Called. Humbled. Responsible.

"and we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. for those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. and those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified." romans 8:28-30

i recently attended A&O (assessment & orientation) with world harvest in philadelphia. despite the long days and chilling temperatures, it proved to be a great week. i am happy to report that i've officially been approved to return to south sudan for a 2-year term beginning next fall! i'm excited to return to a team i love and be a part of what God is doing among the sudanese.
the Lord really used my week in philly to confirm his call on my life and renew an excitement in me to walk in obedience to that call. what a blessing to spend time with the WHM staff and hear their personal stories and testimonies of God's faithfulness in their lives. i am so thankful for all the time, prayer, and encouragement they poured into us. at the end of the week, world harvest invited a pastor to give a short sermon for the new appointees. the topic...humility. how appropriate! the Lord seems to always know when i need a good reminder of my self-righteousness tendencies. what a great message for a group of newly appointed missionaries. lest we forget, God has called us to salvation. while we were still sinners, God sent his Son to satisfy the wrath we deserve so we may be called his sons. we offer nothing, yet God gives us everything. how can this not compel us to humility? and yet, i seem to need constant reminders.
david platt's message this morning was from romans 9. a good one to download. he read verses of God choosing us, adopting us as sons. a good reminder that it is not about us, what we bring to the table. it's all about God, the one who calls. in his unfathomable mercy, God called us to be his people. and with this great privilege comes great responsibility. so many times, i fail. Lord, help me live a life worthy of the calling.

Thoughts

what i love about south sudan

community
sitting and sharing
no one is rushed
time with people is treasured

warmth, hospitality
contagious laughter
generous hearts

simplicity
biking, waving
greeting familiar faces
children run,
screaming "how are you?"

the people
their smiles, their love
their friendship

body of believers
everyone singing, swaying
drums beating, women dancing

perseverance through hardship
hope for the future
"God is greater" they say

faith lived out
woven into their lives
refreshing

full of joy
full of hope

my heart is happy
God is good
His faithfulness has no end

I Hate Goodbyes

generally speaking, i hate goodbyes. but when this team throws a goodbye party, i wish it would never end. the night kicked off with a fabulous soundtrack crafted by phil. the table was the picture of fall with fresh-cut flowers from the garden (orange, yellow, and red), bowls of sweet treats, even a carved pumpkin. scott was busy slaving over a deliciously smelling dinner and baking an array of desserts.
the night continued to get better and better, with one surprise after another. it was nothing less than a hit, complete with a whitney houston performance (courtesy of kim, bethany, and christine), a slideshow, clever poems, karaoke with kitchen utensils, and yes, a dance party. do they know me or what?! i felt so loved. what great friends God has blessed me with in this season. i am sad to leave them.

Harvest Training

i'm officially a farmer. ok, not quite, but i did have my first harvesting experience. some of the members of our church came together on friday to harvest "sim-sim," sesame seed. i did my best to prepare for such an experience, making sure i had all the essentials for the labor-intense day ahead of us. hat...check. water bottle...check. sunscreen...check, check. knife...check. a clue about what i'm doing...not so much. in the words of my sudanese friends "mushkila mafi," no problem. luckily we were partnered with a few sudanese women who were more than happy to give us a crash course in harvesting sim-sim, including techniques for bunching and wrapping. i set out to a good patch of sim-sim, fairly confident that this would be an easily acquired skill. within the first 10 minutes, i had managed to rub a blister on my hand and poke my toe with the knife, not to mention my body was now saturated in sweat. but they made it look so easy! they cut and gathered at triple the rate i was going. one of ladies, joscelina, continued to encourage our work and explained, "you are in training. a preschooler does not know all their ABCs in one day. it takes time." i smiled at the truth in her analogy. even as christians, we are still training to be harvesters. though i often feel ill-equipped to share my faith and make many mistakes along the way, God is greater. we cannot do it on our own. how important it is that we partner with our brothers and sisters in Christ as we do His work. God has blessed us here with such a rich community of friends in mundri that partner with us in the harvest. john 4:35 says, "open your eyes and look at the fields! they are ripe for harvest!" i have enjoyed being the student today. there is still so much i have to learn, and i am thankful for the ways God reminds me of that.

