Refreshing Weekends are always GOOD!

I have received so many uplifting emails, Facebook messages, blog messages, etc. this past week, and I honestly am so thankful for the truthful words you have shared about faith and Jesus.  I am so thankful for every uplifting word that was directed my way, and I am thankful for every single person who has sympathized with my situation.  God has shown me continuously how blessed I am by the people back home, by strangers who have just run across my blog, and through the volunteers and their own families.  So many of you had profound messages to share, but I want to highlight one from Stephany Moore, a girl I met at the BSM during my time at UH.  We later went on to have Italian classes together, and she is a strong woman of God, who has also spent some time in Africa:

“I pray that you would seek Him and find Him, that comfort would come your way and that you would be refueled by His Holy Spirit! I feel like this is persecution. You are working in the name of Jesus Christ. Being a missionary is work 100% of the time, from the time you wake up to the time you go to sleep, but how wonderful it is that you get to do it in the name of Christ, that you get to sacrifice your life to make his name known, to love people who may or may not understand the gravity of what you are doing! It is a blessing! you are blessed because you are persecuted. You are doing something wonderful and the enemy knows it and he will try to take it away from you. Don't let that be part of your decision making! Remember that you can't do this alone, but Christ is with you, He knows what you are going through and He is able to give you what you need to carry on with this beautiful work. Jesus knows first hand... he was grabbed all the time, He was persecuted, He was spat on, He was called names, He was crucified. He sacrificed HIS life for us. He often had to escape crowds and find a quiet place to go and pray, so He knows! He is with you, He loves you, and He will help you get through this. You are not alone, and you get to shine a light and stand up for Him!”

Profound stuff, right?  There was even more to the note, but it was more personal.

On top of that, I want to bring some uplifting words to the blogger world.  My God is so good, and I know that things will continue to change, challenge me, and improve.  There are some details that I do not feel comfortable sharing just yet, but please know, change is to come, and our heavenly Father is always on our side.  He ultimately wins in the end, which we need to remember.

Since I have received more uplifting news, I have been able to stop and take time to appreciate the things that I once enjoyed about this crazy country.  Here is a quick list:

• ·    I saw a cow exiting the church grounds.  I so wish I could have taken a picture of that.
• ·   As I was walking, I saw a Himba lady sitting on the ground.  There was a nice body print next to her, which clearly showed that she had a friend sitting next to her a little bit before.
• ·  I was walking past a boy and a girl, and I heard the boy say to his friend/girlfriend, “I like white persons.”