Fall has arrived..

The leaves are changing color and there's a coolness in the air.. fall is here. Although we are still having warm days with beautiful sunshine, the moment it's gone you feel the chill of the autumn season. This is my favorite season, I can't help but feel inspired by all the beauty!!

Yesterday was my 3rd week of Junior Youth. It's going well and I'm really enjoying the kids. Although I do have a pretty large small group of grade 6 girls (11 of them) by myself, so it's a little tough to get their attention and keep them on track. Pray for me that I can have an influence on these young girls and for patience as I'm sure I'll need it!

I've been doing a lot of thinking the past while as where I want to go from here... Do I want to go back to Lesotho? Do I want to do missions elsewhere? Do I want to travel? Do I want to stay in Grande Prairie? What do I really want to do? Where is my passion and what should I do with that passion? Well I know where my passion is.. it's kids! Kids need people in their lives that can influence and encourage them. They need people who see value and purpose in their lives. They need people who love them! I earnestly believe God has given me a gift with children and I want to be able to use that for His glory.. wherever I am.. whether that be here or across oceans.

As of just recently, I have enrolled into an online home-study program on "Child Psychology". I really look forward to getting started and learning more! Whether I decide to further this into a career or not, I know that it will benefit me as I work with kids now and most likely in the future.

So I think I'm going to be pretty busy this fall/winter. Two jobs, junior youth & schooling! But I'm happy with everything I have committed to and I tend to be one of those people who enjoys being busy anwyays :) I just have to make sure not to overdo it and take time to relax.. that can be a tough one for me sometimes!

Until next time...

Life back in the homeland so far

Guess it's been a little over a month now since I've returned from Lesotho. Time has gone by quite quickly, but it definitely hasn't been the easiest month. As in my last blog entry, the emotions I have experienced since being back have been crazy. It feels like a whole year of emotion was just summed up in about a month. I don't think one day has gone by that I haven't thought at least once about the kids back at MIS - oh how I miss them so much!! 6 months there.. they became my life, my family.. and it hurts to be apart from them. But all things happen for a reason and if that is where God calls me back, then I'll be there. If not, then I have to accept that too. I had a wonderful conversation this afternoon with a lady from my church whom I used to teach sunday school with. She asked me questions about my trip and challenged me to think deeply about some of the things that I experienced there. I look back and can see how God not only used me, but changed me... Listening to my own words coming out of my mouth made me realize how much I really did change and how much God worked in my heart - teaching me patience, gratitude, how to love unconditionally, maturing me.. but most of all he taught me how to trust Him in everything. In North America, we get so caught up by things in this world that we don't have time for God. Then difficult situations come along and we just can't seem to trust God, we feel like he has left us. In reality... WE are the ones that have left him. We need to learn to trust God in every aspect of our lives, whether things are going great or not so great. If we can learn to trust God in the simple realities, then we can learn to trust God in the difficult times. Anyways, God's just really shown me a lot.. about life and also about myself. I guess I was just reminded of these things today while talking to this lady. It's funny how God randomly brings these people into our lives. She was my extra dose of encouragement I needed today and she got the passion in my heart stirring! I'll admit the first while being back it's hard not to feel useless considering everything I had been doing recently in Lesotho. But I know that I am where I am for a reason. As long as I am following Christ and 'TRUSTING' Him, He will use me where he wants to use me. I've committed to serving my wednesday nights now in junior youth at our church and I'm excited to have fun and build relationships with the kids! As for a day to day life for me.. I'm back working at Trinidad - the same office I worked at prior to Africa. I'm also working a second job at the Ten Pin Bowling Alley which I worked at last fall as well. I'm enjoying my jobs and am thankful that I am blessed enough to have work. I guess thats all I got for tonight!