Author: Adventures

Thief of Joy

We arrived at the shelter for abused women. The girls were finally in front of us: their hands within reach, their eyes hesitantly waiting to be met. Suddenly, it wasn’t a feeling of discontentment that threatened me, because I was finally where I expected we would be…it wasn’t that I felt inadequate or confused about God’s will, because this is what I had pictured doing all along.The last thing that was keeping me from victory in this instance was the life-stealing little habit of comparison. I knew the “right” things that I could say and do, but I also...

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Thief of Joy

We arrived at the shelter for abused women. The girls were finally in front of us: their hands within reach, their eyes hesitantly waiting to be met. Suddenly, it wasn’t a feeling of discontentment that threatened me, because I was finally where I expected we would be…it wasn’t that I felt inadequate or confused about God’s will, because this is what I had pictured doing all along.The last thing that was keeping me from victory in this instance was the life-stealing little habit of comparison. I knew the “right” things that I could say and do, but I also...

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Helpless in the Hospital.

Last Friday was a day a lot like this past week has continually been. The heat is unbearable, and people aren’t sleeping. So heading into women’s ministry that night we were given the choice of staying back and doing intercessory prayer, or actually going to the park. Everything inside my head was making all the excuses to not go to the park. I was extremely tired, extremely drained emotionally, and I didn’t know if my heart was even in the right place for interactive ministry. But, something in me immediately spoke up and volunteered to be one of the six people who ended...

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India Reflection

India Reflection So this week is our last week in India. This Friday we fly off to the next leg of our trip; Nepal. Ministry has been crazy beautiful here, and I’m so glad to have come to this brilliant part of the world. For the past five weeks we’ve been working in orphanages for disabled and special needs kids. The first half of our time in India was spent in the big city of Hyderabad, with my time split between two houses. In the mornings I’d help teach preschool to 2-5 year old boys and girls, and in the afternoon I’d be working with girls aged 8-26 playing...

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Charn

A few of us went later in the morning to Prasan Hin Phanom Wan, some ancient Khmer ruins about 25 minutes outside of town. It was easily the most humid day we’ve had in Thailand; the air went into our lungs like hot soup, and our water bottles heated up almost immediately.     The huge stone slabs lay imposingly on one another, with perfectly round holes carved through their centers, as if once held together with wooden poles. Their sheer weight has kept them stationarily stacked for centuries. The beige tower is an obviously restored section of the outpost; it sticks out in...

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Clarity Amid Confusion

Each week of English camp had gotten better and better as we lean into the rhythm of singing, dancing, teaching, sharing, laughing. Growing together as a team with these fourteen other courageous, bright, and sassy women has been the best treat of all. Was I sure all of us would get along? No. Did I think we’d all be best friends? No. But we can all see past our differences to how we are alike, and the ways we shine uniquely bring amazing flavors to our team as a whole.I’m getting used to tearing down what I expect, and I’m just waiting to see what God does.But I am also...

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