By the Strength that God Supplies.

"It's Beginning to Hit

Today, October the 8th, I began to pack. This is my last full week here in Kenya and it's beginning to hit me. It's crazy to think that at this time next week I will be sleeping in my travel-attire, not looking forward to waking up early the following morning and loading up the truck with my bags and heading to Nairobi. I can already feel the heartbreak I will get from having to say goodbye to the kids. Departing from "home" (Kaptagat) and not being able to see everyone everyday will be the hardest thing. Not being able to hug and tickle Victor and Gideon and all the girls, not being able to annoy the older boys by making them hug me and say hi to me at school in front of their friends, not being able to walk to Abigail, Silvia, Sharon, Phillis, and Chella's home and just to play with and hug/love on them. Not being able to do anything that I've been blessed to do these past 5 months. But He reminds me of His goodness and comfort. I have been so blessed by the time He has given me here and all the friendships that He has blessed me with. I receive it all with thanksgiving and am doing my best not to grieve..because I have Hope.

It's been awesome to see a lot of the kids repent of their sins and have come to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. It brings Hope and cheers me up because I know that one day I will be with them in heaven worshiping Jesus. I'm still praying about coming back and seeing them again next year, so if the Lord allows me come back....I will see them face-to-face one more time.

I really don't want to leave Kenya...but I am beyond excited to see my family and friends in Miami once again. I've missed my church, ChristFellowship, and my small group girls. I'm looking forward to eating good food and driving again."  

Today is Friday, October the 12, and my life is all packed up in two duffel bags. It's my last weekend here in Kenya and there is so much to do. I've been helping paint the boys' room in the new house and trying not to think about Tuesday. I've been packing and in the process of writing goodbye letters and preparing the gifts I have for the kids. Lord willing, I will be spending tomorrow and Sunday night there at the Children's Home, on Sunday morning I will be visiting a friend's church, and on Monday I plan on going to my class and saying goodbye to all my students. Tuesday morning I'll be on my way to Nairobi and getting on a plane at night.

It's a bittersweet feeling that I have inside me. I am heartbroken that I'm leaving Kenya and that I won't be able to see my kids everyday, but I am sooooo excited about being back in Miami and hugging and jumping on the ones I love. God has been so faithful and gracious. He always reminds me of His goodness and sovereignty, His timing and plans, and how He will never leave us nor foresake us no matter where on earth we are. I know that He is with all my kids here and He will never leave them. He is our care-taker and the God of all comfort. He is my Strength. He is my Joy. He is my Hope. 

This will be my last blogpost here in Kenya. So I leave you all with this:  Be obedient in the small and the big; He will be faithful in the big and small. Take Him at His Word. For He says what He means, and He means what He says. Give it all for the glory of God. Jesus Christ worthy of it all.

I finished the book of 1 Peter this past week and I loved this:

"The end of all things is at hand; therefore be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace:  whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen." -1 Peter 4:7-11

Let us never forget of the Source of it all. God supplies us with the strength to serve Him, He has taught me that while serving Him here in Kenya. He does this in order that in everything He may be glorified through Jesus Christ to Him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. AMEN!

So by the strength that He provides, I have served the time He has given me here in Kenya, by the strength that He supplies, I will continue to serve Him where He leads me. By His grace and strength I will go back to the States on Tuesday night with a heart filled with hope.
I love you all and I thank you for all your prayers and encouragement. Thank you for taking time to read my blogposts. It's been so encouraging to hear what He taught you through my posts and how He has used me and my crazy life experiences to encourage you.

Please continue to pray for the kids here. I'll try and post more pictures and give you names and all that jazz when I get back to Miami.

"May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all." -2 Corinthians 13:14.
 

Little Things that Make Life Beautiful

In the End...Jesus Always Wins.

This past week I got to talk on the phone with my brother for his birthday. We ended up talking for 2 hours, which is no surprise....my Lou likes to take his time...and I love to know what's going on in life. After talking to him about life, he began to tell me what's been going on in the world. Everything to from with Israel and it's surrounding countries to Obama and the upcoming elections. Pretty much just telling me that Jesus is coming soon and very soon! After hanging up with Lou, I informed my roommate about what I had heard from my brother about whats been going on back home in the States. As you can tell...we are so exluded from news and civiliation (in a way)....living-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-Kenya/Africa, that it's a shock to hear all these things from back home. Before calling my brother, my roommate, Bella, and I had just finished listening to a sermon by her pastor on Matthew 28 and how "All authority in heaven and on earth has be given to Me [Jesus Christ]" (verse 18). The pastor talked about His sovereignty and authority over all things. Here on earth, whether it be something like the elections or war, even the enemy himself...He has the authority. I loved one thing that he mentioned and it was something like this, "Yes, Satan is a power creature, he is more powerful than humans, but he is only like a dog held by a leash, and God is holding that leash." He is in control of ALL things. In the end, Jesus wins. Jesus always wins.

This week I started reading M. David Sills' The Missionary Call, Bella let me borrow it. It's been very encouraging to read. I'll share a few qoutes with ya'll that have hit home:

"When God calls His child to live a life of a missionary, He gives him the desire with the calling." -David Sills.

"It is impossible to know God's specific will unless we are willing to bring our lives into comformity with His general will." -J. Herbert Kane.

"The aim of the missionary is to do God's will, not to be useful. not to win the heathen; he is useful and he does win the heathen, but that is not his aim. His aim is to do the will of his Lord."-Oswald Chambers.

And one of my favorites, "Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't...Missions begins and ends in worship." -John Piper. (Let the Nations Be Glad).

This morning I had a dream with Lars Gren and Elisabeth Elliot! And it was something like this:

It was late at night and we had to go to Nakumat (our BJ's or Costco). We went and while the Medlins were making the line to pay...I noticed that there was a cute old mzungu (white person) employee and he was standing near the electronics. I go up to him and asked him if he worked the night shifts (since Nakumat is open 24/7). He said yes. I engaged in a nice concervation with him...and found out that him and his wife were missionaries and settled down here in Kenya after many years. They lived in the outshirts of towns. He invited me over to spend time with him and his family and talk about missions and Jesus. I replied, "I would love that!" It was time for me to leave Nakumat...so I began walking over to where the Medlins were and I was told that the old sir I was talking to was Elisabeth Elliot's husband! I was talking to Lars Gren and he invited me over to talk to him and Elisabeth. A couple of days later I ended up at their beautiful home. Elisabeth and her daughter Valerie were home and invited me in. We all went out to this beautiful restaurant for lunch. The whole time I was in shock that I was actually face to face with my mentor LOL! Elisabeth and I got to talk about life. I asked her questions about all her life experiences and asked for advice concerning my life and decisions.

I woke up and wished it was real life. It was such a interesting dream! I would love to meet Elisabeth Elliot and Lars Gren one day and talk about missions and Jesus and life.

Anyways...yes, this was a weird blogpost, but I just thought I would catch you guys up.
In exactly 2 weeks I'll be all packed and ready to head home. Crazy how time has flown by.
I just pray that He would give me the strength to say goodbye to everyone.
Praying about coming back and seeing them all again next year.