Help me promote my book!

To all my precious friends out there who have read my book, Walking Forward, would you take 5 minutes and click on the link below and write a short review? This will help to get the word out even more about the book! I continue to hear from people how the book is impacting their hearts, minds and spirits, and it is very encouraging! Thanks sooooooo much for your help!

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Walking-Forward/Arden-J-Campbell/e/9781609575953/?itm=1&USRI=arden+campbell#customerReviewsTab

Where I am and what's up!

Boy, I used to blog so much more often before I got engaged! Ha ha ha!

Right now, I am sitting in the Exodus Cry Awareness Center in Grandview, MO. You can check them out at www.exoduscry.com I volunteer here for 3 hours a week, ready to answer questions for those who come in to learn about not only the history of human trafficking, but also what is going on currently in the world and what Exodus Cry is doing about it. Each time I walk in here, my heart begins to cry out for those women, children and even men, who are lured, duped and dragged into this insidious 'trade'. Human trafficking is second only to drug trafficking in money making world-wide. Praise God for those who cry out day and night for those enslaved and for those who are involved in the restoration and healing of those who are rescued!

I continue to hear good things about my book, Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness and the ways the Lord is using it to imact lives. Here is a recent testimony from a friend of mine who is mentoring a young lady:

The latest: "Arden, I was reading your book out loud to my son's girlfriend. She called me in hysterics and I suggested I read to her. Within 20 minutes of reading, she was completely calm." It's testimonies like this one that cause my heart to leap with joy, knowing the God of the universe is touching hearts through this message!

If you want to quicken your heart regarding forgiveness, healing, freedom in the Lord, you can get your copy of Walking Forward through me or at Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble or Xulon Press.

Wedding plans...churning along...it seems to be a never-ending process of doing this and that, and any of you who know me know that details are not my forte! Ha! I am loving it, though as it is stretching me, and in addition, Paul and I have begun premarital counseling classes! Fun!

Book writing: I am under the gun now to complete my second book: The Senders. I need to finish writing, editing and publishing it by the end of February! Whew! Why then? Well, I am part of a team called the John Four Group going to Johnson City, Texas to minister in a church there, and the team is putting together resources that people attending the symposium can take with them!

So, needless to say, I am busy! Loving it, though!

Fasting

Around these parts, meaning in the community of IHOP, they have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding fasting. Clearly, though, across the planet, the new year is often marked in Christian circles with some sort of season of fasting, and the expressions of that are as varied as the lengths of such fasts.

The Rock community, of which I am now a part, is communally engaged in a 21-day Daniel fast (or variations of it), and it's exciting to see how the Lord is changing and transforming people during this time. I, for example, am being wrecked, exposed, and I pray, transformed, but it is not a pretty sight. I am coming face to face with so much junk that still remains in my heart, from false props, to fears, to very twisted ways of thinking. A question I have been grappling with the Lord about the past 4 days or so is why am I ok when "X" is in need, but I'm not ok when "Y" is in need? Why am I quick to have an open hand and heart with "X" but not with "Y"? God is exposing some very, very deep issues in my heart, the root of which has not yet been exposed, or at the very least, I don't yet see or understand. It's clear there is something wrong with my thinking patterns, but the question remains, "what is the lie I am believing in that place or in those places?" Once the lie or lies are uncovered, then God's truth can come in and I know I will walk in increasing freedom to love, show mercy, kindness, gentleness, joy and self-control.

So, fasting brings on a hunger in people, at least in me; a hunger for the deeper things of God, a hunger for change and transformation; a hunger for intimacy with God himself. Truly, in my case, because of the physical hunger, my openness to the Lord exposing all sorts of things in me is increasing! Bring it on, Lord!

TheKnot

Hey friends, click on the link below to see our wedding website...a work in progress...and hear the story! :-)

TheKnot

Catching up

Our friend, Mano, took engagement pictures at Crown Center in Kansas City. Here are just a couple of them!

My apologies to regular blog readers...all two of you out there....ha ha ha! I've been busy since the beginning of November...and it seems life grows increasingly busy. However, that is no excuse--we are the ones who make choices to stay in the place of busy-ness, or to slow things down with a very simple word: "No." :-)

So, as you know, I travelled to Hungary and Romania at the beginning of November, which was a tremendous blessing! I loved seeing friends and ministering, and planning a big party sometime in the future for my to-be-hubby Paul and me! Thanks to all of you who have said you would do that for us! :-) We look forward to video-taping our wedding and bringing that with us to show everyone!

