The days are full

Whew, what a whirlwind the past week has been since arriving in Richmond. It's probably been the busiest week of my life, comparable only to those last weeks of student teaching trying to submit a unit plan. long range plans, and an action research project all at the same time. The days are full, of that there is no doubt. Full of workshops and assignments. Full of meetings. But full of SO much goodness.

Full of constant stories of God's faithfulness. Full of hearing how my brothers and sisters on the field are seeing the gospel take root in people's lives in people groups who have never been able to even hear the gospel before. Full of God's presence. Full of wisdom from people who have lived on the field. Full of new friendships I know will last the rest of my life. Full of accountability. Full of prayer. Full of the Spirit. Full of laughter. Full of opportunities to grow and be stretched.

My days are SO full. In so many ways. Oh, I forgot a very important one, they're very full of coffee too. Praise the Lord for free coffee 24/7!

Here's how you can be praying in the upcoming days:

• Pray for endurance to run the race set before me here during my training. There is a lot to get done and I know I just need to take it day by day, moment by moment, so I do not burn out.
• Pray for a heart that is bowed before the Father, soaking up everything He has to teach me over the next 8 weeks.
• Pray for me to form sweet and lasting friendships here that God will use to encourage and challenge me not only here, but on the field as well.
• Pray with me for God to provide partners to some sweet, new friends of mine that are heading to the field at the same time as me. There is a group coming in for an Expo this weekend. Pray that God would burden some hearts to join alongside my friends in the work He is doing in their people groups.
• Pray with me for the Langstons and the work God is doing through them as they begin their ministry in Siavonga. God has opened the door at the local high school and they saw 57 students in their meeting last week. Pray for the gospel to take root in those students lives and for God to bless all that the Langstons touch and for the gospel to go forth among the Tonga people in Zambia.

I'm so thankful for the network of prayer that God has blessed me with. It's amazing and extremely humbling to know that so many are going to the throne of God on my behalf. I cannot thank you enough for being partners in the work that God is doing in and through me during this season of preparation and then later in Zambia.

But God

I read from Ephesians 2 this morning. I don't know if I've ever been able to read those first 10 verses without crying. I honestly hope I never can read them without tears welling up in my eyes. I've read them, heard them preached on, and studied them countless times. And they wreck me every time.


"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 

But God, 

being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:1-10, ESV).

Friends, when I read these verses, it just shows me that God is THAT rich in love and I am THAT undeserving of it. They perfectly describe where I was: absolutely dead in my sin with no hope of saving myself, a child under the wrath of a holy God. But God, oh, but God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved me (and you)... When I was dead, God made me alive together with Christ. And not only that, but God raised me up and seated me in the heavenly places with Christ Jesus, all to show the IMMEASURABLE riches of His grace in kindness toward me (and you) in Jesus. In the pit of complete hopelessness, wrath, and death, God's grace compelled by His love pulled me out and made me alive. And now He calls me His workmanship-- created in Jesus for good works, which He prepared beforehand, while I was still dead in my sin, that I should walk in. What else could I do with my life now but walk in the good works God has prepared for me? What other response could I have to His grace and love but to live my life walking in the works He has prepared for me, declaring His glory and love to those around me so that He may raise them from death to life? How selfish would I have to be to keep this just to myself when He has saved me from death and wrath and made me alive and seated me with Christ?

We need to be wrecked by the gospel daily. For those of us who have grown up in church, we can have a tendency to somehow become... I don't know the right word... immune? to the gospel truth. But we can't ever get over what God did for us when He stepped in and saved us. Meditate on it. Really chew on it. You were dead. You were a child under the wrath of a holy God. BUT GOD, (those have to be the two most beautiful words in scripture) out of His great love for you, extended you mercy and made you alive with Christ and seated you with Him in the heavenly places. And He calls you His workmanship, and gives you the opportunity to walk in the good works He prepared for you to do, even when you were still dead in your sin. What other choice do you have but to walk in them?

Oh God, Your gospel is beautiful. May we all be compelled to share it.

Cherishing Moments

Moments. They come and go so quickly. Sometimes I think we can miss the wonder of a moment because we're so busy moving on to the next one. I know I'm really guilty of that at times. And I think it's when we realize the moments are running out that we're really careful to cherish each one. In my last week at my school, I wanted to make sure I cherished the moments with my family of children, teachers, and staff. And cherished I did. I don't think I'll ever forget last week there. Some special moments I got to have last week:

a hug with what felt like almost every student (including some pretty "cool" 5th graders)

getting to watch each class come and go as I labeled text sets in the gathering hall

hearing the ring of "Good morning, Dr. M" from 264 students on Monday morning

singing songs with Mr. O's class

sharing a read-aloud with my precious kindergarteners (who are actually precious 2nd graders now)

lending a shoulder to cry on for a student feeling left out

sitting in the rocking chairs after school helping a 5th grader with homework

having my hair twisted into knots that take forever to get out braided by the next generation of hair stylists

being greeted by the sweetest, most precious, 4th grader as I walk into the gathering hall and turn on the lights each morning

watching an epic game of 2nd grade dodge ball

sitting by the window reading with a 3rd grader I've seen grow so much

listening to and learning from a 1st grader as they share their non-fiction book about fish with me

watching a kindergartener's excitement when a frog eats a cricket

running back into the building for something Dr. M forgot one last time :)

watching a 1st and 5th grader showdown in the most epic battle of "Mrs. Nicole says" I've ever seen

sending Susanne's class into a wailing, moaning, gnashing of teeth cry as Susanne read them my letter (which led me into a fit of laughter and tears all at the same time)

seeing the love of children as Susanne's kids jumped up to care for each other, passing out tissues, rubbing each other's backs, and whispering, "It'll be okay," into each other's ears

hearing one more song at Friday Gathering from Chris' class

having a very large group of kindergarteners and 1st graders sing "You are My Sunshine" to me at the end of a long day

hitting the gong to end the week (and symbolically, this chapter of my life) at this school

To say the week wasn't emotionally draining would be a lie. To say I have never felt more loved by such a large group of people would also be a lie. I don't think I have ever received so many hugs in one week. And as hard as it was to go into last Friday and say goodbye, God was faithful to remind me of His plans for me and He walked with me closely through that day, providing hugs and notes at exactly the right times. 

And He also reminded me of the joy and love of new relationships He has in store for my future. Relationships with people I don't even know yet. New faces. New people. New moments. And I can't wait. I am so excited to meet the people in Siavonga and build relationships with them. I'm excited for a whole different set of moments to cherish with a whole different set of people in a whole different place. 

Side note for my Columbia people: I'll be sharing my testimony and some ways you can pray for me at Awaken Church on Sunday. I'd love for you to join us. Service begins at 10:30 at Polo Rd Elementary.