my story

When I was seven, I told my mother she could no longer love me. I told her I was a bad girl and that I was too bad to be loved again. Together, my mom and dad, took this opportunity to tell me of God's redeeming sacrifice through Jesus Christ.  I then trusted Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior.  My dad baptized me on Feb 1, 1986; ten years to the day after he was baptized.  I have since sought to know and make known my incredible living God.

The summer after my 15th birthday, I recommitted my life to the Lordship of Jesus Christ at a summer camp.  At the time I believed that meant I was to enter career ministry.  Surrendering to a career in ministry was not easy because I am a pastor's daughter and I know how draining and difficult being in the ministry can be.  Nonetheless, after I made the decision, I began to think about my future.

At the time, I thought that my career in ministry would be with apartment ministry and apartment churches in an urban area in America.  I spent a summer ministering in inner-city Houston in 1995.  Then in college, I spent two years ministering in downtown Dallas with an after-school program and an apartment church.  I didn't want to be in "churchy" ministry.  I longed to meet people's practical and felt needs in order to meet their real need.

However, in 1997 a month long trip to Taiwan through my university changed everything.  Although I experienced immense culture shock, I began to fall in love with the Taiwanese.  I returned to the States and became active in making relationships with international students.  Again, I was devoted to meeting practical and felt needs in order to meet their real need. 

However, this time instead of loafs of bread and after-school tutoring, I offered friendship and help with academic essays.

I then spent my senior year in college as an exchange student in Taiwan.  I loved it.

When returning to finish my last semester of college, I struggled with how to return to Asia to live and serve my Lord and pay off my school loans as well.  After much prayer and consultation with people I trusted, I decided to attend graduate school and work on my master's degree in teaching English as a foreign language.

Now, I have graduated from UT Austin and live in Taiwan.  I again hope to meet people's practical and felt needs in order to have the opportunity to meet their real need, which is why I am using the English language as a ministry tool.

I serve an incredible God who has shaped my hopes, dreams, and experiences to give me joy and bring Him glory.  What a wonderful combination!!

Praise Him!!

(See more on why I want to live in Taiwan.)

even more about amanda

I live in KaoHsiung County in
southern Taiwan. This is my fifth year to live in Taiwan, and I enjoy Taiwan very much. I live in Taiwan because God brought me
here to show the Taiwanese people His Love for them.

I am in Taiwan as a tentmaker--I support my missionary work by
teaching college courses. I teach public speaking, biz
English conversation, and English composition (the essay) regularly.  I have also taught Songs for EFL Teaching, Movie English, Internet English, listening, and pronunciation.

I graduated with my master's degree in Foreign Language Education
(2003) from the University of Texas at Austin. I received my bachelor's
in communication theory from Dallas Baptist University (2000).

My mom, dad, and kid brother, Sam, live near Austin, Texas.  Both my parents are teachers, and my dad is also a bi-vocational pastor.  My sister, Sarah, and my brother-in-law, Chad, both work for the Arlington Police department.  Everyone in my family enjoys laughing--and laughing loud--something I didn't realize on my own (an "outsider" pointed it out to me).

I am single, which is something I would love to be changed. :) 

And, last but definitely not least, I am a daughter of the King. I am saved by grace--something I of course do not deserve!  I desire for all that I am and all that I do to bring glory to God.  I desire to know him and make him known--this desire is the foundation of all that I am.

Thanks for stopping by following an unknown path!  I hope you find something that "tickles your fancy!"

The Carnival of Beauty

What is the Carnival of Beauty?
Each week women from around the world write on a specially selected topic allowing them to reflect on the beauty of Christ in the world around us.   

The Carnival of Beauty was started by Sallie
near the end of 2005.  For over a year she sponsored the Carnival of
Beauty which is hosted by a different Christian woman each week. In the spring of 2007, Sallie passed on the sponsorship of the Carnival of Beauty to me here at following an unknown path. 

 Please join us as we seek to glorify Christ in our writing!

What is the purpose of the Carnival of Beauty?

1. Encourage women by reflecting the beauty of Christ in our writing.

2. Meet women online who cherish the beauty of Christ that we might not have met otherwise.

Who can participate?

Any Christian woman can participate as long as she falls under these guidelines:

1. Is in personal agreement with the following statement: I
   believe in the Godhead of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy
   Spirit as revealed in the Holy Bible. I believe that Jesus Christ is
   the only Son of God and my only means for the forgiveness of my sins
   and my salvation. My salvation is found in no one but Jesus Christ.



2. Is not a Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, or Seventh Day Adventist.



3. Does not promote the emergent conversation/movement on her blog.



4. Does not promote theological distinctives in her Carnival post so as to refrain from controversial debate.

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What do we write about?

