Hello again Everyone,
This is an attempt at giving these [monotonous?] updates a bit of a format, and hopefully a pinch of professionalism (since their content is generally anything but professional!)
The Shallows
So, what’s been happening in the life of Leah? Well, I’ve moved… to the library. Expectations are high and deadlines come swiftly this year, so most days as well as nights I can be found in the library which friends and I have affectionately called "The Brooks&Brooks&Leah Library" for the three of us who work there together most often. Somehow the essays, proposals, exegeses, analyses, and presentations keep printing out just in time.
What’s God up to in my heart these days? Lots and lots. God’s using this time of heavy schoolwork as an object lesson (when is He not doing so, after all?) for 1 Cor. 10:31, "Whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." He’s taken the concept right over—as "whatever you do" might suggest— and I’ve found even my cleaning duty this term (two community bathrooms!) is a chance to do something unto His glory. I suppose it harkens back to my old friend Brother Lawrence (A French monk from the 1500’s) and his "Practicing the Presence of God", as well as a new academic interest Thomas Traherne (an 18th century English mystic) and his "Centuries of Meditation" (both books and their writers come highly recommended by me!). I feel so keenly, as these two knew before me, that the very God of the universe lingers closer to me than my next breath. Surely that fact should influence my perspective of
every aspect of life…
The Deeps
It’s something that I’ve been pondering lately in my clearest moments, a bit breathless with wonder-- that ours is a God who draws near. I’m taking a philosophy course called Religious Experience where we’re studying peoples’ mystical experiences in all the various religions. I’m also taking a course on the Biblical book of Isaiah which may be the most beautiful (and harrowing) Old Testament expression of God’s passion towards His people that I know of. In a time when I’ve been walking down a rather lonely road of some intense personal struggles, I have been confronted again and again with the sheer hugeness of His love, a love so limitless that when I try to wrap my mind around it, I simply get lost there in my foolish little head. No other god, no other spiritual high of any religious experience compares. No other god is big enough to endure hundreds of years of rejection (by the people of Israel whom He wooed with wonder upon wonder) and still stoop in compassion for mankind in the New Testament only to be rejected again and killed. No other god is brave enough to make Himself vulnerable enough to love, and love, and love again a people, a person like me, who cannot possibly be as true to Him as He is to us. Even when the deepest rivers seem to sweep over and through me, He does not let them overcome me… because He walks right alongside, even carrying me in His arms (Isaiah 43:2, 63:9). Our God is the only god who draws that near.
I find the path I walk challenging. I find I don’t naturally suit the climate, don’t have quite the right shoes for the trail, and struggle to maintain my balance on the steep incline. Sometimes I feel overcome by a river of my own insecurities, weaknesses, and inadequacies. The deep, deep answer to all this, a truth that He’s written on my heart and has been rewriting afresh lately in His nearness is simply this: I am His.
I belong to the Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, King. The Painter of the skies, the Sculptor of the land, the Setter of the stars, leans down to take my hand. He deems me in my meagerness more precious than words have been invented to describe, and the one He gives me is my only true identity, no matter how everything about life in this broken world will try to convince me different.
This is the defining characteristic of my life: I am His.
Being His endows me with splendour (Isa. 60:9) that I cannot seem to accept. It also gives me purpose I can only endeavor to live out in my blink-of-an-eye existence. It means I am His bond-servant, His hands and feet wherever I can reach and walk, His voice in my little sphere of influence. Incredible incredible responsibility; or perhaps a better description would be that it’s an incredible incredible privilege to belong to the very meaning of life; to Love itself, to Hope, to Joy, to peace, to strength, to glory, and every other defining characteristic of this God who loves in a language so intense I can hardly understand it. To fear anything at all in life seems very silly considering the company…
As Christians it’s very easy to get used to hearing all the stories and applying all the scripture and just getting on with it (especially at Christmas when it’s all around us and so familiar...). This year God’s express concern for my life is shaping out to be that I will actually understand the implications of belonging to Him and live out this truth in my life to the very core. It’s about trust and it translates into issues of self-esteem and confidence. I’m finding it hard to believe Him. I have believed so many false things about myself. This past term the heat has been turned up in such a way that I might all the more easily believe all the falsities. But YHWH God—this God who rescues, delivers, and redeems simply because that is Who He is— will woo us until we know, if we’ll live day to day with our eyes and ears open for Him.
My prayer for you is that you will seek to live with eyes wide open. You will see Him. He promises in Jeremiah to be found by all those who will seek Him with all their hearts. My prayer for my life is the same.
So, may we seek to truly know this Love this Christmas—to know it in such a way that it can seep into every crevice of our lives. He could deserve no less and whether we realize it or not, we could want no more…
Deep, deep Love,
Leah <><
p.s. Expect a more concrete and earthed update about Christmas and break and placement and all soon.
For Those Who Pray:
-- Please be praying that He opens up the doors for the perfect block placement for Jan/Feb and smoothes the road to get me there (finances, travel, accommodation, etc)
-- Please pray as God works in my heart, as it’s had a pretty rough term and He’s set me on a process toward some pretty serious healing there..
Saturday, 8 December 2007
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Nice and Newsy
Dear All,
See the picture gallery of life back in England so far here!
Hurray! Second installment of news from England! I won't even comment on how I hope to make this quick because we all know how it ends up anyway by now, don't we? Nonetheless, I will promise to keep mostly to the practicalities and save most insights and passions for another mailing :)
I so love my college.
I cannot believe this is my third year here.I cannot believe how far He's brought me since showing up on the college doorstep an exhausted, frightened, and fragile, 19-year-old chock-full of hopes. As my darling cousin Emily said this summer as we discussed this call to Europe, "I blame it on the books!" He has so carefully drawn me to believe in His bigness-- a bigness that used to only seem to show itself in other peoples' stories. Suddenly I find He's written my life into a big story of His own. And I can only gaze up at Him with eyes wide-open and hold on tightly as He turns the pages!
