my weekend in Maui...

Linda and me

random guy spray painted pictures for us...pretty cool!

Linda and Steve

me and Linda and a huge banyan tree

Linda and Steve gifted me with an amazing weekend in Maui last weekend. It was so great to see friends from home. We had a great time, catching up and seeing the island. Thanks again Linda and Steve, it was such a refreshing weekend that truly blessed me!

wandering the wilderness...

slip and slide!!

sooo fun!

students carrying Moses' bones

So we have returned from the Wilderness! It poured rain for 2 days which was quite ironic as we were supposed to be desert wandering… It was an amazing couple of days though. God was really at work in my heart and it really felt like a personal retreat with God in a way. Also, it was great bonding with my students. I got the chance to get to know some girls that I hadn’t had a chance to yet, and it was so refreshing! I know these bonds will last through the whole school so I’m really thankful to have had these couple days together to get to know each other.  We had the students act out the book of Numbers, which proved to be quite amusing! All in all, it was a great time…loved having so much time to get to know students, pray with eachother, spend time in worship, and just be with God.  Oh, and since it poured rain and we didn’t know what else to do with our time, we set up a huge tarp, got some dish soap, and had a full on slip and slide…don’t think I’ve done this since I was like 8 or something, but I will be doing it again! It was SOO fun!

Random photos of life lately..

sailing trip

ywam harvest party

Ben on sail boat

me and Jo

pumpkin carving

ha ha...Passover assignment

bonding with students

Joe is great

reunited with Janice!!! finally! oh ya, this is our new apartment!

New Home!

Sorry I know it has been awhile, things have been a little crazy here in Kona! God totally hooked me up with the perfect apartment, literally right across the street from my classroom and office here on campus. I moved in last week, and my best friend from my SBS, Janice, arrived on Sunday afternoon and moved in. We are slowly furnishing it with garage sale findings, donations from other people etc…It actually doesn’t look that bad all things considered! We’re still sleeping on air mattresses but it’s actually pretty comfy! I LOVE having a home, and am soo grateful that God provided us with this place, at exactly the right price, in exactly the right location. School is going great as well…we just finished up on Deuteronomy. There have been a lot of emotions and tears among the girls in my small group, and that has been hard. I know God gave me my soft heart, but sometimes it’s really hard because I feel others pain so deeply! The girls in my small group share with me about how much they are struggling and how hard the school is and I cry with them because it’s like I feel their emotions. So strange, but it’s like God has given me this huge heart just for them and it’s like He’s given me His love for them and His eyes to see them. Wow, such a privilege to be able to walk beside these students. One thing that it’s really done for me is remind me just how much God worked in my heart and transformed my life during my SBS. As they share their struggles, I’m reminded that I don’t struggle in these areas much anymore, and how much I did before my SBS. I’m amazed everyday to be reminded of how the Word of God literally set me free. He is so good.

We leave tomorrow for “Wilderness Wanderings”….it’s a 2 day trip where we stay in cabins and wander the wilderness like the Israelites. I’m really looking forward to getting away, and having time to just bond and be with my students. Please pray for safety, unity among the group, and a time to form deeper friendships centered around God.

I will put up pictures of my new place soon!

To my family- I am homesick for you guys. I wish you were all here.

Thanks so much for all your prayers and support
:)

Silas

One of my students name is Silas. This note is from his homework folder so I would see it before I graded his work....he's brazillian, and is struggling with the English side of things. He is trying so hard and I'm so proud of him. This note totally made my day, I think I will save it forever. Please pray for Silas

bonding with the students

yet another carwash to raise finances for another staff....you gotta make these things fun :)

one of my students Kalyne

me and 2 of my small group girls..love them!

these are 2 of my students..its going to be an interesting year.

Just a few pictures of life recently. I've been getting to know my students, and finding they are such fun and genuine people. I've been so blessed by their friendships already! I started holding my small group last week and it went really well. I have 3 young girls under the age of 21 in my group, and they are such beauties! I feel so blessed that God has entrusted me to take care of these girls in whatever ways I can. Please pray for wisdom for me as they allow me to mentor them and speak into their lives, that I would be able to give them wisdom that comes from God...cuz I really don't have much of my own! ;)

We just finished Exodus, now onto Leviticus! Love grading students work and helping them figure out what they're doing.

Still apartment hunting, not having much luck. It's frusterating, but trusting God has the perfect place.

Thanks for your prayers....lots of love.

First teaching=DONE!

trying to look like a teacher

my fellow staff..love these crazies

teaching...

more teaching

My first teaching is officially done and over with!! I feel so relieved! Thank you to all those who were praying for me, I hugely felt your prayers. I couldn’t believe how calm I felt and how much fun I had interacting with my class. They seemed to have fun too, and got really involved in the teaching. In the end I decided to teach on the life of Joseph, more specifically on Genesis 39. I was so challenged by the integrity and morality Joseph showed in this chapter.  Really, Joseph was done injustice to twice, first when his own brothers sold him into slavery, and second when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife and thus thrown into prison. But how cool is it that as a result of these things happening God used him to save all of Egypt from famine? This story was such a picture to me of God using what man intends for evil, for his good. ( ‘Even though you intended to do harm to me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.’ Genesis 49:20)  And also a picture of how God loves to bless us when we are faithful to Him. Joseph’s life was an example of faith in God no matter what the circumstance was. Life definitely wasn’t fair to him, yet he never complained or questioned God, and in fact gave Him all the glory for restoring his life back to him.

I was challenged by Joseph’s faith, that trusting God can’t be based on circumstances.

I had a great time sharing these truths with my class! And it really seems that God worked through me despite the fact that it was my first teaching and I really don’t know what I’m doing! J I was sooooo encouraged by my students responses, it feels so great to be a part of this. I love sharing the treasures that God reveals to me in His Word with others…I feel so blessed.

Thank you all for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for my students, some of them are really struggling to catch on, and are really discouraged.

Thanks for reading and aloha.