Wake Up Call

Recently, a sweet friend of mine asked for prayer on Facebook as she struggled with understanding why God lets bad things happen. It's the age old question, right? How could an all-good God who has all power, and supposedly loves all creation, allow not-good things to happen to His creation? Put simply, how could Love allow us to experience un-love?

Well, I don't have all the answers to that, so don't be too disappointed at the end of this long post. People smarter, wiser, and infinitely more articulate than me have struggled to answer this for as long as we have been broken. In fact, what scholars believe to be the oldest book in Bible (Job) deals expressly with this issue for forty-two chapters. That's a LOT of coverage.

However, I felt compelled to share this post because this is an issue that I've wrestled with recently--like, WRESTLED. In January, a missionary who operated an orphanage in Burkina Faso (the country I interned in) was killed in a ISIS attack in Ouagadougou, and two others were taken hostage. I've lost track of the nights I've cried myself to sleep with the pain of brokenness, and for someone who is pretty happy-go-lucky, I had no idea how to deal with the anger and bitterness that wouldn't go away. I became short-tempered at work, snappy with those who loved me, and very, very heart-broken.

Until one bright Saturday morning, when I woke to the sun shining, the birds chirping...and a clock that read 6:20. Now, I don't know about you, but in our house, Saturday mornings are for one thing only: sleeping in. And 6:20 is earlier than I get up to go to work! I was not putting a toe out of bed until 9. But God, in His infinite humor, would not let me go back to sleep, and the only thought that kept crossing my mind as I stubbornly huddled under the covers, was that I should probably get into the Word.

Ungraciously, I got up, made coffee, and went outside to our bench, where I flipped through my Bible a little bit until I came across one of my favorite passages of Scripture: Isaiah 6. (I'd recommend grabbing a copy of Scripture and glancing over the chapter before you go on, I promise it's not long.) As Isaiah's first vision from the Lord, it is widely considered a beautiful call to ministry and an example of how God wants to use us. Isaiah is transported to the throne room of God and basically, after comparing himself against his holy God, volunteers to go on a mission for God. Theologically, the story is packed with all sorts of cool gems. Verses 1-8 make a great motivational sermon.

The only problem is that the vision has more than eight verses.

When Isaiah volunteers to go for God, I can only imagine he'd assumed what we'd assume, that God would say: "Go tell the people about Me, about My love and joy and peace and power in all the world." Picture then, Isaiah's reaction when he is instead commanded, "Go! Say to these people: Keep listening, but do not understand; keep looking, but do not perceive. Dull the minds of these people...otherwise, they might  see with their eyes and hear with their ears, understand with their minds, turn back, and be healed."

I'm sorry, WHAT?

The God who loves everyone doesn't want His chosen people to be healed? How many times have we read of His frustration that the Jews have turned away from Him, and then He says this? If I was Isaiah, I would be furious. How dare He say these things?

But Isaiah, without skipping a beat, responds with one of the most poignant questions in the Bible. Instead of yelling, crying, or cursing God, he calmly asks, "Until when, Lord?" Isaiah knew by faith what you and I learned as history: that God was planning a rescue for His people long before the disaster had even happened. Isaiah was not alarmed by God's words because He trusted God's character.

God goes on to give Isaiah his first intimation of the Babylonian captivity, the final action taken against generations of idolatry and paganism. Though the land would be laid waste and the people driven away, He makes two very important points in verse 13 that bring hope to the suffering:

"Though a tenth will remain in the land,

it will be burned again.

Like the terebinth and oak

that leaves a stump when felled,

the holy seed is the stump."

The first thing that God does is promise told hold back for Himself a remnant. Throughout history, God has always kept aside a small group of His own: Noah's family in the flood, 7,000 faithful men in the days of Elijah, and to the prophet Ezekiel He says, "Yet I will leave a remnant when you are scattered among the nations." (Ez 6:8) This intentional remnant is a reminder that God is constantly stepping into the mix and making sure that the story is going His way. This is SO important because this remnant is saved to be as yeast into flour (Mt 13:33). God's kingdom, starting small, affecting everything and everyone it comes across, so that all may see His glory. His remnant is a reflection of Himself. If the Israelites hadn't been exiled, they would have continued to live in a cycle of sin and missed out on the holiness that God wanted for them.  (In fact, the exile would prove to be SO effective in convicting the Jews that their culture would swing the other direction into legalism, something that Jesus would deal with later.)