It is such an incredible blessing to be able to look back and see how I've grown/am growing. And so far, no regrets. Sadnesses, obviously, at missing out on everything back home with the family I do so love. But no regrets. Suddenly Amy Carmichael's words ring true when she wrote, "You will regret nothing when you look back, except lack of faith or fortitude or love. You will never regret having thrown all to the winds in order to follow your Master and Lord." I am so thankful for how carefully He leads...
Classes
So, I have reached that mystical third year and somehow find myself a college senior! The classes, though led by the same profs (in England they are called "Tutors") have suddenly taken a huge step up in workload and expectations. I find myself often feeling very intimidated and not quite up to snuff. But also hopeful.
The studies I'm following this semester are:
Religious Experience with Rob Cook-- Analyzing the experiences of other religions and how they fit or don't fit within a Christian outlook. It is so very very interesting but also really demanding and Rob is the ultimate in intimidating academics so... I sort of sit there trembling every Tuesday morning hoping he doesn't ask me for any input! I think I'll quite enjoy writing the essays, though, because it fascinates me.
Isaiah with Derek Foster-- Exegeting the book of Isaiah. Wow... I've always known Isaiah was an incredible book but THIS incredible?? It just illustrates so profoundly the character of our God and that is an awesome thing to behold... For this particular class I must prepare a grand presentation on the theme of Justice and Poverty in Isaiah and I am quivering at the thought, believe me. But also drawn into the word of God and praying for strength and confidence! I despise presenting anything but it's all the more horrible when it's Derek doing the marking because the man is brilliance embodied and he's typically English in that he's keen on being critical!
and
Biblical Narrative with Richard Johnson-- Biblical narrative is great because it's basically teaching us to look at the books of the bible as you would any book of literature and as such to see what can be drawn out of it that you might otherwise miss. I loved studying English Lit. at Concordia so this is a particular treat for me! It's amazing to see how the word of God was constructed and laid out only reflects back on His sovereignty all the more...
Each class is a challenge because they always feel over my head-- even after two years of studying theology! But there are two sides to every coin and I have a twisted love/hate relationship with it all :)
Block Placement
I still haven't got one!
I've thought about taking up the offer of a Masters student I met here last year to go and help out a Children's Home in Hoima, Uganda which he was on the board of directors for-- and, who knows, God could still pull it all together-- but I feel somehow that I need to keep looking within Europe. I've spoken with some Italians here at college who are thinking about where they would send me in Italy! And I'm always hot on the trail of some ministry or another in Ireland. Of course, I could do a placement right here in England as well! Any experience within Europe is helpful, I think. Of course there's always Australia, Asia, South America, North America and even Antarctica if that's where He said to go :) So, we'll see. I'm praying, though, because my placement must take place in January and February and those two months will be upon me before I know it with hectic college life!! Any prayers you might offer for direction and for finance for this upcoming mystery placement would be more than greatly appreciated!
Everything Else
I don't know where the days go! But I love it.
I have a beautiful new prayer group-- just three of us; me, and my lovely English friends Amanda (from Sheppey in Kent) and Abbie (Milton Keynes, near London), who just got married this summer to my friend Paul! So far we've met three times but each time has been so full of catching one another up on our heart stories-- accompanied by copious amounts of tears and laughter, of course-- that we've only actually prayed together as a group once! I do miss my fabulous Leticia, Jenny, and Sarah of prayer-triplets-past at these times but feel confident that God wants to do just as much in this new triplet as he did in the past ones!
Two weekends now I've had the GREAT JOY of quick trips to Wales to visit "my Welsh family" in Ruthin!! Beth was a second year student here when I arrived in my first year and between her friendship and my "sisterhood" with her 16 year old daughter, they are a pretty special family to me. Over the summer, Beth graduated college and was married to the lovely Mike, so seeing them again was very very special after so much had happened. Do check out the photos because they are nestled in an outrageously beautiful part of the world.
I also visited a beach in North Devon with some Redcliffe friends last weekend so look out for those photos as well! God is forever using the sea to refresh my soul. For how much I love it it's hard to believe I was born in the very land-locked state of Minnesota :)
Last week was filled up by a WONDERFUL visit from one of my best friends who came back to England for his first time since leaving college after the first year! We had to do all the things we used to in the first year-- talked sitting up on the roof until the wee hours, played lots of Dave-and-Adriaan-4th-Edition-Uno (we even taught our rules to some of the new first years!), visited our lovely Gloucester Cathedral, played some pool (even though we're both pretty rubbish at it, right Adriaan?), worshipped late into the night with the guitar (he's prolific on it) and prayed through our long lists of things we're needing to bring before God together! We also spent a day and most of a night in Wales with our friend Dave who was also in the first year with us and our friend Anne who has a car and loves Wales so was delighted to take us (she even let me drive some of the way :))! I love the fact that one of my best friends in all the world is a Dutchman. How random is that? And he's about 10 feet tall (or so it seems from my meager 5'2") so God must really laugh when he sees us wandering around together in weeks like these :)
I think, though there's ALWAYS a trillion more things to say, I will have to send this out now so I can get back to work! But for those of you who are interested in keeping up with me, I like to get something out to you! Do expect to hear from me on "this side of the pond" again soon :)
Love in Him!
Leah <><
(link to Photo gallery)
"The eternal God is our hiding place;He carries us in His arms."
-- Deut. 33:27
See the picture gallery of life back in England so far here!
Hurray! Second installment of news from England! I won't even comment on how I hope to make this quick because we all know how it ends up anyway by now, don't we? Nonetheless, I will promise to keep mostly to the practicalities and save most insights and passions for another mailing :)
I so love my college.
I cannot believe this is my third year here.I cannot believe how far He's brought me since showing up on the college doorstep an exhausted, frightened, and fragile, 19-year-old chock-full of hopes. As my darling cousin Emily said this summer as we discussed this call to Europe, "I blame it on the books!" He has so carefully drawn me to believe in His bigness-- a bigness that used to only seem to show itself in other peoples' stories. Suddenly I find He's written my life into a big story of His own. And I can only gaze up at Him with eyes wide-open and hold on tightly as He turns the pages!
