Tuesday, December 12, 2017

On Your Mark, Get Set...







Hi everyone!

So I have lots of very exciting news that I can't wait to share with you all! First, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for sticking with me, thank you for praying for me, encouraging me, supporting me, being great listeners, and being a part of this mission. Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

I am so pleased to say, as many of you may already know, I am fully funded! As of mid-November, I was told that I was fully funded, praise God! He provided precisely when He meant to, and I am so thankful for such an incredible God that is my provider! I was commissioned by my sending agency, Bethany Gateways, on November 15th. Essentially, this is a special moment where I am prayed over and officially sent out as a missionary. It was a very profound moment for me, as I felt that this was finally happening. It really hit me that I was going to be leaving soon, so start this new chapter as a missionary.

The next step in the journey was applying for my visa. This is an exciting time, but also a bit daunting and nerve-wracking. It's exciting, because it's taking an official step, saying: I'm doing this. I'm taking a very official step in heading to Belfast! It's a bit daunting because you have to make sure all your paperwork, documents, etc. are in order. You want to nitpick to make sure there is no reason for them to deny your visa. So it is a bit daunting to do so. It's nerve-wracking because what if they deny your visa? What if they say no?

I began the application around Thanksgiving, and submitted it a few days before the end of November. Then it was just a waiting game. Hoping, praying that it would be approved I waited. And today I got the email: my visa is approved! I will be receiving it in the mail in the next couple of days! PRAISE GOD!!

Now, my next step is to book my ticket, which I will be doing tonight. I am so incredibly excited that in a few short weeks, I will be leaving on a plane, to begin my journey in Belfast. I am planning to leave the first week of January, but I will update one FaceBook once I have an exact date.

So here we are, I am getting ready to head off to Northern Ireland, to do ministry, share the gospel, and have some adventures along the way. I am so glad that you are all here, to share in this journey with me. I look forward to telling you all about everything that God is doing, and will do while I'm there!

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy

Thursday, October 12, 2017

Major Update





Hello all!

Now, I know that I've just done a blog post a couple of weeks ago, but I wanted to update everyone, because I have some exciting news! I have been wanting to share this with you all, but I needed to wait for full approval from both of the organizations that I am working with. So here we go!


Percentage Breakdown

I am VERY close to my goal for leaving, and now I can give some exact numbers for what that looks like! So here is the breakdown: I have about 50% of my monthly budget actually pledged and currently giving. Now this may not seem like a lot, HOWEVER, I have about 28% more of my budget verbally pledged. This means that I have been told by some how much they are planning to give, but they have not begun to give yet. This means that total I have 78% of my monthly budget taken care of (of course, providing that those verbal pledges become physical pledges)!! This is VERY exciting!


How much I Have Left To Raise

So, I've given a percentage breakdown, but what does that mean as far as actual numbers go? Well, this means that I have exactly $453.34 left to raise for my monthly budget. This brings me so close to my goal! broken down, that is 15 people giving $30 a month! This is very exciting news, but it brings me to my next piece of information that is very important, vital, and possibly the whole reason that you've opened this blog post. So here we go!

My Deadline

I now have a deadline. The deadline I have to raise the rest of my monthly support is October 31st. Again, I had to wait until everyone was on the same page before I released this information, which is why I am just posting this now. 

So why the sudden deadline, and why so so soon? Glad you asked! Well, in order for Every Nation Belfast to sponsor my visa there had to be dates when they filled out the paperwork to receive the rights to do so. So when this was done, a while ago, we all figured I would be there by now, so the end of this year was the deadline. Of course, there have been some unforeseen circumstances in this process, and I am still working on raising this last bit of support. The reason that my deadline is the 31st of this month, and not November is because I still need to apply for my visa, and the closer to Christmas you apply, the less likely it will be done in a timely manner. The visa processing usually takes between three and four weeks, and I need to physically be in Belfast before the end of the year.

So what happens if I don't make it by the end of the year? Great Follow Up question! Well, the consequences could be great. ENB could potentially lose the right to sponsor my, or any visa. There could also be potential problems with the government as well. And since I always try to be as honest as I can on here, I have to say this: I would feel so incredibly AWFUL if that happened. 

So...What Can I do?

