Summer has flown by and I can’t believe my time here in the states is already coming to an end. It has been so good to be home with family and friends. And although I have had quite a bit of time with family, I find myself wishing for more because it never feels like enough. However, when asked if I’m ready to be back in San Juan, I know I absolutely am! I have felt homesick for San Juan since I rode away on the Caribe Tours bus.
It’s a strange feeling being home, but living out of a suitcase. It’s weird when on the outside it seems like nothing back home has changed, but on the inside, it feels like everything has changed. Life has gone on without you and you’re disconnected in some ways from the people you love, but at the same time can pick up right where you left off.
Life in between two places and two cultures is truly so beautiful, yet in a lot of ways extremely difficult. It’s strange to be sad to leave, yet excited to go. Your heart is always simultaneously in two places.
When I reflect on these feelings of the “life in between” it reminds me of how we, as Christians, live life in between our time on Earth and eternity. Our hearts are in two places: physically here on Earth, but yearning for eternity in the presence of Jesus. We live in a broken world and that can cause our hearts to be burdened. Knowing God’s original design versus living in the reality of a fallen world can be heavy and hard to process. But we can rejoice that the Lord is with us in it all because of what Jesus did on the cross. We rejoice because we get to live with great anticipation for what is to come & that anticipation changes the way we view everything while here on Earth.
Praise be to God for His Holy Spirit – our helper. Praise be to God that eternity with Jesus has already begun for those who are in Christ Jesus. Praise be to God that we can walk with Him here and now, all the way to eternity.
God is so so good.
Now on to some life updates! I’ve been very busy since I got back from Spain last month! Like I said, I’ve spent a lot of time with family and friends. My neighbors had an Independence Day party and fireworks show! I went to the Biltmore Estate and the Blackberry Festival. I was able to meet Staci Beal (who comes with the Northwoods team) for coffee & Kim Beecham from Charlie Rhodes’ team hosted a dinner with some of her team! It was so good to see them & for my mom to be able to meet them! I can’t wait to see them back in the DR in just a few months (and I’m trying to talk my mom, sister, and cousin into coming down with them, so be praying for that)! I’ve gotten to spend some time at my friend’s coffee shop, go walking on our new city walk in Hickory, and see lots of my friends’ babies! I was able to give updates about life and ministry in the DR at my home church, St. John’s Lutheran, as well as at the Women’s Bible Class at Bethel Lutheran. I’m so thankful for the prayers and support they have given me! St. John’s is thinking about doing a VBS/Construction team next year, so I’m praying that would happen, too! I would love for them to get a taste of what I love so much about serving in San Juan!
Yesterday I got home from Camp Linn Haven’s Teen Servant Week! I celebrated my 15th year attending this week at CLH and this is my 7th year leading the backpack project for Avery County Schools. This year, funding for this project was lower than in past years and Avery County Schools was unable to purchase the amount of book bags needed for the amount of students we were planning to pack bookbags for. We knew this ahead of time and decided to pack tote bags full of supplies. However, one of the youth leaders at camp felt compelled to make a Facebook post asking if anyone could help us get 600 bookbags by Wednesday. It was very overwhelming, but so humbling to see the amount of support that poured in from Hickory, NC, all the way to eastern Tennessee! Not only were we able to get the amount of backpacks needed, but we have a very healthy start stocked up for next year as well!
This was the first year that we did a back to school bash. When this project first started, we packed 30 bookbags and took them directly to the schools. Because of COVID, we did a drive-thru backpack pick-up for 3 years. It was so cool to see our high school campers take charge to run the bash and to really make the students we were serving feel loved. It was so heartwarming to see our campers come out of their shells and hear the encouragement they gave to Avery County students and their families. There were representatives from the schools and the students were so excited to see their principals and counselors. The health department and Western Carolina Eye Associates were there to talk to families about the resources available to them. We also had snacks, music, and games that were a huge hit! I pray that through this project and the other projects at CLH this week, that seeds were planted in this community and in our campers. I pray for the Lord to water these seeds with the Living Water in our campers and in the families that were served.
I leave for the DR tomorrow morning and it’s very bittersweet. I’m excited to be back with the people (and my pup) that the Lord has blessed me with there! I’ve missed them so much! But I’m also sad to leave my people here. But that’s just the beauty of living life in between.
Prayer requests:
- Wisdom
- Intentionality with those around me
- Health & Safety for family and friends
- Fruitfulness in SRI ministry
- Safe travels
- Strength for all of us in the life in between