My bags are packed…

Well almost…they’re close enough!  I’m waiting for some laundry to get done tomorrow and then they will be packed and ready to go.  So, where am I going? Cape Town!!!!  And with whom?  My parents!!!!!!!  Notice, they get more exclamation points.  I’m pretty pumped.  I haven’t seen them since January 18th.  They’re a bit excited as well.  Plus, they’re bringing cinnamon crunch bagels from Panera which I have been craving since January 18th.  So, here’s to some adventure, some delicious food, and fun times with the parents.  See you next weekend!

I Live in Africa.

Sometimes I forget.  Not like the forget in the sense that I feel like I’m in the States, but in the forget that I feel like I’m at home, I’ve always been here, I’ve always loved the people I love and it’s just life.  Life happens no matter where you’re at.  Whether in Africa you get to love on some kids at the park who will teach you how to say shoes, sun, ear, nose, and head in Sesotho or whether in the States you get to play in the nursery with one adorable pastor’s son.  In Africa, I’m surrounded by language barriers and yet love crosses them all.  I go with the flow and communicate as well as I can while picking up words here and there.  Yet, I am okay for now with not understanding everyone.  I can still love.  I can still hold them, let them play with my hair, have them teach me the language and give them a hug good-bye.  They have captured my heart in such a profound way.  And I struggle to find the words to share this, which is why I am so excited that in a few short days my parents can see my life firsthand.  They can get a glimpse of why I forget, why my hair is crazy in some pictures, and why I live in Africa.

Standing on His Word

I went for a long prayer walk around part of the perimeter of the property today.  I really have missed prayer walking through NE Minneapolis so this was great!  Though, prayer walking through the field definitely adds a new dynamic compared to through the city.  God’s presence showed up powerfully throughout the day and I am excited to see where things are headed.  My heart and thoughts really kept focusing on standing on His Word and reiterating His promises.  At Thrive Church recently, Matt preached about some related topics and about seeing ourselves through God’s eyes as well as how God pursues us.  He ended with scripture to stand on and to hold onto in hard times.  Here are some points to ponder:

• I’m speaking to you, but you’re just not opening your heart.  Somewhere along the way something else got in the way.
• Why do we doubt ourselves and others see something in us that we don’t?
• Our relationship with God is constantly moving.
• So what if you don’t see what’s ahead of you, I do.
• Once you start realizing who you are in God then the rest doesn’t matter
• Isaiah 48:16–Come near me and listen. I have not spoken in secret
• 1 Samuel 12:16–Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.

Matt also made an awesome video to go along with his message: check it out!

Yikes…

Now therefore stand still and see this great thing that the Lord will do before your eyes.

-1 Samuel 12:16

The Walls Are Going Up!

Not only are the kids in this picture super cute, but if you look behind them you’ll see how tall the walls have gotten over the past few months!  We’re working away at building this part of the house.  Each Thursday consists of getting water, mixing mud, making bricks, building the walls, and of course playing with the kids.  Not only do we get to leave a lasting, tangible impact, but we also get to leave a relational one.

Oh Happy Day

Paint balling!!!!

The Countdowns

Parents come in 12 days

The internship ends in 111 days

My birthday is in 123 days

New Years is in 137 days

I Will Praise You

I’m in a waiting place filled with questions and events.  Questions about the future, about God’s timing, about His direction, and so much more.  Events such as family days, the end of shredding, the end of the internship, new beginnings, trips in December and other little things.  I’m setting my eyes and waiting.  I am surrendering my will and choosing to be like Daniel and Esther.  I am seeking wisdom, clarity and direction.  I refuse to be tossed around like a wave of the sea, but instead am holding tight to the One who will give me the desires of my heart.

This weekend…

I will write a couple blog posts. I am determined to fight the indecision, choose a topic, and write.

Decisions

More often than we care to admit, inconsequential decisions change our lives.

–Rhett Butler’s People