Feels like home to me ......

I've arrived! After my balkan adventures through Albania, Kosovo and Macedonia, I have now arrived in правец (Pravets), Bulagria my home for the next year. Actually I am not yet in my apartment cause its having some maintenance done but I am settling into Pravets.

The last few weeks have been a great time of renewal and rest, a pause before starting ministry here. I think God had the the idea of me going to Albania before I thought it was a good idea. The time reminded me of my call and also gave me time to reflect and consider. Yes, he does know plans he has for me 

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11 ... my promise verse of all these years. God is so faithful. 

Today I read in my devotions that we are his messengers. That God has picked me to be his messenger. That is pretty humbling but also a challenge to be salt and light. 

Please pray as I start ministering here in Bulgaria I can be the salt and light he wants me to be.

Here a few pictures of beautiful Pravets.

GOD OF THE LAST MINUTE

GOD OF THE LAST MINUTE

Start spreading the news I'm leaving today!

(obviously to music!)

I just can't believe its come around so quickly that I am actually getting on a plane to eastern europe and will be in Bulgaria soon. Obviously in true mission style I am going through 3 eastern european countries first. I am flying to Albania to visit a friend, Sonila who I meet when I was 18 on one of my very first 'task force' mission trips and where I feel in love with Eastern Europe. As well as feeling called to be a medical missionary. I will then join with the Albania and Kosovans on their summer family camp. Then I travel to Kosova with Gillian ( A fab volunteer for northern Ireland) and then head by bus through Macedonia to Bulgaria.  

The last few weeks have been crazy and my constant prayer has been God, I know you have everything under control but if you could speed it up a little. This was my though when my house went on the rental market and in the first week only one person came to see it and now I have tenants going through the application process and moving in soon and of course additional views as a safety net! But you know, God knew it would be easier if I lived in my own house whilst I did the most crazy amount of hours and mixture of days and nights over the past 3 weeks at work. I really will miss Christie Clinic and all the fab people who work there and of course the gorgeous patients who were a little confused about why I would go to Bulgaria but so encourgaing.

I literally sold and handed over yesterday! It was amazing I was getting  a little down and desperate about what I would do with my car and if I would get a good price and God had it in his hands! He knew I would need to make a mad dash to the rubbish tip and to the laundrette to dry my clothes!

I never know why I am surprised at what God does but I do know that he has everything in his hands.

My mum and I used to duet on an Evie song called You have everything in your hands. 

The lyrics says;

You have everything in your hands, you have everything under control. 

Whenever I praise you, I see who you really are.

(I've posted it below for you to listen to)

I Love how God thinks about the little details and he knows everything about us and keeps us safe and leads us on the right path. I think maybe if we knew all he had planed for us we may run but as I start this adventure I just put my life into his hands and say use me, mould me, send me the place you want for me.

Please pray as I go and I will continue to post regular blogs. I am on Facebook and I would love to receive emails, Skype calls or post. (Message me and I will give you my address.)

I am still fundraising so if you feel your able email me and I will give you details of the church account you can donate to. In my next post I will put an up to date fancy pis chart of what I have raised. Hopefully you can now see the last one. (Thanks Jessica for your help).

Thank you for travelling with me.

Evie - 1979 - You have everything in your hands - Jesus i love you - 197...

Fundraising update

As I prepare to go to Bulgaria I have a checklist of things to do. One of the most important things is to have people around me to support me. Most importantly in prayer for the ministry I will be doing but also financially. Now I'm the type of person who finds it hard to ask for the fiver back that I lent someone! Let along ask people if they will sponsor me for this year long trip to Bulgaria. Thankfully people have supported my fundraisers, made donations and generally been very generous. I am doing well but still have quite a bit to raise I need to have half the amount of money to give to be held in the regional account by my departure date ...the 2nd August, 2012. Very fast approaching.

Below is a fancy pie chart of what I have raised so far (blue), pledges people have made which will be paid monthly (yellow) and funds to raised (red).

My total amount I need to raise is £7000. If you feel you could make a one off donation or regular monthly donation please contact me on my email address suzy1405@gmail.com or through Facebook. 

Vera and Alex, two other members of my team are also trying to raise their money to go to Bulgaria and I think we all agree this is the hardest part of our trip. I am ready to go and face the adventure but can't do it without your support. I hope you will pray about supporting me and join with me in this adventure of mission.

One month to go....

The last few weeks have been busy with trying to prepare my house so I can rent it whilst I’m away. This has involved sorting through things and getting rid of a lot of stuff.

I feel like this whole journey of preparing to go to Bulgaria involves sorting through a lot of stuff and making sure i am am equip with the right stuff (I know technical term). It also reminds you of what is important and that definitely is not things but people and relationships. 

Recently I went to see Mumford and sons in concert, I love their music and love their lyrics and as i listened these sentences stuck out ...

In these bodies we will live and these bodies we will die. Where you invest your love, you invest your life.

Awake my soul Mumford and sons

It amazing how God speaks truth in all different ways, choosing the way we will listen most. In my job as a nurse I see life and death, the bottom line is its hard. I am reminded that its not the beginning and end that matters but that dash in between. Its how we live our lives. Its what we invest our lives in. 