The second part of this verse, however, is the crux of the matter. Much later on in Isaiah's ministry, he is given more information on the "holy seed" that will come from the stump: the "shoot that will grow from the stump of Jesse." In 732 BC, God was already promising the lineage of the Rescuer born in 4 AD, the One who would make everything sad come untrue. And as if that wasn't enough, Paul's diatribe in Romans 11:11-27 lays out that we as Gentiles are only able to be grafted onto that stump because some branches were removed...but that our joining the tree will full-circle bring Israel back to the tree. (Seriously, go read it right now while all this is in your head...it will BLOW YOUR MIND.) 

In this way, God's plan necessitated the captivity of His people as a key ingredient in the history of their Messiah. Somehow, God took the messy brokenness of wayward hearts and remade them into a beautiful nation. How redemptive is that?

I really wish that I had more space to go on, but this post is way too long already. Suffice to say that if I have faith that the God who makes a promise fulfills it 736 years later, I can have that same faith that He will make good on ALL of His promises. You know the ones I'm talking about...the one in Revelation 21, where we get a new heaven and new earth, and there is no more death or tears or pain. The one where this broken world is completely healed into what it was supposed to be.

The one where we get to meet Him face to face.

May the Lord bless you and keep you,

Sarah

reset.

“We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory.” 2 Cor 3:18a, HCSB

So much has changed since my last blog post. It’s been almost 3 years (THREE) since my experiment in following the Holy Spirit across the globe, and in so many ways I am a completely different person, with an under-graduate degree, a full-time job, and a rent to pay. I now live with 2 roommates in Greensboro, attend a different church, and I have learned to see the world through the eyes of someone who does not look, think, or act like me.

I am not the same person that I once was. Yet another bowl of beans for breakfast has taught me what it means not to have access to basic goods at my merest whim. The bruises on my knees have taught me what it means to fall on my knees before a healing God and beg Him for the impossible—and have Him come through in unfathomable ways. The tearstains on my cheeks have taught me that it is possible to be joyful and broken at the same time. I am not the same girl who began this blog, but I think that she would be ok with that.

So much has changed. And as I sit here, with my coffee in my hand and a book in my lap, I can see clearly how far God has brought me since last we met. But you know what?

So much has not changed at all.

The question, “What are your plans after graduation?” has changed into, “Is this what you want to do for the rest of life?” My answer still remains the same: “I have no idea where God is leading me. All I know is that I’m following.” I have poured over testimonies of disciples living radical lives at high
personal cost, and my heart cries out in response. I am so impatient to follow Katie Davis to Uganda to mother orphaned children, or to live on the streets of an intentional community with Shane Claiborne, or to fly to California and sit at the feet of the leaders of the organic church movement. My soul longs to go join the Holy Spirit in what He is doing, but I know without any hesitation that He is first teaching me to love where it is most difficult—right here at home.

For two years, I have wrestled with impatience (and do I mean wrestled), loneliness, recognizing God’s calling to singleness for me right now, laziness, despair, cynicism …Looking for a church home unfortunately means that one’s need for community  is not met very well, and that only helped to amplify my frustration. I was not alone by any means, but I felt like the first missionary in the history of Christianity who was completely unworthy of her calling (feel free to laugh here). I was experiencing what Tulian Tchividjan calls “morbid introspection,” because once again, I was so caught up in what my plans were and what I wanted to do that I lost sight of the knowledge that I am not in charge. I know it’s incomprehensible, but once again I was caught up in that human condition of desperately grasping for control.

I told you, some things haven’t changed at all.

And then I listened to a sermon that put me right back where I needed to be. The concept was this: Anybody who has ever been around little kids knows that they have no idea that the world does not revolve around them. If you’ve ever been to a birthday party with a three-year-old, you know that the child wants to blow out candles on the cake, get the first slice, and open the presents, no matter whose birthday it is. It never fails that at some point, a parent is going to have to pull the child aside and explain in no uncertain terms that “It’s not your party.”

It’s not my party.

At that moment, I felt this overwhelming sense of relief steal over my soul. I’m not in control, I’m exhausting myself trying to steal God’s glory, and frankly, believing that I could possibly run my life better than God can is a bit like trusting my teenage self behind the wheel of a car. A fancy sports car. My first time driving. In a blizzard.

