"home"

*warning*

This is me "verbally" processing so I may think differently tomorrow...don't judge, k?

I don't want to be here.

I need to be here because this is where He has me right now.

I don't care about wordly things...it makes me angry when others do.

I want soooo desperately to live my life with purpose...intentionality...I want every moment to count for eternity...I don't want to settle for mediocrcy...I don't want to take the easy route...I want to take leaps of faith for Him...I want my life to matter.

I want my life here in the states to somehow morph into life in the DR and not have a divided heart.

I would give ANYTHING to be back in the DR right now.

I don't want to be numb...I want to FEEL something, anything.

I want to feel alive...I want to shine for Him...I want to be who He longs for me to be, who He is transforming me into...I want to live for Him and Him alone.

I want to long for Him.

I want to be content in the very place He is asking me to be...to be doing His work as He leads me...to be abiding in Him...to be remaining in Him...to be loving and serving others...to be on my knees at the very mention of His name...

I want to know what He has for me...I want answers...I don't want to wait patiently...

I told you this was me "verbally" processing... *sigh*

back...

Thanks for all the prayers for safety as I traveled back to the states. I arrived on time with no glitches with flights so that was good. My dear, sweet friend Jeanette picked me up (it's a lil tradition for her to be the first one to see me once I have returned back to the states from overseas). After an enjoyable dinner with her and car ride home, we stopped off to visit her wonderful hubby and our great friend, Ditty.

It was super great seeing familiar faces, ones that have become my family here in WV...my heart is conflicted though. I long to be with my new family in the DR too...please continue to pray for me as i adjust to being back in the states, to this culture, pace of life, etc etc. I can see that it is going to be really tough.

More to come...

Updated DR Pics

A few weeks ago, some friends from Crossroads came down on a week long trip and I joined up with them for another trip to the Batey's to continue the work being done on the Nutrition Center in Batey Cuchillo. Here are some pics from that trip. Enjoy!

Every shovel full of dirt is one step closer to kids being fed.

How refreshing to see old friends in the DR.

New friend, Poton, who I will miss dearly.

My friend Franci - u will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart!

The WALLLLLL of the Nutrition Center....yesssss, there are finally walls!!!

Thanks everyone who gave, prayed, and came.

stunning

precious

my friend Roberto. We shared many smiles and laughs!

Clara is a kindred spirit!

Yolanda - what a beautiful, godly woman.

Me and Pastor Francisco's kiddos. This was right before Franci clung onto my leg and started crying because he didn't want to say goodbye to me. About broke my heart....

Me and some of the fun gals!!!!!

Finishing Strong

I am having a difficult time understanding exactly what this means for me. I have one more week here in the DR and currently I am bed sick, again, and am unsure what my last week will look like. I thought that finishing strong meant staying strong, working hard, and pushing the most u can push until the end...like in a race...sprinting the last mile. However what I have come to realize that ministry isn't like running a race all the time.

Sometime finishing strong does mean working your tail off until the end, but I think for me this week, finishing strong looks like the following:

*resting when I am told to rest.
*encouraging those around me to continue serving and loving they way they are called to.
*spending quality time in His Word.
*journaling about what He is revealing to me and teaching me.
*prayerfully joining the team that is coming in and coming alongside them in the journey the Lord has called them on while they are serving here in the DR for 1 week.
*laughing and connecting with the Nationals that I have come to know and love.
*thanking the staff for all the encouragement and support that have given me the past 3 months.

So what if I don't pick up another shovel or fill another water jug...yes those things have been daily tasks that I have loved to do, but maybe the Lord has other plans for me for my last 7 days here. I think I have learned this summer that He is in every single detail, every seemingly mundane task. He is the orchestrator of our time here on earth, so I don't want to sit and be sad because I am not able to leave my bed right now, I want to see Him in the midst of it all. I don't want to miss out on all that He has to show me and all the ways He desires to use me.

One thing I will challenge you with is this: look for Him in everything. Have the eyes and heart to see Him working in the midst of silence, in the midst of chaos, in the midst of frustration, in the midst of tragedy. He is at work all the time!