It’s a New Year
Grateful that it’s a New Year! I look at 2009 as the worst best year of my life. There are many things to say about last year, but overall it has been the most growing experience. Even though there were lots of hardships and trials, I feel closer to God than ever before. It has definately been a sanctifying process.
Through culture shock, seeing people die of HIV/AIDS and malaria, poorly run hospitals, starvation, crime, alcoholism, prostitution, drugs, sex trafficking, beggars, racism, lack of jobs, people who don’t know Jesus, and the list goes on. God opened our eyes to a lot this past year while we were in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
Aaron and I also had an extremely heart-breaking event in the last couple months. We unexpectedly had a miscarriage at the end of October, the week we got back to the US. We were very excited for this precious child of God and its definately been an emotional few weeks mourning the loss of this little one. We know that God is sovereign and has bigger plans than we can ever imagine.
We also have decided to stay in Louisville for another year to year-and-a-half. We realize that God has put a love in our hearts for South Africa. We want to be in Cape Town long-term and are going to research how to fully immigrate. There is so much opportunity in this beautiful country and also numerous ways to serve the people there.
2009 has been a year of extreme hardships but also of extreme growth. As it says in Jeremiah 29:11, “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.”
Even though there is still so much hardship all over the world, God is still good and He is worthy to be praised. I have a new understanding of what it means to long for Heaven and for the day where there will be no pain and suffering when we are joined with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-21
From the blog
It’s a New Year
Jan. 2, 2010 No Comments
Grateful that it’s a New Year! I look at 2009 as the worst best year of my life. There are many things to say about last year, but overall it has been the most growing experience. Even though there were lots of hardships and trials, I feel closer to God than ever before. It has [...]
More »Precious Little One
Dec. 23, 2009 1 Comment
I’m just a precious little one who didn’t make it there.
I went straight to be with Jesus, but I’m waiting for you here.
Many dwelling here where I live, waited years to enter in.
Struggled through a world of sorrow, a world marred with pain and sin.
Thank you for the life you gave me, it was brief [...]
We Will Not Ignore You
Feb. 8, 2009 3 Comments
As I was resting against the wall at a church and staring at the beautiful view of Table Mountain, I was stopped by a woman and her baby straddled on her hip. She was wanting to know if there was a social worker at the church and then proceeded to tell me her story. She [...]
More »Arriving in Cape Town, South Africa
Feb. 1, 2009 1 Comment
Just arrived in Cape Town, South Africa this evening at 8 pm. We started traveling yesterday morning at 6am. Seems like a long time to travel, but it really went pretty fast. Seems like we have been waiting for this day for a long time. Since we knew about eleven months ago that God was [...]
More »God’s Beautiful Creation
Jan. 21, 2009 1 Comment
As my husband and I have been traveling across the country the last several weeks, I have seen the most amazing view of God’s beautiful creation. As gorgeous mountains went on and on for hundreds of miles, I was captivated by God’s endless creation. I know that I have yet to see some of God’s [...]
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Nov. 7, 2008 4 Comments
As I was sitting in our Perspectives class this week listening to Jamie Zumwalt, associated with Heart of God Ministries, I found my heart crumbling. Hearing about the pain and suffering all across the world, I felt sad but yet compelled to finally do something about it. I can’t tell you how many times I [...]
More »Don’t Look Back
Oct. 11, 2008 1 Comment
A mentor and friend sent me this devotional and it really hit home because it is exactly what Aaron and I are going through right now. We are only a few months away from leaving for South Africa, and we are continously feeling pulled towards earthly things. We know this is Satan trying to lure [...]
More »Blessed by Discontentment
Sep. 20, 2008 No Comments
Have you ever thought of discontentment as a blessing? Sitting around a campfire of friends last night, I realized that God has placed that discontentment in our hearts for a very specific reason. Not just the squirmy feeling that we get when we aren’t totally focused on God and listening to what He is telling [...]
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