student guest post: joyce

Today I'd like to share with you the story of one of my former students. I've had the privilege of teaching Joyce for the past two years, and this fall she will be heading off to the wide world of high school. I still remember the first question she asked me, on her first day of 7th grade: "Our textbook is called Life Science for Christian Schools. How is that different from life science in a regular school?" Blog readers, meet Joyce.

three mistakes

This summer I have missed being a "normal" churchgoer. Because I'm on my support raising tour, Sunday mornings usually involve me standing at the pulpit, or at least holding a microphone. Yesterday was my last Sunday in the States, and thankfully I had no obligations to attend to. I was able to simply attend and worship and be fed by the Word.

potential: why i do what i do

Everyday I face questions from curious, well-meaning people who are interested in my work in Germany.

How long are you going to be over there?

Why can't you just work in a German school and get paid?

When will you come back to America and get a real job?

Why do you have to teach in Germany? There are schools in America, you know.

You work for free?! Are you insane?

In other words: Why do I do what I do?

what you can do

Help me buy a car

As you know, I am attempting to purchase a car that will enable me to drive to the new middle school campus this year. The cost of the car is $3,500 and $2,000 of that has already been collected. Use the orange PayPal Donate button to contribute directly to this project.

[Edit: the button below does not appear to be working. Please use the button on the left sidebar to make your contribution to the car fund!]

Please note: this button is NOT connected to my TeachBeyond account and therefore any donations made with this button are NOT tax-deductible. This button merely simplifies the process for me, as I will be writing an American check from my own checking account to pay for the car.

Help me pay rent, buy groceries, and take hot showers
(among other things!)

Having a car will increase monthly expenses in the area of gas, insurance, maintenance, etc. Also, this year I will be subletting a (more expensive) apartment for a fellow BFA staffer who will be away on a yearlong Home Assignment. Finally, now that I have served with TeachBeyond for two years I have the possibility to change my status from Short Term to Career. In adidtion to allowing me a "raise" in monthly support (only possible with more support coming in!), this option sets aside more for retirement and other future savings.

Combine all these factors with the unexpected loss of $300 in monthly support this year and it means I am still in need of approximately $1,000 in monthly support for the 2011-2012 school year. Monthly support also covers the little things we sometimes take for granted, like the ability to take showers (water bill), communicate with friends and family in America (phone/internet bill), and buy groceries!

To support me with a one time, monthly, or annual gift, please click the button below. It will direct you to TeachBeyond's giving page. There you will learn about your giving options, which include printing and mailing in a pledge form, giving online with PayPal, and setting up recurring payments using the automatic withdrawal feature.

Please note: if you would like to make a tax-deductible donation, you must make your donation through TeachBeyond. Any donations made using the orange Donate button above will NOT be eligible for a tax deduction.

Buy my Jewelry

A more fun (funner?) way to contribute to my support raising endeavors is to make a purchase from my new Etsy shop. If you've been following along on this blog lately you will know I've been trying my hand at jewelry making and enjoying it very much! My pieces are fun and original, and they can not only serve as a reminder to pray for me and other missionaries, but you can use your new jewelry as a conversation starter to tell others about the ministry in which I am so very blessed to serve at BFA. Below you can see a few of the items up for sale - click the link to go directly to my shop!

PRAY

Pray for me and all of the other new and returning BFA staff raising support this summer. Pray for generous and cheerful donors. Pray for peace in my heart and confidence in God's sovereignty. Pray about how YOU can support the ministry of Black Forest Academy.

Thank you so much for your prayers, encouragement, and financial support that allow me to serve the talented, unique, and so full of potential students studying at Black Forest Academy this year.

and now, we wait

In the past week and a half I have spoken at three separate churches, sent dozens of emails, and made lots of phone calls. Despite all of my best efforts, I am still quite a ways away from my monthly support raising goals for this upcoming school year, and I am scheduled to leave for Germany in 9 days. As I sit here by my computer anxiously waiting for the responses to come flooding in, I realize that there is not much more I can do now. I have shared my story with anyone who will listen, I have poured my heart and soul out in front of my home church, and I have prayed earnestly for God to move his people to action. I have done my part, now it's time to let go and let God do His part.