Visiting Schools

kim, bethany, and i went to visit all the local schools around mundri today. we sat and talked with some of the teachers, listened to their stories, and prayed with them. kim also gave them some teaching materials. we saw several teachers that attended the teacher training. it is good to now have a visual of where they teach and what their classroom situations are like. while visiting one of the schools, it began to rain heavily. the preschool classes, which meet under a tree, were then canceled and the students sent home for the day. some of the classes continued, but i began to realize how difficult it must be to talk over the pounding of the rain on the tin roof. the head teacher explained that they will often stop their teaching and begin singing songs if the rain is too loud. this does not surprise me, as it seems the moru people can manage to make the best out of most situations and find any time is a good time to break into song.
i was especially encouraged by talking with one of the head teachers, who also attended our training. he was telling us that several years ago he wished to go away to university. his family tried their best to get the money for him to go but they came up short, and he was not able to go. there is now a program offered here for university classes. he was recently accepted and will now have the opportunity to further his education through weekend classes. bethany reminded us of the verse in proverbs 16:9 that says, "in his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps." this i know to be true in my own life, and i am thankful for the reminder that His ways are not our own.

Where Everybody Knows Your Name

my friend, cecilia, is 21 years old. she is a wonderful cook and has a great sense of humor. though her english is not great, my moru is far worse. she tries to teach me new words and mostly laughs as i attempt to repeat them. our conversations are limited but i am thankful for a sudanese friend.
i have enjoyed getting to know more people as my time here comes to a close. it is encouraging to see people i know around town, and it especially lifts my spirits when they remember my name. i have been told i have a difficult name to pronounce. the other night, i met cecilia's mother and friends, and they gave me a moru nickname, citi, which literally means to sit. they said they gave me this name because i have come from america to sit with them for some time. i smiled at the feeling that i have now been inducted into the moru club. now, when i see cecilia, she yells "citi!" and introduces me to her friends as "citi."

Overwhelmed

i am overwhelmed. as each week passes i think i will become less overwhelmed, or maybe my time here would be less of a shock, that i would be less surprised by God. but this is not the case. i continue to be overwhelmed, and perhaps even more as the days progress, at God's goodness. He is so good. i am amazed at God's graciousness in allowing me to be here, allowing me to witness and experience His love for the people of Mundri. God has given me a heart that loves these people, that desires a relationship with them. i think back to just a few months ago when i knew nothing of these people, and now here i am, blessed by each moment i spend with them. i am continually reminded of His faithfulness. i pray that i continue to be overwhelmed by God, that it does not become a thing of the past, that i do not forget how He has prepared and planned every detail of my life, way before i arrived here and even now as i sit here. i am grateful for even just the glimpse of God's plan for me. how good it is to walk in His will!
God continues to reveal himself to me even in the everyday things, not just when i am alone in quiet time. i experience His presence in His creation, in the people that i meet, in my interaction with my team, in a teacher training, in a small group of teenage girls being told they are special, under a mango tree where children listen to the story of creation, even among the wailing at a funeral, God is there.
thank you all for your continued prayers. i have just 10 days left here, and i am beginning to process my time here as well as prepare for my return. God has so richly blessed my relationships here, and it will be difficult to say goodbye. my time in Mundri has seemed to fly by, but strangely enough, i also feel like i've been here forever. i am feeling more and more comfortable here and will miss the routine of life here. i am also very excited to return home, see family and friends and share about my wonderful experiences. please pray that i am able to soak up my time here, that God would continue to teach me and lead me, that i would allow myself time to reflect on my time here, and that God would prepare my heart to leave. i am so grateful for all of your encouraging words and prayers!

Familiar Faces

the brook hills team arrived saturday. it was good to see some familiar faces, especially my friend Space. i am so thankful for the time we had to sit and share what God is doing in our lives. He has got something great in store for both of us, and it is exciting to watch it unfold.
sunday, the brook hills team split up and the guys preached at different churches. the sermon at o'kari was about God's love in us and the power God has over fear. it was encouraging for me and i hope it was for the church as well. the children's choir prepared a special song for the visitors. they processed down the aisle singing and swaying side to side in unison. they wore robes that were a perfect shade of blue. there is hardly anything more precious than the sound of children singing, and the african children do it so well. afer every service, everyone follows the church leaders outside. a line begins to form and one by one, we shake each person's hand, until finally you have reached every person. i love this! even the youngest children scurry to get a spot in line to prepare for their handshake. the older women greet us with a warm "mi kado?" and the smiles just continue down the line. to follow, everyone gathers in a large cluster under the tree, singing along with the drums. of course, there is dancing, some getting more into it than others. this particular day, there was a girl about 6 years old that caught our attention. she danced as if she was born with rhythm. i was tempted to ask her for some personal lessons. but for now, my mediocre dance moves will just have to do.

