Training

It's been a busy week on the Spanish-speaking front. On Monday I helped some friends prepare their new house for their move next week. The house is in a predominantly Hispanic neighborhood, and I got to speak with some of their Mexican neighbors. God's giving me plenty of opportunities to spot errors and polish my Spanish. Praise the Lord!
The job search has picked up, lately, too. Please pray that I would have wisdom as I discern God's will in terms of full-time versus part-time employment. I'd like to stay at Tenth on Fridays, if possible.
I'm getting more and more excited for Colombia. If you'd like, my support letter is available for your perusal here. 
And don't forget to keep praying for Spain. The earthquakes in southern Spain destroyed a new evangelical church, so you can be in prayer for the parishioners. (Note: article is in Spanish, so English-speakers can view it via Google Translate.) Pray for them as they minister to others affected by the disaster. God is sovereign.

Plans

I'm a planner. When I resolve to do something, it's pretty much set in stone - at least in my mind. So when the outreach director at my church, Bruce, asked me if I'd come to Colombia as a translator for a medical team, I planned to say no.  I've had a self-imposed policy of no overseas trips until I return to Spain full-time. And I was sticking to my guns. 
But Bruce (and some other friends) persisted. Quietly but firmly, he stood in front of my desk on Fridays and insisted that I could do it. When I whined that my Spanish wasn't good enough, he smiled and said he'd pray.
My friend Kelsey, another SEND short-term alum, calmly listened to my excuses, then prayed until I was sufficiently prodded by the Holy Spirit. Praise the Lord that I have such godly (and patient!) friends.
So I'll be translating for a nurse practitioner and a pharmacist for a clinic in Colombia from August 4-15. I'm excited to get to speak lots of Spanish for God's glory. I may also get to help the youth group prepare Vacation Bible School programs for children in the orphanage Hogar La Providencia. I'm in the midst of the usual preparations: training, reviewing Spanish medical terminology, assembling prayer partners and praying for financial support. If you feel led to partner with me in this way, you can visit Tenth's Giving page and follow the instructions. 
Please pray for me as I prepare, and for my team. Prayer is the fuel that will allow us to be successful in this venture.
This is not something I would've planned for, but it seems to be God's plan for me.

It's Pray Time

In two weeks, I'm celebrating one year since I moved to Philly and started fresh in (somewhat) familiar territory. A lot's changed in a year. I've changed jobs, made some new friends and reconnected with others, thought about Spain constantly, my father died, got over my fear of talking on the phone, shot my first photography shoot, turned 25 (gulp) and read through most of the Old Testament. (I'm slow. Isaiah tripped me up.) 

But as the Lord continues to cram into my heart -- it's not about what I've done, or where my perfectionist mind pontificates I should be. It's about God being glorified through my life. And the Lord will guide me in His plan, which is so much better than I can ever hope to dream. So my job is to listen. Worship. Enjoy and seek to become more like Christ. How wonderful He is! 

Sometimes I grasp the truth of the previous paragraph and see it so clearly. A lot of times I get discouraged by all the junk.  I see the world in a macro lens, but God's changing my perspective to add a wide angle lens.

In less than a week, I'm finishing the internship with public relations firm. It's a good stopping point. I'll be job-hunting/freelancing again and looking at some opportunities to use Spanish in ministry. As I texted to some friends this afternoon, it's pray time.

And it's pray time for Spain too. Whether it's for those affected in a country with a staggering unemployment rate, a sluggish economy, the ongoing spiritual deficit or the needs of new workers. Just pray.