One Month & Counting

One month today I will be getting off a plane in Poland to start my intern training with Josiah Venture. Yes that is right I said POLAND! We start training there with this things called the Amazing Race. Not 100% what it all entails yet but it end with us making our way to our training site in the Czech Republic.

I wish I could put into words ALL the things that the Lord has been teaching me in this time. All I can tell you is that he has been constantly molding and shaping my heart to be more of the woman he wants me to become. In this journey of preparation for Czech he has been gracious and patient with this girl. He continually shows me his love and his grace. I am more in love with my God now then I was 6 months ago. Now, I get to head out and love his people in the best way that I can. I get to do as the Great Commission calls me to do. 

¹⁶ Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. ¹⁷ When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.¹⁸ Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. ¹⁹ Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”- Matthew 28: 18-20


As I sit here and re-read this what gets me the most is the last verse. Verse 20 "...I am with you always, to the very end of the ages." Christ hasn't just been with me in this preparation period. He wont be with me just in the 3 months that I am in Czech. He is here with me right here right now as I type this out. He is with me ALWAYS. I am overwhelmed to have a God who cares and loves me so much that he will never leave me. He is always there for me. So as I head into a 3 months that are filled with unknown and filled with questions, and at moments times of doubt ( just like the disciples were) I know that God is with me. In that I find my security and my strength and my confidence to do the things that I have been called to do. 

I am also so overwhelmed and blessed by how God has been providing for me financially. As of tomorrow I need to have $4456.96 raised. I am so blessed to inform you that I am only $600 shy of that. I know that the Lord will provide the rest of what I need. I wanted to take a minute and just thank you all for your support. It is because of you and the your diligent obedience to the Lord that I have this money. After tomorrow I will be working towards my second goal of raising an additional $2000 and this money can come in over the summer. I have no fears nor worries about where this money is coming from. 

If some of you are reading this and still feel a desire to give I will put all the information at the bottom of this blog for you. 




As I wrap up this entry I again just wanted to thank all of you for your support and your prayers and your continual encouragement. God is using you in this journey as well. Thanks you for being a part of this with me! 


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Jackie




To Give: 
- josiahventure.com ( search my last name in the SEARCH box)
-  Cash can be sent to me just e-mail me at jacquelyn.thomson@gmail.com and I give you more info
- Checks can be made out Josiah Venture with my account number in the memo box 17215 and mailed to :
 Josiah Venture
P.O. Box 4317
Wheaton, IL 60189-4317

Like a flood!

Out of nowhere I received a FLOOD of information  this week about my team, financial info, and a ton of messages and friend request on facebook from fellow interns all excited about this summer! I officially have names and face for my team members! Kevin Clark, our "fearless leader", Justin Prause, Khue Do, and Petra Voráčová. With simple names and face it becomes 100X more real. It has been a bit overwhelming but so incredible exciting at the same time.  

As part of the facebook flood if info and request all of us interns were asked to make a quick video for JV so that they could inretun make collabrative vidoe of all of our videos. We were asked to answer 3 questions: 

1) What are you most excited about for the summer?
2) Why did you choose to serve your internship with Josiah Venture this summer?

3) How can people be praying for you this summer? 

I took the challenge and made my first video! I edited it and added music and words and everything all by myself! I'm kind of proud of it! So I'll let you watch my response instead of reading them this time! 

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Jackie 

A common tale

In Czech , long after the missionaries have gone back to the states and school is back in session, students will make decisions to follow Christ. They take time to think about it and really consider what they are getting ready to commit to. I love this! It's not just some emotional decisions made, not to discredit those decisions because I do believe that those as well can be genuine, but it is a big deal for them since some of them can suffer a lot of percussion from their own families when they make a decision to follow Christ.
  
Lubša is a boy that I meant last year at camp. He has that same story of giving his life over to Christ months after camp. He gave his story on Sunday at a youth group event in front of many of his non-Christian friends  who were invited to come. This was the first I had heard his story and this was how I found out that Lubša came to know Jesus. I will let him tell you in his own words how his story. (Just click on the link below to listen to Lubša story)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zljnw7yfn-w&feature=player_embedded


This is what gets me fired up and this is what encourages my heart. Hearing a story like this. Knowing that long after we have left God is still working. He is still working in the hearts of the Czech youth right now are you read this. I am beyond excited to get back there and work right along side the Lord in the things that he is doing so that more stories like Lubša can be shared!

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Jackie

Here and Now

Some of you may know but I just returned from a 6 day trip to Ecuador for my best friends wedding. It was time full of celebration and excitement and adventure. A LOT of adventure. While I was there I was really able to live in the here and now of each moment. It hit me today that I really struggle with that. I know that I am not alone. I am always thinking about tomorrow, next week, a year from now.  There is so much in just today. So many ways to serve, so many ways to love on others, so many ways to love Jesus that if I am looking past today then I am going to miss it. I don't want to miss the lessons and opportunities in today.

So, this entry is short and sweet! As the time draws near for me to leave please be praying that I am diligent with my time in the here and now.

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Jackie


Updates:

Finances: As of Friday I am still 75% to my May 1st goal! Thank you so much to all those who have given financially. This would be impossible with out you! This also means that I am a little over half way to my final goal. I trust God will provide in his way in him time. Thanks again!