So, I haven’t written a blog post in 4 months (!) and have also
taken a 2 week break from other writing/editing/website work…so, I need to practice putting words on paper (or on a screen) before getting back to work…
These past several months have been full of growth, challenges,
and blessings, and I am SO thankful for God’s mercies which are new every
morning, and for His people who encourage me/us.
Some lessons seem to be life-long, and God keeps on bringing me
back to grow even more in areas of my life that I thought had already been
matured. And, as is always the case, He uses the people around me (like my
littles!) and His Word to challenge and sanctify! I am so glad that it is
GOD who promises to complete the work that HE began in me!
Lately, I have been so encouraged by making it a habit to listen
to podcasts and imusic audio studies, and to also put on either worship music or preaching
(usually with headphones/earbuds in just one ear, so I am still “present”). It is especially encouraging if I am
struggling with either feeling irritable or needing some “downtime” (being an
introvert in an extroverted life is hard sometimes). I have been learning so
much with this new habit, and so have my littles – they have their Focus on the
Family Radio Theatre and worship music that they also ask to listen to
throughout the day, when they take breaks from homeschool, and Benjamin often
asks to listen to my Bible studies with me.
Sometimes we have to look for encouragement (like with podcasts),
and other times it is also offered by those around us – which has also been a
theme lately. I am SO thankful for those that God has placed in our lives to do
life with (near and far)! I am thankful for my Wednesday morning Bible study
ladies, family in Christ both in the community and at church here, and I am so
thankful right now for the El Salvador Missionary Fellowship. We were recently
at the annual Gathering of missionaries here -where we were encouraged and
where our children were SO blessed and encouraged! We also received gifts and other
blessings during that weekend, and then with a visit from Canadian friends, who
also brought gifts from home!
Then, Benjamin was given the amazing gift of a ticket to Canada,
where he is enjoying a very special family time. He will be back on January 10th,
which is a long time for a 9.5 year old (and his siblings/family), but our life
here and traveling has taught (is teaching) us to live one day at a times, to
be content, and to live as foreigners in this world -and we are SO happy that
he has this opportunity!
So, that is just a little update on me, now to get to some writing
work for ministry and communications...