As a good friend of mine likes to say, "wisdom can be found anywhere". I discovered my piece of sound advice this week from a television show that my family and I watch devotedly every Thursday. Miranda. Bailey on Grey's Anatomy was talking to her boss, Webber, about the issue that was sitting heavy on her heart. She was explaining how her son just had his first day of kindergarten and she recounted the events that shook her spirit.
With her hand tightly clutched around his, she led him into the playground and watched as he took in the sights and sounds around him. As a mother, she expected - and rather hoped- that her tiny 5 year old would cling to her tightly, savoring the last few moments they had together before a new milestone was reached. She was crushed when instead, he took off running into the throng of excited children without as little as a glance backward. The sense of loss was crushing and she couldn't quite believe how so much can change in such a short period of time.
When Bailey finished her explanation, Webber looked directly at her and said, "You know what happens when someone who has been holding your hand for awhile finally lets go?" Her eyes began to well as she shook her head. "You get your hand back."
Much like Miranda, I have been feeling such a sense of loss and loneliness lately, and at first I couldn't figure out why. Then, after much reflection, I realized what it is: Africa is finally catching up to me, and I can no longer "busy my way out".
When I first got home in February, I threw myself into different activities - starting work, getting registered for school, taking summer classes, catching up with friends, spending time with family, dealing with relationship issues, etc. I never stopped to reflect on what I had just experienced and how it has changed me as a person. Part of me, to be honest, never wanted to stop and look back. It hurt too much. It still hurts too much. But I am realizing now, thanks to some very kind and patient friends and family, that I HAVE to look back. It is the only way I can heal, and the only way I can stop looking at my life now in comparison to the way it was back then. I need to let it go. I need to get my hand back.
So here goes, friends. Prepare for a lot of new posts. I have much to figure out and writing helps me do that :) You help me do that :)
Always,
A Hungry Heart
This is my Puppy! His name is Milo and we just celebrated 6 years of life with him this past weekend. Yes, yet another glorious birthday to celebrate. No, we can never tire of eating cake!
Milo, however, is no ordinary dog. In fact, here's a list of why he really is just a little colorblind boy covered in fur, an integral part of our home, and the love of our lives. It is also a list of why my family may need therapy :)
1. The dog gets a cheesecake for his birthday. A really good one too. Not only that, but there was a candle and a moment of chaos where we attempted to seat him at the table to take a picture and have him make a wish.
2. He cannot be left alone in the house...not because he is a trouble maker but because he is spooooiled rotten. We as a family time our schedules of departure and arrival so that he never, ever has to be by himself in the big, scary house. Or we take him with us.
3. We have now narrowed down our options for dining out to dog-friendly locations only (see #2).
4. At said restaurants, the puppy gets a meal of his own. For instance, at our favorite Cuban place, he gets carne asada tacos (meat only of course); at a breakfast joint, he'll receive a toasted bagel with cream cheese (one of his favorites); and at a steak house, Milo will get the finest cut of meat. All of these things are usually fed to him on a fork.
5. He gets ALL of our left overs. If the dog can eat it, he can have it. I tried to protest this once because I wanted to save my meal for lunch the next day. I was obviously denied.
6. We buy like 50 lbs. of chicken a month for his daily meals. There are times I come home and I smell deliciousness wafting through the kitchen and I make my way over only to discover that in fact, it is all going to the dog.
7. When the dog is eating, no one is allowed to leave or make any sudden movements. It such a pivotal moment in the day that any little thing can ruin it. So shhhhhh!
8. After every walk, upon entering the house, Milo must have his paws, body, nose, ears, and....other body parts wiped down thoroughly with a few baby wipes. Every. Single. Time.
9. When in the car, he gets first choice to where he sits. Whether it is in the front, the back, on some one's lap, or on my chest as he tries to lean out the window, it's his. In fact, we have nicknamed the Volvo as "Milo's car".
10. At the ripe age of 42, Milo is having his mid-life crisis. So my uncle built him a new bed. It has a roof and posts, but no walls. We don't want to stifle his growth. It is beautifully painted and has the softest of cushions on the bottom. Only the best for the best, eh?
Anyone who knows my family knows that we have a 6 members: My aunt and uncle, my mom and grandma, me and Milo. Yep. That's how it is and that's how it always will be.
Happy Birthday, Puppy!
