So I realize it's been close to a year since I last wrote on here...and I've decided to (hopefully) revive this blog of mine! I decided it needed a makeover so I totally redid the design. It's a lot more "me" now!
Lots of things have changed since a year ago. It's been one big adventure! I apologize for not writing more during DTS! DTS literally took me halfway around the world, from Hawaii back to the Middle East. Yes, I went back! I did not see that coming, but God has His ways, and they are so much higher and better than mine! Outreach was a whole lot of growing, stretching, crying, and laughing. I went with a team of 8 other amazing people. We became like family as we lived, ate, loved, and worked together 24-7. We saw God work miracles in our hearts and others. We saw Him heal people physically and emotionally. We experienced the availability of His presence as we went about our days. We continually encouraged and poured into each other. You should know, though, that IT WAS MESSY! But that's the beauty of it. God took a bunch of broken yet willing people who did not have everything together, and yet still worked through us to make something beautiful.
He uses weak and broken vessels to show His glory through.
So that was outreach in a very small nutshell.
Two and a half hard, broken, and lonely months post-DTS began to unfold. Being reunited with my family was wonderful, and getting to spend time with extended family was great, buuuuut it was lonely. To be frank, it sucked. I began to wonder and doubt if what God had done in my heart during DTS was legitimate. After being surrounded by hundreds of fiery, Jesus-loving young people, and after spending three months with my outreach family, I went back to nothing. I didn't really have any friends in the areas where we stayed for the summer. It wasn't like I was going "home" either as I really didn't see North America as my home. I felt like I was stuck in limbo a lot of the time, pretty much still living out of a suitcase. I was ready to settle and put down some roots somewhere! I had a huge struggle during DTS over what to do after and whether or not university was for me. I really just wanted God to let me loose in the world, so that I could jump right in and partner with His heart for the nations. I thought I was ready, but, looking back, I don't think I was - a lot of refining needed to happen first! So, I decided to take the plunge and go back to school. I had applied to a small school in a city that I had never heard of before. I don't really know how it all happened, but all I can say to explain it was that it was God!
So here I am, in Brantford, Ontario, sitting in my room in university residence, learning about Plato and Kant, human rights, and leadership, and falling more in love with Jesus. I still marvel at how God brought me here! To think that a year ago, I was in Kona under the palm trees, not having a CLUE of where I'd be later that year, and look where I am now! I have to tell you, it's like God set this all up just for me (funny thing...)! Who knew that there would be a small community of passionate worshipers who want to see God transform their city through kindness? Who knew that relationships could grow deep so fast after only five months? Who knew that I'd have an abundance of lifelong friends and an incredible sisterhood already? Who knew that there would be other people like me in such a random place? Who knew that Brantford would be the best place in the whole world for me to be and grow right now? Who knew, who knew, who knew?!
God knew. He knows. He knows ME and He LOVES me!
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