It is such an incredible blessing to be able to look back and see how I've grown/am growing. And so far, no regrets. Sadnesses, obviously, at missing out on everything back home with the family I do so love. But no regrets. Suddenly Amy Carmichael's words ring true when she wrote, "You will regret nothing when you look back, except lack of faith or fortitude or love. You will never regret having thrown all to the winds in order to follow your Master and Lord." I am so thankful for how carefully He leads...
Classes
So, I have reached that mystical third year and somehow find myself a college senior! The classes, though led by the same profs (in England they are called "Tutors") have suddenly taken a huge step up in workload and expectations. I find myself often feeling very intimidated and not quite up to snuff. But also hopeful.
The studies I'm following this semester are:
Religious Experience with Rob Cook-- Analyzing the experiences of other religions and how they fit or don't fit within a Christian outlook. It is so very very interesting but also really demanding and Rob is the ultimate in intimidating academics so... I sort of sit there trembling every Tuesday morning hoping he doesn't ask me for any input! I think I'll quite enjoy writing the essays, though, because it fascinates me.
Isaiah with Derek Foster-- Exegeting the book of Isaiah. Wow... I've always known Isaiah was an incredible book but THIS incredible?? It just illustrates so profoundly the character of our God and that is an awesome thing to behold... For this particular class I must prepare a grand presentation on the theme of Justice and Poverty in Isaiah and I am quivering at the thought, believe me. But also drawn into the word of God and praying for strength and confidence! I despise presenting anything but it's all the more horrible when it's Derek doing the marking because the man is brilliance embodied and he's typically English in that he's keen on being critical!
and
Biblical Narrative with Richard Johnson-- Biblical narrative is great because it's basically teaching us to look at the books of the bible as you would any book of literature and as such to see what can be drawn out of it that you might otherwise miss. I loved studying English Lit. at Concordia so this is a particular treat for me! It's amazing to see how the word of God was constructed and laid out only reflects back on His sovereignty all the more...
Each class is a challenge because they always feel over my head-- even after two years of studying theology! But there are two sides to every coin and I have a twisted love/hate relationship with it all :)
Block Placement
I still haven't got one!
I've thought about taking up the offer of a Masters student I met here last year to go and help out a Children's Home in Hoima, Uganda which he was on the board of directors for-- and, who knows, God could still pull it all together-- but I feel somehow that I need to keep looking within Europe. I've spoken with some Italians here at college who are thinking about where they would send me in Italy! And I'm always hot on the trail of some ministry or another in Ireland. Of course, I could do a placement right here in England as well! Any experience within Europe is helpful, I think. Of course there's always Australia, Asia, South America, North America and even Antarctica if that's where He said to go :) So, we'll see. I'm praying, though, because my placement must take place in January and February and those two months will be upon me before I know it with hectic college life!! Any prayers you might offer for direction and for finance for this upcoming mystery placement would be more than greatly appreciated!
Everything Else
I don't know where the days go! But I love it.
I have a beautiful new prayer group-- just three of us; me, and my lovely English friends Amanda (from Sheppey in Kent) and Abbie (Milton Keynes, near London), who just got married this summer to my friend Paul! So far we've met three times but each time has been so full of catching one another up on our heart stories-- accompanied by copious amounts of tears and laughter, of course-- that we've only actually prayed together as a group once! I do miss my fabulous Leticia, Jenny, and Sarah of prayer-triplets-past at these times but feel confident that God wants to do just as much in this new triplet as he did in the past ones!
Two weekends now I've had the GREAT JOY of quick trips to Wales to visit "my Welsh family" in Ruthin!! Beth was a second year student here when I arrived in my first year and between her friendship and my "sisterhood" with her 16 year old daughter, they are a pretty special family to me. Over the summer, Beth graduated college and was married to the lovely Mike, so seeing them again was very very special after so much had happened. Do check out the photos because they are nestled in an outrageously beautiful part of the world.
I also visited a beach in North Devon with some Redcliffe friends last weekend so look out for those photos as well! God is forever using the sea to refresh my soul. For how much I love it it's hard to believe I was born in the very land-locked state of Minnesota :)
Last week was filled up by a WONDERFUL visit from one of my best friends who came back to England for his first time since leaving college after the first year! We had to do all the things we used to in the first year-- talked sitting up on the roof until the wee hours, played lots of Dave-and-Adriaan-4th-Edition-Uno (we even taught our rules to some of the new first years!), visited our lovely Gloucester Cathedral, played some pool (even though we're both pretty rubbish at it, right Adriaan?), worshipped late into the night with the guitar (he's prolific on it) and prayed through our long lists of things we're needing to bring before God together! We also spent a day and most of a night in Wales with our friend Dave who was also in the first year with us and our friend Anne who has a car and loves Wales so was delighted to take us (she even let me drive some of the way :))! I love the fact that one of my best friends in all the world is a Dutchman. How random is that? And he's about 10 feet tall (or so it seems from my meager 5'2") so God must really laugh when he sees us wandering around together in weeks like these :)
I think, though there's ALWAYS a trillion more things to say, I will have to send this out now so I can get back to work! But for those of you who are interested in keeping up with me, I like to get something out to you! Do expect to hear from me on "this side of the pond" again soon :)
Love in Him!
Leah <><
(link to Photo gallery)
"The eternal God is our hiding place;He carries us in His arms."
-- Deut. 33:27
Friday, 14 September 2007
He's still the King of England
Dear All,
(See my summer picture gallery here!)
Here I am back in jolly olde England safe and sound looking out over the same stunning garden from the same antique bedroom window that I've looked out of for the past two years... and, as usual, I love it here! There were a few familiar faces when I arrived and so many warm, welcoming hugs-- My pastor Steve and his wife/my friend Debs were there to pick me up at the bus station! I cannot tell you how much to means to have loved ones there to greet me at the end of the line.
