but i am totally looking forward to a break from transit. we have been going hard this first semester. getting to know each other, establishing our identities in christ, dreaming for life, serving our community... its been quite a ride. sometimes the days are really long and i get bored or think to myself... "this is what i left good american soil for???" but then God reminds me that if i am living in his will, regardless of where it is, it will make an impact. I am involved a little in a lot of ministry work here and sometimes it is hard to see how it is making any impact.. how can wiping down the tables at the prayer house, or drinking hot chocolates with some street kids, or making dinner for a team of travelers really matter that much? couldn't anyone do what i do? and the answer is... well yes, anyone really could do what i do. and i prolly could be doing what i do back in good ol' america, but that isn't where God has called me or where i am suppose to be! so i just need to suck it up!

i do find myself being more and more restless as my time here moves on. we are learning so much about impacting the world, and dreaming big, and trusting God, that i just want to get out there and do it. in some ways i am, but at this moment i totally just feel called to be here in England for this year. So i have a really bad habit of pushing to have all the answers of where i am going and what God wants me to do when this is all said and done. I get frustrated sometimes because i pray for deeper and more detailed vision for life after transit and sometimes it just feels like i am praying to a big black whole. One of the ladies here reminded me that God gives us the tools we need, the desires we need, and the support we need to do the things he has called us to do in the moments he has called us to do them... and not before. That really has been helpful because it just gave me a peace about when i pray for my future. God knows what he has in store and as long as i choose him daily, he will work it out. and when i need to know where to go he will tell me, and when i need to hear how i should go, he will tell me... our God is so amazing that way.

so i am focusing on digging into God more and less into me! this week at the boiler house we are having a week of simplicity. so we cook up soup and everyone comes to the boiler house and eats soup instead of eating at home... then they bring whatever money they would have spend on food to the boiler house and we then, at the end of the week, donated it to a ministry. last time we raised about $800 dollars and we sent it to an orphanage in India! its pretty cool!

love and kisses!