Well, there are a couple of ways that you could help. First of course, pray about giving. I emphasize: pray. Make sure that this is a move that God is in accordance with you making. Then, if He moves you to do so, decide how much you want to give. You could give as little as $5 a month, or as much as $453.34, it's between you and Him. If you would like to give, look up at those tabs above this post. Look for the one that says Ways to Give (or just, you know, click that link.) and follow the instructions listed on the page. If you would rather give by check, feel free to email (chrissy.charleman@gmail.com) me, and I'd be happy to send you all the info on how to do so!

The other way you can help is PRAY! Prayer is an even more important way that you can help me out, because we know that the power of prayer is one of the greatest things on this earth. Pray for encouragement for Every Nation Belfast, for the church, and the team that I'm joining there. Pray for me, that the Lord would open the doors that need to be opened in order for everything to happen in time. 

Okay... Let's Do This!

So, everyone, here we are. It's crunch time. But, you guys, I'm so excited. I was spending time with the Lord this morning, and He just gave me the most amazing mixture of peace and excitement. I know that He's going to make this happen, I know it with every fiber of my being. I am so excited that I am finally going to be in Belfast before the end of this year! Time has come, and soon, I'll be on the next phase of my journey, and I am so glad you're all along for the ride! I'm so glad you all get to be a part of this journey with me, and I cannot wait to share with you all, not only how God comes through, as a testimony to His faithfulness, but everything that He is doing in Belfast. I cannot wait for you all to come with me as I head to Belfast, and we can all see how God uses us. Because, I really want you to understand this, you are as much a part of this as I am. If you are praying for me, supporting me financially, or through simple encouragements, you are a part of this! You are vital to this whole journey. So get excited! Because we are about to cross the Atlantic, and embark on a whole new, incredible journey! Are you ready? I know I am!

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy


Thursday, August 31, 2017

#blessed



Hi everybody! I just want to start by apologizing for not writing in so long... It's been difficult to do so because there was a lot going on, behind the scenes, lots of moving pieces, that I really couldn't write about until things were all squared away with the right people. As of right now there are still a few parts that are shifting around in order to make sure that everything is up to par for me to leave. But I wanted to update you all, as much as I can, at this moment. So here we go!

I was hoping for a September departure, but since I still have a bit to raise, and still need to go through the process of getting my visa, I think we're looking at an early October departure at this moment. I am SO incredibly excited, as I'm watching this dream, that I've had for over two and a half years finally moving from dream to reality! It's been a long, difficult journey, but I am finally able to see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it has truly been an incredible thing to see God work, and move as I continued to move forward with the vision he has given me. Watching everything fall into place, in His timing has been such a cool thing to see.

I also want to take a moment, in this blog post, to say thank you to a very special person. I want to say thank you to Joan Cox, an amazing woman of God, that has known me, and prayed for me, since before I was born. She has been such a blessing to my family over the years, and has been such an incredible blessing and essential part of helping me in my support raising. I love her so dearly, and I can only hope I can be half as loving, caring, kind, hospitable, and a strong example of the love of Christ as she is someday. So thank you Joan, for all you've done to help me in this process, it has been more encouraging and inspiring than you know.

Now I just need to brag on God for a minute. He has provided such an amazing opportunity to partner with a very special church, the church that I grew up in, that has now become All Souls Community Church. I am so thankful that God, through Joan, opened the doors for me to share with them, and after much prayer and consideration, partner with them. I am so thankful for this opportunity, and there is no doubt in my mind, that this was fully orchestrated by God. He saw where I was at, that I was feeling a bit discouraged, wondering how all this would work out, and He provided this amazing opportunity for a partnership, which I am so excited about, because I believe it was very much God ordained.

God has blessed me. He has blessed me with people that have been supporting me for years, both prayerfully and financially. He has blessed me with a loving and supporting family. He has blessed me with an incredible calling, and while I feel unworthy at times of such a calling, I know that HE has made me worthy of it. I have to say, I cannot believe that this is actually happening. But I am so excited to watch what else God does as I'm preparing to leave for the field. He has done so much already, and I know that He will continue to do so much more.