At just about midnight as I was nodding off, I took one final look around the room to see my two friends fast asleep and a sigh of contentment escaped my lips. I couldn't help but feel that all was right in the world as long as we had each other. Some may call that cheesy... I call that friendship. The three of us have changed and grown in so many different ways and in kind of opposite directions, but every time we get together there is ALWAYS a feeling of coming home. Sure, we do all of the things typical girlfriends love to do- we giggle...a lot..., we have tickle fights, we talk about boys, we eat junk food, we bake, we have sleepovers, get togethers, swim parties, barbecues, you name it, we have done it or plan to do it. But we are so much more than that. We love each other unconditionally, we fight, we grow, we move on, we learn from one another, we speak wisdom into each other's lives, and we encourage one another. We are family.
So today, I not only celebrate the birth of a friend 19 years ago, but I am celebrating the gift that she is to me. The gift that both my best friends are to me. Now let's go eat some cake :).
Always,
A Hungry Heart
Alright everyone, I would just like to clarify that my life isn't always a depressing bowl of sadness and seriousness. I promise! In fact, this weekend was so, so much fun. On Saturday, my crazy family decides to wake up at 6 in the morning to go to the flower market in Downtown. Now, normally on the weekends I like to sleep in till about noon, so that kind of wake up call was not exactly my cup of tea; however, there is no stopping my aunt when she is on a mission. Thus, we were up and looking at ferns, trees, flowers, and decorations by the time most of you were having your morning coffee. 2 main things resulted from this trip for me:
#1: I discovered that my favorite flower of all time - the peony- is basically rarely in season. That also means that when they are, they are quite expensive. Thus, my dream of having an entire chapel full of these babies lining every nook and cranny for my extravagant future wedding flew right out the window. Disappointing? I think yes...unless I marry a millionaire...hmmmm ;)
#2: I left the market looking for any excuse to buy hundreds and hundreds of flowers. Anyone having a party soon? A baby shower? Anything? Please....?
After that adventure, my family then decides to head home to rest in the beautifully air conditioned house while we veg on some television....NOT. We actually returned from walking for hours to then proceed to move the entire back yard around in the 100000 degree heat AND barbecue on the grill while we're at it. You will see as time goes on that my family who I love so, so much is really not so normal. In fact, we may be the farthest thing from it. But there is never a dull moment with us...never.
To continue, that night made it all worth it. At around 6 (pm this time), we went out to the Levitt's Pavilion in Pasadena for some free reggae! I have lived in Southern California my whole life and I have never known about the 50 free concerts that go on there every summer. Seriously....what the heck? It is such a cool place where you can bring your whole family to picnic, enjoy all kinds of music, and dance if you wish. We brought the yummiest sangria and casserole :) life really couldn't get any better than that. The best part, however, came when we were about to leave. We were all picking up our stuff and suddenly my aunt goes, "Guys, I think someone took my sandals". I busted out laughing. Ok, I am not heartless. I have to take you back a few years for you to understand why this is so funny to me. When I was around 8 years old, my aunt took me to Raging Waters. I had the coolest red flip flops that we bought specially in the Philippines on our last vacation. Well, as anyone who has been to a water park would know, you have to do something with your shoes when you go on the slides. My whole family put ours in the same place, hidden in the bushes and everything, creating a false illusion of security. When we came back from the Lazy River, mine were missing! Really? Who steals sandals?! Especially like a size 3 in kids....From that day on, my aunt has never let me live it down. All I can say is- Karma, you are my new best friend :P
Well, seeing as I am at work typing this and my fax is all done, I should probably get down to business again, eh? See you all next time.
Always,
A Hungry Heart
PS. These are peonies are their finest
#1: I discovered that my favorite flower of all time - the peony- is basically rarely in season. That also means that when they are, they are quite expensive. Thus, my dream of having an entire chapel full of these babies lining every nook and cranny for my extravagant future wedding flew right out the window. Disappointing? I think yes...unless I marry a millionaire...hmmmm ;)
#2: I left the market looking for any excuse to buy hundreds and hundreds of flowers. Anyone having a party soon? A baby shower? Anything? Please....?
After that adventure, my family then decides to head home to rest in the beautifully air conditioned house while we veg on some television....NOT. We actually returned from walking for hours to then proceed to move the entire back yard around in the 100000 degree heat AND barbecue on the grill while we're at it. You will see as time goes on that my family who I love so, so much is really not so normal. In fact, we may be the farthest thing from it. But there is never a dull moment with us...never.