It was harder to leave this time than it has ever been-- even harder than the first year when I came over as a nineteen year old just graduating high school having never seen the place before and knowing not a soul! This will be the final year in my quest after my BA in Applied Theology! For many reasons I wasn't able to purchase a roundtrip ticket back to the States this year and I think the one-way ticket makes my family nervous :) Not that they have ever WANTED me to leave the country (thankfully :)), but in the years past they have never been quite so insistent that I reconsider! I found it torture to say goodbye to each of them-- but especially my nieces. Abby and Emily are so precious to this Auntie heart I can't even begin to describe.
My fondest answer to the "Are you crazy? Why don't you just stay?" remarks has been quite simply, "Take it up with God." (He doesn't seem to mind when I blame it on Him). But this time when someone came back with, "Yeah, but sometimes I don't know how much of it is God and how much of it is Leah" it cut me to the quick. At first I felt hurt. After all this time, that's what you think? I thought. But that night, my heart heavy with goodbyes and cloudy with new doubts, I tore into His Word and begged Him for clarity.
I do not want to do this if it is Leah and not God. It's too hard. Yes, I am living in Europe and befriending people from every nationality, I'm loving on orphans and writing about experiences I've only ever dreamed of-- and it's still not become normal to me. But it has not come without cost. And sometimes even now the cost seems too high to pay (and then I think of the expense of some of the others I've met here who leave behind wives and children on another continent in order to train for ministry, or the young families leaving every possible security to head out for the unknown chasing after a God who is anything but safe, yet o-so-good). Sometimes it all seems quite impossible, but then He keeps on opening the doors on impossible, as well as providing the grace to accomplish whatever it is laid out before me that I would never assume I could do. How do I know this is not a Leah thing? Well... if you know me, you might understand. Leah can't do this. Leah is too close to her family, too shy, too small, too young. But here's the thing, I serve a God who is deeper and wider and higher and bigger than I can even imagine. And that's what He reminded me of that night.
The verses that shone out at me that night before I left the States were in 2 Timothy. Read them and be encouraged as I am!!
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord... but join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
(2 Timothy 1:7-9)
I believe in a God who works His desires into ours, who gives us the desires of our hearts when we delight ourselves in Him. Sometimes I don't even know what those are (I am so torn between this draw to Europe and the ones I love back home...) but He does. The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19).
As I flew over the Atlantic Tuesday night, aching from the seperation from having just left the ones I love so much and who so do not want me to leave, God seemed near in a way I haven't known for a while. As if holding my hand to reassure me (I find, being alone like this, I need alot of that) and show me that He is as much in this this year as He has been in the first two. He's not going to move on without letting me know-- and when He does, I'm going with Him!
So, there remains a draw on my heart to Europe that I still cannot explain, and I am in love with my college and am rather horrified at the thought of it all being over at the end of this school year! I'm praying about what's next for me, knowing I'll need to work for awhile to pay off tuition but thinking the work ought to take place in Europe. But I have a new-found confidence in Who He is and How He is and I know I am His to care for and as such, He'll show the way step-by-step and provide the means to make it happen!
I leave you at that for now. Rest assured more will come as classes start up and things pick up around here. These two days I've just been settling in, helping in the college nursery for the babies of the new students who are in orientation these days, and getting acclimated to the time zone again!
I cannot thank you enough for caring enough to read this. Knowing you're following this silly girl following her extraordinary God is pretty humbling and incredible :) You are blessings and I hold you up before the King as I send this. Be His.
Love,
Leah <><
p.s. A link to the Photo Gallery of my lovely summer at home!! The first few you've already been sent but I added on to it all summer so you'll find pics from our family trip to the Rockies, a reunion in Nebraska, the 3 outrageous kids I spent my summer with, some times with friends, another family reunion of sorts, and some of my last few days with the two most beautiful little girls God has ever crafted, a.k.a my nieces :)
(See my summer picture gallery here!)
Here I am back in jolly olde England safe and sound looking out over the same stunning garden from the same antique bedroom window that I've looked out of for the past two years... and, as usual, I love it here! There were a few familiar faces when I arrived and so many warm, welcoming hugs-- My pastor Steve and his wife/my friend Debs were there to pick me up at the bus station! I cannot tell you how much to means to have loved ones there to greet me at the end of the line.
It was harder to leave this time than it has ever been-- even harder than the first year when I came over as a nineteen year old just graduating high school having never seen the place before and knowing not a soul! This will be the final year in my quest after my BA in Applied Theology! For many reasons I wasn't able to purchase a roundtrip ticket back to the States this year and I think the one-way ticket makes my family nervous :) Not that they have ever WANTED me to leave the country (thankfully :)), but in the years past they have never been quite so insistent that I reconsider! I found it torture to say goodbye to each of them-- but especially my nieces. Abby and Emily are so precious to this Auntie heart I can't even begin to describe.
My fondest answer to the "Are you crazy? Why don't you just stay?" remarks has been quite simply, "Take it up with God." (He doesn't seem to mind when I blame it on Him). But this time when someone came back with, "Yeah, but sometimes I don't know how much of it is God and how much of it is Leah" it cut me to the quick. At first I felt hurt. After all this time, that's what you think? I thought. But that night, my heart heavy with goodbyes and cloudy with new doubts, I tore into His Word and begged Him for clarity.
I do not want to do this if it is Leah and not God. It's too hard. Yes, I am living in Europe and befriending people from every nationality, I'm loving on orphans and writing about experiences I've only ever dreamed of-- and it's still not become normal to me. But it has not come without cost. And sometimes even now the cost seems too high to pay (and then I think of the expense of some of the others I've met here who leave behind wives and children on another continent in order to train for ministry, or the young families leaving every possible security to head out for the unknown chasing after a God who is anything but safe, yet o-so-good). Sometimes it all seems quite impossible, but then He keeps on opening the doors on impossible, as well as providing the grace to accomplish whatever it is laid out before me that I would never assume I could do. How do I know this is not a Leah thing? Well... if you know me, you might understand. Leah can't do this. Leah is too close to her family, too shy, too small, too young. But here's the thing, I serve a God who is deeper and wider and higher and bigger than I can even imagine. And that's what He reminded me of that night.
