My beautiful mentor Juleen and her wonderful kids Elijah and Isabella :)
Okay so here's the scoop....last Sunday (Aug. 29th) I held a haircut-a-thon at my church. My amazing mentor of 3 years who has been cutting hair professionally wanted to throw a fundraiser for the Race...so she agreed to cut hair all afternoon and give me 100% of the proceeds. ALSO Jen a wonderful local hair professional agreed to ALSO give her afternoon up to do the same thing....
Lets be honest I was expecting to raise around $300 at the most because haircuts dont cost that much...but every bit helps and $300 is $300 bucks right?!
Well...I just love it when I have these silly expectations and then God just totally blows them out of the water...(GARAGE SALE ANYONE!?!?)...
WE RAISED $900....at the CUT-A-THON....people were SO generous I was just completely overwhelmed by their blessings! Along with the funds we had such a fun time of sharing coffee and cookies and great fellowship together!
At my wonderful church of "5 Stones" they do something called "5th Sunday giving"...their budget for the year is based off of 4 week months. So a few times a year when we get a "5th Sunday" in the month they take offering as usual but give it to a worthy cause. This month the worthy cause was supporting me on THE WORLD RACE.....They announced that on Sunday, Aug. 29th the entire offering would go toward my fundraising efforts....
THEY GAVE ME A CHECK FOR $3,101!!!!!
Is anyone else jumping up and down with me right now?! God is so incredible...I believed that He would provide and its just so amazing to be walking in His provision...please be encouraged..when He calls...He equips!
So here's the BEST part of the story...I ran home (not literally), crunched some numbers....and realized that including the monthly pledges that have committed to me...I am NOW FULLY FUNDED. I needed to raise $14,300 and once my monthly pledges come in at the end of the year...I will be at exactly $14,320!!!!!
My teammates however still need support!! I also still need those monthly pledges to come in...so PLEASE if you still feel led to support me or my team or The World Race definitely do so because some of my teammates could REALLY use the blessing! You can visit their blogs to support them by clicking on their picture to the left of my blog site. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
I realize this is a ridiculously long blog but...I have to just take a minute to THANK GOD...He provided...He gave me the courage to step out...He IS TRUSTWORTHY...I'm human I've had my doubts at times if I'm honest....He is SO Good and SO trustworthy...He has such great plans for all of us and I'm just so thrilled to be able to walk in step with Him on this amazing Journey!
Take my heart, I Lay it down
At the feet of you whose crowned
Take my life, I'm letting go
I lift it up to You who's throned
And I will worship You, Lord
Only You, Lord
And I will bow down before You
Only You Lord
Take my fret, take my fear
All I have, I'm leaving here
Be all my hopes, be all my dreams
Be all my delights, be my everything
And It's just you and me here now
Only you and me here now
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 8/27/2010
So this past weekend I had a very real reminder that I needed to pry my own hands from the "steering wheel" of my life and let God direct my paths, because He's been in the driver's seat all along....
My pastor asked me last week if I'd be willing to share my testimony with my church on Sunday morning. So after praying about it I felt that, yes I could do that...so as many things in my life I put that thought aside and focused on the immediate...and then Saturday night snuck up on me....oh shoot I havent planned out what Im going to say tomorrow...was the thought that crossed my mind very loudly....
Well, as I sought the Lord while sitting in my bed with my eyes closed....I saw myself giving my testimony @ my church...it was incredible He gave me all the words that I was to say.... even after feeling confidence in what I was supposed to say I was still nervous the next morning @ 5Stones....
I sat in the front pew next to my roommate Mallorie and my leg was shaking so badly, I leaned over and asked her..."can you feel the pew moving thats my leg shaking!" She said "yep I can" :) oh geesh....So I was fully expecting to get up in front and starting talking and keep shaking badly...which is what usually happens when I get up in front of 600 people to share.
WELL the miracle was that God totally answered my prayer...He showed up in such an awesome way. He gave me the peace to calm me down as soon as I stepped up on stage and began to speak. He gave me the words to speak as I began talking....it was amazing!
I share this story not to bring attention to myself at all...I tell it so that you can have the same reassurance and confidence I do now...that when we ASK....He ANSWERS....when we follow in OBEDIENCE....He TAKES CARE OF IT....He called me...AND...He equipped me. I'm so grateful for being pushed out of my comfort zone, because I am SURE that when I am put into positions that are uncomfortable this next year...He WILL provide just like He did last Sunday.