To continue, that night made it all worth it. At around 6 (pm this time), we went out to the Levitt's Pavilion in Pasadena for some free reggae! I have lived in Southern California my whole life and I have never known about the 50 free concerts that go on there every summer. Seriously....what the heck? It is such a cool place where you can bring your whole family to picnic, enjoy all kinds of music, and dance if you wish. We brought the yummiest sangria and casserole :) life really couldn't get any better than that. The best part, however, came when we were about to leave. We were all picking up our stuff and suddenly my aunt goes, "Guys, I think someone took my sandals". I busted out laughing. Ok, I am not heartless. I have to take you back a few years for you to understand why this is so funny to me. When I was around 8 years old, my aunt took me to Raging Waters. I had the coolest red flip flops that we bought specially in the Philippines on our last vacation. Well, as anyone who has been to a water park would know, you have to do something with your shoes when you go on the slides. My whole family put ours in the same place, hidden in the bushes and everything, creating a false illusion of security. When we came back from the Lazy River, mine were missing! Really? Who steals sandals?! Especially like a size 3 in kids....From that day on, my aunt has never let me live it down. All I can say is- Karma, you are my new best friend :P
Well, seeing as I am at work typing this and my fax is all done, I should probably get down to business again, eh? See you all next time.
Always,
A Hungry Heart
PS. These are peonies are their finest
Sometimes life sucks. Period. Full stop. Sometimes life is like this train that has been derailed and no one can do anything to stop it - no kind words, no acts of pity, no motions of sympathy...and it is tough. You wrestle. Every moment is like a struggle to get your bearings and to realize that the world is not in fact crumbling before you. That was my life for a few months.
At the top of summer, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is still so weird for me to say that even now, and yet I know acceptance is part of the healing process. She went in for a routine mammogram and came out with an appointment for a biopsy because they had a found a small lump that needed examination. My family and I did our best to remain calm and not jump to conclusions, but our minds raced to the worst. Little did we know that we were all about to embark into a deep valley that would change us forever.
I remember the very moment when my sweet mama called me to let me know that the biopsy results came back positive for cancer. It was my first day of life group and I was sitting in my car waiting for a friend. My phone rang and I almost didn't answer, but something inside compelled me to....the moment I heard her voice choked with tears, it was all confirmed. I couldn't stop shaking, but my mind went into auto pilot and I continued on with the rest of my day. However, that was just the tip of the ice berg. From there my mom underwent appointment after appointment which eventually led to an MRI that showed yet another lump. That meant another biopsy. This one was so, so much worse and she was even rushed to the emergency room because of the amount of pain and swelling she was experiencing. It was there, in the middle of all that chaos, that I grew up. I know it sounds silly; I am 19 years old....I spent 5 months in Africa...I should be able to man up and handle all of this with grace and poise. Well, I didn't. You know what I did? I talked to doctors, kept track of medical records, did research, went to pretty much every building that Kaiser has on Sunset with my mom, prayed with my grandma, reasoned through the logic with my aunt, sent out updates to the community of people that surrounded us, and then....I cried. Every night. Even as I write this, the sense of loneliness and confusion swirl up around me and I can't do anything else but cry. People who promised to be there through thick and thin walked out, and I had no choice but to grow.
But the good new is...there is light at the end of every tunnel. It may sound cliche but it is Truth. My mom is now cancer free! She underwent a mastectomy and now has to take hormone-blocking pills every day, but she is CANCER FREE :). No chemo therapy or radiation needed. She is free. We are free. I am free. See, yes, there are times when nothing hurts more than getting up in the morning and having to face the rest of your day. But those times will end. A lot of people chose to walk away from my life, but so many others chose to walk in, and for that, I can't help but be thankful.
I'm not saying that now everything is all sunshine and roses. Not even close! There are days when I miss those that are gone. There are days when my mom looks in the mirror and cries. There are days when all of the faith that my family had during those rough weeks go flying out the window and we struggle to see the hand of God in our current struggle. But then there are the good days. There are days when I sit with my best friends and laugh for hours. There are days when my mom talks excitedly about going back to school. There are days when my family sits together and does nothing but enjoy the fact that we have each other. Those are priceless.
Whatever you're going though, recognize that yes, it sucks. Yes, you might cry...a lot. Yes, there might not be anything you or anyone can really do about it right now but pray...and sometimes, to be honest, that doesn't even help. But also recognize that you are growing! Know that one day, when all of this is behind you, you will look back and see just how far you've come. I do it all the time, and it makes me excited to keep going. There is hope for you and me yet ;)
Always,
A Hungry Heart
At the top of summer, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. It is still so weird for me to say that even now, and yet I know acceptance is part of the healing process. She went in for a routine mammogram and came out with an appointment for a biopsy because they had a found a small lump that needed examination. My family and I did our best to remain calm and not jump to conclusions, but our minds raced to the worst. Little did we know that we were all about to embark into a deep valley that would change us forever.