If you are in a place of doubt, wondering where God is, why He led you to where you're at, only to feel that He abandoned you, know that He hasn't. He will never leave, nor forsake us. He has things we need to learn, ways that we need to grow. Even if you feel like you aren't growing, like God isn't there, He isn't speaking, let me tell you, you are growing, He is there, and He is speaking. As I look back on my time here, I see how God spoke, how when I would feel at my lowest, He would send encouragement, whether through my sister, my best friend, my mom, or total strangers that I was able to forge a deep connection with, He always spoke. Look for the little things, be vulnerable, open up and tell your support system where you're at. If you don't have a support system, tell God where you're at. He knows, but something happens when we're open and vulnerable with Him, He moves, He changes things, whether in the physical, or in our hearts, something changes. It's so easy to forget, believe me, I know, but remember, God will always give you the right perspective when we just ask.

Thank you all, for your continued prayers and support! We're almost there, and I cannot wait to write my first blog post from Belfast VERY soon! Please continue to keep me in prayer as I finish up my time here support raising. Also, remember, if there are any prayer requests that you have you can send them my way, I would love to be praying for all of you specifically as well! Love you all!

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy

Wednesday, May 31, 2017

Vulnerability






Hello Everyone!

I hope this post finds you well, and enjoying the hint of summer in the air! I have promised a blog post, so here it is, just before the end of the month! The reason I've waited is because I was working on some things, and hoping to be able to tell you all a little bit about it at this point. However, I'm still ironing out some details with the organizations I'm working with, so I will have to be a bit vague at the moment, but I will definitely have a bit more detail by my next post! So let's dive right in, shall we?

Summer is about to begin, and with that I have some good news! It looks like I'll be able to leave around August/September for Belfast! I am SO excited that this time of support raising is coming to a close, and this next season of being in Belfast is fast approaching. This is all pending some of the details currently being ironed out, so hopefully everything will work in favor of me leaving at that time. Now, I am still a bit short on my monthly support, so I do ask that if you are not financially supporting me, that you would prayerfully consider doing so. Also, just a friendly reminder, that this cannot be made official until everyone who has stated that they are going to give actually start giving, so that my sending organization, Bethany Gateways, has a physical record of the promise to give. To those that are giving, or supporting me through prayer, and everyone else who is just following my journey, thank you for being here through this. I am so thankful for all of you, and I cannot wait to share with you all the adventures and encounters that God will have for me in Belfast!

So, as my time in Belfast is fast approaching, I am reflecting on my time here in New York, and my overall time support raising. It's been so much of a rollercoaster time, I cannot even begin to tell you. As I think about it, I think about James 1, where it says,

"But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways." (James 1:6-8)
When I read that verse, granted, Paul is talking about when we ask for wisdom, I think about my time during support raising. I feel as though this has been a time when the Lord has shown me how I need to stand strong, how I need to not let my doubts get in the way of his work. I cannot let myself be double-minded, I cannot be like a wave in the wind. If God said he would do it, no matter how impossible it seems, I need to believe he will do as he promised. I can see how this time has been a time to grow in this area in my life. I know that he's done so much for me before, he has provided time and again, when something seemed impossible, he always made it happen. So why, why was it so easy for me to forget those times, and question if it would happen?

The Old Testament is riddled with stories of those that forgot the provision of God, over, and over, and over again. I'm in good company there. But, I have to learn from their mistakes. I have to learn from my own mistakes, and that's what I've had to do. So many times I felt like I was sinking, like I wasn't good enough, like I wasn't cut out for this life, like all of this was too hard. I thought this way because I was so focused on myself. I was focused on my own abilities, my own connections, my own strength. So many times I was tempted to just give up. I was tempted to walk away from the path, the life that God had chosen, that God had called me to, that God had promised me. But every time, every single time, God would send someone (often my sister, or my best friend), or make sure I heard a message to encourage me. To remind me when my own memories failed me, that he had not abandoned me, that I had not heard him wrong, that he was working, even when I could not see. Over, and over, and over, God reached down to my most broken, most vulnerable place, and healed me. He lifted me up to where I needed to be, so that I could stand solidly on the rock of his truth, and know, beyond a shadow of a doubt that this is what I am meant to do, and that HE would make a way for me to do it.

