What I love most about other cultures (outside of America) is the spirit of hospitality. I’ll admit, I haven’t (yet) encountered very many cultures outside of my own, but those that I have engaged with have always been very hospitable. I have a very clear memory of a time in Tanzania when we were out…
Reflecting on the Semester
This past semester was hard. It was the hardest academic semester I’ve ever faced. It was probably the hardest semester emotionally, physically, mentally, and spiritually yet…or at least a close second. But through it all I’ve seen God’s faithfulness over and over. There are lots of ways I could approach a post like this. I’m…
Waiting
I hate waiting. Seriously. Unknowns are not my friend. I like having all my ducks in a row, I like having my plan all written out. I don’t like changing plans, and I don’t like not knowing what is coming next. (I wrote about this in more detail in a recent post) But here I…
A Brief Lament
God, what are you doing? I thought I knew what it looked like for me to be obedient, and now that door is closed. I was so certain this was where you wanted me to go…and now I’m sitting here, confused and disappointed. You have called people to go, and I am willing to go,…
Hope for the “Type A”
I learned something new about myself today. I learned that I am a “Type A” personality. For those of you who know me, you probably wonder why I didn’t figure this out long ago. It’s simple, really. I didn’t know what “Type A Personality” meant. My doctor defined it for me today, and I immediately…
Loosening My Grip
As I prepare for another short term trip, its hard to not come to the table with some amount of hopes, dreams, and expectations. In fact, I believe it is almost impossible to go into this trip with zero expectations. I don’t think expectations are a bad thing, but I when those expecations, hopes, dreams,…
Above and Beyond
I hate fundraising. Seriously. I feel like a beggar. I feel like I’m taking advantage of people in my church by asking them for money to go on a trip. I hate the waiting, watching to see if God will bring in the funds and make it possible for my trip to take place. I…