How Did I Get Here?
A global pandemic. A time of political unrest in the last country I ever thought I would want to serve in. A God whose plan is WAY bigger than mine. These factors play into where I am, but they don't answer the question of how I got to the point of serving in America in the midst of it all. Proverbs 19:21 says, "Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." Originally, my placement with GoCorps was in another country. My plan was to go to the nations, but through a series of events, I ended up feeling called to serve those coming FROM the nations to our... Read moreAre you sure, Lord?
Some people may look at me and wonder why the heck I would be the one called to go serve overseas. Others may read my story on paper and think there couldn’t be anyone less qualified for such a role. Not gonna lie, I have definitely thought those things about myself. Forget the family struggles, why would Jesus want to use an insecure, unqualified, and sinful girl like myself to go tell people about Him? However, as I am sure you have come to realize by now, the Lord is too good to me. In the midst of this struggle, when I was doubting the most and the question on my tongue was more often “... Read moreOne Month Left
One Month Left To Go.. In 29 days I will land in the country I have committed to for the next two years. WHAT?! That is wild. As I am sure you can imagine, there are countless thoughts and emotions swirling inside of me. So much excitement, a little anxiety, questions of what's to come, and figuring out what to pack for a life overseas for two years is quite a lot. I am in the middle of a season where I have never been so unsure, yet so confident, all at once. This month before I leave, I am spending time at my organization’s headquarters for pre-field training. While there is much I... Read more
Encounter in the Park
If you’ve been following my newsletters, you’ll remember that I went to the park in the beginning of December, and after having a strange feeling that I should bring an extra coffee mug, I did indeed receive an unexpected visitor when a little girl (and her little dog too!) appeared in the quiet park and stopped a while to chat. This evening park-picnic ended with an invitation to a second more official park-picnic. I wasn’t quite sure how God would use this, but I knew He would. Within the SAME WEEKEND, I got the idea that maybe God was using that first encounter in... Read more
He who removes my shame
How would you enter into a culture that structures its words and deeds around shame and honor (S/H)? Many of the traditions and situations may seem strange to a guilt and justice-based (G/J) society. Let me explain by asking a question. How would you and others in your circle (family, friends etc.) handle a stressful event? In a G/J community, they would regard the “rightness” or “wrongness” of the issue to resolve the stress. They would openly discuss the injustice and demand that their rights be heard and given. In a S/H context, the greatest injustice would be to shame the most respected... Read moreJoy After the Holidays
I hope that your past couple weeks were filled with family, friends, and games regardless of any restrictions you might be under. My family read the Christmas story as is our tradition on Christmas day. In Luke’s account, joy is mentioned several times (more if you include rejoice). The angel of the Lord told Mary that she will have joy, and many others will rejoice because of Jesus’ birth. John the Baptist leapt for joy in Elizabeth’s womb, and the angel of the Lord brought shepherds tidings of joy. Jesus’ birth was a turning point in humanities history, a joyful event that is still... Read more
Silence in the Song
In the summer of 2019, I finally broke down & downloaded Spotify—a very popular music streaming app—& have since used it to listen for tens of thousands of hours. In December they send out “Spotify Wrapped”, which is a curated snapshot of your year in music: a bunch of interesting data about your listening habits, including your most-played songs. My top song of 2020 was “The Wrote & The Writ” (which apparently I streamed 110 times). On the one hand, this didn't surprise me—I was definitely aware that I listened a lot to this tune—but on the other hand, I didn't at first... Read moreLeaving Versus Going
I’m officially a month and a half out from my first ‘leave.’ In mid-February I head off for two weeks of training with my sending organization. And by mid-March, I should be off for Central Asia! I might be able to come back home in between both of those ‘leave’ dates, but it will likely be down to the wire before I know for sure. With that being said, the goodbyes I’ll have to say have been heavy on my heart and mind. And in some ways it’s harder because I don’t know when that last goodbye will be. The moments with family and friends have become simultaneously sweeter and somewhat tainted... Read more