Time is now flying even faster than I expected! I am trying to get in all my time with family and friends, give away and sell most of my belongings, and read a million books (which I am not doing so hot with) before I leave on the 5th of August!
I have so far sold a piano, some clothes (also given away countless clothes for modesty reasons or inappropriate weather reasons), and still have 2 bikes, a sewing machine and various decorative things and housewares for sale. I have also acquired 2 suitcases, a computer, several cotton T-shirts, capri pants, scrubs, medical supplies, one water filter, various toiletries, a few vitamins, and some suntan lotion.
I am sort of reformatting my entire life, and God is doing a lot of work on the internal as I go through the practical shedding of stuff. Do any of you ever feel like you have too much stuff? I do. I am realizing I really have been needing to simplify my life for a long time. It really feels good to get rid of the stuff you don’t need. Like a cleansing process is taking place. I have also really felt the Lord upping my standards with a lot of things, including how I spend my time, food, and one of the biggest ones is modesty. I have been super busy, and super on edge lately, so in my weakness, I have definitely had to lean on the Lord for my strength, and pray for those around me a lot more!
So, the bottom line is that wether I am ready or not, I will be getting on a plane to Portland, OR 2 weeks from Friday where I will spend 3 days for orientation with my classmates from Newlife. Then we will all be boarding a plane on the 8th of August to the Philippines, where we will settle in to our new home for the next 2-3 years! Are we a group of crazy ladies or what!?
It IS bittersweet to be leaving Roseville. I LOVE my home. I have lived here for the last 16 years of my life, and though I have not loved every minute of it, I have loved the last 4 years very much, and it is my home where my family, friends, and church reside!
However, the truth is, I am so excited!!! I am such an adventurer at heart. I will always go new places and make new friends. But I am so excited to take all the memories I have and go to change lives and share the gospel in a different part of the world! God raised me up and taught me how to be a missionary to my own city, to share the gospel and love people here in Roseville. And now He is taking me to a new place and will continue to teach me His ways. I am so excited to see what He is going to do. In the end, its just me and Him alone. So I know I will be blessed no matter where I go, no matter what my circumstances look like. I am a part of this crazy upside down kingdom, and I am a big weirdo, so I wouldn’t want to have it any other way!
