God Bless the rains down in Africa—it is pouring outside as I’m writing this, and the underlying coolness in the air all day has been wonderful. We started week two of cleaning/renovating the Youth Center, and it’s finally starting to look like a building! We even waxed and polished one floor, and it was gleaming as we left. Hopefully it still looks semi-clean in the morning! The problem is that most of the windows in the whole building have been knocked out and need to be replaced, so all the dirt, sand, and flower puffs blow in all day long and settle on the floors. And bugs…although we have yet to see any massive bugs or dangerous spiders. I did have a dream one night that there was a snake in my bed, which kept me up most the night. And I also have 28 itchy bites on my body—I am suspicious where they are coming from because they only seem to happen at night.
Working on the YC has been fun and tiring—we’ve had some people from the youth group come to help: Karl-Hines, Gevanni, and Marco. (I can’t put pictures up yet because of viruses on the computers, but go to Lulu’s blog and you can see some! http://africalu.blogspot.com/ ). They keep things interesting as Gevanni is a perfect match for Stephen, and they have come up with some pretty clever solutions to our cleaning problems as well as enjoyed climbing around on the roof, busting glass out of the windows, and basically just being guys. Karl-Hines is our cleaning guru and keeps us laughing all day…He HATES cleaning but comes everyday and tells us how we’re doing it wrong and how he is so much better at it. All three help us with our Afrikaans and laugh plenty as we scramble the sentences and accidentally say inappropriate things.
I’m feeling a little more settled here. Every time I meet someone and tell them my name, they go “Britney Spears!” and then chuckle and pat me on the shoulder, including me in their joke. Hmm. At least it is better than my teammate, whose name is Lulu. Everyone would laugh when she introduced herself until finally a school principal named Arthur Erasmus told her “Lulu” means “naughty.” She considered changing her name, but no luck so far.
A few nights ago when Siko (2) and Marthane (6) were over to visit, we took them and Kevanni and Hayley outside and played a game of chicken fights, but on land. We (me, Stephen, and Lu) each had a kid on our back and then ran around chasing the other pairs trying to kick each other in the butt. It was so fun! After a while of doing that, the kids all ran over by the house and huddled up and started whispering. We had no clue what they were doing until suddenly they broke into sibling partners, jumped on each others back, and ran toward us yelling! It was so cute and so clever! We would run around the house to hide and jump out at them, and it felt a little bit like playing “Capture the Flag” at camp. I am SO excited to be at camp for a while this summer…mostly for the access to a big, cold lake! There is a dam about 10 kilometers out of town here—I can’t wait for the first Saturday we get to go and swim and lay by the water.
We cooked for our host families yesterday—an “American” meal. We made pasta, a tossed salad, and very cheesy toasted bread. Lenie added syrup to her bread…They really like their syrup here. Reminds me a little of “Elf”…Which makes me happy since my family at home likes that movie so much (: I also bought a fan finally, and I slept with a comforter on for the first time last night! It was so great to be a little cool.
My mom sent me with a list of Bible verses to read each day, and I found this passage as a result of my daily verse:
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Great is our Lord and mighty in power; His understanding has no limit…The Lord delights in those who fear Him, who put their hope in His unfailing love.”
-Psalm 147:3-5, 11
Great, powerful, limitless, unfailing…And we can call Him our God! He heals us, understands us, and He delights in us. I can’t imagine a God who counts and names the stars delighting in me. Stars—when there are no other lights around or buildings to block them—are magnificent. The other day we finally had a cloudless night sky, and the stars were beautiful. God knows each of their places, each formation, each constellation (I can always only find Orion’s Belt). And even more than just knowing, verse 5 says that “his understanding has no limit…” Of me, of my mind and body, of my frustrations and fears, of my dreams. He understands it ALL. And He also promises:
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
And
“Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4)
He wants to give me the desires of my heart, and He has a plan to give me hope and a future…And I can trust that all of those will be good because His understanding of me, of Brittany Lee Bean, has NO limits! So I am here, I am a little homesick, and I am wondering what these next few months will look like. What is my purpose here? Will I be used? Will I be effective? Will I submit daily to the Lord so that He can use me in whatever way best serves His Kingdom? Even though my mind can’t see the answers, if I choose to trust in God, then the answer will always be yes. He has a plan and a future ahead of me. I believe I am here in Rehoboth for a reason, big or small.
