A Time to Embrace

Port Elizabeth. Friends reunited. Relationships started. Relationships deepened. Laughter. Doing work for the King. Filling of the Holy Spirit. Safaris. Lions. Rhinos. Giraffes. Zebras. New Life. Samosas. Bananagrams. Perfect weather. Indian Ocean. Beach. South Africa. SO good.

first day back in Port Elizabeth

I honestly don’t think there are words that encapsulates just how great last week was. I am literally speechless. I just get a warm fuzzy feeling inside that makes me smile, and cry a little, happy tears, of course.  This, of course, can only mean one thing: that God, Himself, designed this trip to be absolutely perfect in every way. 

oh hey, Indian Ocean

Port Elizabeth greeted my team and I with beautiful weather and wonderful friends, both old and new. We spent the next four days learning, or re-learning, about South African culture of college students and initiating conversations and sharing the Gospel with them. As I was talking with various students on campus, the Lord grew in me a heart of love and compassion and hope for these students.

Aubrey, Me, Sibu (I met her in 2010!), Rae, Jessica

Not only did the Lord deepen my love for the lost, but he also increased my love for my brother and sisters. These six traveled with me for the entire week: Jon, Matt, Ian, Rae, Jessica and Aubrey.  These seven welcomed us and cared for us deeply while in PE: Keith, Desyre, Katy, Annie, Shannon, Karissa, and Nick. To the 13 of you, if you’re reading, thank you from the bottom of my heart for experiencing South Africa with me, looking out for me, laughing with me, caring for me and asking me tough questions. Please know that the Lord used each of you in my life, in amazing ways, in just one short week.

(left to right): Jessica, Ian, Me, Jon, Matt, Aubrey, Rae

on our super sweet safari!

So now what?

Port Elizabeth has surely become one of my favorite places, a place where God is clearly moving, complete with beautiful weather and wonderful people. Why not go to South Africa? That has been one of the toughest questions I’ve had to ask myself, and the Lord, over and over again. And over and over again I hear not now, not now.

pondering what the Lord has in store for me

As much as I love South Africa and as much as I desire to be there I know that there is a purpose to not going. I hear Jesus calling me to lean into him, abide in him, remain in him, and to trust him. Trust him that there is purpose in his timing, in his will, and that he will continue to work out things for my good.

He makes me lie down in green pastures

"For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to be born, and a time to die;

a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted;

a time to kill and a time to heal;

a time to break down and a time to build up

a time to weep and a time to laugh

a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to cast away stone, and a time to gather stones together;

a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;

a time to seek, and a time to lose;

a time to keep, and a time to cast away;

a time to tear, and a time sew;

a time to keep silence and a time to speak;

a time to love and a time to hate;

a time for war and a time for peace."

Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

view from our back porch

Dear Jesus,

Thank you for South Africa, for creating such a place that is filled with your beauty 

and people that you care for so deeply. 

Thank you for allowing me to go back to Port Elizabeth.

Thank you for the people that went with me and for the STINT team there.

Thank you for the ways you are still clearly moving at NMMU.

Thank you for the heart you have given me, that enables me to have compassion 

for so many people and love them deeply.

Jesus, help me to trust you, that your plan is greater than my own, 

that you have a good future for me ahead.

Lord, please continue to strengthen 

Keith, Desyre, Katy, Shannon, Annie, Karissa and Nick, 

strength to continue to do the work that you have set before them. 

Thank you for their work that they have done to further the Kingdom. 

Please continue to bless them. 

Lord I pray that the friendships that I have, or have just begun, 

would continue to grow and that they would be rooted in you. 

In Jesus' name. Amen 

clouds like these make me happy, the zebras are a plus

*photo credits: Matt Ward & Rachel Gordon 

Thanks! :)