So here I am, so incredibly close to reaching this goal, and all I can say is thank you. First and foremost, thank you God, for loving me through this time, even in the darkest moments, reminding me what you promised me. Thank you to my sister, and to my best friend, for always speaking truth to me, even when I didn't want to hear it. For letting me cry to you, and be vulnerable without worrying that you were judging me, and for loving me through some of my most unlovable times. God has truly blessed me with you both, and I could not be more thankful for you incredible women of God. Thank you to every person that has prayed for me, that has encouraged me, that has preached an amazing message, thank you. You have absolutely no idea how grateful I am for your prayers, your love, your support, your willingness to be lead by the Spirit. God has used you, and you have touched my life in a major way. So thank you, really, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.

So in conclusion, I am not a perfect person. God is working on me. He will always be working on me unto my death. I tell you all this, because I want to be vulnerable. I want you to know the struggles of support raising, of being a missionary, of being a follower of Christ. He never promised us an easy, simple life, but he did promise that all of it would be worth it, and I fully believe it will be. I shared this because I hope in some way, it will encourage all of you. That you will know, doubts will come, difficult times will come, but we have to stand firm on the promises of God. No matter how crazy, how insane, that if he has promised us something, and we know that he has promised it to us, that it will be so. It may not look the way we imagined, but it will still be fulfilled. I want my struggles to be a testimony of the greatness, the love, the grace of God to encourage others. That is why I share, that is why I am vulnerable with you all. So if you are in a struggle, first, feel free to contact me so that I can pray for you, second, know that you are not alone. You are loved. God sees, and he wants to help you through it, you just need to let him.


Blessings and Love,

Chrissy

Wednesday, March 22, 2017

Aslan Is On The Move...



Hello everyone! I hope that I find you well this fine March! Firstly, a little update on life. I've just recently returned from a short (not really... not short at all...) trip to Florida. I was able to go for the wedding of a dear friend, and I'm so glad that I could make it to the beautiful celebration! I also went to get things a bit more in order for my imminent departure. Now, I'm still a ways off, but I'm certainly closer, so I wanted to make sure all my things were packed and ready to be shipped when I'm ready to ship them, which made things feel a bit more real, and a bit more exciting!

I just want to give a side note, I have about 28.4% of my monthly actually pledged. What this means, is that I have had people sign up, and start giving monthly, and this accounts for that 28.4%. I have had verbal promises of 24% more of that. So, to those that have promised, thank you! But until those promises have been entered into the system, those promised amounts cannot officially be counted. I just wanted to clarify all of this, so that everyone is on the same page about everything. Also, when you start giving before I leave, it goes into my set up budget, so it isn't as though it just disappears or just sits there, it goes into the monies I will use for my visa, plane tickets, setting up my apartment, etc. Now if any of this is confusing, or you would like clarification on any of it, feel free to email, message, txt, call, send smoke signals. I will get back to you as soon as possible!

So, I'm at 52% of my monthly budget! This is very exciting! I still have a little ways to go, but please be praying as I may have some potential opportunities coming up very soon to share with possible financial partners. I am so excited to share the vision and the heart that I have for my time in Belfast! Speaking of, I wanted to take a little bit of this post to share what exactly it is I'm planning to do in Belfast. I recently had the pleasure of talking with my Belfast family (as I have lovingly begun calling them, because they will be my family over there, and I am so looking forward to joining them! I don't think they know I started calling them that, but now they do!) and discussing a bit about what my roles will be, and what I will be focusing on. Many of you have asked, "What are you going to be doing over there?" and I vaguely reply "I'm working with a church plant." Well, there is a reason my reply is sometimes so vague... Mostly because when you are working with a church plant you have so many roles, you cannot begin to possibly go into it... Some days you'll be leading worship, others leading children's ministry, another day you're doing admin, it can get pretty hectic. But recently we were able to discuss a bit more about what roles I should be focusing on, in other words, I'll be doing lots of things, but these are the ministries I'll be focusing on.