Stars have splendor and an ethereal beauty—they are fit for a King. But not me. On my own, I am dirty and sinful. Praise God He loves me more than the stars and even delights in me. Oh that I could see my worth and my sin through His eyes.
Prayer Requests:
*that people in the community would get involved with the Youth Center, both with their skills and also with monetary and supply donations…Right now, we basically have a beaten-up building and a team of 4-7.
*For the children here…There is a lot of pain for various reasons.
*For my team’s involvement at the church—that we could be mentors and good examples to the youth there…That we would be bold and confident in the Lord
Have a happy week!
Thank you for your prayers.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
MY ADDRESS!--UPDATED!!!!
Brittany Bean
c/o Lenie Van Wyk
PO Box 4067
Rehoboth
Namibia
9000
AFRICA
Mail might take up to a month to get here...just so you know! All good things are worth waiting for though, right? (:
c/o Lenie Van Wyk
PO Box 4067
Rehoboth
Namibia
9000
AFRICA
Mail might take up to a month to get here...just so you know! All good things are worth waiting for though, right? (:
Jesus, You're a Donkey
(written Monday, January 19)
Well, we are moved in to Rehoboth and if I thought it was hot in Windhoek, I was wrong. Even the locals here think it is unusually warm--which means for a girl from Minnesota and minus 20 degree days, it is sizzling! I woke up this morning and my first thought was, “Uh--I am hot again!” and then laughed as I realized I am in AFRICA…It is going to be hot EVERY day. But it is dry heat at least, and when it rains (which it has done every night we’ve been here), it is absolutely wonderful! The first night I was so sticky, and when I heard thunder and felt the rain start to splash down on us in the sand-yard, I was so happy because it reminded me of warm summer evenings with storms and good books. Speaking of which, I recently finished a book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and highly recommend it.
Rehoboth is very different from what I imagined. In my mind, it was a tiny town with one main street that was lined with houses. I figured I would be able to see across the whole town from any one position, and when a girl who has been here since September said she goes running and just stays on the main road--I pictured her running up and down and up and down this one short little street many times. NOT the case! It is not as big or fancy as Windhoek, but it is beautiful to me--and much bigger than I’d thought. The houses are all brightly colored with yellow, tangerine, lilac, celery, cerulean blue, mustard, lime, rust-red, teal, light-to-bright pink, and my personal favorite (since I’m living in it) a pretty&bright shade of mauve-purple. Many streets are sandy/dirt, and fences ranging from tangled chicken wire to grand fortress walls surround each house. The woman I’m living with, Lenie, has lived here for almost 26 years and our neighbors are her son, John, and daughter, Leatitia (who Lulu is living with). The three houses share a sand-yard (a big open space with lots of very soft brown sand but not much grass), which is nice because it becomes a meeting place for children and animals--two of my favorite things! Leatitia has two beautiful girls, Kevanni and Hayley, and when we play we are joined by Marthanae, Siko, Okie, Elario, and Taylon (friends and cousins) as well as Suka, Charlie, Jack, and Pimsy (dogs), and Mia and her three newborn kittens. Suka and Charlie are puppies, and it is such a blessing to have them, one because they are so cute and two, because they let me hug and hold them and they don’t care what I say or do, they just love me for loving them.
The older children speak some English and so they are helping to teach us some Afrikaans words--my favorite phrase is “thank you very much”--which sounds like you are saying “buy a donkey.” Even better was when we were praying after worship team practice (yes, all three of us are a part of the choir at church--we began Sunday and tried as hard as we could to sing along in Afrikaans) and the guy next to me said, “Yes Jesus, you’re a donkey…” Or at least that is what my English-speaking ears heard (: It really means: “Lord, Thank you.” I have a lot to learn, but it is so fun to finally be able to put small phrases together and say something correctly and have someone actually respond!