If you would like to hear the sermon from Sunday, which also has my testimony towards the end....you can click on the link below and then play the sermon entitled "5 Foundations, (5 Sanctuaries)" http://www.5stones.org/audio
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 8/18/2010
Ok....vulnerability time...this may not come as a huge shocker to you...but it's becoming way more real to me lately: COMMUNITY IS HARD! especially CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY!
We are all broken individuals who lash out and have lots of emotions that surface daily....but the COOLEST thing I think I'm realizing is that COMMUNITY IS SO WORTH IT....it's so worth fighting for...it's worth crying through...it's worth yelling through...it's just worth it, SO worth it.
We may not communicate perfectly, love perfectly, serve each other perfectly...but I dont think God wants us to be PERFECT....I think He wants us to realize how much we truly need HIM to direct our paths and give us the necessary communication skills, deeper love, and strength to serve (amidst wounds and fiery arrows). The incredible part is that when we ask for that....HE GIVES IT FREELY WITH ABUNDANCE! I've been so challenged lately to start seeing my community through a new set of eyes. Instead of seeing the words they are saying or the actions they are doing (which can be incredible hurtful and offensive), God is challenging me to see them for their truthful identity they have in Him. What I mean by that is, when my sister is telling me how much she hates that I never clean the kitchen...I look back and see her as God's daughter, beloved by Him, created with a purpose to do GREAT THINGS...she may be lashing out...but the TRUTH OF WHO SHE IS HAS NOT CHANGED. Instead of snapping back, I then can love her more deeply because I know how she's acting is not WHO SHE IS in Christ.
So I guess all that rambling to say.... please don't give up on community when it gets hard.
Wow what blessings friends bring...and love and joy to my life...SOO worth fighting through all the hard because when hard things come you know they have your back no matter what!
Watch this video it's one of my favorites...really has little do with Christian community but it's a amazing song about God's love for his people...
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 8/17/2010
Okay so I think I like asking people for money about as much as I like cleaning toilets....
BUT
it is a necessary part of being a missionary..SO here's the update friends and family on my finances....
The total in my account at this very moment is: $8,215.80 I MUST HAVE $8,500 in order to leave the country
I MUST HAVE $14,300 in my account by month 6 on the field....that's February :)
I have a fundraiser coming up August 29th at the "Quarry" building on Claremont Ave. Juleen Asuncion (a licensed hair cutter) my very good friend and mentor will be cutting hair that afternoon. 100% of all proceeds made will go towards my trip! yay!
I still need a few specific things along with the trip cost....
I must pay for my flight to the "Launch City" in Los Angeles Sept 9th. I researched a bunch and the ticket will cost $130.40 to get me there.
I also am in need of a "netbook" computer...I was informed that the computer I have would not be the most wise to take on the mission field for a variety of reasons. Therefore the majority of my teammates/leaders are purchasing "netbooks" because of their relative cheap prices and smallness for packing purposes. I have done some research and am still researching the best deals but it looks like that will cost me around $300-$350.
SO....that's where I'm at financially with funds. If you have wanted a specific way to donate to the cause hopefully this blog has helped a bit. If you are like me and set the letter you got in the mail aside and lost it...just go online and click "SUPPORT ME" and it's super easy to donate. OR you can send a check directly to me: 510 Evergreen St. Ashland, OH. 44805
Really amazing things happened at training camp, God is continuing to teach me crazy lessons every day as I prepare for this new adventure. I am so excited to go and be the hands and feet bringing the hope and love of Christ to the nations. Please pray about partnering with me in this way.
To everyone who has already supported me in SOO many ways...I love you all and appreciate you all! Blessings :)
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 8/10/2010
.....................PRESENTING: TEAM LIBERATORS!
I
am SO excited to introducing you to my INCREDIBLE team. At training
camp ouR squad (36 peeps) was (after TONS of prayer and team building
and TONS MORE prayer and discernment) divided into 6 smaller teams of 6
people each. We have two squad leaders (clicking on their names will take you to their blogs!): Di Dinnis, and Tim Dixon who
are absolutely amazing, they have such beautiful hearts for the world and for ouR
squad. These two awesome leaders have been on the race before and feel
called to go back on the field with our team for the first 4-5months.
