Springtime.

Hola a todos. I haven't written in awhile, but thought I'd do a quick update.

I love spring. I love how it begins and how it grows into summer. I love the breezes, the smells, everything. Spring here is beautiful. Purple flowers are starting to bloom, the grass is turning green, people are passing more time outside. It's the kind of weather you want for a picnic. It's the atmosphere that speaks of something coming. In my mind, the "something coming" with summer is newness.

Newness=change. I have never liked change. But I'm used to it now, very much, actually. Change can be good; it leads to growth. I have come to appreciate that, even though the pruning that often comes with change is painful.

I have no idea what is going to happen after December. I will still be here (I leave in August), but I won't have roommates, possibly for awhile. I have come to appreciate solitude in a way, and God reminds me that I'm really not alone. I have new ideas about ministry. Please be in prayer over new opportunities. I was talking to Miriam (another missionary here) the other day, and I commented on how difficult ministry is. When you couple that with a new culture and potential problems in that arena, serving others is "otra cosa" (a whole other story). Pray that humbleness comes, only because I'm being shaped more into the image of Christ.

Notice that my English is going away. I've started to take a Spanish class once a week for four hours at a time. I love it. It's been really good to be learning again, and I feel like I'm being productive. I've also started taking salsa lessons, which is a lot of fun...except when weird latinos who think they can dance want to enlighten me to the ways of their dance moves. No, gracias. At least I have fun stories, though. :)

I'm going to Europe very soon! I will spend some time with girls I met at training in Virginia more than a year ago; in fact, I'll celebrate my first year as a Peruvian in Lisbon. I'm truly looking forward to this time. Please pray that it is encouraging for all of us; also pray specifically that I don't look to these beautiful girls as my answer to any troubles I've faced recently. I will return to Arequipa, possibly to face other trials. But I know God is preparing the way.

Thanks for visiting my life through this blog. This is just a small piece. Sometimes I wish all of you were here to live life with me, to know this culture, these people. I'd ask one more thing: Lift up a renewal in my heart to see lost people come to the Lord. More than anything, ask for a softening of my heart. That's hard to admit in web-land...but it's the truth.

Much love. Blessings.

Run after Christ. I say that to remind myself, too. :)