We had our first day of work today. Pastor Anthony picked us up and we went to finally see the Youth Center we’ve all been thinking about for the past so many months. It is HUGE! It’s like a mini-strip mall. A long corridor with about 8-9 large rooms, a small kitchen, and bathrooms. Some rooms were in better shape than others as far as broken windows, falling ceilings, and ripped up tiling on the floor but ALL had a thick cloud of dust settled across them--which our small team of 7 helped to clean up both by sweeping and also by inhaling massive amounts of it as it billowed around us en-route to the trash bag. We will have dust-masks for tomorrow…and gloves. We will be cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning for the next few weeks and hopefully eventually painting (bright colors, of course!), furnishing, and so on. I’m still not completely sure what the game plan is, but that is sort of how it goes with this project. We will see.
I do miss home at times but for the most part, I am enjoying these new experiences and living amidst the Baster people of Rehoboth. I am so grateful for my host family (s) and how kind they have been, as well as for the delicious meals they cook us, the time they take to explain things to us, and the way they’ve included us in their family. Praise God He provided a home for us, not just a house!
The biggest thought on my heart this week so far is the idea of dying to myself so that Christ can live in me. It’s an idea I’ve heard many times before, but it really sank in with me this weekend…The idea that if I find it hard to be patient while I’m here, or to love or to forgive or to understand--it does not matter. Because it shouldn’t be me doing those things anyway. If I hug a child or smile at a stranger on the street, it is really Jesus doing it through me. Which is good because that person doesn’t need my hugs or smiles or love. That would accomplish only temporary satisfaction. What they need is an eternal peace that surpasses ALL understanding, regardless of culture, race, or history. Eternal love, eternal joy, eternal salvation. And I cannot give any of those. What I can do is wake up each morning willing to set myself aside so that God can use my hands and my feet to do the work He has planned and put before me…What a crazy thought that the Creator of the Universe would take the time to devise a plan for my life and then continue to use me even when I mess up, give up, or fail to live up to His commands. My mind is still processing, and I’m not thinking very coherently yet, so I will say goodnight--Quia Nand--for now (disclaimer: I spell names and new words phonetically…I make no promises about accuracy (: ).
Prayer requests:
*building relationships in Rehoboth
*the youth center and the dirty work ahead (:
*that I would make new discoveries about God and find my encouragement in Him
Baie Dankie, I love you.
Well, we are moved in to Rehoboth and if I thought it was hot in Windhoek, I was wrong. Even the locals here think it is unusually warm--which means for a girl from Minnesota and minus 20 degree days, it is sizzling! I woke up this morning and my first thought was, “Uh--I am hot again!” and then laughed as I realized I am in AFRICA…It is going to be hot EVERY day. But it is dry heat at least, and when it rains (which it has done every night we’ve been here), it is absolutely wonderful! The first night I was so sticky, and when I heard thunder and felt the rain start to splash down on us in the sand-yard, I was so happy because it reminded me of warm summer evenings with storms and good books. Speaking of which, I recently finished a book called “Crazy Love” by Francis Chan and highly recommend it.
Rehoboth is very different from what I imagined. In my mind, it was a tiny town with one main street that was lined with houses. I figured I would be able to see across the whole town from any one position, and when a girl who has been here since September said she goes running and just stays on the main road--I pictured her running up and down and up and down this one short little street many times. NOT the case! It is not as big or fancy as Windhoek, but it is beautiful to me--and much bigger than I’d thought. The houses are all brightly colored with yellow, tangerine, lilac, celery, cerulean blue, mustard, lime, rust-red, teal, light-to-bright pink, and my personal favorite (since I’m living in it) a pretty&bright shade of mauve-purple. Many streets are sandy/dirt, and fences ranging from tangled chicken wire to grand fortress walls surround each house. The woman I’m living with, Lenie, has lived here for almost 26 years and our neighbors are her son, John, and daughter, Leatitia (who Lulu is living with). The three houses share a sand-yard (a big open space with lots of very soft brown sand but not much grass), which is nice because it becomes a meeting place for children and animals--two of my favorite things! Leatitia has two beautiful girls, Kevanni and Hayley, and when we play we are joined by Marthanae, Siko, Okie, Elario, and Taylon (friends and cousins) as well as Suka, Charlie, Jack, and Pimsy (dogs), and Mia and her three newborn kittens. Suka and Charlie are puppies, and it is such a blessing to have them, one because they are so cute and two, because they let me hug and hold them and they don’t care what I say or do, they just love me for loving them.
