Someone once said it perfectly when describing how far across the world we are when in Afirca "........even if I said I would be there right away, it would still take three days!"   This could be true, but to be real with you, it only took me one day and a half.   I am back in America for the holidays and looking forward to this time to reenergize before Kenya.

I have only been here since Saturday night, and its Monday night.    I haven't even been in for two days and already I have dealt with lost luggage, utter sickness, reunions galore, God stories from an unbeliever (healing of a elbow injury),  the God story from the friend I mentioned earlier who is getting baptized, a 90 minute reunion with a "lost love" of sorts who made it hard for me to breathe as they shared their journal stories and slideshows of the summer mission trip that included many references of a summer love, who was obviously still passionately in his heart.....  Either way, a miracle as a lost friendship was revived.... Praise the LORD for the wonder in all the good things and for the way I know he will use the not-so-great things.  Honestly, my hope in what GOD says has kept me sane.  However by last night after the 90 minute reunion, I was physicaly, spiritually, and emotionaly exghausted.   I slept from about midnite until 11am.  I got up to start the day but by noon needed to fall back asleep and slept there until nearly 4.  I am so thankful for the rest that my friend allowed for me in the comfort of their own bed, clean sheets, and warm blankets...

It's hard readjusting.  I have been saying that I am having trouble doing it, but this is untrue.  The LORD is providing all that I need to get me through the hard time... it simply is just hard readjusting but nothing I am falling short of being able to do.  I know I will perservere.  There is so much to take it and there is a noticeable difference in me.  I want to be careful with how I present myself, making sure my passion is available and that my heart is well to share my passion of who I am in Christ these days and how that person HE has made me has been worked through in Africa.  I look around and I feel a bit lost in the only place I ever felt at home.  My heart is readjusting to the emotions I have for those I love here, but whom the LORD has taken care of and taken off of my mind any time outside of my regular prayer-list time.  My work is clear immediately.  There are already places for me to step in and "shine" lol... but truthfully, several people have already made the comment that I have a "glow..." they use that word without me saying anything.  I  feel the joy the LORD promised me before I left America as I tell my GOD stories and speak of my love for HIM.  My smile and glow I can feel in my heart.  I know this is because I am still so deeply in love with my GOD!    I wonder how the LORD makes me so insenstive to these feelings while I am away... I wonder without expecting an answer.   The LORD told me of my hardships beforehand and of my reward afterwards.   God's promises are good.  He surely is just.  He promised hardships and he promised joy... can I ask for more? He kept his promises.  Thinking of HIS LOVE in this way thrills me!

Honestly I can smile at today's end---of how simple my life truely is even with its hardships. Sickness, lost luggage, unrequitted love, and being exghausted largely in part to how aweomse GOD has been, and yet I will get well soon, things can be replaced, I am loved by GOD... and at this moment the LORD is beckoning me to rest in his presence.   I look forward to what tomorrow brings.... aside from everything else there may be tomorrow, I at the simplest, and yet MOST, can be guaranteed one day closer to dancing in the Marvelous Light in Heaven!!!!!!  Ahh, I can hardly stand to wait sometimes!

My number for when I am in America is:  386.212.1983

I miss my teeeeammmm! Love you guys!