Upon my arrival home on November 20th, my then boyfriend, Paul, completely surprised me with roses, home-cooked dinner and a marriage proposal, followed by a romantic cruise on Brush Creek in Kansas City! Since that day, we have visited Chicago and much of his family, he has attended a men's retreat in Wyoming, we have found a wedding venue, Loose Mansion in Kansas City, MO, and I have bought my dress! We have visited my parents in Arizona and Paul got to meet them and one of my brothers and his family...the other two will meet him at the wedding, May 1st! :-)

In addition, we have visited all the house churches at The Rock and have settled on one of them. I am excited to have that family in addition to all the precious family I have here at IHOP. Melding two lives has its challenges as we both have a zillion friends and we are excited for the other to meet ALL of our friends...and of course we are finding that we will have to trust the Lord to lead us to those people into whom we are to pour and those who will pour into us in this next season!

Of course on top of all this meeting people, organizing things, celebrating the holidays, Paul has been working one full-time job and is now moving into a different job as well as completing classes for teaching certification. He will be doing his student teaching in the fall...oh memories of those days! I am working part-time as well and serving in ministry here in Kansas City, so we are quite a busy pair. This is very good on many levels and presents challenges as we try to find quality time together. I'm so thankful that each of us is very flexible, and because our foci is the Lord first and each other second, much grace abounds in all arenas! :-)

All this to say, I am excited for this upcoming season in my life, and the upcoming season in OUR lives. I know I have neglected many of you in personal communication, and I ask for your forgiveness.

At some point I am going to write a blog about "our story" (Paul's and mine) as it is really quite amazing and a tapestry of the Father Himself! For now, please keep us in your prayers as we prepare for our May 1st wedding!

Happy New Year!

I cannot think of a better way to ring in the new year than with my wonderful fiance, Paul Czaszewicz and 28,000+ people worshipping the Lord together!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

MAY THE GOD OF ALL PROSPERITY

AND PEACE GRANT YOU EVERYTHING

YOU NEED FROM HIS NEVER-ENDING STOREHOUSE!

Party pix and engagement pix

Paul and me at Crown Center.

Last hurrah with Donna and Tom Cole...they head to Hawaii to join YWAM in early January, and will be sorely missed here!

I remembered that when I first moved to KC, one of the first outings I had in a group was with Scott and Marcie Adams and Tom and Donna Cole...so, things have come full circle with the added blessing of Paul!

It's been a BUSY season, and I am quickly posting before I leave for the Christmas holiday!

Christmas Letter

Merry Christmas and Ministry Update!

Here is wishing you an amazing Christmas season, filled with the JOY that only Jesus can give!

Quick ministry update: In November, I travelled to Hungary and Romania for both a friendly visit and a ministry trip! It was fabulous to see so many good friends, eat a lot of great food and be able to give away a slew of copies of my book, Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness to many non-believers as well as believers! Pray that the Lord uses it to draw many to Himself! I also gave away copies of a wonderful tool called Adoration Prayer Book put out by Deeper Waters Ministry here in Kansas City. Again, please ask the Lord to bless this profound but simple tool! (Let me know if you would like to get a copy of either of these books!)


Some significant highlights of that trip include:

Ministering in four different venues through teaching the Word of God, receiving and giving prophetic words of love, encouragement and comfort, and praying with and for people. I am so thankful for all the open doors the Lord provided for ministry. One very significant story I want to share: My dear brother in the Lord, Bela, transformed some of his crop-land into a Christian ministry "tent" that will hold about 200 people very easily for gatherings! I asked Bela how the "sacrifice" of his crop-land space had impacted the amount he harvested this year, and his response is such an incredible testimony to the Lord's faithfulness: "I got MORE from 80 plants than my neighbors got from 200 plants!" Hallelujah!


Meeting with, laughing with, encouraging and praying for my former 30-somethings gals, Eszter, Gabi and Anita! I was blessed to see Anita's newest baby, a girl, Petra, as well!

Enjoying one-on-one and group gatherings with old friends and colleagues.

Being able to "introduce" my Hungarian "family" to my now fiance, Paul Czaszewicz (pronounced Chazwick) via a video Paul and I recorded before I left for Hungary!

All I can say is THANK YOU for your continued prayers and partnership with me in ministry! I look forward to our continued partnership in 2011, as the Lord is already opening doors for possible ministry opportunities:


Potential trip to minister with a team going to Mexico in February.
Potential trip to minister with a team going to Texas in March.

Please keep these in prayer as well as all the planning for my wedding, which will take place either April 30 or May 1.

One last note: Have you finished your Christmas shopping? If not, visit my online shopping website, where YOU can receive rebates for selected purchases you make from this site:

https://shop.ytb.com/default.aspx?ytbid=899070


In addition, if you want your OWN FREE SHOPPING WEBSITE...no strings attached...so you can get more rebates when you and other people shop on YOUR site, let me know! It's FREE and requires ZERO maintenance! May the great Immanuel, Prince of Peace, bless you and keep you this season and into 2011!