The verses that shone out at me that night before I left the States were in 2 Timothy. Read them and be encouraged as I am!!
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord... but join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life-- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace.
(2 Timothy 1:7-9)
I believe in a God who works His desires into ours, who gives us the desires of our hearts when we delight ourselves in Him. Sometimes I don't even know what those are (I am so torn between this draw to Europe and the ones I love back home...) but He does. The Lord knows those who are His (2 Tim 2:19).
As I flew over the Atlantic Tuesday night, aching from the seperation from having just left the ones I love so much and who so do not want me to leave, God seemed near in a way I haven't known for a while. As if holding my hand to reassure me (I find, being alone like this, I need alot of that) and show me that He is as much in this this year as He has been in the first two. He's not going to move on without letting me know-- and when He does, I'm going with Him!
So, there remains a draw on my heart to Europe that I still cannot explain, and I am in love with my college and am rather horrified at the thought of it all being over at the end of this school year! I'm praying about what's next for me, knowing I'll need to work for awhile to pay off tuition but thinking the work ought to take place in Europe. But I have a new-found confidence in Who He is and How He is and I know I am His to care for and as such, He'll show the way step-by-step and provide the means to make it happen!
I leave you at that for now. Rest assured more will come as classes start up and things pick up around here. These two days I've just been settling in, helping in the college nursery for the babies of the new students who are in orientation these days, and getting acclimated to the time zone again!
I cannot thank you enough for caring enough to read this. Knowing you're following this silly girl following her extraordinary God is pretty humbling and incredible :) You are blessings and I hold you up before the King as I send this. Be His.
Love,
Leah <><
p.s. A link to the Photo Gallery of my lovely summer at home!! The first few you've already been sent but I added on to it all summer so you'll find pics from our family trip to the Rockies, a reunion in Nebraska, the 3 outrageous kids I spent my summer with, some times with friends, another family reunion of sorts, and some of my last few days with the two most beautiful little girls God has ever crafted, a.k.a my nieces :)
Tuesday, 12 June 2007
Back to the States Again!
Dear All,
Pictures here of the last few lovely months!
I cannot believe my second year of college has drawn to a close! And I cannot put into words all the growing times it has held. Now I'm on the way back to the States (15 June 2007) for about 10 weeks and very much looking forward to seeing everyone I love there, but very much not looking forward to leaving this home of my heart again and all the ones I love here... Living with your heart stretched across two continents leads to a very strange emotional life, I tell ya!
But God knows what He's doing. I have to remind myself a million times a day and look at the examples He's places all around me of people with that truth branded on their hearts...
There's Claire who last year when we met had no idea why she was studying here and what she would do with it, and now this year has just graduated last weekend and has been offered a position as an assistant pastor in a town on the sea about an hour from here! She's only 22!
Then there's Anne who is one of the most incredible spirits I've ever known-- though she would wonder why I'd think so-- who grew up an MK in Kenya and has worked 11 years in Tanzania and is now working on an MA before she moves back to Africa with CMS. She doesn't know exactly she'll be doing there now, but she knows that's where her heart is.
And Dave who is 21 and has just moved to China for the summer Monday to be employed as a team leader with Open Doors. He doesn't know why or how, really, just that he has hands for the work and a heart for 'the boss', as his coded emails will have to call God when he writes from inside that vast, oppressed country.
Chris and Helen and their 2 year old Hannah and 3 month old Daniel will be headed out to Moldova this autumn. They left their two well-paying jobs in London two years ago to follow God here to Redcliffe not having a clue where He wanted to take them in the long run. He's come through and revealed the next step for them just as He does all of us who seek Him with our lives...
These are just five of my friends out of over a hundred of us training here... He knows what He's doing. And it is such an amazing privilege to be a part of this. Such an amazing privilege for all of us (you included!) as Christians to know that we are a part of a vast plan far beyond our understanding and that we get to play a part in it...
Keep on seeking Him for your part.
Leah <><
Praise!:
* For another life-altering year at Redcliffe full of fabulous people, deep relationships, and fun as well as earth-shattering heart aches and tough lessons
Prayer:
* For God to reveal His next step for my life and for me to trust Him and follow willingly!
* For a good summer (void of broken bones this time, please!) with family and friends that can be a time to rest (despite working hard) and prepare for whatever comes next!
(Photos of awesome people, places, and things!: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=102dzu8o.5jjva8oc&Uy=-1o6zzn&Ux=0)
Pictures here of the last few lovely months!
I cannot believe my second year of college has drawn to a close! And I cannot put into words all the growing times it has held. Now I'm on the way back to the States (15 June 2007) for about 10 weeks and very much looking forward to seeing everyone I love there, but very much not looking forward to leaving this home of my heart again and all the ones I love here... Living with your heart stretched across two continents leads to a very strange emotional life, I tell ya!
But God knows what He's doing. I have to remind myself a million times a day and look at the examples He's places all around me of people with that truth branded on their hearts...
There's Claire who last year when we met had no idea why she was studying here and what she would do with it, and now this year has just graduated last weekend and has been offered a position as an assistant pastor in a town on the sea about an hour from here! She's only 22!
Then there's Anne who is one of the most incredible spirits I've ever known-- though she would wonder why I'd think so-- who grew up an MK in Kenya and has worked 11 years in Tanzania and is now working on an MA before she moves back to Africa with CMS. She doesn't know exactly she'll be doing there now, but she knows that's where her heart is.
And Dave who is 21 and has just moved to China for the summer Monday to be employed as a team leader with Open Doors. He doesn't know why or how, really, just that he has hands for the work and a heart for 'the boss', as his coded emails will have to call God when he writes from inside that vast, oppressed country.
Chris and Helen and their 2 year old Hannah and 3 month old Daniel will be headed out to Moldova this autumn. They left their two well-paying jobs in London two years ago to follow God here to Redcliffe not having a clue where He wanted to take them in the long run. He's come through and revealed the next step for them just as He does all of us who seek Him with our lives...
