back in Thailand...

Back in Thailand as of midnight last night after a 3 hour flight from Denver to Seattle, a 13 hour flight from Seattle to Tokyo and a 4 hour flight from Tokyo to Bangkok. I am hanging out with some friends of friends in Bangkok until Tuesday night. Then back to Chiang Rai right before the Thanksgiving holiday break.

Thoughts on my trip to the states - it was a wonderful time of family, which I so desperately needed. I had a great time with my mom and my sister and nephews in Texas. Hung out with a couple of friends there, and shared how good God is to have brought me here to get intimate with me. Then moved on to Colorado where I helped my best friends, Beth and Paul, get hitched in a 12 minute ceremony that started with cheering and ended with cheering. What a celebration!!! When we wait for God's best, we get to see exactly how good He is to us!!! The week after the wedding I got to spend time with family and friends in Colorado, which was incredible as well. I realized in all that time that I am not a long term missionary type. My heart aches for being with family and friends and has a hard time being so far away. So with that understanding, I am coming back to finish up this year and will be traveling a bit in June to Scotland to see friends and then home to the states.

What you can pray for me about is...the next 7 months. I've realized that my shtick is not teaching, but that I LOVE LOVE LOVE being with teenagers and hanging out and talking through stuff, which is what I am pursuing as much of as I can out here in Thailand...working with teens at school, helping with their dramatic presentation of Little Women, leading in youth group, and mentoring worship leaders. That is what I'm about while here.

Pray that I dig in and get all that I need to out of this next seven months as I am already missing family and friends. Part of that is definitely a huge lack of sleep and delirium which comes from traveling so far and skipping through a day as I came. Part of that also is just the emotional place I am in with the Lord...when you have to rely on Him like I am learning how to, everything is emotional and relates to my trust in Him. So keep me in your prayers.

I also need additional funds for traveling home, which I know the Lord will provide. If you feel like you want to be a part, the address for sending funds is on the right - Joy to the World Foundation. I will also need to save some money back for when I return to the states to start anew, since I sold everything to come here. But again, I am completely trusting God as He sent me here, He will provide for all my needs.

Thank you for supporting me with your prayers and your thoughts. For those of you who read this, that means everything in the world.

I realized while in Colorado, and while talking to Laura-lee, a good friend, that it is not the big things in life but the small that have the potential to kill you. Like it says in scripture, if we aren't faithful in the small things, we won't be blessed with more. I am encouraged to be faithful in the small - like returning to finish my term, plugging into the teenagers here, and doing what God has called me to do for this season. All so that if a big lizard bites me and then a small lizard bites me, I won't die.