WOW. So, as I said in the last post, I am now in my itineration process for Thailand. Sunday, July 20th, I had my first service with Dysart Assembly of God in Dysart, Iowa. IT WAS AMAZING! The congregation was so loving, welcoming, and plain awesome, and the service went very well (except for some technical difficulties which all present can laugh at for some time to come).
This trip to Iowa has actually been about a year in the making. My pastor in Springfield, Jim Dougherty, and his daughter Treanna (one of my best friends) offered to take me to some of the congregations that they know in this state. We had quite the eventful drive up here yesterday (including a late start, a broken drive belt, a replacement vehicle with bad brakes, crazy heat, and unknowingly driving through a tornadic thunderstorm), but God kept us safe and we were somehow revived for the service in the morning. Dysart Assembly opened their arms and their hearts to me, and I think we all genuinely had a good time in the service, as well as the delicious potluck lunch afterwards (I am so blessed and spoiled!).
Not only was the congregation very responsive to the message and opened their hearts to the needs in Thailand, but everyone was so encouraging! I got to meet with and talk to quite a few people in the congregation, and it was a pleasure just getting to know people better. I even acquired a new set of “parents!” Lloyd and Yvonna are on the ministry team that leads the church, and adopted me as their daughter! Yvonna and I especially hit it off, and I have a standing invitation to return in two years when my time in Thailand is over. Yah!
The title of this entry comes from the end of the service at Dysart. The Holy Spirit was moving in everyone’s hearts before the service, actually guiding a few of us to the same topic (the Cross and salvation); Yvonna and I were powwowing after Sunday school and found out that He had given us the same message to teach the children that morning! So Yvonna began the service, and I got the chance to tell the children about Thailand and give them some information about her people instead of them going off to their own service. Afterwards, Yvonna invited me back to the kids’ room where I taught them the two phrases I know in Thai (hello and thank you, haha). As I was teaching them, Yvonna kept referring to me as “Missionary Heather.” It caught me off guard the first time, but then I realized…hey, that’s me! This is a huge responsibility to take upon myself, but I know this is what the Lord has created me to do. So I will assume the role of Missionary Heather with both pride and humility, and do my absolute best to bring Him honor and glory at all times.
For Him,
Missionary Heather
This trip to Iowa has actually been about a year in the making. My pastor in Springfield, Jim Dougherty, and his daughter Treanna (one of my best friends) offered to take me to some of the congregations that they know in this state. We had quite the eventful drive up here yesterday (including a late start, a broken drive belt, a replacement vehicle with bad brakes, crazy heat, and unknowingly driving through a tornadic thunderstorm), but God kept us safe and we were somehow revived for the service in the morning. Dysart Assembly opened their arms and their hearts to me, and I think we all genuinely had a good time in the service, as well as the delicious potluck lunch afterwards (I am so blessed and spoiled!).
Not only was the congregation very responsive to the message and opened their hearts to the needs in Thailand, but everyone was so encouraging! I got to meet with and talk to quite a few people in the congregation, and it was a pleasure just getting to know people better. I even acquired a new set of “parents!” Lloyd and Yvonna are on the ministry team that leads the church, and adopted me as their daughter! Yvonna and I especially hit it off, and I have a standing invitation to return in two years when my time in Thailand is over. Yah!
The title of this entry comes from the end of the service at Dysart. The Holy Spirit was moving in everyone’s hearts before the service, actually guiding a few of us to the same topic (the Cross and salvation); Yvonna and I were powwowing after Sunday school and found out that He had given us the same message to teach the children that morning! So Yvonna began the service, and I got the chance to tell the children about Thailand and give them some information about her people instead of them going off to their own service. Afterwards, Yvonna invited me back to the kids’ room where I taught them the two phrases I know in Thai (hello and thank you, haha). As I was teaching them, Yvonna kept referring to me as “Missionary Heather.” It caught me off guard the first time, but then I realized…hey, that’s me! This is a huge responsibility to take upon myself, but I know this is what the Lord has created me to do. So I will assume the role of Missionary Heather with both pride and humility, and do my absolute best to bring Him honor and glory at all times.
For Him,
Missionary Heather
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