Happy New Year!
The past couple weeks have been filled with celebration, and by that I mean tons of fireworks going off at any time day or night which kind of make me feel like I’m living in a warzone. Spring Festival is, without a doubt, the biggest holiday for Asian people. Students go home to be with their families, all the most delicious and weird foods are eaten, and did I mention fireworks are being set off all the time? All that being said and with no students on campus, it has been a strange past few weeks in a place I like to call the “in-between.” But I want to catch you up on all that has happened since my last update.
In early January, my roommate Jazmin made a really difficult and brave decision to go home earlier than expected. Of course, that means some changes for me. Going into this next semester I will not have a permanent ministry partner or roommate, but no worries, I’ll often be going out with Pepper and Emery, so you will probably hear more about them in the near future. I’m excited about what lies ahead for us all.
At the end of January, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Thailand for a conference and retreat. Not only was it refreshing to be in a warm, tropical paradise and enjoy smoothies, sunshine, and snuggling with tigers, but it was also good to hear from several speakers about the work God is doing all over Asia. In Thailand, I gained a greater perspective for the sometimes seemingly small work that we do here. I was reminded that God can do beyond what I can even dream when I simply lay my life down and am obedient in the place he’s called me.
Now, walking in-between two semesters, I’ve been contemplating just how short my time left here will be. Less than two months and I will be on a plane back to America. I’ve done a lot of thinking and praying about what my life will look like after these 9 months, and to be honest, I have arrived at no clear conclusions except that, just in time, my Good Shepherd will make his voice known to me & I will follow him wherever He leads. One thing I know for certain is that I want to savor every moment I have left here with my Asian friends and with my teammates. I refuse to get so caught up worrying about the future that I forget to take off my shoes in this present holy moment and worship Him where I am with all that I have. Even the walking in-between is full of glory, and I want to have eyes that see.