A Central Asian Galentine's Party
You may remember the “Story of the Knitted Grinch”. That fateful day in December 2023 was a huge reminder to me to not be shy about getting to know my neighbors. I’ve definitely carried that lesson with me, especially during our time in Central Asia. Getting to know my neighbors here hasn’t been easy. The language barrier is very challenging, because most of my neighbors speak “street” instead of “literary,” meaning they use more slang, words borrowed from other languages, and lots of shortcuts you won’t find in a grammar book. In spite of this, slowly slowly I’ve gotten to know my… Read more'Do You Feel Yourself Sufficient?'
'Welcome, Prince,' said Aslan. 'Do you feel yourself sufficient to take up the Kingship of Narnia?''I - I don't think I do, Sir,' said Caspian. 'I am only a kid.'Good,' said Aslan. 'If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been proof that you were not.' (Aslan and Prince Caspian, from C. S. Lewis' Prince Caspian) In just over three months I will be packing my bags and headed to the Middle East! Most of my fundraising is done (praise God!), and I have been blessed with a few months to prepare for what is next. There are so many things to learn and so many ways I am not yet ready. So… Read more
Moving back to America
This month I finished my term and made it back to America. My last few weeks were full, surreal, and very emotional. I experienced so many “lasts” and had lots of tearful goodbyes. I’m still processing the end of that part of my life, but a few moments and thoughts stand out the most. In my last coffee date with my friend, D, who I previously shared the meaning of communion with, she was the one who opened the door for spiritual conversation! She asked about Christmas and different Christian beliefs. We talked about Christmas Eve church services and I shared how we often use candles to… Read more
Growing in Community
Hey everyone, and welcome to another update from Spain! I'm really excited to be able to share with everyone, all that's been going on in this past month. The Lord's been really faithful and he's been allowing me to be able to get more connected with my local church. More and more, I've been able to go to different people's homes, get invited to birthday parties, be a part of the young adults group, and it's been really amazing to be able to cultivate that community here. And as I reflect with gratitude on my local community, I'm reminded of the community that is supporting me back home. What… Read moreHow I'm Leaning into the Waiting
The waiting is something I’ve touched on in a few of my posts, and I’ve shared the struggle that comes with it at times. This past month, I’ve decided to lean into and fully embrace this season of expectant waiting that God has me in, rather than trying to actively fight it. Language Learning I’ve begun to merely touch the surface in the world of language learning by doing lessons on Duolingo, making an effort to learn and recite the Greek alphabet, listening to Greek music, and occasionally watching kids’ shows (such as Bluey) in Greek. While I’m not counting on learning anything formal by… Read more
Back to Work
Hey everyone, and welcome to another update from Spain. This month has been busy as work has gotten back into the full swing of things, and we've been having lots of different meetings as a team to plan for the next project that we're gonna be working on. It will be a year long series going through the book of acts from the perspective of planting churches in a hostile environment. This month we were able to do a practice shoot to test out exactly how we wanted to film it. And thanks to that practice we were able to learn how we need to work together, how we need to communicate better,… Read more
Being Clay Hurts
10/21/23 - Senior Year of College I’m frantic. Juiced up on adrenaline. There’s no thoughts, just a one track determination. We’re tied and we need to win this game. If we don’t, we’ll miss playoffs for the second year in a row. Win. That’s all that matters to me as I’m scanning the field, trying to get organized on defense. Then, the other team’s centerback plays a desperate ball over my defender's head that would have been out of reach for most people. Not me though. Exhilarated, I rush towards the ball. Their winger’s chasing it, but it doesn’t matter, I know I’ll get there… Read moreNavigating the Waves of Chaos
Sometimes as I find myself sitting in seasons of waiting, such as I have in recent months, chaos seems as if it comes and goes in waves. At one moment, all feels at peace, and it’s easy to sit and declare my trust in the Lord and where He has me. Other times, it feels like I’m sinking in an ocean of impatience and everything around me is in utter chaos— my emotions, my relationships, and even the way I carry myself in day-to-day life. The latter weeks of August have felt like this ocean I can’t help but sink in, no matter what I do in an attempt to pull myself out. I’ll be transparent… Read more
Humble Sacrifices
The past few months we've been preparing for the School Supply Drive that we hold every year at the end of August and the beginning of September. One of my coworkers and I are in charge of calling each Amada (beloved woman we serve) who hasn’t received school supplies in past years to find out if she has a child, nephew/niece or grandchild who is studying, gather the beneficiary’s information, and give her the details of the event, until we fill the 100 spots available. It’s a long and rather difficult process that we start at the beginning of July to be able to finish on time. This whole… Read more