AAAHHHHH!!!

I JUST BOUGHT A PLANE TICKET TO VISIT OREGON!

In the past few days, several pieces of the puzzle have begun falling together. I will be raising support through NorthWest Collegiate Ministries (NCM), a non-profit, tax-deductible organization (a 501C3). On March 7th and 8th, the NorthWest Baptist Convention is hosting a support-raising school which will teach me valuable information about the process. I will also get a chance to visit and explore this city which is soon-to-be my mission field! I will be in Portland from Wednesday night the 6th-Sunday evening the 10th. Please pray for safe travels and that my time there would be fruitful. Also pray for me as I prepare and do the homework pre-travels--both that I will learn all that I need to and that I will know the balance between preparation for the future and being "all in" with my ministry here at North Georgia; these next few weeks promise to be full and stretching ones!

Still can't believe I'm bound for Oregon two weeks from tonight! Our God's plans are CRAZY sometimes!

Introduction

Precious friends,
As many of you know, I have been serving as the Baptist Collegiate Ministries (BCM) intern at the University of North Georgia this past school year. In November, the Lord confirmed my call to campus ministry and began laying the Western region on my heart. Throughout ministry this year, I have realized how very blessed we are here in the South with 55 BCMs in the state of GA, numerous churches, and multiple, willing servants. However, the Western region is not only the most unreached but also the most understaffed. Collegiate ministries are scarce.
In recent months, I have specifically been praying about the state of Oregon, specifically Portland State University. In Oregon, there are approximately 650,000 college students, 80% of which do not claim to have any religious beliefs at all. The culture is very much "pre-Christian" (will be explained in a later post) and approximately 1 gospel-preaching church exists for every 36,000 people. The most wide-spread religions of those who do claim affiliation with church are Catholicism and Mormonism. 
On Friday night, I finally surrendered to the Lord's leading in this area after weeks of fighting with Him over fear of support-raising. Because of a the lack of believers who live in the Pacific North Western region, there are no funded positions available for campus ministers filling open positions in Oregon. Please be in prayer for me as I begin this long and learning-filled process! Many crucial conversations will be happening in the coming days. Though I know that I do not fully understand yet what I've been called to, I trust that when I humble myself in the sight of the LORD, then He will lift me up! (I Peter 5:8)
Love you all and appreciate each one of you!
That His glory might be revealed,
Miriam