If I have truly committed to being a doulos of the Resurrected King, then why does my life look more like a master than a slave? I’m tired of living on my own terms, living by my own definition of what it looks like to agape my neighbor. I’m tired of letting the world convince me that I am justified in wrath because I have been mistreated or I’m under a lot of pressure. I’m tired of the immediate sense of despair and hatred I get when hearing about Al Qaeda attacks taking place in my beautiful Burkina. So I need to unlearn my glory, and continue to learn how to love in humility—how to love my aggravating coworker, how to love the person ahead of me on the highway, how to love the homeless guy I bump into on my lunch break, how to love the radical Muslim who gunned down in cold blood a man in my missions agency. And I mean love—messy, uncomfortable, sweaty, tearstained, breathless, I’m-already-running-late-but-why-not love. Servanthood means getting someone else’s dirt on my hands.

So that’s why I’m here, writing this now. The journey of love is tough. As Langston Hughes wrote, it “ain’t been no crystal stair.” It is occasionally back-tracking, and always longer than we expect—it took Jesus thirty-three years to make it to the cross. Sometimes I realize that I’ve been holding the map upside down (those of you who know me would not be surprised) and I have to confess that I was wrong, and turn around. But this journey is so very worth it, and I can’t do it alone.  

Discipleship was never meant to be cold theology learned in a spiritual vacuum (Look how Jesus taught His disciples!). We are meant to journey together, to build each other up, and so I invite you on this journey with me as I explore the height and depth and length and breadth of Jesus’ love. Sometimes I will be dead wrong, sometimes I will have no idea what I’m talking about, but if you are interested in digging into spiritual truths with me, I think Jesus is ready to do big things in our hearts.

I know this has been a loooonnnng post, so if you’ve made it this far you have my thanks.

May the Lord bless you and keep you.

Sarah

Truths and Acknowledgements

Bonjour!

I can hardly believe it, but I only have 8 days left in Mahadaga! Next Saturday we are driving back to Ouagadougou, and Monday I catch a plane back to Charlotte. Wednesday I fly to the PTI airport, and I'll be home sweet home! These two months have been SUCH a blessing. It hasn't been easy, or comfortable, but I have learned so much about myself and Jesus, especially about how He loves His children. It's taken blood, sweat (so very much sweat), and tears to get me to this place, but I understand agape love better now than I ever have before, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. I thought I'd take this blog post to share with you some of the things I've learned during my 2 months here.

1. Joy is not the same thing as happiness. This is one of those things that you hear in Sunday School as a kid, and it just doesn't compute. I have known this with head knowledge for most of my life, but I have experienced this truth more than ever before while living in rural Africa. Take this morning, for instance. At 5:45 I woke up, because I was sticky with sweat--my fan was off. But the button was still pushed in. With a sense of foreboding, I got up and tried my light switch. Nothing. Apparently, the power went out at 5:30, and didn't come back on until sometime after I left at 8:30. Because I was so miserably hot, I couldn't fall back to sleep. Laying in bed, I discovered a whole batch of new mosquito bites that would not stop itching. I finally got up again and realized that I had run out of toilet paper, and I would have to go buy some more. Plus, I had run out of sugar a few days ago, and I realized that I was going to be eating either bland couscous, rice, or oatmeal for the 4th morning in a row. I'm not going to lie, I had a miniature melt-down there in my living room. After about two minutes of unadulterated misery, self-pity, and whining, I went and buried myself in my Bible. Reading God's Word did nothing to immediately affect my mood, but it reminded me of the truth: That God has everything under control, and that if I trust Him, everything is going to be ok. His grace is new every morning (I had to repeat that to myself a few times), and He by Himself is more than enough for me. Reminding myself of this as I was working in the library, hauling huge stacks of dusty books off shelves to be labelled, my circumstances stopped mattering. It took a few hours, but eventually my mood turned around. When I am driven by happiness, that is directly affected by my circumstances: my environment, the people I am with, the stressors in my life. However, when I am driven by joy, I accept the truth that I am a beloved daughter of the King, even when I don't feel like it. Which leads me to my next point,

