8 hours from the big move!!!!
most of you know where i'm going and what i'm doing this year, but for those of you who don't, i'm moving to the great state of tennessee tomorrow morning!! i'm havin a hard time sounding excited right now, but deep down inside there is a snid-bit (em!) of excitement and anticipation... i wanted to send this e-mail to ask you to pray for me while i'm in tennessee this year... it's gonna be a tough year, but i know that this is where God wants me right now, and i think i'm gonna grow up a lot while i'm there... but it's definitely going to take a lot of prayers and support from my family and friends to get me there!!
firstly, wears valley ranch (www.wvr.org) is a children's home in sevierville, tn that emily mantooth's mom told me about... i went for an interview this summer and they hired me on the spot... i prayed about it and truly feel that God has given me this amazing opportunity to work with children, age 8-18, from so many different family situations that i really wont go into right now, but mostly abusive or drug addicted parents... so sad! my first prayer request would be that God uses me some way in each of these kids lives... it breaks my heart to see a child hurting... i know that i will be surrounded by hurting children with so many "why?" questions, and searching for answers... hopefully these kids will find comfort in God through myself and the other staff members at wears valley this year...
secondly... 78 cents/hour... it's gonna be tough... thats like $12/day... room and board paid for, but it's gonna be hard... we're praying that my student loans get deferred/forgiven, and that my car keeps running.... however, i know that God will provide either way...
thirdly, it's silly, but if you went to college with me and especially if you ever lived with me, you will understand... my day: 7:00 am, wake up!!! wow.... i probably have only woken up that early once or twice in my whole life!!! really, wow... in college, the only reason i ever got to my early classes (before noon) was because emily mantooth woke me up three times every morning... i can do it, but it's gonna take some definite work and getting used to...
next... my days are PACKED! i'm an intern, and i'll live in a house w/ another intern and 8 girls, age 8-18, and a set of house parents... throughout the day, i'll help w/ the kids home schooling and do recreation with them... HA! again, if you know me well enough, you know this, but i'll clarify anyways: that's funny because, when my interviewer asked me what type of sports or other activies i've been involved in that i could lead, i thought to myself "wow... pretty much anything that requires, um... movement... i haven't done.... ever..." and laughed... but in real life i said "not too many, but i can learn..." so while i'm willing and excited to learn how to not be so lazy, i'm also praying hard for endurance and continued excitement, because when i went by and the kids were on an 11 mile hike, i was havin a hard time being excited about it... i'm praying for endurance throughout the day, not only during recreation, because i'll be busy from the moment i wake up to when all the girls are asleep (10:00ish... wow!)...
but hey, i'll get used to it all, i'll make some great friends and i'll come out of this year with great memories and great experience and ready to jump head first into God's next adventure for me... i know that He wouldn't have put me in this place if He didn't know i can do it... and He'll get me though it!
thank you all ahead of time for your thoughts and prayers... they are already SO greatly appreciated!! you guys are all awesome and i never ever would have made it to this point in my life without each of you... i love you all so much!!
i don't know what the time thing will be like when i'm there, but i'm gonna definitely keep in touch and try to send out e-mails every so often so you guys can know whats goin on and what God's doin in the kids lives and in my life... following e-mails will definitely not be this long!! but if you don't want them, then let me know, i'll mark you off of my list of people i like... (jk... jk) but really... and also... this is crazy, but there's a chance that i could send out some actual letters... like in the mail... i've always been to lazy to, you know, lick the stamp... walk to the mail box... put the flag up... you know, all that stuff that requires more movement than just this one hand on a keyboard... but since we're tryin to get over the 'lazy' thing, we'll see... so gimme the address if you want that... when i know what mine is, i'll let you know...
thanks again, y'all..... you guys rock my face off!!! i love you!!!
i hope you're all doing well!! keep me updated... let me know how things are goin for y'all and how i can pray for you if needed... each of you have played different but SUCH important roles in my life and God has truly blessed me... wow! how amazing!
i love y'all!
--anna kathryn
"I thank my God everytime I remember you..."
--Phil. 1:3
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