Please join me in prayer this week, in the following areas.

• I am still seeking roughly $1,000 in monthly support and still waiting back to hear from several new interested partners. Pray that they would respond generously and give faithfully each month.
• I still need another $1,000 to buy the car that will allow me to drive to the new middle school facility this year. Pray for generous one-time givers.
• I have much to accomplish at home in the next 9 days. Pray for diligence, patience, and rest as I try to wrap up things at home while looking ahead and preparing for my return to Germany.
• I am an anxious and worrisome person. Pray that I would have peace in my heart and confidence in God's sovereignty as I seek to finish raising the last bit of support.

If you're someone who has been thinking about how much you would like to give each month, I would like to encourage you to let TeachBeyond (and me) know of your intentions as soon as possible. We are now in the "crunch time" window and it is crucial that we have the most up-to-date information regarding my support levels. If you're unsure of how to contact TeachBeyond, click this button to be taken directly to the TeachBeyond Donations information page. There you can download a paper form to mail in with your check, make a one-time gift online, or set-up a monthly automatic withdrawal.

If you want to get involved, click the big Donate button to learn about your giving options. Or, click the Jewelry tab at the top of my blog and consider making a purchase from my brand new Etsy shop, a small way that I hope to make a little extra cash to go towards the car fund.

introverts and independence

This week I read an interesting post by Adam Young of Owl City. He had actually reposted another blog that discussed 10 myths about introverts. As I went through the list, I found that many of the points made apply to me! I have always believed I was an introvert, and I find it interesting that God would put in me a position that in many ways goes against my natural, introverted tendencies.

hello chicago

After a very interesting day, I have finally arrived in Chicago! The most exciting part of the morning was when my plane landed and my contact popped out of my eye. The dryness of the plan caused my eyes to be extremely dry and so all it took was a blink for my lens to pop out!! I have hard lenses, and they are very expensive, so you can imagine my panic when I realized my contact was missing. Thankfully I was at the back of the plane and the people around me were very patient as I crawled around on the floor with one good eye searching for my lost lens. Miraculously, it appeared on the seat I had just been occupying! Thank you God for helping me find my lens!

Now, it's time for a little nap because in less than 12 hours my dear friend Cassie and I will be headed to the midnight premiere of HP 7.2!

I will be in Chicago for the next week and still have a bit of free time between Monday and Wednesday, so if you're in the area give me a shout and we'll meet up!!

I was featured!

Click the button below to see the interview I did with Maegan of Chesterrific!

support update

"And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever."

Philippians 4:19-20

My time in the States is rapidly winding down! With increased rent, the added expense of a car, and the unexpected loss of $300 in monthly support within the last six weeks, my need for monthly support for the 2011-2012 school year is still rather urgent. My time with Fishcreek Nazarene was a blessing this weekend, with an incredible outpouring of love through both the love offering and the number of people who expressed interest in or made committments to monthly support. Many people are spending this week praying about how much God would have them give so I can't yet give an exact number regarding how much new support has been pledged.

If you are still on the fence or thinking about becoming a monthly supporter, I would encourage you to pray about it this week. Then, head over to TeachBeyond's online giving form and make your contribution to support the me and ministry of Black Forest Academy. Click the Donate button on the top left hand corner of my blog and you will be taken directly to the donations page.

If you're unable to commit to monthly support, please consider purchasing one of my handmade necklaces or a pair of earrings, which I am now selling to supplement my support raising endeavors this summer. Click the Jewelry tab above to see the available items, and check back often as more items will be added within the next week.

In the meantime, check out these links to learn more about the life of our students and missions work.

• Buying a Share in Global Missions? - returning BFA residence life staff member Timmy compares supporting a missionary to investing in the stock market
• My Country 'Tis of Thee...which one? - missionary kid and BFA teacher Katrina compares her longing for "home" to her longing for Heaven
• Through Their Own Eyes - missionary kid and former BFA teacher Michele's video explores the missionary kid "third culture" through their own experiences (Video produced by Michele Phoenix, speaker, writer & TCK advocate. More information at https://www.sycamoreeducation.com/www.michelephoenix.com)

moving sale leftovers

Here are a few things I'm still trying to sell before returning to Germany in a few weeks. If you see something you want, leave a comment below or email me: bertschirae@gmail.com. Note: I have no intentions of shipping this stuff all over the country so it's more of a cash-and-carry sale.

