I Will Go

Suprises

Well after 24 hours of traveling I finally made it to Bangalore, India. Joshua completely suprised me and met me there!! I did not expect to see him until next week. It has been such a joy and blessing to reunite after 7 months! I have missed him greatly but the Lord has been so gracious to us in our time apart. Joshua has been taking good care of me, touring me around and helping me to get the things I need for my stay in Bangalore (money, water, food etc). Yet another incredible provision of the Lord! Thank you Joshua!

Yesterday was a very busy day! I was quite tired most of the day from jet lag. After Joshua toured me around the hospital we met up with the Langley family. I experienced my first autorickshaw ride!! This family has been a blessing to Joshua and I. It was deeply encouraging to hear how the Lord is working in their lives and their community.

I toured the hospital this morning and arranged my schedule. I will be working in pediatrics, obstetrics, and community health. The hospital is unlike anything I have ever seen. I am looking forward to seeing how God changes my life through my time here with these beautiful people.

India! SO EXCITED!

I will be leaving for India today and will return on the 27th. I will hopefully be able to give updates and pictures along the way!

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, ALL THE EARTH! Sing to the Lord, bless His name; TELL of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the NATIONS, His marvelous works among ALL the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before Him; strength and beauty are in His sanctuary! Psalm 96:1-6

Wonderful Summertime!

I just got back today from a wonderful weekend in Hilton Head!! It was such an encouraging trip! I was able to stop by and see Leah, Joshua's sister, on my way into town and then spend the next couple days with some of my dearest friends! I haven't had that much fun in a while! It was so refreshing to catch up with each of these dear women, especially Meredyth, April, Jenna, Tara, Elizabeth, and Liz. The Lord has used each of them to spur and encourage me in my walk with Christ. Even though we are separated by distance, I love that every time I reconnect with them I am CLOSER to them because we are all growing in Christ and HE is the center of our friendships!

This ones for Madeline :) I wanted to have some good sandels for India so I finally broke down and purchased my first pair of Chaco's, and I love them! Thanks for your influence Mad!

I am getting so excited for India! The Lord has opened so many doors to make this possible! I leave in less than 6 weeks! I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to finally see and experience India after reading and learning so much about the country and the people. I'm sure I'll learn and see more in these 3 weeks than in all the years of preparation thus far. Joshua and I are also very excited to be reunited! We previously thought that it would not be until December so this is simply an added blessing! My sweet friend Becky from ECBC is letting me borrow several of her outfits until I can go shopping myself in India!

I am so blessed to live in Charleston! This was taken early last week at Sullivan's Island. I was able to have some wonderful "alone" time at the beach after our first block exam of the summer! He never ceases to amaze me with His beauty!

He is risen!

It was such a blessing to celebrate this weekend! HE IS ALIVE!! The Lord was so gracious to remind me in a fresh way of the gospel, O how I need to be reminded often! Easter is my favorite day of the year and its my birthday into the kingdom of God so it is always a double celebration! I am continually in awe of how the Lord would choose a wretch like me to be His treasure!? This weekend was full of reflection, thinking back over how the Lord has worked in my life, how He has been ever faithful!! He has redeemed my life from the pit! It is amazing to me to look back especially over the last 4 years since I began walking with the Lord, He has literally changed everything!! The Lord answered prayer this weekend for much needed revival. I am so quick to become discouraged but Christ is a shield around me, my glory and the LIFTER OF MY HEAD! (psalm 3:3)

This weekend was also special because Joshua and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary. We were able to have an awesome extended tea "date" over skype without having to worry about schedules and timezones. Joshua did such a great job planning, it was such a blessing to me! It was so refreshing to just hang out! We have been learning so much about communication recently, specifically growing to know one another's heart. While there have been many difficulties we are growing in this area. We are both learning more than ever our NEED for the Lord and that we cannot communicate or love one another apart from Him!! We need His grace EACH DAY! It was encouraging to reflect on how we are doing well and how we can continue to grow and improve. I was reminded by a sweet friend that this season with Joshua is preparing me for a future season, a much harder season but one which will bear even more fruit. If the preparation is this challenging then I can trust that God is preparing us for great things for HIS KINGDOM! I can expect these things to be much harder than a long distance relationship. Praise God for how He PREPARES US for each season! He does not give us more than we can handle. He has brought me through many difficult seasons before to prepare me for my season today.

The semester countdown is on! only 3 more weeks and 8 final exams! I will be thankful when this semester is over, it has been by far the most difficult since being in Charleston. It has been hard but so good to be taught new lessons by the Lord about humility, change, patience, flexibility, and relationships. I will find out early May concerning my clinical rotations which will be all over the state, moving every 5 weeks for a year! I know I will learn much during the coming year! I find myself frustrated with school often, changing schedules, late professors, unorganized teaching, and sometimes wonder if I will really learn all that I need to. Today was especially discouraging, but I pray that the Lord would help me to trust that He is teaching me exactly what I need to know to serve Him. He is calling me and all of us to cast ALL our anxieties on Him because He cares for us!!


"Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28). "Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you" (Psalm 55:22). "Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save" (Isaiah 46:4). "From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides thee, who works for those who wait for him (Isaiah 64:4).

where I was a year ago... what special memories!

Blessings this weekend

I was so blessed this weekend to spend time with precious friends from Clemson. It was great to spend quality time with Meredyth, my roomate and best friend from college, and also Elizabeth who I swam with. They have both been such an encouragment to me, I am excited to see and hear all the Lord does in their lives in the next few years! I was also able to spend time some sweet time on the phone with Madeline and have dinner Saturday night with Meredith Reock. I am so thankful to have each of these beautiful sisters in my life!!! Each one is so different and the Lord uses them in different ways to draw me to Himself.