Well, I have officially been back in the states for about a month now, which is hard for me to believe. It has been wonderful to reconnect with family and friends, and I have been so touched to realize how many people prayed for me and kept up with me over this past year. Your support really has meant the world to me.
It has been great to be able to enjoy all the comforts of home, from my own bed to hot showers to half-price frappuccino week at Starbucks, I have definitely been enjoying all the little things I’ve missed. And although I am not at all happy about the fact that it is STILL summer outside (I think June 1st officially marks my 13th month of summer), I am being reminded that summer is actually not that bad when you have air conditioning!
But while I have been enjoying all the perks of home, I am still trying to process everything that happened this past year. It is crazy to come back from a year long trip to a world that seems remarkable the same. Sometimes I feel like the whole trip never happened, like I just dreamed it or something, and now it is time to go back to regular life. But that’s not true, because I know it DID happen, and now I have to figure out what to do about it. How do I let everything I saw and experienced over this past year affect my life, today, in Nashville, TN? I am not exactly sure yet, but I am trying to figure it out. I know that I do not want to be the same person I was when I left. I want to live differently, love differently, serve differently, and give differently because of the people I met and the things I experienced. I know that it will take me months, probably years, to process everything that has happened, but my prayer is that my life will be forever changed because of the experiences God allowed me to have this past year.
So what am I doing now you may be asking? I am staying in Nashville for the summer, trying to do some babysitting (feel free to tell your friends if you’re in the area!). Then in August I will be moving to Wake Forest, NC to pursue my masters in Intercultural studies from Southeastern Seminary. It is hard to believe that this chapter of my life has come to a close, but I am so grateful for the journey God has brought me on so far, and I am excited to see what the future holds. I made one final slideshow of some of the highlights from the year, so I hope you enjoy it. So to those of you who have so faithfully supported me, I want to say one more big
THANK YOU!!!
This never could have happened without you and I love you all!!
