And the Thunder Rolls...

If anyone out there is questioning the power of prayer, I would say you probably shouldn't. I know there are probably many times when we feel like the Lord isn't answering but have you ever thought, maybe He's just telling us what we don't want to hear so our ears are closed off? Anyway...that's not really the point of this blog. The point is that after 7 months of living here it has finally thundered for much of the day. Yes, it rains here and it has been much of the last month and never has it thundered. Then the day before my birthday and even on my birthday there was a moment of thunder...one of those where you think it may be, but question the possibility and say it could have been a plane. But I missed thunder so much that I say it was definitely thunder. Plus, I had been praying for it and I trust that the Lord will provide even in the things some may think are silly. I continued to pray for it and guess what?!? He provided! And today it's unquestionable...it was definitely thunder because it happened more than once and it was normal, God is bowling thunder. So thank you Father for giving me thunder! I missed it greatly, You knew that and You provided! :^)

We Hosted a Christmas Party...Can You Believe It?

Last night we had about 25 of our friends over for a Christmas party. Yup, 25 people, it was pretty crazy but if everyone we had invited had come we would have had almost 50, so 25 was nothing. We had a lot of fun! Whitney and I spent the day getting things ready for it. We went to the store and bought some cellophane and ribbon to put some gifts together. We came up with some games to play. We made pizzas and brownies and then we set everything out and got ourselves ready. Our first guests arrived exactly at 5 pm, which was the time we had said it would start so we were actually pretty surprised. I mean, time doesn't really mean anything, I hardly even wear a watch and if you recall the last time I had guests over they were almost 2 hours late. The people trickled in until about 630 and we ate and laughed and everyone talked to everyone which was awesome. Then we played our first game...pictionary. Whit and I came up with some Christmas things for them to draw. We did our very best to make them things we thought they would know, but we failed on a couple of things so we turned it into a learning about American culture and what we think of when we hear Christmas. But then they really didn't know how to play pictionary either, but we managed. We finished that game, ate some more and then played another game...hehe, this one was great. We had 6 people volunteer not knowing what they were getting into and then we told them what they would have to do. We were going to put peanut butter on their faces and they would have to stick their face into a bowl of cotton balls to make Santa's beard. They all went and sat back down but we got them to do it. It was hilarious! I don't think the girls we made do it were too happy with us but they were good sports. After that, Whitney read part of the Christmas story to them and we talked about why we celebrate Christmas and what it means for us. Then they all left. We had a good time and after a really hard week with no one being in touch with me and having no Bible studies, much needed. As Whitney reminded me this morning, it's why we do what we do. To be able to bring girls together from all walks of life and they all enjoy each other is incredible. To be able to share each of our lives in a group setting is awesome. It was great to have them over too because it caused me to remember how much I do love them. Yes, they cancel on me, yes they are inconsistent and some just don't get it, but I love them.

We Have a Tree!

I never thought I would ever spend Christmas in Africa. And when I decided to move here and realized I would spend Christmas in Africa, I didn't think I would actually decorate my house for it. I had no idea I would be able to purchase decorations here. And if you asked me a couple of weeks ago whether I would be decorating my house, I probably would have told you "I don't think so" or "maybe but how and with what I don't know". But then we heard some of our friends here were selling some of their stuff because they are leaving in a month and one of those items was a Christmas tree. Whitney and I jumped at the idea and the next day we had a Christmas tree. We took it out of the box that night and put it together. Then we went to the "mall" and bought some Christmas lights, flashing ones at that (it's all they had) with no ability to plug strand to strand because the strand made a loop and so basically there is only one end and we added a few ornaments that were given to us. This week we finally bought some ribbon to put on the tree and I guess you could say it's finished. It's a little bare of ornaments, but we haven't had a chance to go out and buy some. We could go this week, but not sure that we will. But it was fun to decorate. We have stockings hanging on the wall, not by the chimney with care, but by the window with care :^) Maybe Saint Nicholas will soon be here, but only if Whitney is lucky...I'm thinking she's getting coals in her stocking.

And Then There Were Two...

This past Tuesday, our roommate Keri took off for the states...the start of big changes to our team around here. She was the one who could keep us in line and keep us from forgetting things. I'm now afraid that our house is going to fall apart. She was a rock of a woman, amazing prayer warrior, awesome friend and very wise in the Lord. She will be greatly missed around here but we know that the Lord is going to do even more great things with her as she walks through this life. So as her last hoorah we decided to go spend the day at the beach. I know, I know, we spend a lot of time at the beach or at least it seems that way, but if you lived this close to some of the greatest beaches in the world you would be there as much as you could too!

My prayer for you is that the Lord would give you "wisdom and understanding so that you will walk in a manner pleasing to the Lord". That even if quite a few more months go by and you still aren't sure what He wants you to do, you will not be discouraged or dismayed and you will continue to walk faithfully in Him, knowing that He is faithful to you. I love you!

To My Family...

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking a lot about my family. It's the holiday season, a time filled with many traditions and I am not able to participate in any of them with my family due to being miles and miles away from them. But since moving here I've grown to appreciate them more and more with each day that I can't just hop in my car and go see them. I miss my dad with whom I can just sit in a room with and not say a word, knowing that all we need is to be there and all is well. I miss my mom who asks me tons and tons of questions and while I usually got flustered with so many questions, I always knew she was interested in my life. I miss my sister whom I hardly ever talked to when I was 15 minutes away and now wish I could talk to more but can't because there's a 9 hour difference. I miss Glenn, my sister's husband, who pesters me like only an older brother could. I miss my grandparents who always knew how to take care of me and who just wanted me to come over so they could tell me about the good ol' days, whether it be true or some crazy, made-up story and I was the only one who would listen. I miss the laughter of my family. I know that this is a bit of a downer of a post, but there is much that I have learned from all of this. I've learned how to appreciate my family. I've seen how much they love me. I've been able to take a step back and look at them and love them even more than I once did. I long to see them again but I trust in the Lord and know that He will comfort me as I spend this season basking in His presence and completely relying on Him because He is all I have. I am getting to truly see the Lord as the baby in the manger who came to reconcile my relationship to His Father. I am getting to experience Him in ways that I have never experienced before. So in this season, family, as you spend it with one less chair at the table, remember that I am being held by a most loving Father. Remember that I miss you greatly and long to be there but my life is not my own and so I walk in faith towards the Father.