Prayers as i head to Pemba

 This place is so special to me and place matters to God.

Thank you all for your prayers and financial support as I head to Pemba, Mozambique.
I am very excited and expectant about what is to come.
Mostly I feel so thankful that God is letting me return and SO VERY LOVED by his extravagant gift.
Here are some ways that you can pray for me while I am gone>>>

Practical things:

-That travel would go smoothly and there would be no tax put on what I am bringing into Pemba.
-That I would have wisdom and discernment on where to invest, who to love on, how to split my time between my housemates, the kiddos, school, and other ministry opportunities.
-That there would be unity in our house.

Some Names you could be praying for:

-Manuel- I met manuel five years ago. He will be nine or ten now. Please pray that Jesus fills him up and that he knows that he is loved, pursued, and NOTICED.
-Farda- I love this girly:) Her name means pearl, which I think is very fitting. Please pray that she would be rooted in the love of Christ and that his perfect love would free her from all fear!
-Garlito- I am so excited to see this little friend! Garlito is about seven now. Please pray that as he grows he would be a man who seeks after God and is aware of his presence and joy.

Reality things to pray for: 

-Please pray that I would full receive God's identity for me everyday as I wake up. So that I can freely offer up what I am to him and to the people around me. This also frees me from comparison and fear.
-Please pray that God, in his love, would continue the good work in me and make me more and more like Christ.
-Please pray that my heart would be stretched, not inflated.
-Please pray that I would learn even more about clothing myself with the humility of Christ.
-And please pray that I would rejoice in being a laid-down lover of Jesus Christ, My LORD and Savior.

I want to sit at the feet of Mozambican children, women, and men. 

but more importantly

 my desire is to sit at Jesus' feet, to learn from him and dwell in his presence. 

CANNOT THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH. 

...AND I AM GONE.

see ya in August!

Dependence

 Lent is about death in the dependence. 

Easter is about the life and victory found in total dependence. 

We are not intended to stay in the cocoon forever.

Release the fear.

Three years on the Mountain top.

I just finished three years on the Mountain. 
It has been long, hard, and really beautiful. 
Every year passes faster than it should. Each contains lots of memories and lessons learned.
This year I thought a lot about who I was when I first visited Covenant- and how God's faithfulness has made me new and brought restoration into my life. 

This was a year of friendships- new ones and broken ones. 
A year full of missing family

 and at the same time loving where I was at.  .      .    . 

It was a year full of studying subjects that I dislike 

but being diligent anyways.

This was the year that God re-awakened my heart to the need for prayer,

his presence,

his love for me, 

and his reminder to receive his good gifts.

This year I was invited back into the church calendar. 

I participated in advent and was filled with joy during Christmas. 

For the first time in my life I fully engaged in lent. 

Maybe LENT was the most significant season of this past school year. 

I use to pride myself in being independent.

an individual- not in need of others.

And for the first time I fully leaned into my Jesus- relying fully on him.

I felt strength and his spirit move in me.

I noticed how freeing and humbling it is to live as a dependent. 

I walked away from my junior year at Covenant being so aware of what God has been doing inside of me. Over the past three years God has ripped down what was shakeable in my life and reminded me that my foundation is CHRIST ALONE. 

"My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness. 

I dare not trust the sweetest frame, 

but wholly trust in Jesus' name."

I am heading to Seattle and Hope to see my beautiful family.
I am already so thankful for the next three weeks of my life.
After that, I head to Pemba, Mozambique.
This year is not over- and as much as it is important to notice seasons it also important to notice how God moves in one continual story.
We are just part of his story and he can use us as he choses.

God is so faithful

and I want my whole life to be about him.