So I’ve been reading this book entitled, “Lord Change my Attitude before It’s too late” –By James MacDonald. Generally, I am the type of person who reads books rather speedily; however, I’ve been tackling this book for months now and I’m still not done. Why? Because it’s such a hard book to process…and it’s even harder to apply. Every chapter points blatantly at the blemishes within my Spiritual life…those erroneous “attitudes” that have, unfortunately, become habitual in my life. But there is a chapter within this book in particular that has caught my attention more than any other: “Replacing a doubting attitude…With an attitude of faith.” To say it in a sentence: “Only when faith replaces doubt in the life of a believer can the joy of knowing God become a reality.”
The reason I have mentioned this book in this particular blog is because when I get to Ethiopia one of the biggest challenges I am going to face is being alone. I’m not going to have my friends/family to talk to in person any time I want. Because of this, I have been trying to prepare myself for this journey by enhancing my spiritual relationship with Jesus because I want to be able to say with integrity that “God is enough” to sustain me, to comfort me, to protect me, etc. while I am in Ethiopia. Right now, I have many doubts, but I believe that the one thing I need to do in order to reverse those doubts is to take a few bold steps of faith in an effort to do what both this book and my fiancé suggest: “increase my faith.”
Please pray for me as I continue to try to change some life-long habits in an effort to reach this goal. Also, pray for these girls…because they will be in the same situation as me next semester:
*Left to Right: Sarah C. [Equador], Me [Ethiopia], Sarah H. [Australia], Kelsey G. [South Korea], Amy R. [Brazil]
-Nicole
October 27, 2008
Is God Enough?
October 13, 2008
Countdown: 75 Days...
...until I leave for here.
Believe it or not, I am practically finished with my senior year at Cedarville University! I have learned so much about how to become an excellent elementary teacher in addition to how I can efficiently incorporate Biblical truth into my future classroom. I have continued to mature not only in academics, but spiritually as well. In addition to all of this, Cedarville University is also the place where I developed a relationship with my future spouse. On June 27th, 2009 I am going to marry David Grudda, a missionary kid from Africa. Our relationship alongside my recent mission’s trip to Spain has helped me to realize the importance of the great commission in Matthew, and Dave and I both see the potential for long-term missions in our future. I am at a slight disadvantage, however, because David grew up in Africa…and I did not. While I am being educated well on how to teach in the urban schools in Ohio, the schools in Africa are going to be very different and I know it will be hard to adjust. For this reason, among others, I felt that God was leading me to do my student teaching abroad.
I have been granted the incredible opportunity by Cedarville University and the Missions Involvement Services Department (MIS) to minister in the country of Ethiopia through my spring semester of student teaching. I will be leaving in January to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I will be teaching a first grade classroom at Bingham Academy for 12 weeks. There are roughly 280 students from over 20 different countries who attend Bingham Academy; therefore, I am clearly going to be teaching in a very diverse classroom. Yet, there is so much more to this ministry opportunity. Addis Ababa is the largest and most diverse city in the Horn of Africa. Because this city is such a significant region of Africa (it is even nicknamed “the African capital”), there is a wide range of both ethnic groups and religions represented in the area. I believe that being in this type of area is going to benefit me greatly because it will certainly help me to understand what to expect when I enter full-time missions in Africa. Further, the experience will give me the opportunity to preach God’s word to those who need it.
I ask that you please pray faithfully as I embark on this endeavor. In particular, I have a few requests for you to keep in mind:
I intend to post on this blog as frequently as possible, especially while I am inDear Friends and Family,
Ethiopia, so that you may be adequately updated on my "adventures abroad". For now; however, I will simply post a portion of my support letter in order to
enlighten you on what this endeavor is all about.
Believe it or not, I am practically finished with my senior year at Cedarville University! I have learned so much about how to become an excellent elementary teacher in addition to how I can efficiently incorporate Biblical truth into my future classroom. I have continued to mature not only in academics, but spiritually as well. In addition to all of this, Cedarville University is also the place where I developed a relationship with my future spouse. On June 27th, 2009 I am going to marry David Grudda, a missionary kid from Africa. Our relationship alongside my recent mission’s trip to Spain has helped me to realize the importance of the great commission in Matthew, and Dave and I both see the potential for long-term missions in our future. I am at a slight disadvantage, however, because David grew up in Africa…and I did not. While I am being educated well on how to teach in the urban schools in Ohio, the schools in Africa are going to be very different and I know it will be hard to adjust. For this reason, among others, I felt that God was leading me to do my student teaching abroad.
I have been granted the incredible opportunity by Cedarville University and the Missions Involvement Services Department (MIS) to minister in the country of Ethiopia through my spring semester of student teaching. I will be leaving in January to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where I will be teaching a first grade classroom at Bingham Academy for 12 weeks. There are roughly 280 students from over 20 different countries who attend Bingham Academy; therefore, I am clearly going to be teaching in a very diverse classroom. Yet, there is so much more to this ministry opportunity. Addis Ababa is the largest and most diverse city in the Horn of Africa. Because this city is such a significant region of Africa (it is even nicknamed “the African capital”), there is a wide range of both ethnic groups and religions represented in the area. I believe that being in this type of area is going to benefit me greatly because it will certainly help me to understand what to expect when I enter full-time missions in Africa. Further, the experience will give me the opportunity to preach God’s word to those who need it.
I ask that you please pray faithfully as I embark on this endeavor. In particular, I have a few requests for you to keep in mind:
- That my preparation for the trip will go smoothly
- For the teachers currently ministering at Bingham Academy—that their ministry will be blessed
- For safety while I am in Ethiopia
- That God will give me the strength that I need as I begin to adjust to the new culture and distance
- That God will provide all of the monetary support I need (approximately $5,000)
- That my teaching and ministry to the students and to the people of Addis Ababa will be effective
- For my fiancé and I as we cope with being apart for so long
Nicole Normandeau
-Matthew 28:19-20-
p.s. --just for kicks, this blog goes by the official time in Addis Ababa [it is not Tuesday...and I did not write this post at 2:43am]
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