They already have challenged, encouraged, and empowered us in
incredible ways at camp and I can't wait to grow in relationship with
them over the next year!
Our team is named Team Liberators Below are the beautiful women I now call family...
Clicking on their names will take you to their individual blog sites. Check out their Bio's and subscribe to receive their e-mails if you'd like! By clicking on our Team Name you can also "adopt our team" :)
Every one of these incredible women bring amazing and unique giftings to our team. I am SOOO glad that they are a part of my life. We have a HUGE calling over our team as Team Liberators.
We declare Isaiah 61:1-3 over our team for this next year:
"The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has ANOINTED me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort ALL who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion-to bestow on them a CROWN OF BEAUTY INSTEAD OF ASHES, the oil of GLADNESS instead of mourning, and a garment of PRAISE instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called OAKS of RIGHTEOUSNESS, a planting of the Lord for the display of His Splendor."
God is SO good and I can't wait to spend the next year with these amazing women! We ARE going to be oaks of righteousness bringing the Hope of Jesus to the WORLD. We WILL make an eternal impact on the nations bringing the Kingdom of God EVERYWHERE we step. Thanks so much everyone for your continued prayers and encouragement for our team as we prepare to leave. and if you haven't heard yet..... I LAUNCH for the Philippines SEPTEMBER 11th from LA, California!!!
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 8/10/2010
Exodus 3:11,14
11 But Moses said to God, "Who am I, that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?"
14 God said to Moses, "I am who I am . [b] This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.' "
2 Samuel 7:18,22
18 Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? 22 "How great you are, O
Sovereign LORD! There is no one like you, and there is no God but you,
as we have heard with our own ears.
Judges 6:14-16
14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
15 "But Lord , [a] " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."
16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."
...one morning at camp Di (one of our two amazing squad leaders) pulled me aside and told me that the World Race leaders had been praying about raising up 6 team leaders for ouR squad. She said that they'd already been impressed by my character and leadership abilities at camp and that I was being invited to a meeting that would talk more about what a team leader was. She asked me to pray and seek the Lord about stepping into this unique position of team leader for the coming year.
....WOW....
I was so shocked and humbled by everything she said and completely surprised that they thought I'd be able to lead a team of 6 girls across the world. My first thought was NO WAY...this is going to be HARD and WHO AM I (sound familiar?) to lead this incredible group? However, as I prayed about it Jesus kept bringing memories from random times in my life in the past, memories of being a student leader in Mexico- the good and the bad- memories of being an RA in college- memories of stepping out in faith in China-
So clearly and so gently, I felt that Jesus was saying "See Carly...I've been preparing you for this all along...you're right you CANT do this on your own....BUT I (the Creator of the world) CAN...I will NEVER leave you or forsake you (Joshua 1:9)....in fact I've already been going ahead and preparing the way for you and your team to come...TRUST ME...I'll be with you every step of the way"
SO.....Here I am the crazy "city-girl" from Columbus who's never camped in her life...ready to lead this rag tag team of amazing women who love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength into the unknown! Already, I have been learning so much about what it means to be a "leader"- it means being a SERVANT, being the last and serving in humility and selflessness, it means being quiet so that everyone's voice be heard on the team, it means seeking discernment from the Lord in EVERY second of EVERY day about EVERYthing! PRAY that I can learn to walk in all of this...daily...I truly am so excited to see how God grows me in this new season of leadership. Just as he took the unlikely Moses, David, Gideon, Joshua and so many others and used them...I look forward to being challenged, stretched, and grown as a leader through this adventure!
This is what the LORD saysâ€" your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: "Iam the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.
The Lord has given me such a heart for each of the beautiful women on my team, I cannot wait to share with you who they are...
We hiked and then canoed to our rustic campsite for a night...absolutely beautiful! Everyone pitched in and it was an incredible experience...with some amazing food seen cooking below. My teammates actually thought I had a henna tattoo on my ankle...but alas i was just covered in mud...not an uncommon occurrence throughout the entire week!
I'm now in Florida with my bro...ready to rest and process lots :) More to come soon....
