The Trip

Happy New Year!!  My best friend Cheree and I have officially begun our road trip to Nashville!

We left Portland on Sunday morning and made it to my dear friends, Lance & Bekah's, house in Oakley, California that night around 1:00am.  We left Monday morning for Buckeye, Arizona where a great surprise awaited Cheree (but I'll tell you about that later) :)

The LORD has been so gracious to us on our trip.  We haven't had any significant car problems (just some smoking from oil leaking onto the exhaust pipe) and there have been a couple "moments" along the way that have been sweet gifts from Jesus.  The first was a clear black sky full of brilliant stars & constellations.  We pulled over at a dark (ie. sketchy!) rest stop in southeastern California to absorb the full effect.  Absolutely amazing.  We felt small & in awe of our Great God who put every star in the sky & knows them by name.  And the other sweet gift was an unexpected & sweet time of worship in the car.  We were listening to a few of our fave's:  Brandon Heath, Tim Hughes & Brian Cheney.  The song "Arise My Soul, Arise" came on (Brian Cheney style) and by the 4th verse, I suddenly burst into tears of thankfulness & praise to my Amazing Savior.  Cheree soon followed and we offered up songs of worship to Jesus right there in the car.  It was such a gift...such a moment.

Now...about that surprise... :)  On Christmas Day, I told Cheree that I had a surprise for her, somewhere between Portland and Nashville.  She seemed curious, but probably didn't think too much of it.  Well...the surprise was this:  we weren't just staying at some random person's house in Arizona.  We were staying at a dear friend's parents' house...and that dear friend (who's been living in Australia for the past 7 months) was waiting for us inside!! :)  The LORD is so good.  He's given us 5 days to spend with Andrea Laurita...to enjoy the deep love & friendship we all share.  It is a gift to us all.  Thank You, Jesus!!!

I'm thankful to the LORD for all of you who are reading this, walking with me on this journey & praying for me as Jesus puts me on your heart.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!  He is a good & loving Father.

January 3rd, we head to Texas.

January 4th, we make our way to Arkansas.

January 5th...we pull into Nashville, Tennessee!!!

This is a GREAT Adventure! :)

Amber's EP :)

Hi! :)

I've released a 5 song EP (Extended Play) of just me & the piano, singin' a few of my favorite worship songs. It's only $5.00! Would you like one? If you live anywhere other than Nashville ;) then this is how it works:

Send $7.00 to the address below, along with your mailing address...and I'll mail you an EP! :)

Amber Dawn Wilson

P.O. Box 41355

Nashville, TN 37204-1355

Thank you for your support & friendship!! :)

What a GREAT Papa!

Our good & loving Father has provided a place for me to live in Nashville!!  He answered every one of my prayers, down to the smallest detail (I had been asking for some pretty specific things re: my living situation).  He is SO good!!! :)

THE STORY IN A NUTSHELL :::

A co-worker of mine told her friend in Nashville that I was moving soon...and "did she know of anyone who might be looking for a roommate or is renting out a room?"  Her friend emailed me the next day with a list of names!!  I was SO encouraged.  So I emailed every person, continued to pray and just waited to see how the LORD would direct.  I soon heard back from a gal who had a furnished bedroom for me to rent!!  Amazing!!  I'll be living with her & her roommate (about 5 minutes away from downtown Nashville).

Thank You, Jesus!! :)  You continue to encourage me & build confidence that this is where You want me.  SO EXCITING!!!!

Now I just need a job...  ;)

nashville.

"Nashville.”
It’s the word that’s been on my heart for a little over a year now…and it’s where I’m moving to, just 2 days after Christmas.

This past year, the LORD has confirmed over & over that He is leading me to Nashville, Tennessee. It started as a simple word in my heart back in October 2007: Nashville. I brushed it off & attributed it to “my flesh” because…hello…”Music City?” Yyyyyeah…that’s a no brainer. But in February 2008, I committed (quite fervently) to the LORD that I would pursue Him on an Adventure. I strongly sensed Him urging my heart to trust Him radically, to pursue Him whole-heartedly and to take some risks. I had NO idea what that pursuit would look like (hmm…sounds like faith to me) ;) so…I prayed for opportunities.

Two weeks later, I got a phone call from my friend, Betsy. She’d recently been talking to her sister & brother-in-law (The Freeman’s) who live in…hmm…Nashville :) and I came up in their conversation. Betsy told me that the Freeman’s wanted to invite me to do music ministry with them at a camp (JH Ranch) in California that summer. At this point, I was like, “Wwwhhhat?? They don’t even know me…and they’ve never even heard me sing!!!” but I just smiled, shook my head and had a gut feeling that the LORD was up to something…and He was :) He confirmed that California was, indeed, His idea…so I took a risk (and a 6 week leave of absence from my job at Multnomah University) to pursue the LORD on this first adventure.

