the china sea.

These past two days we've had a little getaway to a neighboring island. we've been snorkeling, swimming, and this morning we did a hike up a mountain. i can't tell you how refreshing it's been to get out of the city and be in nature. Do you ever feel closer to God when you are surrounded by his beautiful creation? Even when we were looking at the coral and the fish, I'm just reminded of God's creativity in creation and his power to hold all things together- he knows about all those little fish that I never would have known existed.
I'm so thankful for this time. I think its just what we needed to be able to go back and hit it hard for the last two weeks.We've come with some fellow workers and it's been wonderful to spend time with them. Their wisdom seems to overflow every time we talk. After conversations with them, I find my heart and my head ready to explode with new ideas and insights. Pray for these workers. God is using them in a mighty way and I feel honored to know them and get to spend time with them.
For our last weeks here, please pray for continued opportunities with the relationships we've built. We are hoping to have several girls over to our apartment this week. Also pray that we can be an encouragement to the believers.
sending my love across the ocean!

hello out there!
greetings from this side of the world. this has been another full week of teaching, painting, and getting to know people. i saw the Lord answer some specific prayers this week and i was very encouraged. one morning i prayed that the Lord would send many to come to paint so that we could get to know more people as we were working. That day, a whole group of people who hadn't come before came. It was a great day to work alongside people and get to know them a little better as we shared a bucket of paint.
yesterday, I asked the Lord to help us connect with the kids we are working with. Yesterday things didn't work out as planned or go according to schedule, but we connected with the kids! We started playing a bunch of games and things became very comfortable. I continue to ask God to help us relate to them even though we have trouble communicating. I'm praying that we can pour into them and encourage them to keep the faith!
this week i met up with my friend Jeannette and we went to a mall and then the WW2 Cemetary here in Manila- wow. it was so sobering. I'm reminded that freedom isn't cheap. As I read all the names of those missing in action and saw all the rows and rows of crosses surrounding me, I was filled with gratitude for those who gave their lives.
fellow laborers, with all my heart, i thank you for interceding for me. please keep praying for the ministry here. God is the only one who can change lives. We are his servants- but we can do nothing on our own. Pray that God would do a mighty work here- that many would come to know his Son!

thanks for praying for me. the Lord is bringing me through.
the past few days we have been painting a new day care building- its been fun. we've also continued teaching our classes and getting to know people.
today, we were planning on painting, but they sent us home because a typhoon might be coming through this afternoon- don't worry- we live on the fourth floor.
so i was reading psalm 62 this morning-
trust in Him at all times, O people
pour out your hearts to Him
for God is our refuge.
two things: God is strong. God is loving.
What a great God we serve! He is like no other.

lately

honestly, honestly...
the last few days have been very difficult.
please continue to pray for the Lord's strength.

whats going on

hello all
here's another update. thank you so much for battling with me in prayer as we give ourselves for HIS KINGDOM!
WHAT IVE BEEN DOING
- teaching through Proverbs and giving morning devotions
- helping serve at a feeding program- learning some new foods!
- tutoring and helping with homework- although i couldnt remember what antecedents of pronouns were the other day! :)
- visiting students in their homes and meeting their families- this is my favorite!
- painting a new building
- building relationships
WHAT IVE BEEN LEARNING
-as we prepare to teach each week, it has been wonderful for me to just have THE WORD as my guide. sometimes its too easy for me to dig into commentaries right away or ask other people what things mean- God is teaching me again the sufficiency of his word. He is teaching me new truths as I just read it over and over again and study it in a way so that i understand it well enough to explain to a new believer.
-dependency on God- there have been so many situations where I am overcome with my inadequacy and my need to get everything from HIM. Sometimes it is truly "moment by moment". I feel I wont be able to make it another step or word without stopping and getting my strength from the Lord.
- God's common grace to mankind. I am wide eyed as I see some living conditions and certain situations- I think, how can this be? how can people survive like this? It is only by his grace...
HOW YOU CAN PRAY
- Relationships with the girls we are working with. Even specifically, we are praying and thinking about which girls to take to the mall this weekend. We want to be very intentional about building into the girls here and getting to know them.
- Continued culture and language learning- pray for sensitivity and patience
- safety and health- for us and those we are working with
RANDOM...
-We went to the market today on our own for the first time and successfully walked away with bananas, pineapple, and lettuce!
- We're starting to handle our little friends better (cockroaches and lizards). There have been fewer screams and were able to dispose of them a little more gracefully each day
- We had some friends over the other night. It was a blast- we learned some new games, took pictures, and laughed a lot!
TTFN! :)

thanks!

thanks everyone for the birthday wishes. it was a joy to read them when i got on today at the internet cafe. i can feel the love- even all the way around the world! the Lord continues to teach me and grow me here. i'll have an update in a few days. love love.