11/30/2017
I have recently recognized the very heavy, but very real, blogs I have shared in the last two months. While they are extremely honest, I do not want to portray a year of torture. Rather, a year of difficulty, with points of suffering, but also many moments of joy! That being said, I want to share with you some of the beautiful JOYS of life on the field!
This month we are in Mendoza, Argentina with our whole squad. That’s right… 50 people… in one place… doing ministry. While this month has many difficulties, it also has MANY joys that have changed my perspective on many things, forever!
1. The Argentina sky. Words cannot fully describe the beauty that is the masterpiece we live under. We are in the desert this month, surrounded by dust and more dust. With that, comes a full view of the horizon. I can see the WHOLE sky, day and night. And as it is summer right now, it is 99% of the time gorgeous.
Never waking up alone. As I mentioned, our whole squad is here this month. That means that when I step out of my tent at approximately 7:30am, there are many faces to greet me!
2. Lots and lots of furry friends. Our camp base has many dogs that live here. Mostly German Shepherds, we are constantly blessed by the presence of a wet nose and wagging tail. Whether in your hammock for a nap or having quite time on the porch, it’s very common to be interrupted by your face being licked.
3. Triple bunk beds.
4. 27 roommates.
5. Many new flavors, tastes and foods! Every meal is a surprise and is often food we have never tried or seen. Usually on the extremely sweet or extremely salty end of things, I enjoy the adventures of eating something new almost every day.
6. Very little electricity. A great excuse to unplug and enjoy life happening in the moment.
7. Showers where the temperature is a hit or miss (which on hot days, ice cold showers are SUCH a treat).
8. Going on a run with a scene that is too good for words and no picture or painting will ever capture.
9. Friends/ministry partners from around the world.
10. The soundtrack to “Spirit: The Stallion of the Cimarron.”
11. Teeth brushing parties.
12. Creativity! Planning a birthday party, exercising, or even doing your laundry requires so much creativity most days.
13. Exhaustion. What a blessing it is to be exhausted for the Lord! I am finding so much joy in ending each day with complete exhaustion, knowing I helped further the Kingdom.
14. Really, really, really good sleep. I often get asked about how I sleep in a tent, and the answer is “better than most days in my bed!” After strenuous days, my sleeping bag has never felt better.
15. Jesus: the master planner of my days, artist of the sky & friend whp draws mw close on nights when I miss home.
Every day, God gives us new mercies. And every day there are joys in the midst of trial and in the midst of triumph. It’s up to us to see and acknowledge them. I am living some of the best days of my life here and these are only a FEW of the moments that bring a smile to my face and joy to my heart.
One last note: I made a “day in the life” vlog (video blog) during one of our last days in Chile. The uploading process is taking some time due to technical difficulties. Stay tuned for a closer look into what our days on the field (specifically while in Chile) look like!