With much love and thankfulness for you, in Jesus,Arden

All I can say is....BUSY!

I have had one of the busiest weeks of my life I think! Whew! I should be in bed now because I am completely exhausted and I have a 9:30 appt. to go see yet one more wedding/reception venue. I am enjoying the process, but it is tiring and because many places are already full/booked, it's challenging. In fact, we may have to change our date by one day...but that could actually end up being a good thing in the end. :-)

So, amidst the planning, there's also the preparation of the bride and groom and all that fun pre-marital stuff you have to work through. It still feels really surreal most of the time...but very fun!!!

My book, Walking Forward

Even though I have a separate blog for my book, Walking Forward - Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness, I want to print the latest feedback I got from a friend here as well:

"The chapters on Locked Doors and Stillness cut straight to the core of my heart!"

I continue to ask the Lord to bless this book, get it into the hands of those He wants to read it, and set people free through reading it! Join me in praying these things!

Loss of a friend

Syble and Ed Courtney (Ed is on the far right).

We received sad news yesterday. A dear and precious brother in the Lord, Ed Courtney, went home to be with Jesus after suffering a heart attack.

You know, as a follower of Jesus, the reality is this: Ed's passing is a tragic loss for his wife, family and friends; for him, it is the most glorious transition one could ever experience! As He now looks on His Lord and Savior, face to face, eye to eye, knowing the perfect love and peace that he spoke about all the days of his life in absolute perfection now.

And so, there is joy in the midst of sorrow--yes, one of the greatest paradoxes of our existences as children of God.

We will miss you Ed, but our missing is truly, at the heart of it, simply a longing for the home where you have arrived ahead of us!

Chicago for Thanksgiving

Diane, Paul's sister, Uncle Pete, and Paul.

Ah, chilly Lake Michigan!

Paul and his sis, Diane.

Paul and sister Beth.

It was a chilly Thanksgiving in Chicago-land, but Paul and I had a great time as I got to meet his family and some of his friends!

Big news!

I remember years ago when I was in my mid 20s, sitting in a kitchen in Cobham, VA with some friends, talking with a single missionary woman who was in her late 40s or early 50s at that time. My friend asked her point-blank:

"Do you ever wish you were married?"

I've never forgotten her response:

"EVERYDAY! But today I am single and and the Lord has given me His grace for today!"

I can't tell you how many times I've recalled that conversation in that kitchen and pressed into the grace of God during my 46+ years of singleness, counting every day joy, even amidst the struggles that accompany being single, recognizing the AMAZING life I've been graced to live as a single missionary, able to serve in ways and places that only a single person could!

That season is coming to an end...again, by the grace of God...as HE has brought a mighty man of God into my life and heart and this past Saturday night, Paul Czaszewicz (pronounced Chazwick in English) asked me to be his wife, his Mrs. Chaz!

I probably should have clued in when Paul arrived at the airport to pick me up after my 17-hour journey from Hungary home to Kansas City presenting me with a dozen red roses, but somehow, I remained clueless! Another clue should have been the tablecloth, cloth napkins and wine goblets on his table and sweet music playing in the background while he served me a wonderful dinner he had cooked. It wasn't until he had me read a letter he had written to my parents that I began to awaken to the reality that he was about to pop the question! Of course I said YES, and then we made our way to downtown Kansas City, to Brush Creek where he had arranged for a romantic boat ride, complete with a long-stemmed red rose, sparkling cider, chocolates and a message in a bottle which he plucked out of the water, I opened, read and was brought to tears.

There's so much I could say about my Chaz...but for now, I'm simply relishing the moment and thanking God for bringing this mighty man of God into my life to walk out the rest of our days together, loving Him, each other, and all those whom He brings into our lives!

Oh, the single missionary woman I met in the kitchen years ago? I heard a number of years ago that she too met a wonderful man when she was about 55 and happily married! Ladies, it's never too late, and well worth the wait!

Quick recap of trip to central europe

Bea, Arden, Bela, Dori, Regina and Eszter in the Szoreg "Tent of Meeting"!


Pizza party with former English teacher colleagues in Szeged, Hungary!




Worshipping together in the Budapest, Hungary Prayer Room!

This blog entry will be very quick...mainly because I am sooooooooo tired and am heading off for my first nap of the day after travelling 19 hours yesterday and the day before...well, whenever it was that I actually left Hungary! ha!

God sooooooooooooo blessed my time in both Hungary and Ukraine! I realized early on that going for 10 days was far too short a time as I did not get to see many friends (you tend to build a lot of friendships when you stay someplace for 11 years!), and even those I saw, the few hours we got together flew by! That said, the Lord really blessed the time and both meeting friends and being blessed with numerous opportunities to minister to and pray for people made this trip an absolute BLAST!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who made the trip possible! My faithful supporters, my wonderful friends in Hungary and Romania who hosted, housed and fed me, and my friends in KC who looked after my cats and house!

