"Finding your feet on a wonderful road..."

Time is a strange thing, ya know? One thing from ten years ago might seem like it happened yesterday whereas you're convinced that the thing that happened yesterday was ten years ago. So far India appears to be this way. Though I arrived here just two-and-a-half weeks ago, it seems like its been an eternity. But at the same time, I feel like I was just in China spending time with the people and children I love so much. And with its contorted sense of time (where 5 minutes could mean 5 hours or even 5 days later), India's feeling of time doesn't get any better (yes I know you'd think that it would be perfect for me, but even I'm waiting on people all the time here). So as I'm 19 days in, I find myself trying to figure out exactly what I've been doing with my time... Since my arrival, I kind of hit-the-ground-running. The plan was for me to take over running a home for the school-aged girls that SCH recently opened in November. So basically I'm oversee...

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, Just to take Him at His word. Just to rest upon His promise, And to know, "Thus saith the Lord!" Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him, How I've proved Him o'er and o'vr. Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus, Oh for grace to trust Him more... "Oh for grace to trust Him more..." Sometimes its hard to learn to trust Jesus more, so many days I find that it takes an extra helping of grace to find that trust. As I think back over the last several months and over those to come, I realize that trusting Him is what this world requires. From the trusting of my planning to come on this adventure to the trusting of my ND kids and their medical needs to my time spent with precious friends in Shenzhen over Christmas and New Years and now even to the nightmares of traveling as I arrived in India today, God's voice resounds over and over again that I must trust in Him for there is no other way.  So often this world se...

It's interesting when you're getting ready to leave somewhere that you seem to be able to come up with a list of a million things you need to do before you go. Even if you've been in a place for years (or just three months like me) and had plenty of time to see it all, you can always come up with that one last thing that needs to be seen or explored. So as I was nearing the end of my time in Beijing/Qingyundian, my friends and I decided that it was necessary to create a bucket list with the things that we felt must be done before we left for the holidays. So after much thought and planning we determined our Beijing bucket list... Item #1: Beijing Acrobat Show So yes, I know there are Chinese acrobat shows in the States, but surprisingly enough, I've never actually been to one even in the States so why not see my first in China? This seemed like the perfect idea to me so it just had to go on the list. Over and over again before we went, Chine...

  In being away from my family and loved ones this Christmas, I've had a lot of time to reflect on what this season really means. The holidays have always been a time of music, lights, holiday parties, and shopping. But as I've had limited access to these wonderful festivities, our Father has been gently reminding me of His goodness in sending His precious Son just for me. I know it sounds cliché, but what more could we ask for? God loves us so much that He smiled upon us some 2000 years ago with the gift of His Son. In these days leading up to Christmas, I have felt God reminding me that this time of the year has nothing to do with family or friends or presents or music or even a candlelight Christmas Eve service because it is about the birth of my Lord, and no matter where I am or what I'm doing or how I feel, all I need for Christmas to "happen" is to remember the love God poured out on me by sending His Son so that I might know Him. And my response can...

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His Name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100:4-5 Coming to China, I'll admit I was a bit apprehensive about spending the holiday season away from my family and friends. I wasn't quite sure what I was getting myself into. I love the holidays. I love being with the ones I love. I love the feeling of being able to sit by a fire at my parents' house as it gets colder outside. And during this time of the year, I especially love the delicious food of Thanksgiving and the fellowship of preparing for Christmas. So I wasn't really sure what to expect. I knew that I would be spending Thanksgiving with other Americans feeling the same way so I hoped it would be a day that gave me a glimpse into one of my favorite traditions... Thankfully, that's exactly what happened, and our Father graci...