The older children speak some English and so they are helping to teach us some Afrikaans words--my favorite phrase is “thank you very much”--which sounds like you are saying “buy a donkey.” Even better was when we were praying after worship team practice (yes, all three of us are a part of the choir at church--we began Sunday and tried as hard as we could to sing along in Afrikaans) and the guy next to me said, “Yes Jesus, you’re a donkey…” Or at least that is what my English-speaking ears heard (: It really means: “Lord, Thank you.” I have a lot to learn, but it is so fun to finally be able to put small phrases together and say something correctly and have someone actually respond!
We had our first day of work today. Pastor Anthony picked us up and we went to finally see the Youth Center we’ve all been thinking about for the past so many months. It is HUGE! It’s like a mini-strip mall. A long corridor with about 8-9 large rooms, a small kitchen, and bathrooms. Some rooms were in better shape than others as far as broken windows, falling ceilings, and ripped up tiling on the floor but ALL had a thick cloud of dust settled across them--which our small team of 7 helped to clean up both by sweeping and also by inhaling massive amounts of it as it billowed around us en-route to the trash bag. We will have dust-masks for tomorrow…and gloves. We will be cleaning, cleaning, and more cleaning for the next few weeks and hopefully eventually painting (bright colors, of course!), furnishing, and so on. I’m still not completely sure what the game plan is, but that is sort of how it goes with this project. We will see.
I do miss home at times but for the most part, I am enjoying these new experiences and living amidst the Baster people of Rehoboth. I am so grateful for my host family (s) and how kind they have been, as well as for the delicious meals they cook us, the time they take to explain things to us, and the way they’ve included us in their family. Praise God He provided a home for us, not just a house!
The biggest thought on my heart this week so far is the idea of dying to myself so that Christ can live in me. It’s an idea I’ve heard many times before, but it really sank in with me this weekend…The idea that if I find it hard to be patient while I’m here, or to love or to forgive or to understand--it does not matter. Because it shouldn’t be me doing those things anyway. If I hug a child or smile at a stranger on the street, it is really Jesus doing it through me. Which is good because that person doesn’t need my hugs or smiles or love. That would accomplish only temporary satisfaction. What they need is an eternal peace that surpasses ALL understanding, regardless of culture, race, or history. Eternal love, eternal joy, eternal salvation. And I cannot give any of those. What I can do is wake up each morning willing to set myself aside so that God can use my hands and my feet to do the work He has planned and put before me…What a crazy thought that the Creator of the Universe would take the time to devise a plan for my life and then continue to use me even when I mess up, give up, or fail to live up to His commands. My mind is still processing, and I’m not thinking very coherently yet, so I will say goodnight--Quia Nand--for now (disclaimer: I spell names and new words phonetically…I make no promises about accuracy (: ).
Prayer requests:
*building relationships in Rehoboth
*the youth center and the dirty work ahead (:
*that I would make new discoveries about God and find my encouragement in Him
Baie Dankie, I love you.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
First Class to London, Please
I am in Namibia! I warn you--this could get long, so grab a cup of tea (people drink it here all the time, despite 90 degree temps!) and settle in. We have a lot of catching up to do.
