
So when I opened my e-mail this morning, I saw this e-mail and thought I'd pass it along...
Dear God:
I want to thank You for what you have already done. I am not going to wait until I see results or receive rewards; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until I feel better or things look better; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until people say they are sorry or until they stop talking about me; I am thanking you right now.. I am not going to wait until the pain in my body disappears ; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until my financial situation improves; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until the children are asleep and the house is quiet; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I get promoted at work or until I get the job; I am going to thank you right now. I am not going to wait until I understand every experience in my life that has caused me pain or grief; I am thanking you right now. I am not going to wait until the journey gets easier or the challenges are removed.I am thanking you right now. I am thanking you because I am alive. I am thanking you because I made it through the day's difficulties. I am thanking you because I have walked around the obstacles.I am thanking you because I have the ability and the opportunity to do more and do better. I'm thanking you because Father, you haven't given up on me.
Love: Me
So...don't forget, in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of life, to take the time to thank God. After all, he deserves it.
Friday, February 19, 2010
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
New Website...
http://www.formspring.me/iamelisabeth85
Check it out. You can ask me anything and it be anonymous. Kind of odd...yes. Kind of funny...yes, that too. It was kind of interesting to see what people have already asked. Here's your chance to be nosy people. :)
Check it out. You can ask me anything and it be anonymous. Kind of odd...yes. Kind of funny...yes, that too. It was kind of interesting to see what people have already asked. Here's your chance to be nosy people. :)
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
February 2010
Welcome to the February 2010 Installment of the Elisabeth Chronicles. Where does the time go? It seems like just yesterday I arrived in Senegal for the first time, ready to start this new adventure in my life. Only I look at the calendar and realize that it has, in fact, been 6 ½ months since that Thursday morning in July.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
What is love? I asked my third graders this question during our class Valentine’s party. Here are just some of the responses I received…
1. Love is when your brother lets you have the last cookie.
2. Love is when your mom makes lemonade because she knows you like it.
3. Love is when your mom and dad cheer for you even when you do bad in basketball.
4. Love is when a mom and dad send their kids to boarding school because they know it’s good for them.
5. Love is when God sent his son to die on the cross, even though it made him sad.
6. Love is when God lets us ask for forgiveness even when we probably don’t deserve it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
January and February have been busy months here. Along with normal day-to-day teaching duties, Dakar Academy held its annual Spiritual Emphasis Week, Olympics Days, and participated in WAIST – West Africa Invitational Softball Tournament.
I also got the opportunity to travel with 3 other A/G missionary ladies to Tambacounda, where we led a Children’s and a Women’s Service at the Assemblies of God church there. We were blessed with the whole 8 hour drive going and coming being safe and uneventful (always a plus here). We were able to share the gospel with approximately 25 children and approximately 20 women. It was my first experience speaking with a translator, so I was a bit nervous, but you know…I came away from this weekend feeling so refreshed and blessed by the Lord.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Prayer Requests for February:
• I still need to raise the rest of my AGWM budget. As of today, February 16th, I need to raise $347 more in monthly pledges and $7572 in cash donations to meet my budget requirements. I am not allowed to come back on the field as a Missionary Associate (MA) until my budget is completely raised, so please pray that this happens soon.
• I am in the process of contacting pastors, family members, and friends to raise support and/or schedule services to speak at while I’m back in the States during the summer. Please pray that everything falls into place with this.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For those of you that already support me each month financially, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you do not, and would like to, please contact me at enichols85@gmail.com or call my parents at 205-225-0255 and we can tell you how to do so. Any donations you make would be tax-deductible.
Happy Valentine's Day from Senegal,
Elisabeth Nichols
enichols85@gmail.com
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
What is love? I asked my third graders this question during our class Valentine’s party. Here are just some of the responses I received…
1. Love is when your brother lets you have the last cookie.
2. Love is when your mom makes lemonade because she knows you like it.
3. Love is when your mom and dad cheer for you even when you do bad in basketball.
4. Love is when a mom and dad send their kids to boarding school because they know it’s good for them.
5. Love is when God sent his son to die on the cross, even though it made him sad.
6. Love is when God lets us ask for forgiveness even when we probably don’t deserve it.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
January and February have been busy months here. Along with normal day-to-day teaching duties, Dakar Academy held its annual Spiritual Emphasis Week, Olympics Days, and participated in WAIST – West Africa Invitational Softball Tournament.
I also got the opportunity to travel with 3 other A/G missionary ladies to Tambacounda, where we led a Children’s and a Women’s Service at the Assemblies of God church there. We were blessed with the whole 8 hour drive going and coming being safe and uneventful (always a plus here). We were able to share the gospel with approximately 25 children and approximately 20 women. It was my first experience speaking with a translator, so I was a bit nervous, but you know…I came away from this weekend feeling so refreshed and blessed by the Lord.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Prayer Requests for February:
• I still need to raise the rest of my AGWM budget. As of today, February 16th, I need to raise $347 more in monthly pledges and $7572 in cash donations to meet my budget requirements. I am not allowed to come back on the field as a Missionary Associate (MA) until my budget is completely raised, so please pray that this happens soon.