Past Carnivals (2005-2006)

2007

January 3: The Beauty of A New Year

January 10: The Beauty of Christ

January 17: The Beauty of Bread

January 24: The Beauty of Mary and Martha

January 31: The Beauty of Chariots of Fire 

February 7: The Beauty of Creativity

February 14: The Beauty of Innocence

February 21: The Beauty of Isaiah

February 28: The Beauty of Red

March 7: The Beauty of Saul/Paul
March 14: The Beauty of Fragrance
March 21: The Beauty of Photographs
March 28: The Beauty of Being Made in the Image of God
April 4: The Beauty of the Resurrection
April 11: The Beauty of Femininity
April 18: The Beauty of God’s Provision
April 25: The Beauty of Patience

May 2: The Beauty of Flowers

May 9: The Beauty of the Holy Spirit
May 16: The Beauty of Sunshine
May 23: The Beauty of Sacrifice
May 30: The Beauty of Esther
June 6: The Beauty of Strong Men
June 13: The Beauty of Truth
June 20: The Beauty of Babies
June 27: The Beauty of Humility
July 6: The Beauty of  . . .
July 13: The Beauty of Summer
July 20: The Beauty of Grace
July 27: The Beauty of Play

August 3: The Beauty of (free)
August 10: The Beauty of The Lord's Day

    

August 17: The Beauty of Prayer

     (a dusty frame)


August 24: The Beauty of Change

     (Ashley @ twentysixcats.com)

August 31:The Beauty of Learning

     (Bethany @ A Picturesque Life)

September 7: The Beauty of (free)

     (Anna @ Little Soul, Big World)

September 14: The Beauty of Autumn

     (Ashley @ twentysixcats.com)

September 21: The Beauty of Discipline

     (Blair @ Scribblings by Blair)

September 28:  The Beauty of Hope

     (Sara @ Stones of Remembrance)

Oct 5: The Beauty of Love by Amanda
Oct 12: The Beauty of Joy by Vicki
Oct 19: The Beauty of Peace by Sara
Oct 26: The Beauty of Patience by Ellen

Nov 2: The Beauty of Kindness by OPEN
Nov 9: The Beauty of Goodness by Blair
Nov 16: The Beauty of Faithfulness by Sara
Nov 23: The Beauty of Gentleness by Susanna
Nov 30: The Beauty of Self-Control by OPEN

Dec 7: The Beauty of Praise by Sara
Dec 14: The Beauty of Tradition by Ellen
Dec 21: CoB Takes a break
Dec 28: The Beauty of This Year by Susanna

 

The hostess will announce the Carnival pieces on Friday.  Your entry should be a newly written piece, published the week of the Carnival.

Although the goal is about promoting the beauty of Christ, the piece
does not have to be explicitly about Christ. It can be about family
matters, home life, children, marriage, creation, friendship, cooking,
homemaking, hobbies, etc. Anything that reflects the beauty of Christ
and fits the topic.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

How do I submit a piece to the Carnival?

Send an email to <carnival.of.beauty@gmail.com> with the following information:

1. Your first name

2. The name of your blog with the link

3. The name of your piece with the link

4. A brief one or two sentence description of your piece that will be in the listing of the Carnival submissions.

5. Send your submission on or before Thursday by the deadline the hostess sets.

What else do I have to do to participate?

1. On Friday, remind your readers that it is Carnival day and provide a link to that week’s hostess.



2. If you would like to use the Carnival of Beauty logo on your blog, feel free to do so. If you would link it back to this main Carnival of Beauty page, I would appreciate it.  If you would like a logo already coded, please email me.



3. You do not have to participate every week to be a part of the Carnival.  Submit pieces as you are able.



4. Feel free to join our Carnival of Beauty Google Group.  You can get email announcements about hosting and reminders of upcoming carnival info.

 
 
 
 

Subscribe to Carnival of Beauty

Email:

Visit this group

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How do I host a Carnival?

1. On Monday of the week you are hosting, please post a message that lets people know (a) you are hosting, (b) how to submit a post, (c) set the time deadline for when you stop accepting submissions on Thursday.  Also feel free to email the google group during the week to send a reminder about the CoB.



2. On Monday, please email me--amanda--and let me know which email address I should forward the Carnival.of.beauty@gmail.com emails too.



3. When you receive a submission, it is nice to let the blogger know you received her entry.



4. In the past, the CoB hostesses have listed the posts in the order received with their own post last.  Let's continue this tradition.



5. Feel free to adjust someone's description if needed; also, writing all entries in third person makes the CoB sound more consistent.



6. Also, please feel free to be creative and add your own personal touch to the CoB. 



7. If you have any questions about the appropriateness of a submission and/or
   blog/author, do not hesitate to contact me.



8. On Friday, publish the CoB! :)  Email the google group to let us all know that the CoB is up and ready to be read.

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Anything else?

1. Continue to send recommendations for topics as they come to mind.



2. It is nice if we take the time to leave a comment and thank the hostess each week.



3. Enjoy the beautiful writing we are all sure to discover!

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