School's Out

friday was our last day of school. i have had so much fun with the children. i have enjoyed our extra-cirricular activities together, but mostly i am thankful for the relationship i have developed with each of them. they will be boarding a plane for america tomorrow. it will be sad to say goodbye to them but i have high hopes to see them when i return home. pictured is Acacia, Liana, and Gaby, one of our art activities, and the pyot that acted as our school room.

Teacher Training

what a busy week. but a great one. i was able to take a break from teaching and join kim and bethany as they led a teacher training all week! this was phase 3 of their training which they began in march. teachers from all over mundri, represented various primary schools, were selected to attend. kim and bethany did a wonderful job presenting all the material for the week. it was obvious how much time and preparation went into this training. it was rich with lessons on development and practical teaching methods. the best part about it was the focus on the gospel. each morning, a devotion was given, and throughout the day the foundation of their teaching was based on our relationship with Christ. every lesson was woven with the gospel. they stressed the importance of abiding in Christ, and then we, as teachers, will be able to see fruit in our classroom.
i was able to present a lesson one day and show some examples of how to "hook" your students before presenting your lesson. of course, i had fun with it. there was even a preschool teacher who attended the training. it was very enlightening to talk with her and some of the other teachers. the preschoolers actually meet under a tree and may have up to 50 students at one time. God bless her and the patience she must possess to handle this. there is such a need for qualified teachers, for classrooms, and for teaching materials.
for me, the combination of being able to teach teachers practical ways to engage and challenge their students as well as teaching them biblical foundations for support was more than enough to get me excited. the teacher training was just another opportunity God used to show me how He is at work here.

Ant Invasion

i feel i need to tell you about our eventful night. last night, ants invaded our compound. bethany and kim first noticed them in their tukul. they came out in a panic, screaming and hopping around, trying to avoid stepping on them. we quickly came over to investigate. with our flashlights in hand, we followed their river-like paths through the dirt, being cautious not to step too close. then we see a swarm of them. they blanketed the ground, covering every inch of it. i can honestly say i have never seen anything like it. we decided it was necessary to pour kerosene around the edge of our tukuls in order to avoid an ant infestation in the night. the thought of ants coming near my bed gives me the creeps. i imagine something like out of a sci-fi or horror film. we return to the team house to find the ants have already made their way inside, seeping under the door and through small openings in the windows. we each grab a can of "doom," our handy insect killer, and pay our revenge. we hope it is enough to keep them away for good. we retreated to our tukuls in disbelief at what we had just seen. needless to say, i slept with a can of doom beside my bed, just in case.

Bible Storying

what a great saturday! i was able to go with christine to "girls club" today. we rode our bikes for what seemed like forever. ok it wasn't that long. i am just out of shape. they have not had girls club for a few weeks now because of school holidays or rain. people don't get out in the rain, especially when most of them walk a long distance to be there. so, we were not sure of the turnout.
when we arrived, there was just one girl and two boys waiting under the trees. the boys did not get the message that it was exclusive to girls. we invited them in anyhow. girls club meets in a classroom at the secondary school. the school is a rectangular cement building containing three classrooms. each classroom has several rows of wooden desks and benches. it is empty. besides the chalkboard in the front of the classroom, the walls are bare. at this time a few more girls join us. everyone finds a seat as christine gathers her materials. she begins by having everyone say their name. then we play a fun math game that teaches them how to use calculators. most of them have not used a calculator before. christine then prays and begins the "bible storying".
bible storying was created as a way to share the gospel in story form, specifically in the context of foreign missions. it has proven difficult for people to understand westernized sermons that use bullet points and jump around in scripture. bible storying allows for everyone, even those who cannot read, to hear the message of the bible and hopefully be able to share that same story with a friend. most of the students are learning english, and it is a good way for them to practice as they listen and answer questions.
christine begins by telling the story of jesus calming the storm. she repeated the story twice, being sure to speak slowly and clearly for them to best understand. she began the story again, this time pausing for the students to fill in the rest of the sentence. i was amazed at how well they picked it up. she then talked them through the outline of the story, making sure they got the key events in the story. the tricky part came when she asked them application questions. what does this tell us about who jesus is? this was more difficult for them. they knew exactly what happened and what jesus did in the story, but struggled to apply it. christine did a great job of walking them through this process, and by the end, they seemed to be getting it.
i really enjoyed being able to watch christine today and experience a different part of their ministry here. at one point during the lesson, i was hit with an overwhelming feeling of God's presence. here i was. in sudan. halfway across the world. watching students learn about jesus. it was just another way for God to show me all that He is doing in sudan. i am blessed to even be a witness.