2. Reading God's Word and spending significant amounts time in prayer has a direct and drastic effect on my life. This might sound dramatic, and I'm sure if you've spent any time in church, you've heard this, but I heard it for most of my life, and rolled my eyes. Sure, the Bible is important, but it gets really boring sometimes, and I have better things to do. Like sleep. And make dinner. And watch Netflix. I know--trust me. It hasn't been until the past 2 years that I've spent intentional time hanging out with Jesus (I aim for daily, but that doesn't always happen. Actually, until I came to Africa, I don't think I'd had a full week of daily devotions!) But seriously. If you are like me, and you feel like you don't really need to spend time reading your Bible, I'm gonna tell you something that you're not going to like: You're wrong. Sorry, I know that sounds really harsh, but your spiritual life will EXPLODE if you intentionally abide in Christ like John 15 tells us. Please don't get me wrong--I'm honestly not trying to make you feel like you're a bad person or like you don't love Jesus enough. But I want for you what God wants: Life like you have never before experienced. Even as a Christian. If you haven't touched your Bible since Sunday or earlier, I dare you to read through the book of John, a chapter a day. If you miss a day, don't worry about it or try to catch up, or else you'll put it off. Pray before each chapter that God will show you His love and truth. You might not get a "spiritual revelation" every day, but I guarantee that it will change your relationship with God for the stronger.

3. I am a horrible missionary. Your first instinct is probably going to be, "Oh, I'm sure that's not true." Believe it, because I'm not trying to fish for compliments. I jump at spiders...even when I know they're there. I can't sleep without a fan. I eat all the time without accountability. I fantasize about going to Target, eating vegetables, chocolate, or pizza, hanging out with my friends, reading my books, and wearing pants. I am sick to death of goats bleating, French music blasting out of the boutique across that street, and sweating through my first outfit by noon. I can barely speak French, not to mention the local language. I am a bad missionary. I'll let you in on a secret, though...I don't think anyone is actually naturally what we picture to be a "good" missionary. You have to learn it. What I have learned, is that the same reason I am a "bad" missionary is the same reason that I have struggled for so long with unconditional love. I am terribly addicted to my own convenience. I want to feel my ideal temperature, eat my kinds of food, spend my time my way, listen to my music...me me me. Being a missionary is not convenient. You have to pick up everything and go be a guest for the Gospel. Saturday mornings I am most aware of this, when I am trying to sleep in, and the Africans are all like, "Well, the sun gets up at 5:30, so we're gonna get up at 5, and be TOTALLY LOUD by, say, 6:30." And my Western mindset, at 6:30 AM, is highly opposed to this: "Why are they so inconsiderate? Don't they know I'm trying to sleep?? These people are CRAZY!" But what I fail to remember is that to the Africans, I am the crazy one. "WHY is she still in bed? Doesn't she know the day has already begun? Americans are LAZY!" Acknowledging these cultural differences is not the hard part. The hard part is, at 6:30 AM every Saturday morning, making the choice every five minutes to forgive the Africans and go pack to sleep, or to just get up and let it go. That's what unconditional love is, I've realized: not a choice to focus on the best in a person, but seventy times seven choices to accept that person's flaws or differences, and not hold it against them. I'm learning this in ministry both with the nationals, and those I'm working with. Don't get me wrong--I couldn't ask for a more amazing group of people to be working with. But everyone has different ways to come to a solution, and sometimes I have to deliberately give up my "right way" in my head, because loving the other person is more important to me than feeling justified. Self-righteousness has always been one of my biggest temptations, and it is a hard truth that it has taken a removal to a different continent for me to learn this. I will never perfect this, but I now have the framework, and the ability to let go, where I never did before.