First off--travelling went smoothly and all our luggage and supply boxes got through safely. The BEST part of the travelling was our surprise gift while flying from New York to London. All three of us (me, Lulu, and Stephen) had our tickets beep red at us when we were boarding, which of course made us nervous as the woman went over to check something in the computer. She came back, said have a nice flight, and sent us on our way. So we thought everything must be fine. We get on the plane and can't find our seats...So we ask a flight attendant. She looks at our tickets and then leads us toward the front of the plane--away from the little bitty seats in coach (don't worry--we DO experience those on our 11 hr flight to Jo'Berg) and toward the Club World seats! I said "This isn't my seat," to which she replies, "You've been upgraded. Have a seat." So let me explain: I had my own private cubicle with a chair that reclines into a bed, a mini TV, a three course meal (Dad--the salad had roasted asparagus, which was delicious! And the dessert--my favorite part--was lemon cheesecake with a berry compote sauce), free champagne (I didn't have any--but I enjoyed the fact that it was free (: ), a big pillow and blanket, and a window view of landing in London! We found out later that to fly Club World, you have to pay an additional $1700 approx....Whoa. Earlier that day, Rae had been talking to me about how we have a generous God...I thought this was a very tangible way of him to show his generosity to our team!
So we arrived in London--jumped on the tube and saw: the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament buildings, Westminster Abbey (Linds--is this where the Beatles crossed the road? I was so confused.), Buckingham Palace and a change of the Queen's guard, and Piccadilly Circus. We were going on minimal sleep but still enjoyed our chilly exploration!
Ok--after all this, some crying babies, a bit of nauseau, no sleep in 48 hrs, lots of airline food, and a whole lot of security checks--we arrived in Windhoek, Namibia! It is hot, sunny, and dry here--I'm hoping the expected rains make an appearance soon. We're staying with a wonderful, wonderful host family with a houseful of children. I love the time spent eating outside in the shade, walking past the laundry as it soaks in the sunshine, hearing the children's laughter and singing as they dance around the house, and slowly feeling myself adjust to this new world. We've had orientation all this week, and through that I've met a couple from the UK and the Netherlands, as well as the States and some Namibians who've helped teach us about their culture and country. It's been great to meet all these people, and I'm really excited to move to Rehoboth this Friday to begin our work there and continue meeting more people.
I bought a guitar today. She is small and a pretty blue color. It felt good to play again and do something so familiar to me, even though I'm far away from home. I brought out the classic camp songs like "Frip Frop" and "I Lke to Chew my Gum with God"--always a hit with children, right counselors? We love them, too (: I'm brainstorming a name for this new addition to my life...My guitar at home is Agammemnon (Aggie), so if anyone has any suggestions...Feel free.
Well, I realize this is a lot of fact and not much feeling yet, but I imagine your tea is cooling, and I have to get to bed since flying 8hours into the future can make one tired.
Prayer requests:
*our move to Rehoboth on Friday and meeting our host families and the community
*continuing to unite our team,as well as the other missionaries we will meet in Rehoboth
*focus on the Lord--it's been so busy--I want to put my focus back on Him
"If I had to be changed by anyone--it would have to be the Creator of the Universe..."
-Shelley Clark
I do desire to change and grow, and she makes a good point. Why not God? Why not allow the same hand that created each country, climate, culture, and people group to create a new me? Change my heart, Lord, change my eyes from focusing on this 5 month trip to focusing on an eternal Kingdom where you invite us ALL to come, and change my attitude, that I could better love, serve, sacrifice, trust, and be changed. Amen.
First off--travelling went smoothly and all our luggage and supply boxes got through safely. The BEST part of the travelling was our surprise gift while flying from New York to London. All three of us (me, Lulu, and Stephen) had our tickets beep red at us when we were boarding, which of course made us nervous as the woman went over to check something in the computer. She came back, said have a nice flight, and sent us on our way. So we thought everything must be fine. We get on the plane and can't find our seats...So we ask a flight attendant. She looks at our tickets and then leads us toward the front of the plane--away from the little bitty seats in coach (don't worry--we DO experience those on our 11 hr flight to Jo'Berg) and toward the Club World seats! I said "This isn't my seat," to which she replies, "You've been upgraded. Have a seat." So let me explain: I had my own private cubicle with a chair that reclines into a bed, a mini TV, a three course meal (Dad--the salad had roasted asparagus, which was delicious! And the dessert--my favorite part--was lemon cheesecake with a berry compote sauce), free champagne (I didn't have any--but I enjoyed the fact that it was free (: ), a big pillow and blanket, and a window view of landing in London! We found out later that to fly Club World, you have to pay an additional $1700 approx....Whoa. Earlier that day, Rae had been talking to me about how we have a generous God...I thought this was a very tangible way of him to show his generosity to our team!