Left: Size Medium, brand new, $50
Right: Size Small, 3 years old but unused, $30



the moving sale of the decade

For the past two weeks I have worked on preparing a moving sale, and in the meantime my parents actually put an offer on a house that was accepted! So it was a true blue moving sale this weekend at our house.

Friday morning found us racing against the rainclouds to get the portable awnings up, and all the goods out of the rain. Once everything was situated, my mom and cousin left to get breakfast and run a few quick errands in town. "You'll be alright on your own, right?" Were her parting words. Sure, I'll be fine.

see the puddles in the driveway?

new gifts available

This weekend I put together several new pieces to offer as thank you gifts for friends who make a one-time gift towards my Germany support funds. [Remember this post? If you haven't read it, you should. It explains a lot.] Here's a sneak peek:

Snitch - suggested donation: $20

Sammy - Suggested donation: $25

Beachy - suggested donation: $25

Dreamer - suggested donation: $30

To view all the available items, visit my facebook album by clicking here. [You should be able to view the photos even if we aren't friends - if you're having trouble, just send me a friend request.] Shoot me a message or email me at bertschirae@gmail.com to claim your thank-you gift for making a contribution to my support account at TeachBeyond.

Anything not spoken for by Thursday evening (July 8) at 10 PM EST will be up for grabs at my big moving sale this weekend, so if you see something you like, make your donation and claim your free thank you gift today!

Thank you in advance for considering this opportunity to support world missions and helping me return to Black Forest Academy this fall!!

I'm featured!

One of the fun perks of blogging is the chance to "meet" and connect not only with the people who have similar interests, but also people who lead very different lifestyles. Through the "blogosphere" I've met people who write about life on the mission field, staying at home with their children, funny cakes, home improvement, thrift store finds, Christianisms, jewelry designing, cardmaking, and much more.

This week I was featured on Chrissy's blog - go check it out! We have a neat connection in that she is from southern Germany and has been living in the US for the past few years with her husband and daughter. This summer, her family is moving back to Germany! She also has an etsy shop where she sells adorable cell phone cozies and other knit, crocheted, and hand-embroidered beauties.  Right now her shop is running a special moving sale, so you should definitely check out her shop and show her some love!!

PS: If you visit Chrissy's blog you can enter to win a pair of earrings I made as well as a tasty bar of Ritter Sport chocolate specially imported from Germany!! Hurry though, because the giveaway ends this Friday, July 8th.

hoarding?

These past two weeks I have been working on a huge project: preparing for a moving sale. Who is moving? Well, technically, I already moved - to Germany. Now that I've lived there for two years and plan to stay for at least another two, I am coming to grips with the fact that there are lots of things I don't need anymore: Furniture from college that's not worth shipping overseas. Appliances like lamps and a television and a blender that wouldn't work in Europe because of voltage differences. Clothing that I don't wear or doesn't fit anymore because I either gained or lost weight. Books that I haven't cracked the binding on since high school, or earlier.
The frugal side of me says, "This is perfectly good stuff. Don't get rid of it! Hang on to it! Someday you're going to live in America again and if you keep all this, you won't have to buy all new stuff! Smart move!"

The realist side of me says, "You plan to live and serve in Germany as long as possible. Right now there is no concrete time limit to how long you'll be there. Really, when will you take up permanent residence in American again? Let someone else get some good use out of this stuff, and hey, if you can sell it maybe you can even earn a little extra cash to put towards your support funds."

So, I'm putting a TON of stuff up for sale. Most of it is new or very gently used as I only lived on my own for a year before moving to Germany. Sounds easy, right?

it all started...

The other night when my dad asked my brother what he wanted to listen to with dinner. [Yep, my family still sits down together for dinner almost every night of the week!]

David replied, "Metal."

[Typical.]

We waited to see what Dad had up his sleeve. Suddenly found ourselves soaking in the sounds of John Phillip Sousa's all-American marches.

Technically, brass IS a type of metal, though not quite what David was expecting.