4. My normal lifestyle is not Gospel-oriented enough. Of the things I miss about home, I've noticed a theme: I tend to miss the things that are more comfortable and easy about home. Back home, I don't have to focus on buying tomato paste or using a computer. I just...do it. Here, though, I have to mentally steel myself to sound like an idiot who can't hear the difference between cinq and cent (5 and 100, so it's pretty significant), or remember to press <shift> on a French keyboard every time I want to type a number. Everything I do here, from turning on my stove to walking across my room in the dark, is done intentionally. I cannot go on auto-pilot here, and it isn't until you can't do something that you realize how much you normally do. How much of my day in America is spent invested in the moment? Every purchase I make, every person I pass, every 5 minutes on the computer that turns into hours...what if I gave that all to God? What if every purchase I made was pleasing to God: healthy food, no impulse buys of stuff I don't need, buying fair trade items. What if every person I passed I shared as much of the Gospel as possible with: if I didn't have time to tell them about Jesus, what if I smiled, or held the door, or helped them with their bags? What if every time I got on the computer, I remembered that "my time" is not actually mine, but God's that He allows me to use? What if my driving force was advancing His kingdom, regardless of personal comfort, gain, reputation, or convenience? The music I listen to (no matter the genre), the tip I give at restaurants...what if God's body made intentional choices to focus their lives after the Gospel instead of the American norm? If we cared more about showing other people love than preserving our personal rights? Imagine: if we gave the Holy Spirit free reign in every aspect of our lives, what would be different? I'm reading a book here called Emerging Churches by Eddie Gibbs and Ryan...Bolger, I think? Can't remember for certain =) Anyway, I really recommend it for those who identify with what I've shared here, who have experienced a burning for Jesus and His Church, who ache for today's Christians to wake up and be transformed by the Gospel. Don't read it, though, if you're not prepared to have your ideals questioned and your entire view of church shattered and rebuilt. This book is wonderful, but difficult! I'm still not finished.

I know that's a lot, and I'm sorry, but I know that a lot of those of you reading this will never get the chance to live overseas, and I think that these truths are applicable universally, wherever you are. I love you all so much, and I will see you VERY soon! This might be the last time I update you all via blog...if so, you'll hear all my stories soon!

Prayer Requests:
-Continued intentionality in loving
-Time management, especially in homework
-That I will remember God's new graces every morning
-Flight back to the States and back home

Praises:
-It's raining, so it's much cooler right now!
-I got to Skype with my family for my mom's birthday, and the call was very clear and we got to talk for a long time
-I've been given sufficient time to finish my Honor's project, which means I will continue to receive scholarship for this semester
-I'll be home soon!

Au Revoir!
XO Sarah

John 14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Your heart must not be troubled or fearful."

5-1-2013

Bonjour!

So, I'm not totally sure when this will get posted, but I wanted to update you all since it's been a while. It's the end of the day on Wednesday--Labor day--and I'm worn out. So here's what my schedule for today was (Not a typical Burkinabe work day, but just as busy as usual!).

A Day in the Life:

6:34 AM--I randomly wake up on my own, like I do most mornings. The rain that started late last night has apparently lasted all through the night, as it's still pouring. Rainy season is here a month early. As hard as it is for me to get up on rainy mornings,  I like the break--usually by 6, I can hear motos zooming by, goats, roosters, donkeys, kids yelling as they go to school, and the occasional horn honking. This morning however, I decide that the rain is too enticing, and I fall back to sleep.

6:48 AM--I finally drag myself out of bed, bemoaning the nice cool bed calling my name. I put my feet in my flip-flops (my African version of slippers), and do my customary sweep for Pierre. Pierre is the spider who lives in my bedroom and bathroom (he is the size of my camera lens cap, brown, and very fast), and I have gotten used to looking around for him before I walk across the room so that I'm not surprised by him. This morning I don't see him, which is not unusual. I get dressed (t-shirt and skirt), brush my teeth, and pull my hair into the sloppiest bun imaginable.

6:57 AM--Since I'm running a little late this morning, I rush into the kitchen and start breakfast. I fill my kettle with tap water, and light the stove to boil the water. While that's boiling, I get out the oatmeal, instant coffee, sugar, and powdered milk.  Oatmeal and coffee is my complete breakfast. As I eat, I sit in front of my kitchen window and journal about the previous day, read Jesus Calling when I have time, and read my Bible. This morning, I read Colossians 6, Leviticus 20, Isaiah 10, and some passages in Song of Songs. This may sound like a lot, but I have learned from experience over the past month that the amount of time I spend in the Word directly affects how I handle the rest of my day.

I'm Here! I'm Alive! I'm Safe!

Bonjour!