So we arrived in London--jumped on the tube and saw: the London Eye, Big Ben, Parliament buildings, Westminster Abbey (Linds--is this where the Beatles crossed the road? I was so confused.), Buckingham Palace and a change of the Queen's guard, and Piccadilly Circus. We were going on minimal sleep but still enjoyed our chilly exploration!
Ok--after all this, some crying babies, a bit of nauseau, no sleep in 48 hrs, lots of airline food, and a whole lot of security checks--we arrived in Windhoek, Namibia! It is hot, sunny, and dry here--I'm hoping the expected rains make an appearance soon. We're staying with a wonderful, wonderful host family with a houseful of children. I love the time spent eating outside in the shade, walking past the laundry as it soaks in the sunshine, hearing the children's laughter and singing as they dance around the house, and slowly feeling myself adjust to this new world. We've had orientation all this week, and through that I've met a couple from the UK and the Netherlands, as well as the States and some Namibians who've helped teach us about their culture and country. It's been great to meet all these people, and I'm really excited to move to Rehoboth this Friday to begin our work there and continue meeting more people.
I bought a guitar today. She is small and a pretty blue color. It felt good to play again and do something so familiar to me, even though I'm far away from home. I brought out the classic camp songs like "Frip Frop" and "I Lke to Chew my Gum with God"--always a hit with children, right counselors? We love them, too (: I'm brainstorming a name for this new addition to my life...My guitar at home is Agammemnon (Aggie), so if anyone has any suggestions...Feel free.
Well, I realize this is a lot of fact and not much feeling yet, but I imagine your tea is cooling, and I have to get to bed since flying 8hours into the future can make one tired.
Prayer requests:
*our move to Rehoboth on Friday and meeting our host families and the community
*continuing to unite our team,as well as the other missionaries we will meet in Rehoboth
*focus on the Lord--it's been so busy--I want to put my focus back on Him
"If I had to be changed by anyone--it would have to be the Creator of the Universe..."
-Shelley Clark
I do desire to change and grow, and she makes a good point. Why not God? Why not allow the same hand that created each country, climate, culture, and people group to create a new me? Change my heart, Lord, change my eyes from focusing on this 5 month trip to focusing on an eternal Kingdom where you invite us ALL to come, and change my attitude, that I could better love, serve, sacrifice, trust, and be changed. Amen.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
The Calm Before the Storm
I'm in New York right now, finishing up our initial orientation before flying out tomorrow afternoon for London. We'll have a 12-hour layover there, so we're hoping to explore a little outside the airport! London in a day...It will still be exciting (:
I do feel right now that I am in a sort of calm before the storm. Everything here at AIM's headquarters is so peaceful, quiet, and homey (picture quilted bedspreads and all the hot chocolate you could drink), but I have a restlessness inside that I think is part nerves and part readiness to finally be in Africa doing what I've been preparing to do for the last year. And as we've been assured, it will not be a "cakewalk." I don't think the storm will necessarily be bad--just strong, fast, surprising, and fierce. It will shake me up--turn my way of living upside down, blow away old beliefs and worldviews and wash off any remaining thoughts I have of what the "right" way of living is and what the "right" way to love our amazing God is. It will uproot my relationship with God and replenish it in a new light...Replant it with a new heart, new hands, new mind.
There is an old, beautiful library here with windows for walls and tons of old books that make the room smell exactly like: Camp Hiawatha's cabins, the Bach house at Verm, and the saunas at both camps. My feet sank into the carpet, and I couldn't bring myself to leave this beautiful place that smelled like so much laughter, love, and happy memories. As I was sitting in there with God, I wondered what it will be like when I return in May. I figure the sunlight will stream through all the windows and the trees outside will be turning green and alive, and the books will still smell just the same. But I can't begin to imagine what I'll be thinking or feeling--or that I'll be anywhere near the same person I am now. Sometimes I'm scared of who I'll be when I come back...What if this isn't my home anymore? But that's a thought for another time. I still have to go!
