Thursday, February 6, 2014

The End is in Sight

This is the last semester of my time here at HBBC and I already feel like it has been going by too fast! At the beginning of January, Heartland hosted its annual national Church Planter's Conference. Hundreds of preachers from all over the U.S. traveled to the Heartland campus eager to present their church/personal needs, and equally as eager (if not more) to give of their abundance to others needs. In the matter of three days, over $300,000 was raised in one-time giving and monthly support for pastors/missionaries/church planters's needs. The preaching, as always, was amazing and several preachers commented on how they went back home encouraged, strengthened, and ready to put their hand back to the plow. I always enjoy working during any meetings that we hold because I have the opportunity to meet and talk with several pastors and their wives as they pass through the bookstore :).

Immediately following the conference I came down with an upper respiratory infection and was quarantined for 5 days, 2 1/2 of those being the first days of half of my classes! I want to thank those who sent me notes and prayed for me; I truly believe that your prayers are what helped me to recover in less than a week!
For my last semester I am only taking 13 credit hrs, and I am really enjoying my classes so far. I am taking Minor Prophets, Eschatology, Addictions Counseling, Pre-Field Missionary Service, Choir, and 1 & 2 Corinthians. The school work/homework is more hands on and practical this semester- after all, it's time to put into practice what we've been cramming into our heads for the past 31/2 yrs! I am especially excited for Pre-Field missionary service. Amanda and I are  working together to construct a missionary display board and presentation video on a specific field, and we are also required to write our own separate prayer letters. Practicing as if we were really presenting missionaries to a field brings to home the reality of what could be my future someday....! I am also actively serving weekly in the 2yr old Sunday School nursery, Bring Them In SWBC visitation, and the monthly Friends From Heartland visitation (which helps other churches in the area with passing out tracks or doorknocking.) I don't do as much as I used to, but I also wasn't Head RA those other three yrs!

I am VERY excited to graduate this May 15th, however I cannot deny the fact that there is sorrow accompanying that joy. I absolutely LOVE Heartland and can truly say that these 4yrs have been some of the best yrs of my life (I know, I know...I haven't been alive for all that long :)). I will greatly miss the staff, all the friends I've made, and Southwest Baptist Church, but all good things must come to an end. I am very excited for what God has in-store for me for the next chapter of my life. I believe that God has me to come back home and serve Him at church through various ways, save up for a mission's trip, and to continue work at Runza in Crete (unless the Lord has other plans for me). I would also like to attend some community college computer classes.... although right now, I'm not ready for anymore schooling! God's plans are like driiving a car at night: you can only see as far as the headlights reveal, and will show no more until you've gone that far.

I look forward to next month and hope to see some of you (ahem...older teens!) come and visit during College Days. I miss and pray for you all and hope that those of you who can, will make it to my graduation, and most importantly the Graduation Preaching Conference that begins in the evening on May 11th and ends with graduation night on May 15th. Please continue to pray for God's protection and guidance in my life, and also for His hand of protection on the school and the staff.
Love in Christ,
Amber Beck


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