I remember the very moment when my sweet mama called me to let me know that the biopsy results came back positive for cancer. It was my first day of life group and I was sitting in my car waiting for a friend. My phone rang and I almost didn't answer, but something inside compelled me to....the moment I heard her voice choked with tears, it was all confirmed. I couldn't stop shaking, but my mind went into auto pilot and I continued on with the rest of my day. However, that was just the tip of the ice berg. From there my mom underwent appointment after appointment which eventually led to an MRI that showed yet another lump. That meant another biopsy. This one was so, so much worse and she was even rushed to the emergency room because of the amount of pain and swelling she was experiencing. It was there, in the middle of all that chaos, that I grew up. I know it sounds silly; I am 19 years old....I spent 5 months in Africa...I should be able to man up and handle all of this with grace and poise. Well, I didn't. You know what I did? I talked to doctors, kept track of medical records, did research, went to pretty much every building that Kaiser has on Sunset with my mom, prayed with my grandma, reasoned through the logic with my aunt, sent out updates to the community of people that surrounded us, and then....I cried. Every night. Even as I write this, the sense of loneliness and confusion swirl up around me and I can't do anything else but cry. People who promised to be there through thick and thin walked out, and I had no choice but to grow.
But the good new is...there is light at the end of every tunnel. It may sound cliche but it is Truth. My mom is now cancer free! She underwent a mastectomy and now has to take hormone-blocking pills every day, but she is CANCER FREE :). No chemo therapy or radiation needed. She is free. We are free. I am free. See, yes, there are times when nothing hurts more than getting up in the morning and having to face the rest of your day. But those times will end. A lot of people chose to walk away from my life, but so many others chose to walk in, and for that, I can't help but be thankful.
I'm not saying that now everything is all sunshine and roses. Not even close! There are days when I miss those that are gone. There are days when my mom looks in the mirror and cries. There are days when all of the faith that my family had during those rough weeks go flying out the window and we struggle to see the hand of God in our current struggle. But then there are the good days. There are days when I sit with my best friends and laugh for hours. There are days when my mom talks excitedly about going back to school. There are days when my family sits together and does nothing but enjoy the fact that we have each other. Those are priceless.
Whatever you're going though, recognize that yes, it sucks. Yes, you might cry...a lot. Yes, there might not be anything you or anyone can really do about it right now but pray...and sometimes, to be honest, that doesn't even help. But also recognize that you are growing! Know that one day, when all of this is behind you, you will look back and see just how far you've come. I do it all the time, and it makes me excited to keep going. There is hope for you and me yet ;)
Always,
A Hungry Heart
Ever have one of those days when you come crawling back to the feet of God out of desperation, not because you need or want something, but because you realize how you can't live without Him? Yah, I definitely had that kind of morning. I woke up early and couldn't go back to sleep, so I decided it might be a good time to journal and spend some time in the Word. It had actually been awhile since I had the opportunity - no, since I chose to create an opportunity to just sit and be with my Maker. As usual, after a time period of allowing life to get the best of me and losing sight of priorities, I had a sense of almost reluctancey to start anew. I don't know if this ever happens to you, but when I don't walk hand in hand with Jesus every day, I tend to wander off into some distant part of another forest where the light becomes dimmer with each step,and I am thinking all the while how incredibly capable I am on my own. Then when I realize how lost I have become and how critical it is for me to come home, a huge wave of shame overwhelms me and my feet become lead weights as I turn around and try to head back. Well, I sat down this morning in my favorite chair and took as much time as I could writing about what has been happening to and around me these past few weeks. Finally, when I could barely feel my fingers any longer, I decided it was probably time to go ahead and talk to Him. He had been waiting long enough...so I started with a simple prayer. I said, "Father, I am so sorry that you have not been my first love these past few weeks. I have realized that I can't do life without you, that I need you every single moment of every single day. But I am scared. I am scared that you don't love me as much as you used to in Africa. Will you use your Word to tell me otherwise. I need your truth this morning." And immediately, I opened my Bible to the Daily Bread devotion of the day: 1 John 3:16-23. However, it was verses 19-20 that pretty much turned my world upside down. It reads,
"This then is how we know that we belong to the Truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."