Prayer

hello my wonderful friends and supporters! thank you all for the continued interest in my time here in sudan. i thought i would update you all with some specific things you can be praying for me. first of all, thank you so much for your prayers regarding my stomach issues, as i am feeling much better now. please pray that i continue to make time with the Lord a priority, that i would be disciplined to pull myself out of bed in the mornings, and that i would have rich time in the word and in prayer. also pray that i would be open to all that God wants me to learn. pray that i will learn more about His character and that i would be obedient to His desires for my life. i know that God has big plans for me and has a purpose for bringing me to sudan. i praise God for the time He has given me thus far. it has truly been a blessing. the team has been so welcoming and it has been somewhat easy to slip into life here in mundri. i am excited to share with you all about the remainder of my time here. again, i am humbled and beyond grateful to have such a strong support system back home. i love you all!

Kayaking

yesterday, we went for a kayaking/ picnic day at the yei river. acacia and michael started off by the compound and we drove down to meet them. john and phil (the interns), gaby, liana, and i parked at the bridge and proceeded down a trail to meet acacia and michael under the mango tree. we laid out our blanket and enjoyed sandwiches and pringles. i was wishing it was mango season, but unfortunately i just missed it. after we ate, it was time to kayak. liana and i were up first. we pushed off at the hidden embankment and paddled our way through a row of tall grass to get to the open water. we paddled upstream for a short while and then back again, staying in the calm parts and avoiding the rapids. it was so peaceful. the only sounds were our paddles pushing back water and a few birds in the distance. i felt as though we were the only souls for miles. i managed to get my skirt soaked in the process. each time i switched sides to row, my ore would drip water in my lap. i didn't realize how wet i actually was until i got out of the kayak. it was as if i had submerged half of my body in the river. i found it quite funny as i sloshed back down the trail.
p.s. sorry the pictures aren't too clear.

Tukul

the arabic word for house is "tukul." our compound is made up of a cluster of tukuls. most tukuls around mundri are made of mud walls and thatch roof. these, however, are made of concrete with a tin roof for durability. they even have built in concrete shelving. the screen windows circle around the tukul allowing a nice breeze to come through. i am staying in larissa and christine's tukul, which they loving named "the shire" as it looks like it belongs to hobbits. i sleep in their living area, tucked away underneath a mosquito net.


this is the team house and the kitchen, where we meet, have worship, and prepare fabulous meals.

A Week In Review

so, it's been a little over a week since i arrived in sudan. and what a great week it's been. i will try to catch you up to speed.
this past friday, we ate at an arabic restaurant in town. it happens to be a favorite of the team. as we arrived they quickly set up tables and chairs for us to sit down in front of the restaurant. it was beautiful weather for eating outside. the sky was blue and there was just enough of a breeze to feel comfortable. the air smelled of sweet pipe smoke, and the dirt road was busy with pedestrians. women passed by carrying baskets on their heads, and children rode their bicycles, sometimes pausing to get a second look at the white people. our food was brought out on 2 big trays, served family style. each included pita bread, mashed beans,lentil soup, and fried egg. it was delicious, and i thoroughly enjoyed my first taste of arabic food.
the next morning, however, the entire team was sick. i woke up wondering why it was so quiet. i seemed to be the only one up. i remembered it was saturday and assumed that everyone was sleeping in. turns out, i was the only adult not sick. how that makes sense is beyond my understanding. i'm supposed to be the new girl with the weak stomach. maybe it was all your prayers.
despite bypassing the team sickness then, i have managed to have some stomach problems the past couple of days. i'm sure my body is beginning to adjust to all the newness. i would still appreciate your prayers about this.
i had my first week of school! i have enjoyed teaching the kids and getting to know each of their personalities. gaby is your typical 8 year old boy, full of energy. he has a mischievous dimpled smile that makes me laugh. liana is 11 and keeps gaby in line. she loves to play games and has already taught me a card trick. acacia will be 13 next month. she tends to be quieter than her siblings, but has a secretly wonderful sense of humor. she is always laughing and i have really enjoyed hanging out with her.
teaching older children has not been scary after all. they are good students so it makes it easy. each day this week, i added on an extra-curricular activity after classes. monday we had recess. their choice. of course they picked capture the flag. they put me to shame. while i struggled to run in my flip-flops, they whizzed by me in their bare feet. i think they realized ms. melissa was not the best partner to have in that game. we had a blast though. needless to say i enjoyed my cold shower that night. tuesday we had art. we collected trash from the recycle bin and work area to make our own trash art. it was great. they spent over an hour making robots, collages, and such. wednesday was baking day! we opted to use some canned peaches and make what we called "peach surprise," which was like a peach cobbler. delicious! thursday, we went to the airstrip to pick up larissa, kim, and her fiancee. we called that field trip day.
my time here has already proved to be such a blessing. it is neat to see God's faithfulness in action. i am reminded of the many prayers he has answered and how he provided the funds to get me here. it was neat for me to catch a glimpse of God's plan as i talked with karen the other day. she shared her story of how God brought her and her family to sudan and of how God has answered her prayers in needing someone to teach the kids. i am so blessed to be a part of their ministry.
again, i'm reminded that God's got this thing rigged. i'm just along for the ride.

