Glory To God Forever

A few weeks ago I found out from one of my girls at Casitas that they only go to “school” if they can’t read or write. I initially thought that they were all in school during their school year (the past few months have been their summer vacation) learning at least something. When I found out they didn’t do anything while the others were learning to read and write I definitely found it alarming but not very surprising. I explained to my girly that there is so much more to school and to learning than reading and writing. I was in school for 18 years and when I return to Texas hopefully I’ll be going back to school (apparently I just can’t get enough).

I decided that it would be fun to teach them science. It would be fun to engage them with games and experiments and I could use it as a way to teach them some really important lessons. For those of you that don’t know, my degree is social sciences (sociology and women’s & gender studies) not what most people would consider real science. So, it’s a little ironic that I’m here teaching them a bunch of stuff I haven’t had to look at in a bajillion years. Don’t get me wrong I love science and I love teaching these girls, it’s just a little ironic to me.

Actually its more than ironic, I feel very inadequate most of the time. In addition to teaching science a few times a week at Casitas I am teaching and planning a lot of health related activities and lessons at the transition home. These are all very good, very needed lessons and activities, but if I’m being honest I often ask God why He brought me here instead of someone a little more qualified, ya know maybe someone with a little more of a science background. But I’m always reminded of that quote that says, “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.” If I were fully equipped why would I need God? I would be able to just do it on my own, right? How would He get the glory from what I was doing? Couldn’t I just take all the credit? I mean if I’m doing it all myself and I don’t need any help then ya I guess so. But, thankfully God didn’t create us that way. I desperately need God. I can’t do it on my own. I can’t do anything on my own. I need Him. And, even better, God gets all the glory. You can be 100% certain that what I am doing is not of myself and my own knowledge and skill, but that it is God equipping my daily.

Whether we’re doing experiments and learning the scientific method, nutrition and healthy eating habits, or making paper hearts (which were surprisingly difficult) God reminds me that He is equipping me and that He will receive glory because He deserves it.

Pray for us.

Pray that we will give God the glory, not ourselves.

Pray that God will adequately equip me to teach science and health classes.

Pray that God will give me the words to say to my girls when they come to me for concerns or questions.

Pray that my heart and my mind stay focused here and not on Texas and missing my family and friends.

Pray for my girls at the transition home. There have been a lot of changes, so pray that they would take them in stride and trust that they are in their best interests.

Pray also for my girls, as they just started back to school this past week and that in itself is a big transition, especially for the girls that moved to San Pedro Sula in December.

Thank you all for your continued prayer!

Thanks and gig ‘em!

Peace, love, and pursue Jesus!

Kellie

Where I Belong

The month of January has absolutely been an emotional roller coaster, and for someone that’s generally bad with expressing emotions dealing with them has been interesting to say the least. My complete joy, overflowing love for my girls and this country, awe, and pure excitements are often juxtaposed by extreme loneliness, doubt, frustration, and sadness. Those moments, the bad ones, those are the moments when I begin to shift my focus to myself and what my selfish, sinful nature wants and what I’m missing in Texas. When my eyes are focused on my Savior that is when He reminds me that I am right in the middle of His will. That is when I am joyful and humbled to be here. It is at these moments when I am most satisfied in Him and as John Piper always says He is most glorified in me. And that is where I want more than anything, for God to be glorified by my life regardless of country I live in. Right now, this is where I belong and that brings God glory. Amen. 

I am constantly humbled by the very fact that God has given me the opportunity to be here and that He chooses to use me. I want Him to use me of course, but the fact that he brought me here, to so many new beautiful people never ceases to amaze me. Often times I feel as if I’m learning more from the girls I am with on a daily basis than they are learning from me. That sounds cliché I know, everyone says it, but its so true!

Earlier last week while sitting on a bench at Casitas during their morning Bible study one of my girls came over and sat with me. She could see that I was visibly sad, nothing was wrong that I can remember, probably just missing my family more than usual that day. She put her arm around me and took my Bible. I was reading in Matthew while I listened to my girls sing beautiful songs to God in Spanish and she began flipping through it. When she found what she was looking for she handed my Bible back to me, pointed to Joshua 1:9 and instructed me to read it, hugged me again and went back to her seat. “Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” What a beautiful reminder, my God is with me! I love that God used her to remind me of His presence! Instead of being discouraged I should be encouraged because my God is with me. It doesn’t matter that I live far away from my family and best friends. I am supposed to live my life courageously and confidently because my God is with me and He is for me!

Pray for us! Pray that God would use this time here and that God would equip me and give me the opportunities to teach my girls, pour into my girls, and more importantly show them His love.

Also, I apologize once again for the lack of blogging. Writing in my journal is one thing but posting a blog for everyone to read, clearly not my thing. However, my new goal is to blog EVERY WEEKEND (get excited)! So be expecting another blog post in a few days.

Aaaaaaand, I found out in an email last night that the money I needed to raise for my last few months here has been raised! How awesome is that?! God is awesome and faithful to provide and it has been incredible to see Him do that! So, praise Him for providing for me financially! Thank you also to all of you that have been supporting me financially and for allowing God to use you and for partnering with me while I am here!

Thanks and gig ‘em.

Peace, love, and pursue Jesus.

Kellie