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 7/29/2010
-jumped
in a lake fullyclothed (yep in sweatpants)
-been
SO happy to drink instant coffee and smell chicken
-sung
Disney’s “A Whole New World” at the top of my lungs while washing dishes
-camped
outside under a tarp…no tent…just a tarp
-eaten
a banana boat covered in butter, marshmallows, chocolate chips…glad I’m not
still fasting!! J
-led
my team through unfamiliar territory only to canoe to our very own rustic
campsite
-made
38 new friends and within 24 hours call them family (and really mean it!)
-legitimately
worship God to the “Rocky” soundtrack…no joke…really!
-experienced
such a breakdown of lies that were tethered to my heart, and be able to release
them after YEARS of holding them tight…
-finally
experience true FREEDOM from the Lord for my past
-dance
in the presence of the Lord freely in worship with my peers
-carried
someone (pretending to not have use of their legs) literally across camp on my
back while not being able to use my arms!
-worshiped
God while floating in a lake with my new family
-shouted
the promises of God on top a chair so loud the building shook J
OK…so maybe I have done all of these things…now…after
spending only 5 days at training camp I have experienced TONS of things I never
had before. I have been overwhelmed but incredibly excited by what God has been
doing in my own heart as well as the hearts of my teammates this week. I have experienced Joy, Freedom, Truth,
and Empowerment like NOTHING I have ever dreamed of or imagined was possible
for my life. I am learning that all the healing and freedom and joy I am
receiving I now have a responsibility to give….I CANT WAIT to encounter the
nations and show them Jesus’ love through being a servant and sharing my story!
God has so clearly hand picked each of my “squad-mates”, our
team has had the word “JOY” spoken over us because we spread joy when anyone
encounters us. We have grown very close very quickly and I can hardly imagine
how much more those relationships will grow over the next YEAR!
I am so thankful for the training I am receiving; everything
the staff has put us through has been intentional and showered in prayer in
order to prepare us effectively for going on the mission field. They have created an atmosphere in which
we are uncomfortable but challenged and I am so glad!
I’m getting VERY used to being covered in sweat and red
Georgia dirt….
Please continue to keep
praying for team unity, leadership skills refined, wisdom increased, and God’s
glory displayed!
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 7/22/2010
I read this on the AIM website this morning and had to post it...Tanzania will be my 10th country to visit during the month of June 2011. Please lift this team up in prayer and help if you feel led. Thanks!
Posted in Adventure by World Race Updates on 7/15/2010
A World Race team in Tanzania (team Se7en on the January 2010 squad) needs your help and prayers. They were robbed earlier this week and are in need of basic items (backpacks, toiletries, clothes, etc.). Fortunately, everyone is completely safe and doing well, but they lost nearly everything they had.
Your one-time donation to our general ministry fund can help meet their immediate needs so that they can continue to minister to those in need around the world.
Also, please pray for those affected by this situation -- for their comfort and peace. Our staff is heading out to the field to visit and debrief them this weekend. Your help and prayers are greatly appreciated.
If you're able to give financially, here are some simple instructions to make a donation that will go directly towards meeting this specific need:
1. Follow this link: http://tinyurl.com/donate10july. 2. Select "Support a World Race Project" from the drop down menu. 3. Type "10JULN" into the project blank. 4. Enter amount.
5. Click Continue button.
Thank you ahead of time, and we praise God for protecting our young missionaries in the field.
Posted in General Posts by Carly Cronin on 7/20/2010
This verse was posted by one of my teammates on our team blog the other day and it's been a huge encouragement and reminder of how I want to live every day...not worrying about past failure and tragedy but instead keeping my eyes on what lies ahead...the Goal...following Christ with everything I am!
Philippians 3:12-14 (ESV)
"Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
I can't believe that training is in a WEEK, I'm thrilled and terrified all at once! Please be in prayer for my drive down to Atlanta on Saturday (July 24th) and for the next week as our teams meet and encounter God is BIG ways as we prepare to go out in the field soon! I will be traveling to training camp-then driving my car down to Florida to see my brother and give him my car for the year- then I'll be spend a few days @ the beach w/ him and flying back to Ohio for the month of August....
Blessings report: God is seriously overwhelming me with His blessings. I am roughly at $10,000 of my $14,300 goal for fundraising...HALLELUJAH!!! Please keep praying as I continue to spread the word about what God's doing and sell Threads of Hope bracelets!