These are just five of my friends out of over a hundred of us training here... He knows what He's doing. And it is such an amazing privilege to be a part of this. Such an amazing privilege for all of us (you included!) as Christians to know that we are a part of a vast plan far beyond our understanding and that we get to play a part in it...
Keep on seeking Him for your part.
Leah <><
Praise!:
* For another life-altering year at Redcliffe full of fabulous people, deep relationships, and fun as well as earth-shattering heart aches and tough lessons
Prayer:
* For God to reveal His next step for my life and for me to trust Him and follow willingly!
* For a good summer (void of broken bones this time, please!) with family and friends that can be a time to rest (despite working hard) and prepare for whatever comes next!
(Photos of awesome people, places, and things!: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=102dzu8o.5jjva8oc&Uy=-1o6zzn&Ux=0)
Graduation Day Pics!
Hey everybody,
I just wanted to pass along the link to the big graduation weekend!
See some lovely pics of fantastic people I love here.
I'll be seeing you Stateside soon!!
His,
Leah <><
(link to pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=102dzu8o.1j6z5q10&Uy=80dlbg&Ux=0)
I just wanted to pass along the link to the big graduation weekend!
See some lovely pics of fantastic people I love here.
I'll be seeing you Stateside soon!!
His,
Leah <><
(link to pics: http://www.kodakgallery.com/Slideshow.jsp?mode=fromshare&Uc=102dzu8o.1j6z5q10&Uy=80dlbg&Ux=0)
Saturday, 28 April 2007
English Spring is Beautiful... and BUSY!
(Photo gallery of life since returning to the UK!)
Dear All,
I will try to keep this quick-- no philosophising :) I know how exhausting my emails can be!!
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for me and thinking of me and loving me from afar. You are so much more precious than you know...
Quick Updates!!
Classes
This term I have a heavy workload at college, I'm afraid! There is a long list of essays and assessments coming due that I have hung here at my desk to keep up my momentum :) Eschatology, Pastoral Care, Living and Working Cross-Culturally, Personal Development, Islam, New Religious Movements, Secularism, and Judges are some of the topics I'm studying and writing about. Sometimes my mind feels full :) But so so privileged to be so. I cannot possibly express how Redcliffe has taught me to look around with open eyes. It has widened my world in and out of the classroom... and I love this college and everyone in it dearly.
Prayers: That I will stay on top of things and not be eaten up by stress and deadline pressures. That I will approach each class with a high mind and heavenly gaze and see them for the opportunities for growth that they are.
Jobs
Crazy as college life is, it's about to get crazier :) I've finally finished the mandatory training for my new job in Social Care here in Gloucester (Parallel Options, which facilitates mentally ill and learning disabled adults to live on their own)-- training that had to be drawn out extensively due to studies and placement in Romania-- and I will start taking shifts this month! It is frightening, I must admit (this week in training, I spent two days learning 'Breakaway Techniques' in order to be able to breakaway from an attack without harming the client doing the attacking!!), but I feel confident God has alot to teach me through this new challenge.
I'm also starting this Monday to clean house 2 hours once a week for an old couple down the road.
Prayers: That I will relax into these new positions and be a good worker for both the sweet old couple and the less personal corporation of Parallel Options. That I will be confident and just love. It covers over a multitude of 'sins' as I fumble my way into finding my rythmn and comfortable routine in this terribly new and terribly intimidating challenge...
Life!
I hope you'll take a few moments to look through the photo slideshow for a good indication of this :)
I'm continuing to try to seize the moments and love all the life out of 'em :) We were recently on break for Easter and mid-term so I went home with my friend Amanda to her beloved little Isle of Sheppey just off the coast of Kent (the other side of the country from where I live in Gloucestershire). It was so precious to be with a family for Easter-- and a cherished sister, no less! Sheppey is a beautiful, green, vibrant, little island and I had a love affair with the coast!! We had a few days with her family, a few days working with an outreach event on the island, and then I prompty went down with Tonsillitus for a week!! That was dreadful and I wouldn't reccommend it to anybody-- but the rest of the break was marvellous :)
Amanda and I spent one of our last days of break on a day trip to London to celebrate my 21st birthday a few months early as we won't have another chance before I return to the States for the summer (she's away on placement with term). I have never enjoyed London more-- as the pictures may prove :) We simply meandered around this massive city of history and took in a West End show: 'Phantom of the Opera'-- which is one of my favourite musicals of all time and just so happens to be in it's 21st year of playing there in that beautiful elaborate West End theatre-- ever so appropriate :) It was a magical day...
Today I spent in the city of Bath-- about an hour's drive from Gloucester. A friend here at college, Polly, is from Bath and organized a little day out for a small group of us who wanted to go experience it. Her mother happens to be a tour guide so she showed us around and the sun was shining and making the traditional honey-coloured Bath stone look golden :) I've never ever seen another city like Bath in all the world. Check out the pictures-- especially if you've ever read anything by Jane Austen as she wrote Bath into most every book and lived there much of her own life!
As always, college social life-- when I can push studies aside and partake in it :)-- is a joy!! I am learning so much about family, relationships, confidence, vulnerability, love, and myself through interacting with this great big ol' world of a family I live in :)
Prayers: That I will continue to soak Him up in every varied way and be as much a blessing in all the friendships I have here as they are to me!
And Enough said!
There is forever more to say... I always mean to make it so short :)
The point is, God is good and life is forging onwards. Not to say life is easy. It's hard; it's just a fact. But I figure I'd rather it be hard in England than hard anywhere else right now :)
Updates on Romania I won't go into here but the whole thing remains heavy on my heart and my gypsy babies haunt my dreams. I would love to speak to you about them if you'd like to hear...