First Meal

shortly after we landed, michael and the rest of the team arrived. i quickly introduced myself to them all then said goodbye as half of them boarded the same plane. some were headed to uganda and others back to the states.
now for the 3 hour drive back to mundri...not before stopping for some african cuisine on the side of the road. they had planned lunch at home, but had to make a quick change in plans. we pulled over to eat at what appeared to be a small concrete hut, just big enough to fit one table and 6 chairs. there was one thing on the menu. first, a generous serving of kodra, a white type of maize that had a sticky, almost doughy consistency. this was paired with a bowl of lina, a soupy and slimy green substance, which actually tasted like collard greens. oh and placed in the middle of the lina was a chunk of goat meat, which was quite tough. the idea was to pinch off the doughy stuff and dip it into the green soup. no utensils needed. and so i did. the taste was not bad at all. i did have to get past the textures and consistency of the food, but over all i gave myself points for being adventurous.
after our bellies were full, we headed for a 3 hour drive home, mostly spent weaving around pot holes in the dirt rode.
i instantly felt welcomed by the team. they are so warm and friendly and all have a great sense of humor. most the of ride back i found myself laughing at all the stories they told. dinner that night was spaghetti! definitely one of my favorites. i was surprised to see their fully stocked kitchen and pantry. everyone rotates a turn to cook for the team. i'm assigned to dinner this saturday and will give you a full report of the outcome.
so far the adjustment period has gone well. i am looking forward to getting to know the team better and learning more about sudanese culture.

Welcome to Sudan!

i finally reached sudan! after days of flying in airplanes, i have reached my destination. i arrived at MAF and went through "security," which is a small room with one man going through our luggage. i was the only female there and felt a little intimidated at first. but i soon realized they are all in the ministry, being that we are flying with a mission organization. one man was a bishop and one a bible study translator. only 5 of us fit in the aircraft. we eventually take off and i brace myself for the worst. i had built up such anxiety about it that all i could do was pray. i prayed we would be safe, i prayed for good weather, i prayed for wisdom for our pilot, and i prayed i wouldn't throw up. that would just be embarrassing. but turns out, i LOVED it! it was the most amazing experience! africa was so beautiful from way up there. we flew over mountains and valleys and the nile river! we stopped in a small town in southern sudan to drop off medicine. this is when our pilot receives word of potentially bad weather in mundri. so he decides to land in the next town over, which happens to be a 3 hour drive from mundri. our plan is to land there and wait for the team to pick me up and drop off some of their team members who were boarding the plane from there. so we landed, and the next thing i know 5 armed men dressed in camo approach our plane. i was a little intimidated to say the least. i felt safer with all the men and followed their lead down the steps of the plane. however, the armed men were somewhat friendly and welcoming. one of the men i sat next to on the plane leaned over and whispered "welcome to sudan" with a smurk on his face. to be continued...

Uganda

i made it to uganda! security was no problem. they didn't ask me one question. just stamped my visa and sent me on my way. thank you for your prayers in making that a smooth transition.
uganda is beautiful! the weather is cool and perfect. i arrived at matoke inn at 7:30 yesterday morning. it's a mission run by AIM. i was so thankful for a bed and a shower. i didn't sleep well on the flight here so i made sure to get a little nap in. it is so peaceful here. a nice yard to walk around and a covered porch to read a book. i have also met so many people here. a family from ontario, a guy from australia, a girl from new york, and another man from england. they are all here for different reasons. some taking rest, some transitioning from home back to mission field, and some retired and just visiting. they are all with AIM.
it is 6:15 here now. i am the only one up. all i hear are roosters crowing and dogs barking. my driver picks me up in a few minutes to take me to the MAF (Mission Aviation Fellowship) hanger, and from there i fly to Mundri.
thank you all for your prayers. talk to you soon.

