Send me?
What makes anyone qualified to do the things that we do? That's a question I've asked a lot in the past few months. I went to a Christian university. Is that enough? I went on short-term mission trips. Maybe that makes me qualified! I have quiet time and some believe I'm a passionate person when I pray. The list of the things we do or know can go on forever and still many of us will question if we are qualified. Then again, how can we be qualified, we know our own personal sin. Not patient enough. Not submissive enough. What if you aren't confident in meeting strangers? When we start looking... Read moreAll the Things I didn’t Know
Growing up overseas, there were lots of things that were “normal” to me that would seem anything but to a typical, American kid. For example, I’ve had a passport since birth, hasn’t everyone? Apparently not. Now that I’m going back, there are a lot of things that I’m learning are “normal” when it comes to living overseas, that I never even considered before taking this job. Taxes – At all my stateside jobs, taxes were taken out of my paycheck before it ever got to me. My employer took care of paying into Social Security out of my earnings. Not anymore. Now when I get my paycheck, I’ll have to... Read more
Home (?)
Last month I got to go home. By home, I mean Texas, although I’m getting more and more confused about where exactly home is. I returned with a welcoming from comforting family, friends, and honestly, food. During the month I was in Texas I got to celebrate Jas’ graduation, birthdays and Mother’s Day all in one trip, reminding me how blessed I am to be living in a country that can look and feel like its own planet, but is a 4 hour direct flight to DFW. Spending time with people who know me and love me (and with whom I can speak to with ease in my own language) is extremely filling. I am still... Read moreWho, What, When, Where, Why
I grew up on the mission field. But I didn’t want to be a missionary. God had a different plan, and it is infinitely better than mine. Between my Freshman and Sophomore year of college I heard God calling me to full-time mission work. In fact, it was this calling that prompted me to transfer to a Christian college. I didn’t know what my role in missions would look like, so I started exploring and applying to internships with a variety of mission organizations. As a senior, I heard about GoCorps, which gives recent grads a chance to use their degrees and learned skills to serve overseas in a... Read more
Making a Chore Chart
Nobody likes doing chores. Sure some chores are better than others, and there may be a chore or two that we enjoy doing, but usually they are tedious but necessary actions. You have no idea though how important chores are until you live in a small, temporary apartment. Every misplaced piece of clothing, every small crumb you tread upon, grinds against your very being and does not allow you a moment of respite. But what if we were to do these chores on a regular basis, say with a chore chart or other clever device created by mothers and teachers around the world, one would never have the... Read moreChange
It's easy to feel like you aren't making a difference. It's easy to think your language isn't enough, or these two years is just a random gap year. Looking at your friends back home and realizing your stage in life is much different from theirs can be really hard. Even if it's a hard pill to swallow it's a good one. My view of missions has changed just as much as my view of the Church. Everything feels interconnected! I look at the work of the German Church and wonder how this will affect the American Church. I wonder how the Arab Church will impact the Polish or Brazilian. Though there is a... Read more
Get Up
Two Fridays ago the Nicaraguan interns and I did a home visit a poor man in the community named Ervin. Ervin has two children that his wife had abandoned when they were young. Then, 3 years and 5 months ago (yes he is counting the months), Ervin was in a terrible car accident that broke his spine, thus paralyzing him from the chest down. Without being able to work or receiving any help from the government, it is a wonder how his family has been scraping by. When we arrived at his home, we sat outside talking and tried to encourage Ervin. He was obviously a man of great faith, thanking God... Read more
This Little Light
“Everything is moving according plan,” God continues to remind me. Having moved past my 6-month anniversary of being in Berlin, the longevity of being on mission brings certain challenges and rewards. I continue to learn more about myself the longer I stay in Berlin. Because of this, I find joy in the season I’m in! Spiritually speaking, being pulled out of comfort of the familiarity and of the culture that professes Christ, there was a season of 2 or 3 months where I was wrestling with myself to understand what the Gospel really is, and how my faith ought to grow while being in a culture... Read moreRandom True words
This update will be short and simple. I LOVE what I get to do here. Have 1 year language learning is hard and it still SUCKS. I'm am soooo grateful for GoCorps and how easy they made the process. And I know I don't deserve the amazing privileges I have and things I get to experience but, man God is awesome. Read more