**Big Prayer Need/Advice Need!!!**
One final, rather large, prayer-request-slash-can-anyone-give-me-any-advice? I'm looking forward to getting back to the States this summer and spending time with my family and meeting my new baby niece-- Miss Emily Faith! But this does pose a problem in the sense that I don't have transport while I'm back from about the 15th of June to the end of August. It wouldn't make sense to take out a loan to get a car for the few months I'll be back but it makes me nervous because I will have to be working (I'll also be pleased to hear of any employers any of you might like to put me in contact with!) and... life in general in rural MN kind of demands you have a car! Do you by any chance know of anyone not using a car for the summer and who would be willing to loan it/rent it to a mission student on a sort of furlough for 2 and a half months?
PLEASE will you pray that God opens up some good job opportunities and provides a vehicle! I know these two things are nothing to Him in light of his power and provision-- and certainly other missionaries get these things worked out for them all the time, but they seem like huge obstacles to me from where I sit!!
Thank you, lovely people!! For reading this, for caring, for PRAYING!!!, and for loving :)
His,
Leah <><
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
-- Anne Frank
p.s. Photo gallery of life since returning to the UK! There is NOTHING like an English springtime....
Interesting links: www.redcliffe.org -- www.faithbaptistpr.com -- www.krbc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Dear All,
I will try to keep this quick-- no philosophising :) I know how exhausting my emails can be!!
First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has been praying for me and thinking of me and loving me from afar. You are so much more precious than you know...
Quick Updates!!
Classes
This term I have a heavy workload at college, I'm afraid! There is a long list of essays and assessments coming due that I have hung here at my desk to keep up my momentum :) Eschatology, Pastoral Care, Living and Working Cross-Culturally, Personal Development, Islam, New Religious Movements, Secularism, and Judges are some of the topics I'm studying and writing about. Sometimes my mind feels full :) But so so privileged to be so. I cannot possibly express how Redcliffe has taught me to look around with open eyes. It has widened my world in and out of the classroom... and I love this college and everyone in it dearly.
Prayers: That I will stay on top of things and not be eaten up by stress and deadline pressures. That I will approach each class with a high mind and heavenly gaze and see them for the opportunities for growth that they are.
Jobs
Crazy as college life is, it's about to get crazier :) I've finally finished the mandatory training for my new job in Social Care here in Gloucester (Parallel Options, which facilitates mentally ill and learning disabled adults to live on their own)-- training that had to be drawn out extensively due to studies and placement in Romania-- and I will start taking shifts this month! It is frightening, I must admit (this week in training, I spent two days learning 'Breakaway Techniques' in order to be able to breakaway from an attack without harming the client doing the attacking!!), but I feel confident God has alot to teach me through this new challenge.
I'm also starting this Monday to clean house 2 hours once a week for an old couple down the road.
Prayers: That I will relax into these new positions and be a good worker for both the sweet old couple and the less personal corporation of Parallel Options. That I will be confident and just love. It covers over a multitude of 'sins' as I fumble my way into finding my rythmn and comfortable routine in this terribly new and terribly intimidating challenge...
Life!
I hope you'll take a few moments to look through the photo slideshow for a good indication of this :)
I'm continuing to try to seize the moments and love all the life out of 'em :) We were recently on break for Easter and mid-term so I went home with my friend Amanda to her beloved little Isle of Sheppey just off the coast of Kent (the other side of the country from where I live in Gloucestershire). It was so precious to be with a family for Easter-- and a cherished sister, no less! Sheppey is a beautiful, green, vibrant, little island and I had a love affair with the coast!! We had a few days with her family, a few days working with an outreach event on the island, and then I prompty went down with Tonsillitus for a week!! That was dreadful and I wouldn't reccommend it to anybody-- but the rest of the break was marvellous :)
Amanda and I spent one of our last days of break on a day trip to London to celebrate my 21st birthday a few months early as we won't have another chance before I return to the States for the summer (she's away on placement with term). I have never enjoyed London more-- as the pictures may prove :) We simply meandered around this massive city of history and took in a West End show: 'Phantom of the Opera'-- which is one of my favourite musicals of all time and just so happens to be in it's 21st year of playing there in that beautiful elaborate West End theatre-- ever so appropriate :) It was a magical day...
Today I spent in the city of Bath-- about an hour's drive from Gloucester. A friend here at college, Polly, is from Bath and organized a little day out for a small group of us who wanted to go experience it. Her mother happens to be a tour guide so she showed us around and the sun was shining and making the traditional honey-coloured Bath stone look golden :) I've never ever seen another city like Bath in all the world. Check out the pictures-- especially if you've ever read anything by Jane Austen as she wrote Bath into most every book and lived there much of her own life!
As always, college social life-- when I can push studies aside and partake in it :)-- is a joy!! I am learning so much about family, relationships, confidence, vulnerability, love, and myself through interacting with this great big ol' world of a family I live in :)
Prayers: That I will continue to soak Him up in every varied way and be as much a blessing in all the friendships I have here as they are to me!
And Enough said!
There is forever more to say... I always mean to make it so short :)
The point is, God is good and life is forging onwards. Not to say life is easy. It's hard; it's just a fact. But I figure I'd rather it be hard in England than hard anywhere else right now :)
Updates on Romania I won't go into here but the whole thing remains heavy on my heart and my gypsy babies haunt my dreams. I would love to speak to you about them if you'd like to hear...
**Big Prayer Need/Advice Need!!!**
One final, rather large, prayer-request-slash-can-anyone-give-me-any-advice? I'm looking forward to getting back to the States this summer and spending time with my family and meeting my new baby niece-- Miss Emily Faith! But this does pose a problem in the sense that I don't have transport while I'm back from about the 15th of June to the end of August. It wouldn't make sense to take out a loan to get a car for the few months I'll be back but it makes me nervous because I will have to be working (I'll also be pleased to hear of any employers any of you might like to put me in contact with!) and... life in general in rural MN kind of demands you have a car! Do you by any chance know of anyone not using a car for the summer and who would be willing to loan it/rent it to a mission student on a sort of furlough for 2 and a half months?
PLEASE will you pray that God opens up some good job opportunities and provides a vehicle! I know these two things are nothing to Him in light of his power and provision-- and certainly other missionaries get these things worked out for them all the time, but they seem like huge obstacles to me from where I sit!!
