Live in the Now

I'm not going to lie, I've been pretty frustrated at times since I've been here. I still don't understand and can't speak the language and it's hard to truly be myself because of that. I'm starting a whole new ministry which is an amazing opportunity but also rather overwhelming. Things here are so different than back home and this is my favorite time of year back home...with the cool fall weather, leaves changing colors, the Fair coming to town, Fall Festival at my church, Halloween. I have been allowing the mixture of missing my family and friends, missing things about Winston-Salem, and frustrations here get the best of me. I was starting to wake up in the morning dreading going to work. But the other night, as I was irritated with being here, I was reading my friend's blog. She is serving in Lebanon and has been there for about a month. She talked about a Nooma video she had recently seen that challenged people to live for the day because if we live in the past we don't commit all of ourselves to the people and the ministries here. As I was reading it, it suddenly hit me that that is exactly what I have been doing. My friend talked about how though things are different, very different, it doesn't mean they can't be just as amazing. So, I am now trying my hardest to live for the day and stop worrying about how things used to be. I am trying to truly devote myself to the people and the ministries here. I know this can be the most amazing experience of my life, I just have to allow it. If you could please pray that God would continue to draw me close to Him during these times and keep my heart open to every opportunity and experience he has for me here. And I challenge you to live for the day. Embrace everything God has in store for you whole-heartedly and don't think about how things were or could be. God bless.