Someone asked me recently if I had a lot a money would I do lots of charity work? I told him if I had nothing I would still help people in whatever way I could. Cause it is where we invest our love and our life. We never know what turns our lives will take and I can lay testimony to this again and again  but God told me I know the plans I have for you, plans for you to prosper in me.

Sometimes we struggle if things don’t go exactly to our plan but I feel God is saying wait I know I’ve got this covered. You just focus on whats important. 

I have a month to go and my house hasn’t been rented yet, it goes on the rental market tomorrow.... but God knows who will rent it.

I don’t have all my money yet but God has it covered. My cake sale at work on Thursday raised £150. 

I don’t know the path the next year will but God is telling me I know all you need to do is trust me and focus on my call on your life.

Proverbs 4:25-27 Tells us 

Let your eyes look straight ahead fix your gaze directly before you/ Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that our firm. Do not swerve to the right or to the left.

I am so excited to take this unknown adventure and do what God wants of me. Just like 2 years ago he sent me to Christies to help people struggling with cancer. I have learnt so much and meet some very special people, that will live in my heart forever.

God knows and he led’s, his path is the one I want to follow.

Please continue to pray as I prepare to go.

Blessed Indeed

BLESSED

I think the only word that can sum up how I feel at the moment is BLESSED!!! God is really placing a stamp on my (his) trip to Bulgaria. In the last few weeks amazing things have happened that have really helped me move to that next stepping stone (see my first blog for that reference!).

• I now have Regional approval from the church for my volunteer position. 
• I have been granted a sabbatical from work and feel really supported by my work colleagues
• I have set a date to go at the beginning of July and will book my flight to Bulgaria by the end of the month.
• My house is taking shape so I can move out and rent it whilst I'm away, mainly thanks to my parents.
• God is providing the finances from all different sources and is teaching me a lesson in faith to wait on his provision.
• My second fundraiser is tomorrow night and I sent an email to the local paper and guess what... yes it got onto to page 3! It also helped a letter with sponsorship money which went to the wrong house be delivered to me by the people seeing my advert in the paper.

• I have also been reading some encouraging blogs and bible studies, as well as hearing some amazing talks. This was especially so this weekend when I attended a  new wine worship leaders development conference. Where I learnt about my leadership skills and had space to worship and reflect.

The Blessing we have in our lives shouldn't surprise us because God says he will always meet our needs. In Matthew 6 v 30-33 he tells us not to worry and I think the message verse is amazing!

"If God gives such attention to the appearance of wildflowers—most of which are never even seen—don't you think he'll attend to you, take pride in you, do his best for you? What I'm trying to do here is to get you to relax, to not be so preoccupied with getting, so you can respond to God's giving. People who don't know God and the way he works fuss over these things, but you know both God and how he works. Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don't worry about missing out. You'll find all your everyday human concerns will be met.

Thank you again for all your support on this journey. People are asking how they can give. At present I have a few ways: -

1. Through Paypal by sending a gift to me using my email address Suzy1405@gmail.com. It will say you are giving a gift to Susanna Tamburello (my maiden name).
2. By standing order. If you email me I can send you a form with the bank details of the account at church where my funds are. You can sent this up as a one of payment or monthy etc. email me: suzy1405@gmail.com
3. Attend my fundraising events - Charity Comedy and Auction 25th April, Coffee Morning at The Christie Clinic, Band night. Details will be posted as I arrange.

Seasons Change

One of my favourite songs over the past year has been the desert song by Brooke Fraser and Hillsongs united. If you haven't heard it go to youtube now and search for it. When I first hear it I identified with the feeling of going through the desert place, but more so with the bridge of the song that says;

All of my life in very season,

You are still God

I have a reason to sing

I have a reason to worship

If you know me at all you know I love to sing and worship. I love that in hard times or joyful times we have a reason to worship and praise God.I love the Psalms and the way David praises God even in the hard times. The song ends on a really positive note saying:

This is my prayer in the harvest,

When favour and providence flow

I'm know I'm filled to be emptied again

The seed I've received I will sow.

As the seasons change from winter to spring (or is this summer? I did get a sun tan this week). I reflect on the seasons in my own life and this new exciting season where God is challenging me to serve him and sow some seeds in Bulgaria. I reflect on what I have/am learning and know that in everything God uses it for his best. (Jeremiah 29:11)

Thank you so much for supporting me in this exciting next step. Thank you especially to all the ladies who attended 'Ladies Night' and raised a great £205 for my trip. 

If you want to donate please contact me on suzy1405@gmail.com, I can give you the details of the account.

The next event is on the 25th April,2012 and is a comedy event with the fab (And I maybe bias casue he is my friend) Tony Vino. If you haven't seen him before or if you have don't miss this opportunity! He doesn't venture over to Ashton very much. You can check him out at www.tonyvino.co.uk. To get tickets for the event you can go online to www.wegottickets.com/event/163127. Its  an easy as reading this blog