Wait a minute...so what You're saying is that when my heart tells me I am not good enough, or that I have fallen too far off the deep end to ever even think about breathing fresh air again, that it is wrong? Is it possible that You are greater than my deepest fears and my darkest stains. Could it be that no matter what lies the enemy tries and whispers in my ear, Your truth is still the only truth? What a revolutionary concept!
See, it is not God who condemns us or turns us away when we have sinned, but it is our own disbelieving spirit. We forget that thousands of years ago, Jesus Christ came not just to take our transgressions but to forever annihilate our shame as well. So no matter how far you have strayed- 1 step or a 1000, His love covers a million more. Be encouraged today, friends, and find the courage to turn back. I promise you it will be worth it. Like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, before you can even get the words of apology out of your mouth, the Father will be weeping over you with joy at your return. You are a CHILD of the Kingdom, it is time to come back and take your place. I did, and I am loving it :)
Always,
A Hungry Heart
"This then is how we know that we belong to the Truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything."
Wait a minute...so what You're saying is that when my heart tells me I am not good enough, or that I have fallen too far off the deep end to ever even think about breathing fresh air again, that it is wrong? Is it possible that You are greater than my deepest fears and my darkest stains. Could it be that no matter what lies the enemy tries and whispers in my ear, Your truth is still the only truth? What a revolutionary concept!
See, it is not God who condemns us or turns us away when we have sinned, but it is our own disbelieving spirit. We forget that thousands of years ago, Jesus Christ came not just to take our transgressions but to forever annihilate our shame as well. So no matter how far you have strayed- 1 step or a 1000, His love covers a million more. Be encouraged today, friends, and find the courage to turn back. I promise you it will be worth it. Like the Parable of the Prodigal Son, before you can even get the words of apology out of your mouth, the Father will be weeping over you with joy at your return. You are a CHILD of the Kingdom, it is time to come back and take your place. I did, and I am loving it :)
Always,
A Hungry Heart
Well...it has certainly been awhile, hasn't it, friends? To be honest, I don't really have an adequate excuse for being so flaky with updating this blog. While I was in Africa, I came up with all sorts of reasons why I couldn't find time to sit down at a computer and simply bring thoughts to life...or at least to keep a tangible memory of the craziness in my brain before it all flew out the window. I use to tell myself that there was no time - I was too busy being the hands and feet of God rather than the thinker or the processor. Another lame cop out was that the internet connection over there just did not allow for adequate writing, and I could, no I SHOULD be doing other things with the minutes that were ticking away from me. Now that I am back in the states, I tell myself that it is dumb to continue a missionary blog when I am no longer on a "missionary trip". How silly I have been!
All of those excuses were scooped up and thrown out recently when a good friend of mine reminded me that a "mission" is not defined by how far away from home I travel; rather, it is a devine assignment sent from a God that views every square inch of this beautiful Earth as His Kingdom. I was looking at things from the wrong perspective because I had forgotten a key thing: an eye is not more important than a hand nor a hand more important than a foot. There is such need for a share of ideas, a reminiscing of memories, an inspirational story, or even a place to dish out the hard questions that we encounter in every day situations, and what better place to do it then through a blog that was inspired by a trip filled with all of those things?!
So firstly, I want to apologize for not keeping you all as updated as I could have while I was away. To recap as quickly as I can for right now- Africa was the most amazing experience of my life. Yes, I got malaria, typhoid, a parasite, and liver issues. Yes, I have about a billion scars from all of my random bug bites. And yes, there were certainly extremely difficult situations on my DTS that both challenged me and changed me. But no, I do not regret any of it, and if I got the chance, I would go back and relive it a 1000 times over. There is nothing like having the opportunity to live a dream God has put inside you, and to walk away completely transformed for the better.