Birthday with the Brits

a day in london! that's right. i know you're jealous. i got to spend my birthday in london! well technically it was the next day here but i allowed myself an extension. so i had a 15 hour layover in london, and i decided that was more than enough time to explore a bit of london. and that's what i did. as much as i enjoyed the sightseeing today, i'm about to fall out on the floor i'm so tired. I NEED SLEEP! ok, got to keep this one short. i'm paying for this and watching my minutes disappear quickly. oh, by the way, the lady checking my passport at airport security busted out in singing "happy birthday" to me! got to say that's a first for me. she is a woman after my own heart. made my day! pray for safe flight into uganda. also, i'm staying the night there and flying out on tiny plane the next morning. pray for smooth transition through ugandan customs, that getting visa is no problem, i am able to get to the "guest house" safely, and able to rest well through the night. love you all. and thank you for your prayers!

D-Day

it's finally here. departure day. all packed up and ready to go. thank you all for your prayers and support in getting me to this point. i know that you all will continue your prayers while i am there as well. i can't wait to share my experience with you and hope to keep updated with emails and blog posts. you can also check out the WHM team blog whmsudan.blogspot.com.

Garage Sale

the garage sale was a great success! the weather was nice and overcast, just as we had prayed it would be. it was a great turn out. i am so thankful and overwhelmed by all the people who donated items for the garage sale. thank you, thank you, thank you! even my neighbor, who is 80 something, saw we were having a garage sale, heard what it was for, and started pulling things out of his garage for us to sell. God exceeded my expectations.

Tassels

first, i must tell you about this wonderful group of ladies that meet at my house each wednesday night for bible study. we have studied together, laughed together, shared our hearts, and prayed for each other. and the best part...i'm the youngest one! i am blessed to sit among these women each week. i can only hope that a portion of their wisdom will rub off onto me. for now, i am soaking it all in.
we have been inductively studying various books of the bible, and recently finished exodus. we decided to take a "lighter load" for the summer and chose to go through a 6-week, "no homework" bible study titled LIVING LIKE YOU BELONG TO GOD. i was honestly expecting it to be a little watered-down after studying a book like exodus. well it has proved to be anything but that.
so at the end of bible study last wednesday, one of the ladies opens up a small bag and gives us each a tassel. we all squealed in excitement. i never thought i would be so excited about a tassel. why you may ask...well last week we were reading numbers 15:37-41.
"the Lord spoke to moses saying, 'speak to the sons of israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations...that you may look at it and remember all the commandments of the Lord and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, so that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of egypt, to be your God: I am the Lord your God.'"
neat right? God so desired for His people to be set apart, that He had them wear tassels to remind them that they are to be holy...for who? for God. God knew his people well. He knew that their hearts were deceitful. "harlot" is the term He used to describe them. so many times i play the harlot and follow my own desires. but God has called me His own. and with that comes responsibility. i am to reflect His holiness. my life should be so different than the world that it compares to the difference between light and darkness.
my tassel now hangs on my key chain. i hope it will be a reminder that God has called me to be uncommon. and of course, it will always remind me of my community of spiritual mommas in bham.

Let There Be Light

God's first words were, "let there be light." from the very beginning, God separated light and darkness. not just physical, but spiritual. 1 john 1:5 says "God is light. in Him there is no darkness." Jesus also said, "I am the light of the world. he who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life." so, God is light. Jesus is light. what about us? what are we to do? ephesians 5:8 clarifies, "walk as children of Light." 1 peter 1:16 says, "be holy (separated), for I am holy (separated)." we are called to be holy, separated from darkness, letting our light shine. why? "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven" (matthew 5:16) and "that you may proclaim His praises!" (1 peter 2:9) how will i proclaim His praises today?

It's Offical

i'm going to sudan! i can't believe it myself. i'm constantly reminded that God's ways are not my own. a month ago, i was informed of an opportunity to go to sudan for 3 months with world harvest mission. a missionary family was in need of a teacher willing to come home school their children. sounds crazy right? but the Lord was preparing my heart months before this. preparing me for change. preparing me to step out in faith. before i even heard about this opportunity, the Lord told me it would be ok. not to say it has been an easy process. but God has given me a peace that can only come from knowing i am in His will. i continue to take things one step at a time, asking God to direct my every move. moses pleaded with God saying, "show me Your way, that i may know You and that i may find grace in Your sight...if Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here." that is my prayer.