psalm 138


Psalm 138


I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart;

before the gods I sing your praise;

I bow down toward your holy temple

and give thanks to your name

for your steadfast love and your faithfulness,

for you have exalted above all things

your name and your word.

On the day I called, you answered me;

my strength of soul you increased.

All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord,

for they have heard the words of your mouth,

and they shall sing ofthe ways of the Lord,

for great is the glory of the Lord.

For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly,

but the haughty he knows from afar.

Though I walk in the midst of trouble,

you preserve my life;

you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies,

and your right hand delivers me.

The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;

your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.

Do not forsake the work of your hands.

Friday, December 30, 2011

This is Real Life

Hello Everyone!

I am currently in Tanzania! Praise God for a safe trip across the border today!

Tomorrow I am headed to the bush to begin my month stay in a village. It is so incredible to learn about what life is going to be like for the next month--and I know I can handle it because it's just ONE month!  For the team I am staying with, it is their experience for three years. For the people that live in these villages, it is their entire life! These people drink unclean water every day (I will have filtered water). They can travel up to 45 minutes every other day in order to get water. They wash in the open in the river (Don't worry, I won't be doing that). They wash their clothes by hand.
The village is a Muslim community. The women wear skirts and head wraps (so I'll be wearing skirts and head wraps). Life for these people is so much different and seemingly more challenging than life for us in the U.S. It will be a wonderful thing to get to live among them for a while and learn more about them!

Please pray for relationships with the girls that I am staying with and for interactions with the villagers. Pray for good health for all of us and good rest. I won't have internet for the next month, so until next time! Happy New Year and New Semester!
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Arrival!!

Hello from Kenya! I am writing this to you on my second full day here,  my fourth day since leaving home. I can tell you that God is so good! On each flight over here, I had sort of a panic where I was like "Oh my goodness, I'm leaving home/the US/the UK." And then I thought, "Is this really happening? I think I want to make a run for it....Oh no! It's too late!" The first time that happened was as the plane was pulling out of KCI and taking off. I let myself give in to tears as I looked out on my home city for the last time in 3 1/2 months. As we got higher and higher, I was amazed and calmed by the FULL rainbow I saw out the window.  It reminded me of God's promises to me. He is trustworthy and has promised to be with me and make my path smooth. I then proceeded to read Isaiah 40 and 41, which boosted my confidence in the power of God, how everything is under his control. His knowledge and understanding are so great! Why am I afraid if I believe that my God and Father is this powerful and all-knowing??


Needless to say, the rest of my travels were smooth and actually much better than I could have imagined! I was able to meet several people who encouraged me and lifted my spirits. Mostly, I trusted God and he gave me the courage to disembark from each plane and continue the journey towards my destination. Praise the Lord and Thanks for your Prayers!
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Thursday, December 22, 2011

Restless

I love Switchfoot and it was so fun that they came and had a concert at my school this past semester! I was able to hear their new song called “Restless,” and it has become sort of a theme song for my life lately. It verbalizes the desire of my heart. I am restless, thirsty for more of God, unsatisfied until I am drawn deeper and deeper into His heart. I want to make the most of my short time on this earth. Following God is not easy-it is scary, uncomfortable, unsafe, and invites prejudice. That is the truth of this dark, fallen world. But I have experienced God’s faithfulness and tasted what it feels like to be in close connection with Him! And I want more of it! I am restless until I find more of His goodness, more of His power, more of His grace, and more of how I can serve Him and live out His call for my life.

For that reason, God has given me a desire to serve on the mission field in Africa for a short time and fulfill a long-held dream of my heart. I leave on December 26, 2011, and will return to my home on April 12, 2012.  I will spend part of my time in Tanzania, living with 7 other women (4 are long-term missionaries, 3 are short-term like me). I will be learning the language, getting immersed in the culture, and finding out what life as a missionary is like. The second part of my trip will be working at an MK school in Kenya called the Rift Valley Academy.

I am SO excited for the road that God has before me! He has orchestrated this whole process and I have seen His power and faithfulness already! I am RESTLESS for God to show Himself more, for me to experience His works in a deeper way, as each part of this adventure gets increasingly more difficult.

Thank you all for being interested in my journey, for praying God’s blessing on my life, and for reading my stories.

Blessings and Merry Christmas!


Restless by Switchfoot
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