"22 was like the worst idea that I have ever had..."
*Disclaimer: I haven’t been 22 since January, but…* Seeing this Paramore song quoted on someone’s story for their 22nd birthday reminded me of a conversation I had a few months back with a different person, who told me, “Yeah, they say everyone hates you when you’re 23…” I imagine this has something to do with the actual fact of being 23. It’s kind of an awkward time, to speak really clearly. All of a sudden you’ve finished you’re schooling, and you’re looking to integrate into “the real world,” “the work force,” and trying to be “an adult,” who “contributes to society.” Coming with those... Read more
For the Healing of the Nations
Our time in America has now stretched one month longer than originally planned as we wait on our new visas, but the Lord knew all along how we would need and use this time. We have decided to stay overseas for the long haul, and while we are back we are using this time to tie up loose ends and prepare to launch out long-term. It has been a joy, blessing, and encouragement to see friends while we are back, and last night was no exception. We visited a family who is extremely passionate about God’s global work and desire to see His Kingdom come around the world. Towards the end of the... Read more
...Of All Nations
A particular passion of mine is to see a love for Christ spread among the unreached peoples of the World. For those unfamiliar with the terms, the 1982 Lausanne Committee Chicago meeting defined a People Group as “For evangelization purposes, a people group is the largest group within which the Gospel can spread as a church planting movement without encountering barriers of understanding or acceptance”, and an Unreached People Group is a People Group without a reported self-sustaining Gospel Movement (see joshuaproject.net for more info). About two years ago, our team was invited by local... Read more
Taking Off Our Shoes
Hi friends, There’s a quote I first heard in a missions class that’s recently been on my mind. It goes like this, “Our first task in approaching another people, another culture, another religion is to take off our shoes, for the place we are approaching is holy. Else we may find ourselves treading on another’s dream, more serious still we may forget that God was there before our arrival.” – Kenneth Cragg I think it’s funny Cragg uses the illustration of taking off our shoes when approaching another culture, because my team and I literally do that everyday whenever we go into our refugee... Read moreJoy and Sorrow
Joy and Sorrow The spring and summer of the year 2020 has been a roller coaster of emotions and experiences in my life. In March I came back after only three weeks on the mission field I’d committed to for two years, and I have never understood better the meaning of the phrase “having the rug pulled out from under you.” However, I was grateful and confident that God led me to be in Colorado for this time, and it soon became more clear why. In the month of July I stood up next to two of my dearest friends as they got married. I watched my brother go through two surgeries and an ER visit due... Read more
Welcome Back
Hey friends, On August 17 we officially opened our new English Center and welcomed back students for classes. It was great to reconnect with many returning students we hadn't seen in several months. They loved seeing the new English Center and repeatedly said how thankful they were to have a place to come to for community after being in their houses for so long. Our first English lessons included conversations on how the coronavirus has changed everyone's life and how we can feel many different emotions because of those changes. It's been special for our staff and volunteers to have those... Read more
The New Normal
DONE WITH LANGUAGE! I am excited to announce that I am officially done with the language portion of my time here! I have felt very encouraged and empowered by how much I’ve learned and how much I am now able to communicate. In order to maintain my current communication level, I will continue to meet with Turkish friends and practice conversations. Phase 1 of Re-opening Country My host country has handled the virus very well, which has resulted in comparatively low cases here. Praise the Lord! After being in a restrictive lock-down for about three months, things are to return to “normal.”... Read more
Through Dreams and Visions
Over the last few months my teammates and I have been praying that our friends would have dreams and visions about Jesus, and one night after praying together as a team He gave me a dream too: I wandered through a dark, terrible building. People around me were oblivious to the heaviness around them, but I sensed that something was wrong. They rushed by me, unsmiling, trying to take care of what they needed to do and ignoring everyone else around them. Something urged me to go up to the very top floor. Slowly I made my way to the top. No one else was going up to this floor, and as I walked in... Read more
Does my art matter?
I’ve been thinking lately about the role of art in my life. One of my ongoing struggles in college was feeling like I had to decide between art and missions. With the overwhelming need for the Gospel and the worldwide effects of poverty and injustice, making art seemed like a weak and frivolous thing to invest in. But would God really ask me to deny this part of who he created me to be? I felt incredibly blessed to find this opportunity to do graphic design for a missions organization. It’s been amazing to think that things I create can be used to reach people with the Gospel. However, this... Read more