I know some of you were worried =) But don't be! My internet went out, but I'm absolutely fine. I've been in Mahadaga for...3 weeks exactly! Wow, time flies. I've had so much fun here. Matt's cousin Sophie (my hero in the lost luggage crisis, it's all on my facebook page) and I have been minions together over the past couple of weeks. We've settled into a routine--Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings Sophie and I help Matt with whatever project he has picked out for us, So far, that has included harvesting and crushing neem seeds for insecticide, applying manure-tea to the vegetable garden (I know, that sounds like somebody just left a bag of manure steeping in water. Well, that's exactly what it is, it's really quite disgusting), measuring out lengths of rope, turning compost (a scintillating job involving moving an  entire 2 meter high pile of dirt a foot to the side), planting cucumber seeds in different types of soil and recording the effects, and driving out in the Rhino to survey the new property SIM just bought. It's tiring work, but so fun! Tuesday and Thursday mornings we go volunteer at the Handicap Center, working with the kids and helping do odd jobs. Monday and Friday afternoons, we have individual French language study (since my 2 weeks of French doesn't even compare to Sophie's 5 years of classes). Tuesday afternoons, the pastor teaches Sophie, Matt and I Gourmanche, the local language. Wednesday afternoons are cultural debriefing, and Saturday afternoons Sophie and I have formal French lessons with Diabidi, a girl from the Handicap Center.

Living in Africa has its ups and downs. I really, really, really miss American goodies. It's weird, the little things that I crave so badly...Nutella, Mexican food, potato salad (ohh....potato salad...), a MICROWAVE, going to bed without having to brush the bugs off my sheets with my shoe. And there are no formal stores in the bush. All the food is local--which is actually really cool for the economy. But I have a recurring fantasy about going to Target (the A/C is blasting and there is no dust!). On the bright side, my mornings are wonderful. I actually love getting up at 6 (ok, 6:15), because that's when it's nice and cool, and I have time to make breakfast and read my Bible. The mangoes are wonderful right off the tree, and all the work I've been doing here has been directly helping others.

I think my favorite thing to do here is ride in the back of the Rhino. It's like a miniature jeep with a tiny truck bed. When you stand in the back and hold on to the rails, the wind flies in your face, you zoom down the dirt roads, and all the little African kids all wave and shriek "Ca va? Ca va?"--the only French phrase they know =) What they don't know is that I don't know much more French than they do!

It's so weird being white here...The missionaries are pretty much the only non-blacks these people have ever seen. Hispanic, asian, white...we all look the same to them. So when I tell you that I am the FIRST white person some of these people have EVER SEEN, I'm not exaggerating. As such, I've made 4 babies cry just by looking at them, and gotten 4 marriage proposals. Little kids follow Sophie and I when we go anywhere. I think this must be what celebrities feel like...simultaneously a Disney princess and a felon. It definitely makes for interesting interactions, though!

Well, I promise I will post more later--and more often!--but I'm wiped out! Today I went on my second home visit (this time I did NOT pass out!) and I was on the back of a moto for hours. So, I'm going to make myself some spaghetti and curl up with a book out of the guest house library.

I love you all SO very much. I am eternally thankful for your prayers (Know that they have a direct impact on my well-being and ministry here) and I miss you all. God is working hard in my heart, and I'll have so much to share about what I've learned when I get back.

Prayer Requests:
-Boredom/Loneliness: This is the first time I've ever lived by myself, and being in Africa obviously makes it that much crazier. Pray that I will be spending my free time with God and take pleasure in His work and company.
-Language Study: Learning one is hard enough, but 2 at the same time is turning my brain to mush!
-Continued Safety and Provision: The Lord has blessed me in so many ways, and provided so much. Pray that I will continue to rely on Him to be enough.
-Farming God's Way ministry: Matt's direction right now is an agricultural technique that integrates faith and was designed specifically for Africa. Pray that this program will be accepted here, that we can find effective ways to present and teach it, and that the people of Mahadaga can be both good stewards of God's creation, and at the same time come to know the love God has for them.

Grace and peace to you!

Au revoir!
XO Sarah

The Holy Spirit Turned Off Our Internet?

Bonjour!

Hey everyone! Just a quick update on where things are. I've started my malaria medication, which I've been told gives the user "strange/vivid dreams." But, as my father would say, I am my mother's daughter, and I have incredibly strange dreams already, so I haven't noticed any changes yet! There are apparently books out there that teach you how to tell when you're dreaming, so you can fly in your dreams. I'm really hoping I can get my hands on one before my medication starts working.

On a different note, and the reason I'm updating you all, my date has changed again! Oh well, fourth time's the charm, right? It's actually a really cool story...

