October Newsletter

Hello Friends,
Here is the October letter a little more timely. Getting closer, I might actually get the November letter out and posted in time (first week of December). Again, I am working on getting some pictures for the October letter and then will be able to send it via email to everyone by hopefully next week. Almost done with finals, the weather is turning cool here and everyone is looking forward to break!

October Newsletter

Well, October was tons of fun and we only began getting really cold weather this past week. It’s been a fun fall with all the colors and I am enjoying the cool mornings. Things ended pretty eventfully here, but Halloween at least was somewhat tame.

The girls in the house have been doing well. We unfortunately have been having a few issues, but some of them are just learning to grow up and take care of yourself. However, one girl (one of my favorites) was having a very difficult time feeling like she was part of the sorority and with her schoolwork and such just got too overwhelmed. She suffers from anxiety and decided to leave school the week of Halloween. Please, pray for her to find her path and way in life and to be strong in going with it. I give her a Knowing Jesus book before she left and hope that maybe it will help her with find Jesus, so she can let go of some of her issues. Also, please pray for M.P. who has many problems going on resulting from lying and an unhealthy boyfriend relationship. She is moving out of the house at the end of the quarter, which I think will be good for the other girls here, but I pray that she will find the help she needs and choose a healthier lifestyle. She and I are close and I look forward to meeting up with her for dinners next quarter and hopefully being able to share the Lord with her. The girls interest in my Jesus relationship and church is starting to pique. I’m so excited! Pray for continued inquisition. Lastly, Julia grew up atheist, but she has been very curious about my religion and asking tons of questions. Her heart is broken and empty and she is searching visibly. I got to share the gospel with her a bit just the other week and she is so close. Please, pray that the Lord continues to work on her heart and pursue her faithfully to answer her doubts and fears and cast out her anger, so she may choose to accept His gift sooner rather than later.

Action Group is going well and it’s been amazing to watch the members grow in their faith. One man in particular re-dedicated his life to Christ last summer and is racing after the Lord as fast as he can. It’s been awesome to see the change in him from when I first met him in September to now and I didn’t even know him before he began walking with the Lord again. I have been encouraging him in his knowledge and learning. Please, pray that the Lord continues to work in his heart to make him more like Him and to show him the ugliness that God can wipe away. My friend is working on it, but has a long way to go – I’m excited to continue to watch the transformation. Also, our Action Group is putting on a huge Thanksmas Dinner this coming Sunday, please pray for a good turnout and for lives to be changed. Many athletes show up and many of them don’t know the Lord so that should be exciting.

The Lord is continuing to bless me through my ministry and I am looking forward to increasing my ministry time in Winter Quarter. My increased time also means I have to be faithful in finally reaching my support goal over the next two months. I only have about $800 left in monthly giving that I need to raise and am excited to see how and who the Lord will raise up. Please pray for my diligence, opportunities, and completion of this goal. Of course, if you have any recommendations or help or would like to pledge a monthly giving gift, you can go to my website (-----) or get in contact with me. I will be doing only part-time school this winter due to the type of scholarship I have, but will be able to work more with AIA, so it’s a great situation.

I thank you for your faithful support and prayers. The Lord has blessed me beyond words and I am so thankful and happy to be doing His work. Lives are being changed and impacted before my vary eyes and the joy it fills my heart with is incomprehensible and amazing. Thank you and blessings as the holiday season begins!

Best,
Tori

"Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you" - Matthew 28:19

September Newsletter

Hello everyone, I know it's November and I'm just now posting my September newsletter, which still has yet to be sent out. I wanted to make sure to include pictures of all the people I talked about it in, but I don't have those picture yet and with finals finishing this week - it's been busy! But, here is the September letter. Meet the people God has put in my life. Amazing things have been happening since I wrote this, so stay tuned for the update!

September Prayer Letter

Well October has arrived here in Ohio and the cold weather along with it. We officially turned the heat on in the house and I guess that means September is over with! Which means time for another update! And a lot has been going on since I’ve moved here and have become entrenched in this world. So even though it may seem like a double monthly installment since my August letter went out so late, it’s just like the gum! – Double the fun! This month I want to introduce you to all the people the Lord has placed in my life and whose lives He will hopefully use me in.

First, are my 27 girls – the Sophomore Alpha Xi Delta class. Yes, the Mom in me has come out, but so has the sister, mentor and friend. I have come to know each and every girl in the house and love ‘em all! We are working to love one another as well, which goes wonderfully some days and horribly others, but I’m hoping and praying my example will lead the girls to seek Jesus’ love. I’ve had a few Godly conversations, but am hoping and praying for more opportunities to share the gospel. There are also some out-of house girls I have connected with, so please pray for their spiritual well being as well., The photo was taken on Bid Day, which is at the end of Fall Rush. Boy was it an experience! On Bid Day, we celebrated 30 new pledges and possible next year’s in-house girls – please be praying for amazing God things to happen with those sisters next year.

