Emily Brumbelow (Winter 2025)

Dearest Supporters, 

I pray this newsletter finds you well and that you grow more in the Lord this new year. 

HOLIDAYS:

I was so thankful to travel to Georgia and Minnesota for Christmas and New Years! I spent Christmas with my family in GA and it was lovely to be with them. We spent a lot of time resting, watching classic Christmas movies, and eating lots of good food. It was a refreshing time for sure.

On December 30th, I traveled to MN to visit my best friend and her family. MN truly is a second home to me, and it is always so good to visit. There was LOTS of freezing weather, but no snow this visit. I felt both sad and a little happy about that fact! I made my trip back to FL on January 4th and jumped back into work on the 7th. What a blessing it was to have that time off, praise the Lord!

WORK, SCHOOL, MINISTRY TRIPS, & MORE:

On January 7th, we started back to work as usual, and the Sojourner students began their winter term. I was so happy to welcome two new students, bringing our total to 16 students! They’re all doing well, and I’m so thankful to have them here. The students and the ministry of Sojourner brings me much joy!

Not too long into our first week, the students, myself, and a fellow staff member, Trey, did a ministry trip within FL. This was the same trip planned for this past October, which had to be rescheduled due to the hurricane. We spent four days in Lake Wales, FL at a ministry called HEART Village. What a blessing this was! The students learned about sustainable agriculture, caring for animals, and hunger education. This was definitely an eye-opening experience for us all. Even when you’ve been a missionary for several years and have seen all levels of poverty, it’s a sobering reminder of just how good I have it. We also talked about practical ways to be a resource and help people in need. This was also a wonderful experience as I got to spend more one-on-one time with the students. I don’t always get that opportunity, so I was thankful. After our trip, we’ve been back to normal here and I’ve been staying busy!

I’m still helping in finance, but as I mentioned in my last update, Delaynie has taken on a lot of that work. She’s continuing to learn and train, so prayers are appreciated as I train her and help her learn even more about our department. 

Sojourner is going well as mentioned above. The school is growing and there’s continued interest from different applicants. Praise! I’m also working with our current interns around the world, and with our second-year students as they prepare and fundraise for their internships beginning in September of this year. It’s a lot to remember and juggle, but I truly enjoy it. 

The winter term will finish at the end of March, and our spring term will start after that. I’m planning to teach again, and I’m so excited. I haven’t taught in Sojourner since last winter, so I’m really thankful to be doing it again. I’m planning to teach Missions 1 (history of missions), which I haven’t taught before. I appreciate your prayers as I plan for this class! 

WHAT ABOUT THE SUMMER?

Summer is fast approaching! It’s hard to believe it’s already January 2025! The staff and students of TMI are working hard as we prepare for our summer teams and the ministries they will do around the world. It’s always an exciting time as we begin to get team members and leaders placed on teams and see their faces in our Prayer Closet. As of the writing of this newsletter, I’m not assigned to lead a summer team. This is definitely going to be a new experience for me. I’ve been on a team and overseas every year since 2011 (apart from 2020 COVID year)! 

To be honest, I’m a little sad, but looking expectantly to what the Lord will do as I’m staying back in Florida this summer. At TMI, we always need staff and students that are assigned to what we affectionately call the “Launch Team”. This group of people help to run Boot Camp (10-day training time), oversee the international travel of the 16 teams, answer phone calls all hours of the day and night, interface with parents, be a help to the leaders and missionaries, run the Debriefs, and LOTS of other behind the scenes things to make the summer program a possibility! I appreciate your prayers concerning this. Pray for peace and contentment, and that I would be willing to be used by the Lord wherever I am. 

FINANCIAL SUPPORT:

Praise the Lord! I have seen an increase in financial support and more committed monthly supporters to help meet my budget since my last newsletter. I’m so thankful! Thank you to those who have supported financially, and those who support through prayer and encouragement. I’m still praying for more monthly supporters, as I have not reached my goal. If you or someone you know is interested in partnering with me through the ministry of Teen Missions, please follow this link: https://teenmissions.org/missionary/brumbelow, or reach out to me directly at [email protected].

WHAT HAS THE LORD BEEN TEACHING ME?

A LOT! This season of life has been very sweet, but also very convicting. The Lord continues to show me areas of my heart that need ‘pruning’, “every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” John 15:2.

Without the Lord, and His Holy Spirit, I would not see these areas and be able to make any changes. This process of sanctification is beautiful, but hard. 

However, the more time I spend in Scripture, the more and more I see we as Christians are truly called to be holy as He is, “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16. 

May this be an encouragement to you reading this. What areas of your heart and life is the Lord ‘pruning’? What areas do you need to conform to His will and the sanctification process? Are there areas where you are not “being holy, as He is holy”? 

I’m constantly encouraged by 1 Thessalonians 5:24, “He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” Praise Him! He is faithful, and He will surely do it. 

PRAYER REQUESTS:

• Pray that I would continue growing in my walk with the Lord.
• Pray for my financial support to be sufficient for my needs.
• Pray for my 16 students and five interns around the world—for their spiritual growth, good health, safety, and encouragement in the Lord!
• Pray for the ministries of TMI around the world, and all the staff and students serving. May they be encouraged in the work of the Lord.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this update! Please see the attached prayer cards I made for you as you partner with me!

Many blessings and LOTS of love,