As wonderful as Africa was, though, it is time to move on to a new chapter of my life. Yet another section in this amazing adventure has commenced. I will never, ever forget the things that I have learned, the people I have met, the gifts I have both given and received, or the experience that I have gained while I was in Kenya. I couldn't if I tried...it is a part of me. Africa is a part of me. But, I am ready to face a different kind of mission field - my home field. As much as God called me to another continent a few months ago, He is calling me to this one today, and I am so excited to see where we are going now. To update, I am feeling 1000000x better physically since being back and being able to get the right medication. My typhoid, malaria, and parasite friends are gone forever! No hard feelings :). However, I am dealing with a few liver problems, but nothing to be too concerned about. Just please continue to pray for complete healing and restoration of my body. As far as emotionally, things have been a little difficult since being home if I am to be completely honest with you. There are times when I am lonely...when I so miss the excitement of going out and serving a community of people I have fallen in love with...or the when I miss the silence of the African bush during my devotions...or when I miss the encouraging words of my girls who are gifts sent from God. But it gets easier with each passing day, and I am learning to find the beauty in the home around me...there is joy in the laughter at my dinner table as my family sits and chats every night...there is love when my friends here at home hug me and tell me they are so happy to have me back...and there is ministry on every street corner staring me boldly in the face. It is a new kind of excitement, and I am learning very quickly how to enjoy it.
Finally, I want to say thank you! Thank you to all of you who take time to read my story, to be a part of my life in one very meaningful way. You may not realize it, but knowing there is someone on the other end of this blog reading all that I have to say makes my heart even lighter and means so much to me. This is going to be fun...my life is full of so many absolutely comical instances that I am sure to keep you entertained. But it is going to be real as well. It is going to be a document of what I perceive missions to be now, and to me MISSIONS = LIFE.
So keep checking in! You never know what God can do with a little bit of time and through a willing heart. I am willing to find out at least :)
All of those excuses were scooped up and thrown out recently when a good friend of mine reminded me that a "mission" is not defined by how far away from home I travel; rather, it is a devine assignment sent from a God that views every square inch of this beautiful Earth as His Kingdom. I was looking at things from the wrong perspective because I had forgotten a key thing: an eye is not more important than a hand nor a hand more important than a foot. There is such need for a share of ideas, a reminiscing of memories, an inspirational story, or even a place to dish out the hard questions that we encounter in every day situations, and what better place to do it then through a blog that was inspired by a trip filled with all of those things?!
So firstly, I want to apologize for not keeping you all as updated as I could have while I was away. To recap as quickly as I can for right now- Africa was the most amazing experience of my life. Yes, I got malaria, typhoid, a parasite, and liver issues. Yes, I have about a billion scars from all of my random bug bites. And yes, there were certainly extremely difficult situations on my DTS that both challenged me and changed me. But no, I do not regret any of it, and if I got the chance, I would go back and relive it a 1000 times over. There is nothing like having the opportunity to live a dream God has put inside you, and to walk away completely transformed for the better.
As wonderful as Africa was, though, it is time to move on to a new chapter of my life. Yet another section in this amazing adventure has commenced. I will never, ever forget the things that I have learned, the people I have met, the gifts I have both given and received, or the experience that I have gained while I was in Kenya. I couldn't if I tried...it is a part of me. Africa is a part of me. But, I am ready to face a different kind of mission field - my home field. As much as God called me to another continent a few months ago, He is calling me to this one today, and I am so excited to see where we are going now. To update, I am feeling 1000000x better physically since being back and being able to get the right medication. My typhoid, malaria, and parasite friends are gone forever! No hard feelings :). However, I am dealing with a few liver problems, but nothing to be too concerned about. Just please continue to pray for complete healing and restoration of my body. As far as emotionally, things have been a little difficult since being home if I am to be completely honest with you. There are times when I am lonely...when I so miss the excitement of going out and serving a community of people I have fallen in love with...or the when I miss the silence of the African bush during my devotions...or when I miss the encouraging words of my girls who are gifts sent from God. But it gets easier with each passing day, and I am learning to find the beauty in the home around me...there is joy in the laughter at my dinner table as my family sits and chats every night...there is love when my friends here at home hug me and tell me they are so happy to have me back...and there is ministry on every street corner staring me boldly in the face. It is a new kind of excitement, and I am learning very quickly how to enjoy it.
Finally, I want to say thank you! Thank you to all of you who take time to read my story, to be a part of my life in one very meaningful way. You may not realize it, but knowing there is someone on the other end of this blog reading all that I have to say makes my heart even lighter and means so much to me. This is going to be fun...my life is full of so many absolutely comical instances that I am sure to keep you entertained. But it is going to be real as well. It is going to be a document of what I perceive missions to be now, and to me MISSIONS = LIFE.
So keep checking in! You never know what God can do with a little bit of time and through a willing heart. I am willing to find out at least :)
About Me
- A Hungry Heart
- Hey there everybody :) I'm just a regular 19 year old girl who is learning to find the value in each and every moment. This is my journey. This is my life.