A week or so ago, the travel coordinator at SIM sent me an itinerary for my flight before she bought the tickets to approve. However, she accidentally had me leaving out of the airport at Indy. Not exactly close. So I emailed her back, and she fixed it.

The day before she emailed me, however, for the first time ever, our internet connection randomly stopped working. So by the time I got a call from SIM to check the second itinerary and called a friend to check the email and reply to it, it was too late, and the airline cancelled the reservation. Today, I approved the third itinerary (planning is not my forte), and I am scheduled to leave March 23. (Fun side note: my return flight makes a pit stop in ROME! Mom's a little jealous.)

But Sarah, you might be thinking, you said this was a cool story...this just sounds really annoying. Well my friend, you would be correct. As the Oxiclean guy says,

But wait! There's MORE!

Our internet connection still hadn't come on by this afternoon, and I knew that I had to approve my itinerary, so I took my shiny new laptop to Panera's to get lunch and catch up on some emails. The entire time I was there, a group of three women were sitting nearby, and I could hear their conversation as they talked about their pastors, the people that they were praying for, and the ministries they were involved in. It was really refreshing to see three adults get so fired up about Christ  (and not involved in the Liberty hype, where it's really easy to be on fire for God). They were laughing, and they just seemed so full of joy, and I was so encouraged by that.

I felt like I was supposed to go talk to them, so when I finished eating I went up and introduced myself, and told them how encouraged I'd been by hearing them. They immediately asked me if they could pray for me. I told them about my trip, and they told me about the ministry they are starting. As they prayed for me, and spoke truth over me, I felt like I was coming home. We sat and talked and marveled about Jesus for about 10 minutes, and then I drove home. Within a few hours, the power had come back on. It was such a blessing to just be a part of the body of Christ, even with these women I had never met. Christ in me recognized Christ in them.

Praise be to God from whom ALL blessings flow, even the blessing of being internet-less for two days.

Au revoir!

XO Sarah

There's Typhoid in the Fridge

Bonjour!

It's been a while since I've posted on here, and (to be perfectly honest) I wanted to get some more news & info about my trip before I gave anybody the link. But as of today, I'll be linking this page to my Facebook page, so everybody can have access to it. I'll try to update it with pictures once a week while I'm overseas, but we'll see how that goes!

As for all my continued supporters, I am SO grateful to you all! I haven't gotten my thank-you notes out yet (all my addresses aren't accessible on my new computer yet), but hopefully I'll be able to get them out by the end of the week!

Speaking of which, I have my new computer!! I'd been using my dad's laptop since my last one evilly and unexpectedly bit the dust around Thanksgiving, but it wasn't going to be able to brave the trip to another country. However, thanks to the help of my church family, I'm typing this post on the hardy computer that I'm taking with me--which is great, because I'll be able to email home and turn in homework while overseas.

Another important update (that apparently I've failed to mention to quite a number of people!) is the fact that my trip has been postponed! The missionaries that I'm working with have a conference in the beginning of March, so I'm going towards the middle of March now instead, the weekend of the 20-22. Not sure what the date on that is, but I'll let you know when I find out!

I've gotten all my vaccinations now. Who knew that you could get the Typhoid vaccination in a pill? It's cheaper than the shot, and only 4 pills lasts 5 years! Of course, you need to refrigerate it so the Typhoid organism doesn't die. Which led to this interesting conversation at our house:

Bekah (opens the fridge): What am I hungry for?
Me: Well, there's some typhoid in the back.
Bekah (blanches): No thanks.

Never thought we'd keep a biohazard on the top shelf! Before I go, I wanted to share this question by Francis Chan that really convicted me the other day:

“Has your relationship with God changed the way you live your life?”

I want to encourage you to think about that today. Is the way you live your life a direct result of the Holy Spirit's leading, or because you were brought up under Southern hospitality? So often we mistake friendliness for godliness. Living the Golden Rule is awesome, but at the end of the day, men aren't saved by a polite smile or a good deed. They are saved by the transformational power of the Holy Spirit.

Have you been transformed? How? What about your life looks unnatural to unbelievers? What about your life would totally fall apart if God didn't come through? Would you be able to get through your day without relying on God?

I think that's it for now...feel free to comment, message or email me with questions or advice! Also, if you're interested in committing to be a prayer partner for me, I'd really appreciate it! Let me know (my email is sahelt (at) liberty.edu)

Au revoir!

XO Sarah