The Journey - St. Louis

Amy Mattia

Education
I have a Bachelor's degree in Secondary English Education from University of Missouri, Columbia. After teaching High school for 4 years, I began attending Covenant Seminary where I received a Master's Degree in Theological Studies. This summer I began on final year at Covenant to complete my Master's in Counseling. I hope to graduate in May 2010.
Family
I married Nathan 8 years ago. We moved to St. Louis 7 years ago. In November of 2007 we welcomed Emerson Anthony, our son, to the family.

What is your favorite bible verse?
Hebrews 12:1-3. The entire book of Hebrews is great, but these verses in particular encourage me and keep me focused on the big picture.
What is following Jesus like these days?
Since I've let Christ into my life, I have experienced many difficult things, and I have no doubt that if I did not have my faith to hold onto, as well as a strong community to help, those things would have crushed me. I still struggle to let Jesus keep the reigns it took me so long to give over, and I am daily confronted with my own sinfulness and shortcomings, but I have a deep hope that keeps me going.
How long have you been at The Journey?
Nathan I joined the core team of The Journey in the summer before launch. So, about 7 years.
What ministry are you involved in?
I have been on staff for close to 4 years, and before that I served as an intern. I serve in Journey Kids at my campus, and I am a practicum student for Karis House.
What is hard and/or good about serving at The Journey?
Serving at The Journey has really been one of the greatest experiences of my life. To see God at work so powerfully is a gift and honor for me. I'm constantly amazed that God allows me to be a part of it. Of course, it is also difficult. There is weight that comes with it that can be overwhelming. I'm daily touched by brokenness in the world and in my self.

Books: 1. Mansfield Park, Jane Austen--When I first read Jane Austen, my love for literature was ignited. This is one of the few novels I've read multiple times. 2. The Last Battle, CS Lewis--One can never go wrong with Lewis. 3. Harry Potter, JK Rowling--This is a classic of our time 4. The Time Traveler's Wife, Audrey Niffenegger--Skip the confusing movie and read the book. 5. One Hundred Years of Solitude, Garcia Marquez--A beautiful, heart wrenching story.
Bands: I love going to shows. It would be impossible to name all of my favorites. But here are a few, in no particular order. 1. Radiohead--They were on my list of bands to see before I die, and I'm so glad I did. Normally I am not a fan of seeing shows at ampitheaters, but it was worth it for Radiohead. here is a link to my favorite song of the show. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRaxXxvu3g0 2. Damien Rice--This guy is amazing live. Easily in my top five shows of all time. 3. Devotchka--I've seen them a couple of times and they never disappoint. 4. Kings of Leon-- A fantastic rock show. I saw them after their 2nd album came out. It made me a fan. 5. Sufjan Stevens---Both times I saw him I was blown away.

What was your first job? My very first job was doing phone surveys for a candidate running for State Representative in my district.
What three things can you remember being invented in your life which people today take for granted? 1. The internet (thanks Al Gore) 2. Cell Phones 3. CD players. I started out with cassettes.
Where did you grow up? I grew up in Southwest Missouri. I did a lot of farm work. I also taught myself to stand on my head when I was 5. The country is such an exciting place to live.