it's really happening!!!

this time in two weeks i'll be flying over the pacific ocean on my way to New Zealand. to live. and be on staff with campus crusade/tandem ministries. crazy!! i've been waiting & preparing & looking toward this day for SUCH a long time. and now it's almost here. it feels very surreal! i'm excited. really excited. and about a million other things too. :)

God is good. He has guided & led me so tenderly & purposefully over the past 2 years since coming home from STINT. it's incredible to look back on all that He has done. i never could have imagined what these past few years would look like, but now in hindsight, it's an amazing sight to see. it wasn't all easy. in fact, much of the past 2 years have been just plain hard. but i wouldn't trade any of it. in fact, it was in those hard seasons that i experienced the most precious fellowship with the Lord. He has shown me new depths of His faithfulness & great treasures in His word. He has given me a beautiful picture of true community. He has helped me truly believe & know that He is good, that He does not withhold from us. He has uncovered sin in my heart & reminded me of the unparalleled beauty of the gospel. He has taught me all over again that my hope is Jesus; He is my life.

as i prepare to move to NZ, will you please pray with me that my heart will treasure Christ above all things? may He alone be my portion & my very great Reward.

"O taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! O fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no want. The young lions do lack and suffer hunger; but they who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing." ~Ps. 34:8-10

real Life

"The prodigal was never safer than when he was driven to his father's bosom, because he could find sustenance nowhere else. Our Lord favours us with a famine in the land that it may make us seek after himself the more. The best position for a Christian is living wholly and directly on God's grace-still abiding where he stood at first-"Having nothing, and yet possessing all things." Let us never for a moment think that our standing is in our sanctification, our mortification, our graces, or our feelings, but know that because Christ offered a full atonement, therefore we are saved; for we are complete in him. Having nothing of our own to trust to, but resting upon the merits of Jesus-His passion and holy life furnish us with the only sure ground of confidence. Beloved, when we are brought to a thirsting condition, we are sure to turn to the Fountain of Life with eagerness."
~from a commentary on blueletterbible.org