At my grandparent's church, a gentleman named Sid left me with this advice: "Life is supposed to be dangerous! Christian fellowship isn't about sitting around having coffee and donuts...It's about being out there in the trenches together, fighting!"
So tomorrow, I am off to the trenches. Time to live dangerously! (: Thank the Lord, I do not go alone.
I do feel right now that I am in a sort of calm before the storm. Everything here at AIM's headquarters is so peaceful, quiet, and homey (picture quilted bedspreads and all the hot chocolate you could drink), but I have a restlessness inside that I think is part nerves and part readiness to finally be in Africa doing what I've been preparing to do for the last year. And as we've been assured, it will not be a "cakewalk." I don't think the storm will necessarily be bad--just strong, fast, surprising, and fierce. It will shake me up--turn my way of living upside down, blow away old beliefs and worldviews and wash off any remaining thoughts I have of what the "right" way of living is and what the "right" way to love our amazing God is. It will uproot my relationship with God and replenish it in a new light...Replant it with a new heart, new hands, new mind.
There is an old, beautiful library here with windows for walls and tons of old books that make the room smell exactly like: Camp Hiawatha's cabins, the Bach house at Verm, and the saunas at both camps. My feet sank into the carpet, and I couldn't bring myself to leave this beautiful place that smelled like so much laughter, love, and happy memories. As I was sitting in there with God, I wondered what it will be like when I return in May. I figure the sunlight will stream through all the windows and the trees outside will be turning green and alive, and the books will still smell just the same. But I can't begin to imagine what I'll be thinking or feeling--or that I'll be anywhere near the same person I am now. Sometimes I'm scared of who I'll be when I come back...What if this isn't my home anymore? But that's a thought for another time. I still have to go!
At my grandparent's church, a gentleman named Sid left me with this advice: "Life is supposed to be dangerous! Christian fellowship isn't about sitting around having coffee and donuts...It's about being out there in the trenches together, fighting!"
So tomorrow, I am off to the trenches. Time to live dangerously! (: Thank the Lord, I do not go alone.
Friday, January 2, 2009
All in Him
I think it is good to start my very first blog (oh...how exciting!) with the verse that first propelled my heart in the direction my body will soon be following:
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do ALL this through HIM who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:11--13
I really read and understood that verse my senior year of HS and have had a desire building since then to live it. I can't believe that NOW is here already, and I'm leaving for New York Monday, Africa Wednesday, and Rehoboth, Namibia (my home until May 19) soon after! I am feeling a whirlwind of emotions as I pack and prepare...The two biggest ones are excitement and sadness to leave my family and friends. Such highly contrasting emotions...I am sad to leave because I will be apart from so many people and places that I love so dearly...But I am really excited for the journey God has prepared for me in Namibia.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:10
I have so much more to say, but since I have spent way too many hours sitting in Caribou (for their fast wireless and peppermint tea...they will be glad to see me leave (: ) these past two weeks, I am going to sign off for now.
Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayer.
Happy New Year to all!
"I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do ALL this through HIM who gives me strength." -Philippians 4:11--13
I really read and understood that verse my senior year of HS and have had a desire building since then to live it. I can't believe that NOW is here already, and I'm leaving for New York Monday, Africa Wednesday, and Rehoboth, Namibia (my home until May 19) soon after! I am feeling a whirlwind of emotions as I pack and prepare...The two biggest ones are excitement and sadness to leave my family and friends. Such highly contrasting emotions...I am sad to leave because I will be apart from so many people and places that I love so dearly...But I am really excited for the journey God has prepared for me in Namibia.
"For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do." -Ephesians 2:10
I have so much more to say, but since I have spent way too many hours sitting in Caribou (for their fast wireless and peppermint tea...they will be glad to see me leave (: ) these past two weeks, I am going to sign off for now.
Thank you for your continued support, love, and prayer.
Happy New Year to all!
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