• I am in the process of contacting pastors, family members, and friends to raise support and/or schedule services to speak at while I’m back in the States during the summer. Please pray that everything falls into place with this.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
For those of you that already support me each month financially, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you do not, and would like to, please contact me at enichols85@gmail.com or call my parents at 205-225-0255 and we can tell you how to do so. Any donations you make would be tax-deductible.
Happy Valentine's Day from Senegal,
Elisabeth Nichols
enichols85@gmail.com
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Prayer Request
I'm writing today with an urgent prayer request.
I have been approved as an MA (missionary associate) with the Assemblies of God, pending my attendance at this summer's Pre-Field Orientation and also the completion of raising my budget set by the Assemblies of God World Missions Dept. This is where the prayer request comes in.
My budget is set into two parts: 1) committed monthly pledges and 2) cash budget. My monthly budget is $942 and my cash budget is $7997. And as of now I have only 18% of my monthly budget raised and 5% of my cash budget raised. Therefore, for me to get back to Dakar next August in time for the next school year to start, I have to have the rest of this money raised super fast. Plus, I've been having difficulty in my phone situation here. I had planned to use Skype to contact pastors and churches to set up services to speak this summer and to raise support, however, that hasn't been working. We've had bad power outages almost every night (when I can call -- 5 to 6 hours ahead of all of you), which has allowed me very little time to call.
Also, my situation is slightly different than most Missionary Associates, in the sense that I only have a little over a month to "itinerate" or speak at churches this summer (from June 27 to Aug. 1). I realize that this isn't a long time, but I know God called me here and I know this is God's plan. So now friends (and family), now, I need your help in praying. Please help me pray that I raise my budget in time for me to be back to start the next school year on time. Please help me pray that either Senelec (our electric company) cooperates and leaves the power on :) long enough for me to make these necessary calls or e-mails or that God makes another way for this to happen.
Thank you all for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support of me and my ministry here in Dakar, Senegal. It truly means the world to me.
-Elisabeth
I have been approved as an MA (missionary associate) with the Assemblies of God, pending my attendance at this summer's Pre-Field Orientation and also the completion of raising my budget set by the Assemblies of God World Missions Dept. This is where the prayer request comes in.
My budget is set into two parts: 1) committed monthly pledges and 2) cash budget. My monthly budget is $942 and my cash budget is $7997. And as of now I have only 18% of my monthly budget raised and 5% of my cash budget raised. Therefore, for me to get back to Dakar next August in time for the next school year to start, I have to have the rest of this money raised super fast. Plus, I've been having difficulty in my phone situation here. I had planned to use Skype to contact pastors and churches to set up services to speak this summer and to raise support, however, that hasn't been working. We've had bad power outages almost every night (when I can call -- 5 to 6 hours ahead of all of you), which has allowed me very little time to call.
Also, my situation is slightly different than most Missionary Associates, in the sense that I only have a little over a month to "itinerate" or speak at churches this summer (from June 27 to Aug. 1). I realize that this isn't a long time, but I know God called me here and I know this is God's plan. So now friends (and family), now, I need your help in praying. Please help me pray that I raise my budget in time for me to be back to start the next school year on time. Please help me pray that either Senelec (our electric company) cooperates and leaves the power on :) long enough for me to make these necessary calls or e-mails or that God makes another way for this to happen.
Thank you all for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support of me and my ministry here in Dakar, Senegal. It truly means the world to me.
-Elisabeth
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
A Box Full of Love
Yesterday I looked in my "mailbox" at school and saw a little piece of white paper that brought a smile to my face. It said I had a package and told the cost for picking it up. Since school was already over for the day, I had to wait until the business office opened today to get it. So, after I dropped my kids off at recess and French class, I went and got my package.
I went to the teacher's lounge, got out my handy dandy box opener (a.k.a. pencil), and opened it up. Inside were all kinds of goodies that my parents and brother had sent me. I had new earphones (...mine died a few weeks ago), Pecan Sandies (...only the BEST cookie EVER), pepperoni, Big Red gum, Christmas ornaments (for next year), shorts, a Valentine's Day gift, sunflower seeds, microwavable popcorn, and single serving packs of grits...just to name a few things. :)
This is a wide variety of items, but they each mean a lot to me. My parents and brother packed this random collection because they knew what I loved. They sent me things that they knew would bring a smile to my face. ...which did happen, of course. :)
This got me thinkning. When's the last time God received a "box of love" from us? I don't mean a literal box. I mean, when is the last time we gave God the things he loves...time in prayer, time in worship, time in service, ...just time in general? We should always be showering God with love. After all, he constantly does that for us. Why is it sometimes so hard for us to reciprocate that? I know I'm guilty of this at times...