  1. First, I'll be focusing on youth ministry. This is huge for me, because I never thought I would really have a heart for youth ministry. But recently, I believe in preparation for this moment, God has opened my heart to reaching out to youth. I also believe, and have been told, that my testimony of deliverance from depression and self-harm will be an asset in working with the youth in Belfast as there are so many that are struggling with similar issues. 
  2. Second I'll be helping with children's ministry, this is a place my heart has always been, so I am looking forward to helping out with the little ones! 
  3. Third, I will be helping out with worship. This is something I am so looking forward to. Worship is such a big part of my life, as I am musically inclined. It is something that I very much look forward to, in growing and expanding my abilities and giftings in worship ministry. 
  4. Fourth will be helping with the campus ministry we have as well. I'm looking forward to being a part of this ministry, and being able to build relationships and disciple the college age students that are getting involved at our church. 
So all of this is a brief overview of the major roles I will be taking on in my time there. I will also be working with prayer and deliverance ministry, doing admin work, and any other parts of ministry that need filling. My role at EN Belfast is very important, especially being someone who will have the freedom and flexibility to do a little bit of everything no matter what time, day or night, that it is required of me. My heart is so incredibly excited to be able to serve, and be the hands and feet of Jesus in every role I take, in every part I play as I am getting ready to leave and be with my team, with my family over there.

So, I'm sure you might be wondering about the title of the blog at this point, and I will try to make it quick, as I did not want this post to run too long... So recently I have been listening to Kari Jobe's new album, The Garden (oh my goodness, please go listen to it if you haven't already, it's such a great album!). From the first moment I played the first song I felt so encouraged. I felt the Lord's presence in such a way that I have not felt for so long. It was so fitting for me, in so many ways. I felt like the Lord was breathing me back to life. The first song on the album speaks of the garden that brings hope as hope springs forth again, and I couldn't help but be reminded of Aslan in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. This was one of my favorite books growing up, and I can't help but tear up when I think about the beauty of the allegory of God's love, the sacrifice of Christ, and the triumphant resurrection of our Savior painted in the beautiful words of C.S. Lewis, a man who hailed from Belfast no less. The past several months I had ben clinging to my faith, in God, in His calling, in His love for me. As the beginning of the song states, "I had all but given up"... But so much hope has come, and as it is officially spring, how fitting that this season of my life fits the season we are currently experiencing. Everyday since has been a reminder, that I have hope, that God has called me, that He loves me, and He is working all things together for good. I feel as though, in my life, Aslan is on the move... "Faith is rising...Hope is stirring... Making all things right." I have so much peace, hope and joy. I feel like God has breathed life back into me, and how incredibly fitting is it all? God is speaking, He has given me so much, and I will not forget, I will remember, and I will cling to His promises.

I hope that this post has encouraged you! I certainly feel so encouraged! I am so thankful for all of you that are praying for me, supporting me, and cheering me on! Please continue to pray and encourage, we are almost there, over halfway, and the best is yet to come!

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy

Thursday, February 16, 2017

It's All So Close, And Yet So Far...





Hello all! I can't believe we're already over halfway through February! I hope that 2017 is treating you all well, It's has been treating me quite well! Let me catch you all up with where I'm at, and what things look like going forward...

SO, here we are, getting ready to enter spring, and I am praying before it's out, I will be living in Belfast! Now is crunch time. Due to budget readjustments, and after some big promises, I am close to about fifty percent of my monthly budget... YAY!!! This is SO exciting! So what does this look in monetary value? Well it means I need a little over $1,000 in monthly pledges. This is huge! Not a huge amount, but huge news... So as I'm pressing forward, and continuing to pursue some leads that I have, I would like to get all of you readers involved. Read on to see how YOU can help!

1. Pray...

Please pray! Pray that the Lord would continue to open doors. Pray that people would be put in my path, or I would be put in theirs. Pray the Lord would give me the strength to keep going, to keep running towards this goal. I'm weary, I'm tired, but I'm SO close, and I cannot wait to arrive! Also, please pray about giving. I'll go into more detail about this in the next section, but before you do anything to help, I want you to pray about being a partner financially. It is important to me that you, me, and God are on the same page about this, so please, pray about it! Second, pray about sharing my story with anyone you think might want to be a part of my time financially. This all leads me to my next section:

