Something to Pray About

Hello, everyone--assuming anyone actually reads this :). As you probably know, I returned last week from a mission trip to Albania. While there, I heard about a great opportunity that I am considering and praying about. There is a guy opening up an American school (K-12) for Albanian kids in the capital city of Prishtina in Kosova. Although I have already made a commitment to my current job--which I love--they are planning to expand next year and I am told that they are looking for American Christian teachers. Sounds like an awesome opportunity, right? So, if you think about it, I would really covet your prayers. I know it seems like a long time from now, but I think I am going to try to do as much as I can now so that I know if it is even an option for me. Who knows what God has in store?
Other than that, everything is pretty much back to normal. I'd like to give a shout out to the Browns--givin' East Coast flava to our family clan. Seriously, it was great spending time with all of you. Hopefully my parents will let me yoink some frequent flyer miles so I can come visit y'all sometime in the next year or so.

I'm Home Safe and Sound

Hello from America! I am back and loving the cooler temps! We had no major hiccups with our travels and were blessed with good times with the students. This year was a lot harder for me spiritually and emotionally than in previous years...a very different feel. I will definitely need some time to pray through everything and let God speak to my experiences before I make judgements about this trip and anything in the future.

Traveling home was actually a lot easier than I anticipated. A lot of hysterical laughter...good stuff. But the kind of stuff that only works if you're there and haven't had much sleep, ya know? Thanks to all of you who read this, responded, and/or prayed for me and the rest of the team during our trip. God is good and I know that He will do some amazing things in the lives of the students who came. You are all such a blessing (especially you, chris hubblinteets) and I so appreciate your love and prayers. Can't wait to see you!!

It's Stinkin' Hot, But God is Good!

Hello, everyone! I hope more than one person is checking this for updates. If you have time, please leave me a comment. It gets lonely over here without all of you!

Things are going very well despite the heat. It is oppressively hot. To the point that my dad\teaching partner and I have been ending classes early and going to the hotel restaurant to drink a cool beverage and finish our lesson with writing\discussion questions. It's not that much cooler at the hotel, but at least we have refreshments. I have never been this hot for this long in my life. We literally all sweat through our clothes all day every day. It's like 90 degrees by 8AM and 100% humidity with no breeze whatsoever.

I gave a devotional this morning at our daily staff meeting (Albanian, Kosovar, and Americans) about being still and listening for the voice of the Lord. That is one of my major prayers as I serve here. That I would continually be in a posture of listening and stillness of heart, so that I may hear what God has to say to me (Habbakuk 2:1). I would encourage you all to do the same.

But God is good! After a somewhat shaky first day of teaching for me two days ago (what can you expect on only a few hour sleep in nearly 48 hours?), things went much better today. My students are opening up and having more fun in class. Please continue to pray because starting today at 5PM, one of the translators and I will be meeting individually with the girls in my class to share the 4 spiritual laws with them. I know that God will do a mighty work, but it's still nerve racking.

Oh, and please pray for team unity among us Americans. We've had some drama. Not major, but enough to create hurt feelings and a little bit of division. It's all been addressed, but that doesn't mean the baggage is gone. Luckily, the team member who was puking all night a few days ago (John Klewer) is feeling much better and we haven't had any other health issues thus far.

I love you all and appreciate your support! If I don't get out of this internet cafe soon, I'm seriously going to die of heat. Cotton pickin' humidity!!!

P.S. No adorable, manly, Godly men found yet. There's still time!

I'm Here and Very Sweaty!!

Well, we made it to Albania. No major hiccups or issues. We are all pretty tired, but that's besides the point. In about 45 minutes, we are going to start testing the students and putting them into classes according to their English skills. It will definitely be an interesting time in the classroom...for those of you whoa aren't aware, my dad is my teaching partner. He's good for me...keeps me from taking anything too seriously. And I'm there to keep him out of trouble.

I am actually feeling a lot more insecure about everything than I ever have in the past. Maybe I am just exhausted. Quick prayer request: I am a light sleeper and my body keeps me from sleeping much. Add to that, we have a very loud and persistent snorer in our room. Very tough to get a good night's sleep.

Classes will start tomorrow, I think...we're not sure because the students came a day earlier than we thought. Well, I had better go. I will do my best to update this daily. I love you all and please continue to pray that God's will be done.

It Pays to Have Faith!!

I've got it!! My passport has arrived. Funny story--my mom and I left at 5AM this morning for the Federal Building in West LA. Got in line at about 5:50 with about 50 people ahead of us (the office actually opened at 7AM). After waiting for about 2.5 hours in that line, we were sent to another line, and from there to a waiting room where we spent at least another hour. I got up to a window and was told that I should just go home and wait for it to arrive. If the guy hadn't been so nice, I think I would have hit him (just kidding...darn that bulletproof glass). So as we're leaving the building feeling a bit defeated and very tired, my dad calls to say that he went to my apartment and it was there on my welcome mat! Yeah!! My parents are honestly my heros! What would I have done without them? They made it possible for me to be in two places at once (actually 3--my dad also went to the post office to check on it). God is good. He was good yesterday in the midst of the discouragement and stress, just as He is today in my small victory, and just as He will continue to be forevermore. My circumstances don't change His immutable character--but it sure does try my faith! But He has spoken: I'M GOING TO ALBANIA, BABY!!

It Gets Even Worse

Well, the discouragement continues. My passport is lost somewhere between the LA passport agency and the post office. The tracking number I was given on Sunday morning (as it was supposedly shipped out on Saturday afternoon) is not valid. Therefore, the postal service has no record of it. So basically I am stuck. No one knows where my passport is and it's getting down to the wire.
My mom and I are going down to the LA office tomorrow morning to camp out in front of the building (2 hours before it opens=6AM!!) so that I will hopefully be one of the first in line. Special shout out to my friends at work who are being gracious enough to cover me. Because it is the government's fault and because it won't get to me in time, I can request a "rewrite" of my application and passport. This is still no guarantee. Needless to say, I am thoroughly discouraged. Please continue to pray for this situation and for me. My spirit is pretty crushed right now.

Snippets from the Last Few Days of Devotionals in "Streams in the Desert"

If anyone still reads this, you may get tired of reading quotes from my favorite devotional "Streams in the Desert." Well, either get over it or stop visiting this site. I love that book and especially over the last few days--with all the passport drama--have found much encouragement in it. So here are some snippets from the last few days that have spoken to my spirit during this time of great stress:

"The Lord, when He hath given great faith, hath been known to try it by long delayings. He has suffered His servants' voices to echo in their ears as from a brazen sky. They have knocked at the golden gate, but it has remained unmovable, as though it were rusted upon its hinges...Thus have true saints continued long in patient waiting without reply, not because their prayers were not vehement, nor because they were unaccepted, but becaust it so pleased Him who is Sovereign, and who gives according to His own pleasure. If it pleases Him to bid our patience exercise itself, shall He not do as He will with His own?!...There is no such thing as prayer unanswered or unnoticed by God, and somethings that we count refusals or denials are simply delays. Christ sometimes delays His help that He may try our faith and quicken our prayers."

"Unbelief sees God through circumstances, as we sometimes see the sun shorn of his rays through smoky air; but faith puts God between itself and circumstances, and looks at them through Him."

"Be willing to live by believing and neither think nor desire to live in any other way. Be willing to see every outward light extinguished, to see the eclipse of every star in the blue heavens, leaving nothing but darkness and perils around, if God will only leave in thy soul the inner radiance, the pure bright lamp which faith has kindled."