This week I traded in temples, chaotic Phnom Penh streets, and rice for cathedrals, a view of the Med Sea, and rest in Spain. I was ready for a break from my busy life in Cambodia, and to have some sweet time with friends, family, and mentors. It's been so amazing to get a different perspective of my life in Cambodia, and to feel like I'm breathing some fresh air above the clouds. The past month in Cambodia was one of my hardest, and I felt like I needed to get out and above the clouds literally on a plane, and emotionally/spiritually as well. In the past few days of travel and time here I've realized a couple things, or more so have been reminded of some simple beautiful truths by God.
God has given me beautiful family all over the world.
As I sat on the plane about to take-off from Phnom Penh, tears started to flow. I thought about all the things I would miss in the next 6 weeks with my Khmer family in the village, my Khmer teachers and staff, and good friends and I could't help but cry. It's always been hard to leave my New York home but this was the first time I deeply felt the effects of leaving my Cambodia home. I'm so grateful that God has given me people that care and feel like family all over the world that I have to miss. I was also welcomed by great people in Spain, that are my tribe and family as well. It's a weird feeling going from home to home, but I guess thats what my life will always be when I find my home in the people I care about around the world.
Life is still all about a love affair, with God and with others.
It's always been about relationship and loving others while being loved by God. I realize that more and more everyday. Whether I'm in Cambodia, Spain, or New York its all same- love God and love people fiercely. I was welcomed into community in Spain, sat in on classes and was reminded again that a love affair has always been and will always be God's point for this earth. When I was flying into Spain, my last flight was from Italy and I sat next to this petit European girl. When you travel you never know who your sitting next to, where they are from, or where they really are at in life. I began to talk to her, let her in to my life and she felt safe enough to tell me all about her life as an immigrant in America, and how although she is going to a prestigious school now in NYC and her family is successful she has never had any friends. She just needed a friend. That's it, plain and simple. She didn't need me to preach the gospel to her, she just simply needed a friend to hear her and care for her. That's exactly what I did, and I know she felt Christ's love in those moments.
God really knows every fiber of our being, what we need, and then gives us abundantly more than we thought we needed.
In the past couple weeks, I have felt so loved by God. He knows my every need and what I need in these moments to rest. I knew I wanted some rest in Spain, but he gave me so much more than that being here, and is continuing to give me great things as I fly out of Spain as well. Even when you don't know what you need right now, He does and He will meet those needs if you let Him. He is a good Father all the time and loves to give us good gifts.
We are always in process, and will always be in process.
I came to Spain with the expectations of processing my whole last year in Cambodia in 2 weeks, and then prance off to New York. Well I was completely wrong in my thinking, and I now know to give yourself space and grace to be okay with always being in process. There are many things in the past year that I never got a second of time to let my mind and heart catch up with what I was seeing and doing- but that's okay. I'm learning to let my emotions enter into my daily functioning heart, but with a fast paced busy ministry life it's not always easy to do. But there is grace, oh so much grace that God gives me and will continue to give me as I stay in process.
My time in Spain has been so good and full of great friends and community, good food and wine, life being spoken into me, and sweet sweet rest with my Father God. I hop on a plane today to once again trade in my view of cathedrals, cobblestone streets and mountains for my New York home filled with loving faces, cheerio smell filled air, and beautiful parks and grass- expectant to see more of Christ in Buffalo, encourage the church with what God is doing in Cambodia, and have sweet sweet time with my family and close friends. Peace out beautiful Spain, you have been so good to me!
God has given me beautiful family all over the world.
As I sat on the plane about to take-off from Phnom Penh, tears started to flow. I thought about all the things I would miss in the next 6 weeks with my Khmer family in the village, my Khmer teachers and staff, and good friends and I could't help but cry. It's always been hard to leave my New York home but this was the first time I deeply felt the effects of leaving my Cambodia home. I'm so grateful that God has given me people that care and feel like family all over the world that I have to miss. I was also welcomed by great people in Spain, that are my tribe and family as well. It's a weird feeling going from home to home, but I guess thats what my life will always be when I find my home in the people I care about around the world.
Life is still all about a love affair, with God and with others.
It's always been about relationship and loving others while being loved by God. I realize that more and more everyday. Whether I'm in Cambodia, Spain, or New York its all same- love God and love people fiercely. I was welcomed into community in Spain, sat in on classes and was reminded again that a love affair has always been and will always be God's point for this earth. When I was flying into Spain, my last flight was from Italy and I sat next to this petit European girl. When you travel you never know who your sitting next to, where they are from, or where they really are at in life. I began to talk to her, let her in to my life and she felt safe enough to tell me all about her life as an immigrant in America, and how although she is going to a prestigious school now in NYC and her family is successful she has never had any friends. She just needed a friend. That's it, plain and simple. She didn't need me to preach the gospel to her, she just simply needed a friend to hear her and care for her. That's exactly what I did, and I know she felt Christ's love in those moments.
God really knows every fiber of our being, what we need, and then gives us abundantly more than we thought we needed.
In the past couple weeks, I have felt so loved by God. He knows my every need and what I need in these moments to rest. I knew I wanted some rest in Spain, but he gave me so much more than that being here, and is continuing to give me great things as I fly out of Spain as well. Even when you don't know what you need right now, He does and He will meet those needs if you let Him. He is a good Father all the time and loves to give us good gifts.
We are always in process, and will always be in process.
I came to Spain with the expectations of processing my whole last year in Cambodia in 2 weeks, and then prance off to New York. Well I was completely wrong in my thinking, and I now know to give yourself space and grace to be okay with always being in process. There are many things in the past year that I never got a second of time to let my mind and heart catch up with what I was seeing and doing- but that's okay. I'm learning to let my emotions enter into my daily functioning heart, but with a fast paced busy ministry life it's not always easy to do. But there is grace, oh so much grace that God gives me and will continue to give me as I stay in process.
My time in Spain has been so good and full of great friends and community, good food and wine, life being spoken into me, and sweet sweet rest with my Father God. I hop on a plane today to once again trade in my view of cathedrals, cobblestone streets and mountains for my New York home filled with loving faces, cheerio smell filled air, and beautiful parks and grass- expectant to see more of Christ in Buffalo, encourage the church with what God is doing in Cambodia, and have sweet sweet time with my family and close friends. Peace out beautiful Spain, you have been so good to me!