2. Give...

As I've said before, before you do anything to help financially, please do pray about it! But if you've prayed and feel led to give, you can always click the tab above labeled Ways To Give (or you could just click the link). It's pretty simple, but if you've got any questions, feel free to email, comment, call, txt, send smoke signals, I will be more than happy to talk or help you out!  Now comes the how much? Well that's the beauty, if you wanted to give five dollars a month, go for it! If you want to give twenty-five, thirty, fifty, one hundred, one thousand, all of those amounts are great! Again, whatever God puts on your heart to give, you give. Some people are concerned that they might not be able to give for three years, that's okay. My belief is if you feel prompted to give, and you can afford to give that amount for the foreseeable future, go ahead and sign up! If for any reason down the line you are unable to continue giving, or giving that amount, that's okay, we can deal with it then. God knows! But for now, if He's put it on your heart to do so, then go for it! Now to my next point...

3. Share...

As I've been alluding to before, if you pray about it, and you have joined my team, or you can't, but you know of someone who could and would like to be a part of my team, I ask that you share my story with them. Refer them to my blog, or give them my contact info, or send them to my website. I would love to speak with them, and share with them more in depth. 

So here are three ways you can help me out! Now if you're reading all this and wondering, well gee, why should I help? I want to share a little bit about my story, and a little bit about why I feel that God has called me to Belfast. 

The first time I remember wanting to die was when I was eleven. I remember praying that God would just kill me. When He didn't I remember thinking, well maybe I should just do it myself. I remember the months I thought about overdosing on pills, but that it would hurt too much. Then I remember one night, when things were particularly bad, and I decided then, that I would take a pair of sharp scissors and slit my wrists. I didn't care about the pain anymore, I just wanted it over. When that didn't work, I began to harm myself, receiving what little "relief" I could from my emotional pain by creating physical pain. This was a habit that followed me through my teen years. The torment of wishing I could die, thinking about how I could end it, sometimes, unsuccessfully, trying. Hurting myself. All of it was a deep pain, a deep wound I carried around. All the while rejecting the healing love of my Savior, carrying my bleeding heart around, begging anyone or anything else to fix it, instead of the only One that could.

When I was nineteen, in the depths of some of my deepest despair, I finally turned around, I looked into the eyes of the man that had died and bled for me, held up my bruised, battered, bleeding heart and asked, "Can you fix it?" and He did. Oh, He did. Slowly but surely, He healed every wound on my heart. Each scar that I bear, both physical and emotional, is a reminder of the deep, healing, and abiding love of Christ. These scars a reminders of how deep my Father's love is for me.

Fast forward a few years, and I was on missionary internship (who would've thought that would happen?) in Marseille. Near the end of my internship, I had the privilege to go visit Every Nation Belfast. I went more because I wanted to learn more about church planting, not so much because I wanted to do ministry in Belfast. But within two days of being there my heart was stirred. I learned more about the area, but one of the things that stuck out to me was the problems there seemed to be with mental health, depression, and suicide. By the time I was ready to leave, God had confirmed in my heart that I was meant to come back. I was so excited as I went to my spiritual mentors and asked them to pray about whether or not I should go. 

All this was confirmed, and I knew God wanted me there for a very special, very specific purpose. Then, as I began my support raising in January 2016, I got news. Belfast was the city that had the highest suicide rate in Europe. I cannot express to you how that news hit me. It broke my heart, deep to my core, that this city of people, that I had come to love deeply, that I could not wait to be among was struggling this deeply with suicide. In that moment I knew, beyond any shadow of doubt, that God was sending there to tell my story. God was sending me there to share the testimony of His great love, His healing love, His love that is greater than any sickness, any demonic force, anything that could ever have power over us. God is calling up a great army of people in the city of Belfast, in the country of Northern Ireland, in all of Ireland, in the UK, in Europe. It is time that it is recognized that they need to hear the gospel again. There is revival starting, and it is coming strong, and I know that God is calling me to be a part of it.

So this is not where my story ends. The bible says in Revelation 12:11 (ESV) "And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death." (Emphasis mine) I believe that this is what God is calling me to do. I believe that all of my struggles, all of my pain will be used for good, through the power and grace of God. I believe that my testimony will be used by Him, because it is about Him. So I'm asking you again, now, will you be a part of this movement? Will you be a part of my story? Will you pray, will you give, will you share?

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy