Psalm 34

"I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak His praises. I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart. Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness; let us exalt His name together. I prayed to the LORD, and He answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces. In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened; He saved me from all my troubles. Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in Him! Fear the LORD, you His godly people, for those who fear Him will have all they need." -Psalm 34:1-9

This passage was my heart's prayer for the time I spent in Namibia and even the time spent back home since I've returned. "Taste and see..." An invitation to the highest joy and satisfaction. I don't know about anyone else, but discontentment and I tend to spend a lot of time together. I have been known to seek it out and spend a lot of energy hanging out there. The conviction this passage brought me through the Word itself and the truth it presented in the lives of the Namibians I interacted with and my own American team was so very clear. "...for those who fear Him will have all they need." Such a sweet promise. The Lord has given me and will continue to give me all I need. Having come home to more struggles and trials and fears than I know what to do with, this passage fills me with the overwhelming peace we're promised in God's Word. My heart and my prayer would be that through all things, Christ would be lifted high. Through all things, I would be content and satisfied with the Lord. Through all things, I would be an encouragement to others and an example of the Lord giving overflowing peace and joy in times of pain and heartache. I miss Namibia. I miss the people. I miss my team. I can't begin to express (although at this point with the number of times I've mentioned this I'm beating a dead horse) the different ways the Lord has and is using them in my life. Taking 12 strangers and turning them into the closest friends. There is no other explanation than Christ Himself, that we could all come together and love each other the way Christ designed us to love. Incredible. The Lord has used them in great ways in my life to challenge and encourage me. What an incredible display of the Lord's soveriegnty... putting 12 sinful people together and creating a brotherly love between each of them.

A lot to digest

(Movie night with the team!) I've been back for exactly one week. The rest of the team came home today, arrived safely in the states and went their separate directions home. It seems like so long ago that I was in Namibia, but it's only been a week. I still miss the precious friends I made, but I'm starting to see now that I've been back for several days that the Lord is going to start helping me to digest everything I learned, saw, and heard while I was there... it's a lot of stuff. Going over journal entries from the last 6 weeks and quiet times, the Lord answered so many prayers and revealed Himself in so many ways. One in particular was in our team, as I've mentioned before, and how the Lord so enabled us to work together in an amazing way. Another was in the response the people had to us. Not every time, but more often than not each of us had a story at the end of the day of one person who we were really able to spend some time with and share the Lord with them. It was so encouraging to be able to see people be receptive to the Gospel. On top of that though, I felt like the Lord was really revealing more of the depth of His sacrifice to me in giving me opportunity to share it's Truth with others. The true relationship He desires with each person really came to light on this trip. It was a sweet time of refinement and refreshment in the Word. Not the easiest 5 weeks I've ever spent, since no one likes to see sin revealed in their lives but such a nice time of hearing from the Lord and being reassured of my life in Christ. (More stories and lessons learned to come :)).

More Pictures!

I'm terrible at updating this when I say I will, but I've got some more pictures today! My team should be on there way out of Johanesburg at this point, headed for DC. Pray for a safe trip for each of them! It's been a week since I left Africa and I miss my team so much. I can't wait to get to talk with some of them once they are back in the states. They've been so sweet sending me e-mails and messages telling me they are thinking of me and praying for my mom. And on that note, she's home! Hooray! :) She's recovering really well from her surgery with no complications and the incision is healing well. Praise God for that! Anyway, on to pictures! :D Our fantastic van that literally could take us ANYWHERE. We were able to take 14 people with all there luggage to Katima with this little speed racer. We stayed one night at Ngepi camp on our way to Katima... in a literal treehouse... hilarious! I was always on the lookout for these :D Once we got to Katima, we decorated the children's ward of the hospital there. Our contact there was the pediatrican. The Cheshire Home in Katima that doubled as a home for disabled children and a hostel (Our home in Katima). That's all for now, but I'll get more up as I can! :D