God's chosen path
I don't believe there is one path chosen for us. I don't believe there is one path that is the best. I believe we choose every step. That God simply loves us. That he is pleased with us. That no matter what decision we make "good" or "bad" God steps with us. I believe he knows our pain better than we know it ourselves. That He cries for us and with us. That he is the first to sit down with us and just sit for a while. That he just wants to be with us. How could someone who loves us so much have a designated path for us that he doesn't give us the directions for. There isn't a wrong path.... Read moreI trusted God
When you decide to serve God, you trust him to take care of you. Don't you? What if he doesn't. Not how you you expected him to. Not how you trusted him to. That's been my experience serving God in Bulgaria. Many times it didn't feel like God was taking care of me. I felt no love. I felt only pain. Pain that didn't have a sensible answer or reason. Maybe God didn't cause the pain, but he didn't stop me from feeling it. I've come to understand that pain isn't the enemy. It just feels like it is. Pain can be a door, if you are willing to open it. Read more
I went to the beach this weekend...
I went to the beach this weekend… and it was really nice: A miniature city just for tourism, humidity thicker than Houston, Texas, flat, open, sandy beaches, with huge, curling waves- water stretching for miles until it touched the clouds. My neighbor and I played that slug bug/punch buggy game, but the tourist edition. We dressed up, and went out to a fancy dinner, we stayed in a little surf camp hotel, aimed at backpackers and surfers (obviously) that had a community kitchen and a library of travel books to share. (And a dog named Teo who guarded the pool.) At the beach, we laid... Read more
Implicit Curriculum AKA How to Play Boliche
In my first education course, “Students and Learning,” we had to memorize the definition of curriculum. Of course by now I’ve forgotten it, but I remember it being something about, “the stuff that you teach the students, both EXPLICIT and IMPLICIT.” (Emphasis on that explicit and implicit thing- because you’re always teaching someone something, whether you realize it or not.) I’m not sure about each of you, but sometimes as I’m teaching the kids in Sunday school or the teens in youth group, I feel that explicit teaching thing does not go so well. Or maybe just because... Read more
It's me, Beli!
There I was sitting in my 8am Missions class with four other students and Professor Jenkins during my first semester of senior year of college. As we were waiting for everyone to get settled, Jenkins was telling me about this organization his friend started, GoCorps. Jenkins knew I had a heart for missions and youth but was struggling with how to combine those two things into the real world. He told me to check out their website so I went home and here I am, preparing to move to Spain as a Youth Mentor. I thank God every day for putting Professor Jenkins in my life at that time. I have always... Read more
I have the responsibility of being a Missionary????
Hello to whomever is reading this blog! : ) Though I may not be able to see you in person, nor may I even have an opportunity to know who has read this post, I feel privileged to be writing this. By posting this first blog, it feels like I have earned a badge of honor with GoCorps! I remember when I was considering whether or not I wanted to join GoCorps, I spent hours one day just reading the blogs of the Goers. I remember thinking how brave and heroic they were to be posting publicly about their journey…and now I am one of those Goers!! Wow!! The simplest way to explain how I got... Read more
"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
Well, it happened...
This one is a vlog. Story time!!! Well, it happened! July Vlog Video of Well, it happened! July Vlog Read more
June 2020 Thank you, God. (Alt. Title: It’s Rainy Season) Adapted from personal journal, June 16, 2020
June 2020 Thank you, God. (Alt. Title: It’s Rainy Season) Adapted from personal journal, June 16, 2020 Thank you, God. Thank you for a mom who prays with me… Thank you for your many options that show your continued, perfect, provision. Thank you that anything that really means something will be hard. Thank you that my work really means something. Thank you that my relationships really mean something. Thank you that my life here really means something. Read more