I am especially excited to see how God waters His seeds planted in both Romania and in Hungary, specifically in Szeged and Szoreg, and in the Budapest Prayer Room and their ministry school! Please pray that God would continue to water and grow all those seeds!

I received soooooooooo much love and encouragement from individuals and had so much fun catching up with people! I was able to give away lots of my books (Walking Forward-Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness), as well as Adoration Prayer Books (by Bob Hartley) and Pure Heart (by Tom and Donna Cole). Again, pray these tools will be used by the Father to bring people into His heart of love!

More pictures to come later.......now I'm off to bed for my first nap of the "day-after travel!"

Some pix from Romania and Hungary

As I continue to serve with Christian Educators Outreach (www.ceokids.org) and team with other ministries, God is lifted up and glorified, Holy Spirit sets them free, and we pray His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

This is Mary Jill Callery, Arden Campbell, Jackie Ramsey and Cathy Williamson in Romania.



International Christian Fellowship in Szeged, Hungary, started in 2007 and has evolved into a house church type of gathering, with food, fellowship and discussion of the Truths of God.




Two of my long-time friends, Kati Engi and Maria Jakucs, both English teachers at Deak Ferenc Gimnazium in Szeged, Hungary.




Mary Jill Callery and Cathy Williamson in Szeged at ICF.

Two of my precious friends, Barbara Bikadi Kis, and Larisa Zamboni, enjoying and evening of laughter and catching up at Barb's house!

From Hungary with love!

Full days and nights are keeping me on the run here in Hungary for this very short visit. I'm having a blast reconnecting with people, realizing I've lost very little of my Hungarian (which motivates me to keep it fresh!), and I look forward to the next visit, whenever the Lord opens that door!

Thus far, since arriving in europe, I have travelled by train, car, bike, trolley, and on foot. Ya gotta love europeans. I've met over 50 "old" friends and met a slew of new friends, and have enjoyed some very typical Hungarian dishes!

God is so good to bless me in this way...and I still have 3 full days ahead of me!

I'm leaving on a jet plane....

I was chuckling at the prayer meeting this morning at Deeper Waters as we finished off the morning by standing and singing, "I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again." Ha! I am literally leaving tomorrow for Hungary, with a jaunt into Romania as well! I cannot WAIT to see my friends, whom I miss terribly! Now I wish I'd planned a month trip...alas....

I'll try to post, but no promises...people are a bit more important than blogging! I would love your prayers as I know the Lord is going to release much!

From 30-somethings to 30 and 40-somethings

As we four sat and stretched out legs out on a wonderful ottoman that held all four pairs of legs and feet, I was struck by the goodness of God. For nine years in Hungary, I met with three precious women and we studied books, the Bible, we prayed with and for each other and our families, and we loved the Lord and each other.

16 months ago, I moved to Kansas City, leaving behind those precious friends (physically, not emotionally by any means); last month, a dear friend here suggested four of us get together to read and discuss a book together, pray with and for each other and our families, love the Lord and each other.

This is a precious kiss from the Lord for me to have a very different group of gals than those in Hungary, but so very similar in hearts' desires, to sit, drink tea with, and explore the deep things of God together!

In Hungary, it was the 30-somethings...with me the token 40-something. Here in the U.S., it's the 40-somethings with a token 30-something. I feel like the Lord is saying, "Location is unimportant; bloom where I plant you, enjoy the love that I bring into your life through fellow sojourners on this journey toward being loved by God and loving Him back."

With both groups, it took intentionality to make it happen. The fruit is worth every effort.

Movie

If you haven't seen it yet, go see "Secretariat"! Fabulous film on many levels, and it's clean! Faith produces perseverance, perseverance hope, and hope does not disappoint!

The heart of Big Red...oh that I would have such a heart for the Lord Himself and things of the Lord! Secretariat was created to RUN...we are created to love God and love others....that we would RUN in those commandments the way Secretariat runs that final race in the movie (sorry if I ruin it for anyone), truly nothing would be impossible because it would be 100% Christ IN us, the hope of glory!

Does prayer work? I think so!

I am currently doing research on human trafficking with Exodus Cry. I'm also leading an hour-long prayer focus on Wednesdays where we pray for the Lord to stop human trafficking, specifically in Eastern Europe. During the month of October, there has been a recurring emphasis on Romania...various people in our group continued to come back to this nation (along with other nations), but today, I was floored by something I read.

In my research this week on human trafficking in Romania, I came across an article about a MAJOR bust of a child-trafficking ring out of Romania, trafficking children into the UK, which occurred in October!!!

God pretty much blows me away with His goodness and His reminders that He does indeed answer prayer!