Disciple Making in Arizona: January 2012

From Jamie

Well, as we enter our FIFTH year of Support Raising, God has renewed me with overwhelming joy as well as peace and faith in His provision. I don’t know why He has called us to raise support to be able to minister and make disciples of college students, but I know that ministers in the Bible did it and I have learned a lot and grown a lot through it. When we began, we were told: this ministry will not exist unless someone raises their support; these college students will not be reached. We were led to sign up! And as I picture the faces of the amazing students that God has honored us with the privilege of ministering to or lead to Christ, it is ALL worth it. God provided our first month 100% with the generous donation of two family friend’s gifts. Well, I can honestly say that while we have never met our year-end budget at 100%, we have always been well-fed, all of our medical needs have been addressed, we have clothes that fit, a warm house (haha, Arizona ;)) and so many extra blessings that God has lavished on us through our family, support team, strangers (a perfect hot tub), even non Christians.

Although this has been a challenging road, one where a budget is virtually impossible because you can only guess and pray about your next paycheck, it has been the definition that we were taught of a missionary: out of our comfort zone! God is so mighty that He has met all of our needs, many wants and several totally needless joys. I am earnestly praying (and diligently working) that we will meet our 100% budgeted needs (so we can save for retirement and college funds!) and ask that you join with me in that prayer. We have wanted to give up on Support Raising (not collegiate ministry!) many, many times and God has so clearly shown us that He has us right where He Willed us to be. As I was entering in our “MSC Gifts” from NAMB, I was brought to tears by God’s provision and our amazing and generous Support Team members’ hearts. We think about you every day and we are truly, so, so thankful. The students at Arizona State University’s Downtown Campus have a pastor that they can talk to about Jesus and their walk or begin their walk because God lays it on the hearts of believers to give to this ministry and they are obedient. God uses that gift to encourage and bless us, while meeting our needs and the gift enables us to make disciples of college students.

It’s an amazing process, one we feel blessed (not always, if I’m totally honest!), to be a part of and a process that we have been on the other side of: the excitement of being a Ministry Partner and seeing God use us in a ministry that we could not otherwise be a part of, through our gifts.

It’s a blessing and an honor to be missionary dependent upon God and the obedience of His people and it is a blessing to be obedient to God and support missionaries when the Lord tells us to. Thank you for being a part of making disciples of college students and for BLESSING our lives as we are blessed to serve Almighty God. Please pray as often as you think of us, that we will be the people God wants us to be and we will serve and live with the hearts that He wants us to have.

Some of the college students at the Christian Challenge New Year's Party

All the Powers kids were there and one of them was given Coke, so he experienced his first ball drop! Apparently the college kids were too loud ;)

Powers Update (by Bryan this time :)

Bryan only has two classes left to graduate with a MDiv. We started at a slow pace in 2005 and took two years off in the middle just as we dealt with losing Madison. Recently, it’s been a fast pace, but I’ve learned a lot. It has been a long hard road. This will be the last semester! We are so excited and ready to be done and not think about a Doctorate or Ph.D. at least for a while. Dallas lost his first tooth this Christmas and we lost it in the grass outside, but Dallas wrote a note to the tooth fairy and explained the situation so he could still get the money :).

We got to see Auntie Mary Audrey and Uncle Micheal Micheal (what Dallas has always called him) before they left for Australia for a year. He also got to see Uncle Sam and Natalia, and I think this is the first time he hasn’t confused the two uncles.

Support that doesn’t cost a penny…

AZ residents, if you have State tax liability, PLEASE consider donating it and getting credit for paying it. http://www.acsto.org/ If donated by 4/15/12, it can count dollar for dollar against your owed state tax dollars and help us with Dallas’ Christian education (please use his name).