Can I just praise Jesus for a minute?

I just got back from orientation and my heart feels so full! If I'm being completely honest, I was dreading going, but the Lord made it such a sweet time of laughter and encouragement and I have never been more sure that I am exactly where He has me!

I got to learn so much about what I'll be doing, African culture, and even got some great news about a giraffe park in Nairobi, which thanks to my new precious friend Amy is playing out like this in my head.

For those of you who ever questioned if God hears our little prayers, I put the lofty task of petting a giraffe on my bucket-list in the fourth grade and am officially going to cross it off as a 22 year old! Amen! 

I also got the joy of experiencing chick-fila for the first time all over again through the eyes of Mari! She is from North Dakota (which I am officially crossing off my list of places I'm willing to live because the closest chick-fila is apparently in Iowa)... She had a #1 combo meal, no pickles, a sweet tea with lemon and LOVED it. 

"It's my pleasure!"

God is so faithful and I am so thankful for his fellowship at orientation. It was truly life-giving to be around so many people on fire for Him! If this was a taste of what Africa will be like I think I am going to like it just fine. 

My first post...

A few disclaimers. 

1) I am not a writer, nor do I ever plan to be. 

2) I have terrible grammar... and spelling... so you're probably going to have to decode a little (think of it like a treasure hunt!!)

I wanted to write a few post before I left because I thought it would be fun to look back and see in writing all the wonderful things the Lord has taught me! So here it is! My first blog post, ever. 

Before I leave I have a few book that AIM wants me to read so that I will be fully prepared to serve in whatever way the Lord calls us to while I am gone. So right now I am reading "When Helping Hurts" and I am really enjoying all the things Jesus is teaching me! The book is basically asking the question: "Are we causing more harm than good by treating the symptoms of poverty instead of the disease?" This book is kind of a heavy read and asks a lot of tough questions that makes you self-reflect, but I would definitely recommend it because Jesus is using it to reveal to a lot of things to me. 

One thing that has been challenging to me is the idea that we have to love not only with our words but also in our deeds, just like He did while He was on earth (and still does).  

"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with action and in truth"

1 John 3:18

We have such a cool opportunity to make people want to get to know our King while serving his kingdom,  but mostly this book has really been a sweet reminder of how humbling it is that the Lord would allow me to be His vessel to serve Him in Africa! He really is good at making beauty from ashes people!  

I have so many mixed emotions about leaving but I know that this is exactly where the Lord has me and I am really excited to see how he used the next phase of my life to bring His name glory.  

"Brothers and sisters, I do no consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. 

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 

I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which 

God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus" 

Philippians 3:13-14