Changes coming to this blog....

It's been awhile since I've posted any entries to this blog.  Since attending the ARC(Apostolic Response to Crisis) School and returning home I have entered a new season in my life.  I feel the Lord is asking me to share how my family and community are preparing for times ahead.  Things are changing, the earth is being shaken and He is preparing me to prepare others.  I hope you will all choose to stay with me and follow my blog, however, if you don't I completely understand.  This blog will begin to be filled with more gardening, canning, backyard farming, pantry storage, recipes, homemaking, disaster preparedness, ministry, and more.  There will still be homeschooling....watch and see how I incorporate teaching my children to live prepared.

Blessings to everyone!

Stacy

Preparing for ARC

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared and ark for the saving of his household.

Hebrews 11:7

In 11 days, on September 10th, I will be leaving Arkansas and heading to California to attend Crisis Response International disaster relief training at the ARC Intensive.  I am excited, anxious to begin this adventure.  Training in disaster relief and ministry that will reach the harvest in times of crisis.  The Lord has given me complete peace as I have been working towards preparing to go on this trip.  That is the only way I could leave my husband and children for 63 days.  I am so blessed to have parents that live in the same town as I do, who are willing to take care of their grandchildren and help them with their homeschooling, activities and chores at home.  The children will be taking care of our chickens, dogs, cats, honey bees, and the garden as my husband works 5-6 day work weeks.

I have already assembled a notebook for my Mom that contains the kids schedules and will soon be printing their school work.  Well, Autumn's will need to be printed but Caleb's is AOP Switched on Schoolhouse so that won't be too difficult to transfer to my parents home computer while I'm gone. 

The Lord has so faithfully provided for my financial needs for this trip.  I had to depend on Him for every penny to make this work.  My prayer has been and still is, Lord prepare the hearts of those whom you would have partner with me in this calling.  The first support I received was handed to me in an envelope and the person said, "This is provision from your Heavenly Father".  Little did this person know, the night before I spent praying and crying out loud to the Lord about how difficult it was to see how the provision was going to come, even though I knew He would do it.  I told Him exactly how I felt, what was difficult and what I was wrestling with inside, and then asked if He could just show me a little provision.  When I opened the envelope not only did He show me His provision, He showed me there is a vast difference between "my" little and His little.  It was a definite faith builder.  Support has consistentl come in since that time. 

Less than 60 days ago I began my support raising efforts.  As of today I only need a bit more to meet the cost of training fees and travel.  I trust the Lord completely to provide this and more since I know He knows my needs better than I do. 

If you are hearing from the Lord to partner with me, please know there is no amount too small.  Every gift is from the Lord and a complete blessing.  If you desire to partner with me you can contact me at liveprepared@cox.net .  I would love to visit with you and share my heart.  You can also view the original post about my training here.

I am asking that everyone please keep me in their prayers as I walk out this calling.  Pray not only for me but for my family.  I also ask that you pray for seed to be sown into future support raising when I am called to deploy to disaster or assist in training others.  I will need to develop partnerships and, as a wife, stay at home mom/homeschool teacher I will definitely be able to use some of my own skills to earn money from home.  Pray the Lord will provide ideas that will be profitable and a good use of time that does not take away from my responsibilites to my family. 

I will continue to provide updates while I'm gone via this blog and Facebook.  It may only be once a week since we are going to be living Off Grid with limited power. 

Thank you to everyone who reads my blog.  I can't wait until I can share more with you about my learning and experiences.

Crisis Response International - ARC Intensive Training Class

I am excited to share with you information about how the Lord is working in my life right now.  For the past five years the Lord has placed desires in my heart to change the way we live.  He has been speaking to me about physical and spiritual preparedness.  While I knew this was important, I didn’t understand the intense desires I had to do things I never thought I would do.

In a journal entry, dated 1-6-06, I wrote, “When crisis comes it is too late to prepare”.   Between that date, and today, I have learned many new skills to include sewing and canning, studied food storage, keep bees, maintain a garden, and have my own backyard flock. 

Through the church I attend, The Pointe, in Siloam Springs, AR, I learned about an organization called Crisis Response International(CRI).  There is a local Crisis Response Unit(CRU) that meets at the church bi-monthly.  The Lord began to draw me to attend the meetings and when the tornado hit Joplin, MO, I was given an opportunity to go up and work with members of the local Crisis Response Unit.  This opportunity allowed me to experience a large disaster and the enviornment created in the aftermath.  I was able to observe the CRI team members use their disaster and ministry training.

For about two years I have been praying Hineni Adonai, which, in Hebrew, means Here I am Lord and I asked Him to “send me”.  He “opened the door” for me to go to Joplin and I felt the Lord asking me  if I send you out to do this kind of ministry, will you say yes?  My response is yes. 

When you go to the CRI website you will read that the Lord is raising up an army of end time mercy missionaries, or disaster relief missionaries, to reach the harvest in the midst of crisis.  They are training believers in disaster relief and ministry, 24/7 prayer and worship ministry, to bring Jesus to those in need during times of crisis.  This is what the Lord is calling me to do.  He is calling me, a wife, stay at home mom, who homeschools her children, to train to be a part of a disaster relief missionary ministry team that will deploy when crisis comes to an area.  He is also asking me to train to help facilitate missional community or cities of refuge environments and to serve in leading or assisting with worship/prayer at the site of the crisis.  I am very humbled.

Worship at the Joplin House of Prayer after spending time serving with the Siloam Springs Crisis Response Unit

I will be attending a training September 11^th –November 11^th, 2011, in Lucerne Valley, CA.  It is called the ARC Intensive and it is a 9 week course that will provide  well rounded disaster relief training and certifications along with ministry training.  You can read more about the training itself here.  I have the blessing of my husband and parents to attend the training.  My parents will assist in taking care of my children and also help with their home education while I’m gone.

Friends, I am asking your assistance with two things.  I need people to partner with me in prayer and financially.  I need to raise $2,200 to fund the 9 week training and will need to raise funds for round-trip airfare, which will probably be around $500.  The money needs to be raised by August 30, 2011.   I know the Lord does not call us to do something without providing every need.  He is faithful and I’m thankful He is teaching me to trust and depend on Him completely in this season.

Specific prayer request:

1.       Strength to endure the time I’m away from my family

2.      Strength for my family to be able to endure while I am gone.

3.      For my children to be a blessing to their grandparents and father and for their bond to be strengthened; that they will create special memories.

4.      Blessings for my husband who is so willing to allow me to attend the training.

5.      Open communication between the Holy Spirit and I so I will continually hear direction from the Lord in how to walk out this new calling.

6.      Financial provision to attend the training.

Please prayerfully consider partnering with me financially.  I am willing to meet with you one on one, for those friends who are local, to discuss this endeavor in depth.  For those of you who are readers from across the nation, those fellow home school families who read my blog, I am willing to talk by phone or email to answer any questions you may have. 

Financial contributions can be made by mailing a check, made payable to The Pointe, to my home address:  Stacy Hester, 503 S Elm St, Siloam Springs, AR 72761.   Please just attach a note to the check stating that it is to support me as the IRS frowns on seeing any notations in the memo line of the checks. 

Thank you so much for taking time to read this blog entry and to pray for me.  Please feel free to link my blog article to your blog, facebook or twitter in order to share this information with anyone that you think might be interested in partnering with me.   You may contact me with questions at thehesters1@cox.net

***Update 7/23/11 - Thank you so much for your prayers.  I wanted to share a praise report.....I have been blessed to receive 1/3 of the funds needed up to this date.  All credit goes to the Lord...He is faithful to provide.  Please continue praying with me.***