I went to the teacher's lounge, got out my handy dandy box opener (a.k.a. pencil), and opened it up. Inside were all kinds of goodies that my parents and brother had sent me. I had new earphones (...mine died a few weeks ago), Pecan Sandies (...only the BEST cookie EVER), pepperoni, Big Red gum, Christmas ornaments (for next year), shorts, a Valentine's Day gift, sunflower seeds, microwavable popcorn, and single serving packs of grits...just to name a few things. :)
This is a wide variety of items, but they each mean a lot to me. My parents and brother packed this random collection because they knew what I loved. They sent me things that they knew would bring a smile to my face. ...which did happen, of course. :)
This got me thinkning. When's the last time God received a "box of love" from us? I don't mean a literal box. I mean, when is the last time we gave God the things he loves...time in prayer, time in worship, time in service, ...just time in general? We should always be showering God with love. After all, he constantly does that for us. Why is it sometimes so hard for us to reciprocate that? I know I'm guilty of this at times...
Monday, February 1, 2010
Buying Groceries
Buying groceries at home in the United States...
1. Make a list.
2. Drive to Wal-Mart.
3. Buy all groceries (and other necessary supplies) at Wal-Mart. Also, while there, buy my favorite candy bar, soft drink, and a magazine at the checkout counter.
4. Load groceries in trunk.
5. Pour water over an apple and eat apple on the way home.
6. Get home and put up groceries.
7. Make dinner, using pre-packaged "quick-fix" meal ingredients, including a dessert made from a Betty Crocker package.
8. Eat dinner.
9. Maybe even watch t.v. afterwards.
Buying groceries at home in Senegal...
1. Make a list. (Take into consideration all the many food items that cannot be bought here and will have to be made from scratch.)
2. Walk to the store (through all the sand).
3. Buy groceries. Check aisles for random American items that arrive every now and then.
4. Walk back outside to the fruit/veggie stand and buy all produce items.
5. Walk to boutique and buy bread (baguettes) and bottled water or cokes. *A boutique...Imagine a tiny little building with just enough room for you and one person to stand, side by side, with shelves lining the walls stocked with all kinds of random food & other items, and a big deep freezer inside.
6. Walk home carrying all bags.
7. Get home and put all fruits and veggies in bleach water to soak. In another bowl, put eggs in bleach water to soak.
8. Put remaining groceries up.
9. While fruits, veggies, and eggs are soaking, go wash dirt off of feet from the walk home.
10. Once veggies and eggs are done soaking, wash/rinse them well to get rid of bleach. Then begin making dinner. Before putting rice in pot, pick out any bugs (because while they're full of protein, they don't taste that great). Do the same with sugar and flour.
11. If having salsa, make from scratch (no jars here...Well, no cheap jars here). If making sour cream...pour cream into bowl and then add vinegar. Let set and then stir. If making a dessert, get out all ingredients and make from scratch.
11. Eat dinner.
12. Watch a t.v. show (downloaded from iTunes) or movie on your computer.
1. Make a list.
2. Drive to Wal-Mart.
3. Buy all groceries (and other necessary supplies) at Wal-Mart. Also, while there, buy my favorite candy bar, soft drink, and a magazine at the checkout counter.
4. Load groceries in trunk.
5. Pour water over an apple and eat apple on the way home.
6. Get home and put up groceries.
7. Make dinner, using pre-packaged "quick-fix" meal ingredients, including a dessert made from a Betty Crocker package.
8. Eat dinner.
9. Maybe even watch t.v. afterwards.
Buying groceries at home in Senegal...
1. Make a list. (Take into consideration all the many food items that cannot be bought here and will have to be made from scratch.)
2. Walk to the store (through all the sand).
3. Buy groceries. Check aisles for random American items that arrive every now and then.
4. Walk back outside to the fruit/veggie stand and buy all produce items.
5. Walk to boutique and buy bread (baguettes) and bottled water or cokes. *A boutique...Imagine a tiny little building with just enough room for you and one person to stand, side by side, with shelves lining the walls stocked with all kinds of random food & other items, and a big deep freezer inside.
6. Walk home carrying all bags.
7. Get home and put all fruits and veggies in bleach water to soak. In another bowl, put eggs in bleach water to soak.
8. Put remaining groceries up.
9. While fruits, veggies, and eggs are soaking, go wash dirt off of feet from the walk home.
10. Once veggies and eggs are done soaking, wash/rinse them well to get rid of bleach. Then begin making dinner. Before putting rice in pot, pick out any bugs (because while they're full of protein, they don't taste that great). Do the same with sugar and flour.
11. If having salsa, make from scratch (no jars here...Well, no cheap jars here). If making sour cream...pour cream into bowl and then add vinegar. Let set and then stir. If making a dessert, get out all ingredients and make from scratch.
11. Eat dinner.
12. Watch a t.v. show (downloaded from iTunes) or movie on your computer.
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