Thank you, lovely people!! For reading this, for caring, for PRAYING!!!, and for loving :)
His,
Leah <><
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world."
-- Anne Frank
p.s. Photo gallery of life since returning to the UK! There is NOTHING like an English springtime....
Interesting links: www.redcliffe.org -- www.faithbaptistpr.com -- www.krbc.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk
Monday, 19 March 2007
FINALLY, an update from England!
"More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of."-- Tennyson
Dear all,
I'm sorry this update has been so long in coming! I have returned to England. In fact, somehow-- I really don't know how-- it will have been a month this Thursday since leaving Romania.... in body, anyway.
Classes have picked right back up and the weeks pass by ever so quickly. I'm still in training for my job in social care here in Gloucester working with vulnerable adults. I still have reams of essays staring me in the face every waking moment :) But, somehow they'll all get done in time-- they always do.
Leaving Romania was... strange. So so so so so hard to leave my babies. But somehow my goodbye with the country itself did not seem final. So, I await His move.
In regards to the urgent prayer email I sent out just a few days before I left-- we ended up complying with their demands. Kari (the young missionary from CA) was blessed with more financial support that month than she necessarily needed (and she's coming to the end of her time there) so she was able to buy the Romanian ROCK workers the uniforms they would need but couldn't afford. We did have to move all the cupboards with our supplies out into the hallway but we were still able to lock them under the condition that the head-nurse had a spare key. So far as I know, nothing has yet been stolen! They started taking inventory of all the diapers and things each night just to be sure... Things did seem to reach a plateau, thank the Lord! So thank you so much for all your prayers...
As far as my babies go, would you believe one of our boys was adopted a few weeks after I left??!! He was declared unadoptable for the first 9 months of his life because he didn't have a birth certificate but one day the hospital social worker walked in and said his case was being opened for emergency adoption!! He has now been moved into foster care for a month as the adoption process begins. They hope he'll be with his adoptive parents in a few weeks' time, even though the adoption will take at least a year to go through... This is so tremendously hopeful! There is so much hopelessness in that nation, so many cases that remain unopened or hindered somehow which means so many children left forgotten without a future... For one to go through successfully is a very encouraging thing for all to see...
Of course, Mario was the one blond-haired, blue-eyed baby. The average Romanian has an ingrown disdain for gypsies so if he had black hair and eyes he mightn't have been snatched up so quickly...
Florica and Emil remain the babies of my heart with their raven black curls and snapping black eyes and God uses this ache to move me to intercede for Romania in all its discord...
God taught me more about life than I may ever know in those 6 intense weeks. I want to thank you all with my whole heart for your support for my time there-- for your generosity in finance and prayers!! I wish I could describe my gratitude in words...
I really wish for every one of us to follow Him into our own varied Romanias-- our own intense experience of brushing up against His vastly beautiful broken heart and reaching out to stroke it even while being wrapped up within it and peering at the world from inside its hold... I don't believe we have to go anywhere for this. I think He brings it to us if we're willing. May we run out to meet Him!
It is possible to change the world.
And you are loved.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for caring!!
Leah <><
"For the Lord your God is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords, the great God, mighty and awesome... He defends the cause of the fatherless." -- Deuteronomy 10:18
Dear all,
I'm sorry this update has been so long in coming! I have returned to England. In fact, somehow-- I really don't know how-- it will have been a month this Thursday since leaving Romania.... in body, anyway.
Classes have picked right back up and the weeks pass by ever so quickly. I'm still in training for my job in social care here in Gloucester working with vulnerable adults. I still have reams of essays staring me in the face every waking moment :) But, somehow they'll all get done in time-- they always do.
Leaving Romania was... strange. So so so so so hard to leave my babies. But somehow my goodbye with the country itself did not seem final. So, I await His move.
In regards to the urgent prayer email I sent out just a few days before I left-- we ended up complying with their demands. Kari (the young missionary from CA) was blessed with more financial support that month than she necessarily needed (and she's coming to the end of her time there) so she was able to buy the Romanian ROCK workers the uniforms they would need but couldn't afford. We did have to move all the cupboards with our supplies out into the hallway but we were still able to lock them under the condition that the head-nurse had a spare key. So far as I know, nothing has yet been stolen! They started taking inventory of all the diapers and things each night just to be sure... Things did seem to reach a plateau, thank the Lord! So thank you so much for all your prayers...
As far as my babies go, would you believe one of our boys was adopted a few weeks after I left??!! He was declared unadoptable for the first 9 months of his life because he didn't have a birth certificate but one day the hospital social worker walked in and said his case was being opened for emergency adoption!! He has now been moved into foster care for a month as the adoption process begins. They hope he'll be with his adoptive parents in a few weeks' time, even though the adoption will take at least a year to go through... This is so tremendously hopeful! There is so much hopelessness in that nation, so many cases that remain unopened or hindered somehow which means so many children left forgotten without a future... For one to go through successfully is a very encouraging thing for all to see...
Of course, Mario was the one blond-haired, blue-eyed baby. The average Romanian has an ingrown disdain for gypsies so if he had black hair and eyes he mightn't have been snatched up so quickly...
Florica and Emil remain the babies of my heart with their raven black curls and snapping black eyes and God uses this ache to move me to intercede for Romania in all its discord...
God taught me more about life than I may ever know in those 6 intense weeks. I want to thank you all with my whole heart for your support for my time there-- for your generosity in finance and prayers!! I wish I could describe my gratitude in words...
I really wish for every one of us to follow Him into our own varied Romanias-- our own intense experience of brushing up against His vastly beautiful broken heart and reaching out to stroke it even while being wrapped up within it and peering at the world from inside its hold... I don't believe we have to go anywhere for this. I think He brings it to us if we're willing. May we run out to meet Him!
It is possible to change the world.
And you are loved.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for caring!!
Leah <><
"For the Lord your God is the God of Gods and Lord of Lords, the great God, mighty and awesome... He defends the cause of the fatherless." -- Deuteronomy 10:18
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