Next, is the AIA group and more particularly the Action Leader Group. Action Group is made up of student-athletes who are the Christian leaders on their team. These students have risen up and are working to multiply the disciples of the Lord. We meet every Monday night to pour into them, equip them for leading and to go over the Bible Study for Wednesday nights. Individually, I have the pleasure of working with Darby – the cross-country leader. She is an amazing evangelist and woman of God. I am so blessed that the Lord is using me in her life because she is being used in mine!! Right now, she is experiencing the transition of no longer being a competitive university athlete – something that has defined her for the past 8 years of her life. I am encouraging her in the fact that she does not have to give it up, but to seek the Lord’s will in her running future and not her own.

On that note, the people who encourage me to do the same are my AIA staff family! I didn’t think the Lord would place me as a mentor, example, and teacher to my fellow staff members. However, He has recently shown this to be case and I am excited to learn as much from them as the Lord may teach them through me. My fellow partner in crime, single full-time female intern, Rachel Kloosterman, has been a huge encourager, friend, and confidante to me. The Lord’s blessing through her is revealed to me daily and I am so grateful!

Fourth are my track team peeps. These are the men and women I run with just about everyday and will be helping coach next quarter. Right now, I am looking to make more connections with these men and women and hopefully open some doors for me to share the gospel with them, answer their questions, and invite them to AIA so we can build a co-ed track presence at our meetings.

Lastly, is the group of my fellow grad students. This group consists of both Coaching Ed (my program) students and Rec Studies students. There is a good collection of us and I have become fast friends with the Rec students, who basically are people who like to play in the great outdoors J I appreciate that they have adopted me even though I’m Coaching Ed. I enjoy having fellow grad mentality people to talk with and keep me grounded. In fact, my church buddy is a Rec grad and a blast! I hope to bring more of Christian presence to our circle and activities. There are some who are very skeptical – it’s all about expanding the mind and view points.

So as you can see the Lord has me all over the place and I am excited about that! Please, pray I switch my hats well, but stay constant in shining His light to everyone, being a true statue for the Lord amongst this environment of lost souls.

Best, Tori

Follow me and I will make you a fisher of men. - Matthew 4:19

March Prayer/News Letter

March is almost gone. I just sent out the Letter via email the other day to inform all of my wonderful support team members about the latest happenings and decision update. Please, check the full letter for more detail.

In short, I have decided to change my status from aiming for full-time staff intern to staff affiliate. I have chosen this in hopes of returning to university for my master's degree in the fall. I do not feel that the Lord is saying no, but maybe more a "not now" and so have looked and found a way to still be active with AIA while pursuing another dream of mine. Each of the schools I have applied to have an active AIA on campus or within their city that I intend to be an integral part of on my free-time. I will still be able to help facilitate the large meetings, run a small group, and meet and disciple student-athletes. I plan to attend and work a summer project each summer I am in school and so will use currently raised funds and continuing monthly supporters to help me meet the financial goals required to participate in each of these future endeavors whether they be state-side or international! I will be mentored by and part of the Track and Field department and more active with the roles and opportunities they provide athletes.

I am broken hearted about not going to Arizona and changing my vision, but still seeking the Lord to heal my heart, continue to refine me, and to lead me in these new paths. I am excited about what He is already doing on these paths and can't wait to see the possibilities and realities He brings true. I am also excited to continue to share these adventures with you all! I intend to keep this updating this blog and to continue to send out Prayer/News Letters, but with a bi or tri-monthly frequency depending on the time of year.

So, keep this page marked and on your RSS feed and me in your prayers because the Lord's journey is only beginning :) Thank you all so much for your support, prayers, love, and encouragement. I thank God for the blessing you all are in my life every day.

Till next time!

UTC CAMP INTERN!

Okay, so I meant to post this the other day when I got the acceptance email, but I guess I was on too much of a happy high and then I went and saw my PT in the afternoon so I was in a pain wallow.

However, just the other day I got the official email saying that I have been "accepted" as an intern for the Ulitmate Training Camp in Colorado. I will be there for two and half weeks working with the student campers and helping to run the camp. Since, I am not full-time staff right now - I had to apply to be an intern, which you also have to raise support for, BUT since all you wonderful people have contributed to my team, I have already reached that support goal and am good to go! I am soo excited about being out there in Colorado at camp again this year and to see what the Lord has in store and how He will use me. I am also ecited to actually be using my gifts in conjucture with AIA in some capacity this year! woo hoo!

I am praying and thinking about how the Lord wishes to use me for the rest of the summer. AIA offers many other summer opportunities that I could also "intern" at or be a part of. I would love to do that and make my summer about AIA. What the fall has in store for me is still up in the air and I continue to pray for direction from God regarding this.

I am working and hoping to bring at least four people with me as campers to the camp. Please, pray for them and thier journey that they may make it to camp. I think each of them would benefit immensley from it and in different ways. If you know of anyone who might be interested in this type of camp, let me know! I would love to recruit them!!

