I realize it has been a bit since I’ve written anything on here. Well, after a little hiatus, I am back.
Most noteworthy: I went to El Salv last week during my spring break. It was so good. I reconnected with friends that I haven’t seen since summer and fell in love once more with this miniscule Central American country. Spanish came even easier than it did last time. It was great to work alongside the Stint team and to get to know them more. As great as it was to be in El Salv with a team of 29 people from Poly, it was really strange to be there without the peeps from my summer project team. Overall, I loved my week there, and wouldn’t have chosen to spend my money or time any other way. The Lord has placed a special passion on my heart for the people of this country, and he whispers so gently and clearly into my heart while I am there. Will the future hold more trips to El Slav? Only my Savior knows. Needless to say, it was wonderful to be back.
In other news: school is so lame. I seriously detest it sometimes. I used to have this passion for learning and eagerly anticipated the start of a new quarter. I would listen to my professors in lecture, hanging on their every word, hoping that they would notice my excitement for their classes. Now I just sit there, ho-hum, watching the seconds tick away on the clock in the back of the room, hoping the professor doesn’t notice how frequently I turn my head and look backwards to check the time. I had to buy two tiny (around 200 p) French texts for about $250, and I can’t even really read them (because, let’s face it…I don’t really comprehend French). I have homework for the first time tonight, and I feel myself growing more and more apathetic towards the text. In this case, I’m not so happy to be back.
Economics update: back in the work force. Double timing. I’m starting to Nanny for two families here in SLO for just a few hours a week. Sophia, a 3 year old whose energy is only surpassed by her immense appetite should be a handful. After watching her last night, I had a nightmare that it was my responsibility to put her to bed. Oh dear. Cassius, a 3 week old boy is so tiny and so sweet. I hope I don’t break him when I hold him. Baby got back.
Forecast: finally submitted my application to Campus Crusade today. It’s official folks….I’m planning to intern with Crusade here in SLO after I graduate in December. I am excited/nervous/overjoyed/anxious/shaking in my boots. Ministry is my passion. I just love sharing the gospel. I just fear raising support. All of your prayers for my heart are appreciated. I trust a big God for big results. I really do believe that he loves me, that he has a marvelous plan for my life, and that this plan includes joining staff with Campus Crusade. After all of this time wandering away from his fold, making my own plans for the future; I’m following his lead as he calls me back.
I guess that’s all for now. My heart hurts today, and I’m not really sure why. I feel like I’m being refined. And I feel the tender touch of the Lord as he molds me into his image. He is protecting me from what could be big time heartache, and yet I still feel the pang of loss as I surrender my plans to him each day. It is good, hard, stressful, painful, lonely, exciting, satisfying, to be back.
I should be writing my final paper for Neruda right now (hey! cut me some slack…I’m on page 4 of 8…and its not due til Thurs) but instead of writing, I wanna show you this video. The thought of it keeps interrupting my writing because it is so stinkin’ funny! I hate cats, but I still love this!
Went line dancing last night. Had a blast. Didn’t know what I was missing out on all this time by staying at home all these Thursday nights. Gonna kick up my heels and head out line dancing when I can manage it from here on out! I will say that cowboy boots are no small investment…
John and I will definitely not lose the next Salvadorian dance contest we enter.
…is being sure of what we hope for, certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)
Faith is scary. But I know that the God I serve is faithful, and that he goes before me in all that I do.
I was meditating on faith last night as I was praying over my plans for the future. My dear dear friend (she’s my bosom friend, for you Anne of Green Gables fans) Brook shared some wisdom from the Word of God with me that was so encouraging that I thought I would share it with you too (it’s from Psalm 37:23-24):
If the LORD delights in a man’s way,
he makes his steps firm;
though he stumble, he will not fall,
for the LORD uphold him with his hand.
This article changed my perspective on discerning God’s will about a year ago, and I am just now really getting to test out what it means to follow the Lord’s will in terms of big life decisions. Check it out.
I realize this is a pretty random post… but I just wanted to share a little of what the Holy Spirit is teaching me these days.
Most of you have already heard that I will be going back to El Salvador with a team from Cal Poly over our spring break. We are scheduled to leave late on March 20th and will be back on the 28th. I am so excited to be going back, and even more excited to say that there is a team of close to 30 that is going! What a blessing! This will be somewhat of a vision trip, a way for Poly students to get their feet wet and see what ministry in El Salv looks like. We will be working with the STINT team to share the gospel on some of the same campuses I was on this summer.
We had our first official team meeting on Friday, and I am thrilled about our team. Jacob and Caellin will be leading the trip, and there will be several other staff members from SLO Crusade joining. Jacob asked us to go around the circle and introduce ourselves. We also had to use one word to describe our feelings about the trip to El Salv, and announce our favorite color. Most used some variant of the word ”excited” (think stoked, pumped, very excited and VERY VERY excited), which is great. I said I was “compelled.” I am compelled to go back. Please be praying for this enthusiastic group!
In other news, about 2/3 of the team loves the color blue.
We were also encouraged by Caellin to go out sharing on the Cal Poly campus over the next 3 weeks, to get in the swing of campus ministry. I appreciate your prayers for our ministry here and in Central America…I have already made plans to go out to do Soularium with a friend on mine on Tuesday! Should be wonderful.