The 6 weeks I served at JH Ranch were transformational. For about the first 3 weeks, I was pretty miserable. I was lonely, homesick, friend-less (I couldn’t make friends to save my LIFE!!) and I didn’t feel like myself. In hindsight, I see that the LORD (by His grace) intentionally stripped me of every comfort that summer: I didn't have friends, I didn’t have my reputation to rely on, my gifts, my personality…nothing. I only had HIM. And I came to a pretty ugly, but honest, breaking point where I told the LORD He just wasn’t enough for me. He gently spoke to my heart, “Well…then we have a problem, Amber Dawn.” Over the next few weeks, our kind & gracious LORD transferred His love from my head to the core of my heart…and He became my Friend. A dear Friend. Our relationship will never be the same because of it…and I am so grateful (I still get tears in my eyes telling this part. I love Him SO much!!!) :)

Anyway :) The LORD confirmed Nashville again at the Ranch. In a 24-hour period, 5 different people asked me the same question, almost verbatim: “Have you ever considered moving to Nashville?” I was like, “Uhhhh…yeah?” :) It was pretty funny. I thought, “Wow, LORD…wow. I’m listenin’!!” I declared to Him at the Ranch (whose slogan is “The Everlasting Adventure”) that I would continue to pursue Him on an Adventure and…gulp…move to Nashville. I had peace.

I took my first trip to Nashville in October 2008 to kinda “scope out the land.” Before I left, I prayed that I’d make some connections (I was concerned that I wouldn’t fit in as a northerner & that I wouldn’t have any friends. I know…I sound like a 7th grader) :) But the LORD is faithful to answer prayer, and I did make some pretty crazy connections (again, a lot of smiling, shaking my head & going, “LORD, You are somethin’ else!”) I stayed with the Freeman’s (whom I ministered with at JH Ranch) and met their neighbors the first night I arrived. Turns out…they moved to Nashville from Portland (mmm-hmm), the wife graduated from Multnomah (uhh…yeah), and they’re friends with my Pastor (who took over their college ministry when they moved to Nashville). Are you kidding me?!! I could go on and on with examples, but…ya catch my drift.

The next risk that awaited me when I got back to Portland was to resign from my wonderful job. Wooh…that was very hard. I'm not moving because I'm unhappy with my job. I LOVE my Multnomah Family!!! I’m moving because the LORD has captured my heart, urged me to dream again, and radically pursue Him on an Adventure…a Faith Adventure (that’s why I titled this “The Abraham Adventure”). I don’t have a job...I don’t even really know why I’m going to Nashville. But I do know that God has given me a voice to use for His glory, and I can’t sit behind my desk any longer. I have to go. I have to obey. I have to take risks. I have to pack my bags and trust Him. I have to follow Him. And...I want to. He is worthy to be trusted. He is worthy of being LORD over every part of our lives & hearts. He is worthy of praise…and my hope is to sing for His glory. I don’t want to be famous. I don’t want to be an entertainer. I want to be a minister of the Gospel thru music. So…as I walk on this journey and discover why the LORD has me in Nashville…I’ll let you know, too!! :)

This is a crazy time of life. I am not the adventurous type. I am the “I-Want-To-Know-The-Game-Plan-So-There-Aren’t-Any-Surprises-So-I-Don’t-Have-To-Trust-And-Take-Risks-And-Get-Hurt” kinda girl. Well…apparently, those days are over. The LORD has ruined me for the ordinary life. And I hope and pray that He ruins you, too.

Love the LORD with all your heart. Believe. Trust Him with the deep, important things in your heart. Take risks. Keep the faith.

I would be grateful for your prayers, as the LORD puts me on your heart.

this little blog of mine

I decided to start this Blog as a way of keeping my friends & family informed of what's goin' on in my life.  But more importantly, I wanted an outlet to publicly give testimony & thanks to the LORD for all that He's done and is doing in my life.  Presently, He has me on an Adventure.  It's the best kind of Adventure...it's an Adventure of Faith.

I hope and pray that the journal entries of THE ABRAHAM ADVENTURE encourage and strengthen your faith in the days to come.  Thank you for your prayers as I seek the LORD and take some risks.

Papa, I dedicate every word that I write on these pages to You.  Please use this little blog for Your glory and for the building up of Your people.  I love You and am honored to join You on this Great Adventure.