To God be the Glory!

The Lord is working on me.

I imagine the more and more that we become in relationship with the Lord, the more we realize our true need for Him and just how broken & weak we truly are.  And this for me is a time when I feel that.  Broken.  Weak.  Needing Him.  Being worked on.  Being taught...

…patience.

…dependence.

…humility.

…gentleness.

…self control.

…peace.

…forgiveness.

…and of course more patience.

Like always there is a lot going on here in the Dominican.  Yesterday, I said goodbye to my parents who came to visit for the week.  They were able to meet some of the people who have become such an important part of my life in Quisqueya, they spent time with my Dominican family in the capital, and they got to experience the crazy driving, hot weather, my energetic 1st graders, and much much more.  I also got to spend my birthday with them and celebrate with some GAP students who are here through May.  God is good.  And, even though I am away from my first home, He has provided me with community and friends, and He brought my family here to show me love on my birthday.  He is good beyond belief!

Mom & Dad with my Dominican family on Thursday night after dinner.  

Emanuel House was featured in an article recently… I have always had a lot of respect for Mirqueya, but as she told her story during the process of collecting information for the article, I was reminded and continue to be reminded of so many things.  I am reminded of how God has worked in her life and through this ministry, of her desire to do nothing else but please Him and spread His Word to the neediest in this town, and just watching her day in and day out serving Him… I'm both inspired and challenged to be bold for Him.  I pray that the Lord would be edified through Her life and this ministry.  I pray that people's hearts would be touched by this article, and that more people would be moved to help.  Mostly, I pray that people's eyes would be opened to Christ and how freeing and beautiful life can be when we not only say that Jesus is our Savior, but live for Him as our Lord.  Read the article about Mirqueya, "The Princess of the Dominican Republic," here.

I had the opportunity to rest a bit a few weeks ago and spend some time at a resort with the teachers and staff at Emanuel House.  It was a true blessing as God allowed me lots of time in the Word, fellowship with  teachers, deep talks with Mirqueya, and relaxation on the beautiful beach.  Marveling in His creation is one of my favorite things to do.  God is so creative, isn't He?

There's always a photo shoot!  

I have 30 kids who are learning… little by little.  I have at least 3 who regularly continue to give me, the other teacher, and the sub from last week a really hard time, which makes it hard.  Please join me in praying for them.  There backgrounds are not easy.  Discipline at home is not as it should be.  Families are broken.  Hitting, bad words, disobedience.  May these kids feel the Lord's love through me.  May He touch them and be present with us each and every day!  May I believe in His power which surpasses all understanding!  May I believe that He is bigger!  May He break through any barriers so that they will learn!

I love 5 beautiful little girls who come here to bathe, participate in Emanuel House activities, and spend time with us.  I love 5 beautiful girls who need love and more love and more love.  They have recently returned to Emanuel House after a couple of weeks away due to lice.  (And for those who follow normally, Rosalia is back after having been gone for 2 months.)  They are in so much need of prayer.  Please join in prayer for their mental health.  They have had a hard life, a hard past year, and a crummy past 2 months.  Please help me pray for patience with them.  Please join me in praying for their obedience and for routine and for a love for school and education.  Please join me in praying for intentional time teaching them about Jesus and loving them well like Jesus would have if he were here with them.

I am gearing up for the 2014 Women's Mission Week.  This event was my favorite last year.  [It's when a group of American women serve alongside missionaries in the communities that we have grown to love here.  Working with the local churches, we will be focusing on the value of women.  At the same time a speaker comes and pours into the American women and missionaries as well.]  Praying that Dominican women hear the message and that it is glued to their hearts.  Praying that God's light shines through us.  Praying that our focus is only on Him.  Praying that we grow stronger in our relationship with Him and that we all are strengthened in recognizing what it means that we are made in His image.

I praise Him for breaking me.

I praise Him for making me depend on Him.

I praise Him for teaching me.

May He have all of the glory!