If you want to learn more about AIA's summer opportunities check out this webpage: www.athletesinaction.org/opportunities

January 2010 Prayer Letter

Hey Team,

Here is the January newsletter. I'm hoping I can embed it as a document in my blog, so you can all check it out, since my weebly site is having issues with letting me post it there.

The Season of Love

Hellooooo second family!

I hope that the New Year has started off well for you and I’m sure it is going at full speed ahead. I know that my January has been filled, but alas I am still not in Arizona.
I had hoped to be able to go to Arizona this semester, but I have not been able to reach my support goal. I continue to inch closer, but no leaps and bounds. During this month, I have been faithfully praying for the Lord’s direction and guidance regarding my circumstances. I feel He still deeply wants me to be part of AIA and connected with it, so I have decided to spend my summer working at some of the Summer Opportunities, one of which is the Ultimate Training Camp held out in Fort, Collins, CO. In order to be part of these opportunities, you must raise your own support. SO, I will use some of the support all of you have so generously provided thus far in order to be part of the camp staff. I am looking forward to finding out who God will bring and what He will do at camp and of course sharing it all with you!
As the year progresses, I am continuing to work toward reaching my support goal for becoming a full-time staff intern. I have not felt the Lord directing my paths elsewhere as of yet and so will continue to aim to reach it for next year, while working on a few other endeavors (GREs) and hopefully finding a job here in So. Cal for the time being. Please, keep these decisions in your prayers. Your donations to Campus Crusade will stay in my staff account and wait. If you have any concerns regarding the funds, please feel free to contact me! Currently, to reach my goal I am mainly in need of monthly partners. If you know of anyone who may be interested or a church that I could give a temple talk/presentation to please let me know J
In the interim, I have been searching for a part time paying job. Please, keep my job search in your prayers and I will also be volunteering two afternoons a week with the GGHS swim team. I am very excited to try my hand at coaching and be a Godly example and good coach to the girls.
YOUTH and UTC
In the meantime, I have continued working with my church’s youth group and teaching the Sunday School class. It has been awesome watching and being part of these kids growth in Jesus. They truly have a servant’s heart and are eating up the information in James (the book we are currently studying). In Youth, we are working through a “Growing in Jesus” study, and the other week the kids really got into and came up with some deep symbolism regarding the parable of the pearl (Matthew). We discussed the pearl symbolizing heaven and their relationship with the Lord and discussed about sharing it with others. But, we took it further and discussed what the pearl’s shell can be (the world) and if you can re-discover the same pearl over and over again. The responses were right on! God is always reminding me of His amazing heart through these kids and I Love it!
Lastly, please pray for four guys (B, N, K, and R) that I have been working on “recruiting” to Ultimate Training Camp. I think all four would love and benefit immensely from this opportunity and am hoping the Lord brings them CO. Please pray that the Lord will place it on their hearts, will put things in order and will get them to camp to claim them for Him!

Till next time my faithful senders –
Best and blessings, Tori

James 2:26 – As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

All You Need Is Love

This time of year amazes me - it's all about love. And what better way to show Jesus than through love. Years ago, I stopped being a Valentine's Day/Love season hater even though I have yet to spend a V-Day un-single. One of best friend's, Becky Anderson, showed and told me, "this season is more than about the love of a significant other. Valentine's Day is just about loving people - that means friends, family, acquaintances. You can show all these people your love for them on that day." I took that to heart and she has been true to her word. Every year she sends a special card to us, her friends, to tell them about how much she loves them. So, I am no longer a bitter partaker, but enjoy the reminder of showing your love daily that this season brings. Not to mention all the fun movies that come out too (oh the heart of a romantic...hahaha).

But, it was really neat this weekend when I had been thinking and praying once again about life and where I am at, to just randomly have a wonderful Saturday evening without a thing to do, finished workout and a house "all to myself." I found the Hallmark Channel movie, "The Magic of Ordinary Days," starring Kerri Russell and Skeet Ulrich, on TV and I snuggled in with a giant salad to enjoy this seemingly interesting movie. It was just what I needed. I was able to sympathsize with the characters situations, but really I just enjoyed the tears that I freely let fall down my face regarding love and in response to the theme of love in this film (in group bible study last month we had discussed crying and I, a rare crier, had lately been feeling the need to have this emotional outlet, but could not find a conducive time, so praise God for Saturday!).


Then, on Sunday pastor preached on "Love" in church and the Young Women's Group and I did shopping for Haiti kits. Love was the theme of the weekend and so, I guess ther must be something in the air.

I encourage everyone these next two weeks to embrace the season and SHOW someone your feelings or just be Jesus to an unknown stranger. It's always a great blessing to get the same surprise from someone else, so pass it along and Love your neighbor.

Welcome to THE new look!

Hello all,

well, hopefully you successfully found my new blog page. Although the Weebly blog tool was adequate enough, I feel Blogger provides a superior free product and so decided to switch over, so that my blogging can also be more entertaining for you the reader (ie: pictures, visuals, videos?).

This is still about my Athletes In Action adventures. Enjoy the random God musings, great life changing stories, and prayer posts.

Thank you for your support and care! You are what enables me to do His work.