Praise God! I got an article in my church bulletin today! Right in the center of my church program was a story about me and how I grew up in the church and it lead me on to missions. This program was passed out to 6,000-8,000 people this weekend. I hope it helped encourage people to realize that missions is a "here and now" thing, not a "then and there" project.

Missions is being intentional with every person you run into to in some way, whether subtly or openly share the love of God with them.

As St. Francis of Assis said:

"Preach the Gospel, and if necessary, use words"

I'm getting ready to send out a newsletter soon. So if you'd like a copy you can send me your address at: tamseng@gmail.com

Shalom!

Day by Day

I went to jail today! Okay, let me explain that. I'm in the very paper-worky process of getting my visa to go to France. There are a bunch of things on the agenda to do in order to get that nice slip of paper to stick in my passport! Right now I'm working with the FBI to get my Criminal Record Report (don't worry, I don't have a criminal record, I just need to prove to the French Consulate I don't have one!). One of the things I need to obtain this nice piece of paper from the FBI is official finger prints. So I went to the police department to have them.

Please pray as we continue going through red tape in the process of getting a visa. Pray that the paperwork will go quickly since January 15th (the day I leave) is coming even more quickly.

Through the hectic-ness of paperwork I've been learning dependence on God even more. He really is the one we can trust no matter what!

Also please pray that God provides the rest of the funding needed to go. Currently I'm at 40% of my budget and God has been faithful this far, I'm trusting he'll continue on in that trend! :)

Hey! If you're into facebook or just completely addicted to it, you should join my FACEBOOK GROUP. It's quite a handy way to keep tabs as I'm following God to the other end of the world. Simply search Tamsen's Times and if you have no luck finding it that way befriend me (Tamsen Nelontine Gylleck) on facebook and I'll get you on the "in" crowd.

Much love, God bless!
~Tamsen~

I'm getting closer to France everyday! I know it's not even October yet but I'm excited to think that in less than half a year I'm going to be doing ministry in another world!
When I got back from Minnesota I dove head first into fundraising. Right now I'm at approx. 17% and I'm trusting God for the rest.
One way that God has blessed me is he has provided a job for me even in this economy! I'm going to be babysitting every weekday morning from 6:30am-8am. It means I have to abandon my college ways of staying up late, that or suffer exhaustion. Lately, going to bed early has not been an issue at all...except when my brother Broeden has something earth-shattering to tell me about!
Please be praying that God makes me fall even more in love with Him, the more I'm in love with him I know the more I'll be able to love my family, team, co-workers and the French people I'll meet. Also pray that the French people will be open to his love!
God bless!

Leaving Minnesota...and coming home!

I can't believe that this year has gone so fast. I'm going to be in the beautiful rolling suburbs of Northern Illinois in no time now!
God has truly been doing some amazing things in my life during this year. There has been so much I've learned, that I not only have in my head and able to live out in my life.
I'm going to make my last phone call next week, I've been a caller for the admissions department all year and God has been wrecking me through that. There have been so many people who I've gotten close to over these twelve months, only over the phone! I've laughed for hours combined with these people, not to mention cried with them!
Obviously, the hard part about leaving here will be saying goodbye to the stellar friends I made here. I won't doubt it if I stay in touch with several of these people for years to come. I'm probably going to get a lot of wedding invitations coming up next year (when I'm in France of course, and can't make it!)

For these four months I'm going to be at home I'm really praying that God will stretch me and make me more in love with him and more dependent on him. That's a very dangerous prayer to pray-but one I know I'll need to have at least slightly under my belt for my time in France.

Before I punch out here's one random French fact of the day: There are approx. 36,000 communities in France, about 34,500 of those communities don't have any resident evangelical witness, that's 94%!

Please continue your prayers for the Nation of France and it's people--and that God would continue his work in me as well!

~Tamsen~