Another semester comes to a close...

Today as I was reading all of my wonderful Azeri friends status' talking about the end of another semester there at the English center I couldn't help but be a little sad... I am so missing them and the fun times we had each day. It's hard to believe that I left over a month ago...yet it seems like it has been forever at the same time!
Some pictures that are perhaps not the best in quality and good facial expressions, but also perhaps bring the biggest smile to my face...

When your wondering if you matter...

I'm currently in the middle of a book titled you matter more than you think (check it out, it's pretty awesome) and as I was turning the page that ended the chapter I was on, I was hit with a sudden thought;
In order for this book to be written, published, and sold.... many women needed to feel as though they didn't matter.

In my journey overseas this past year, I have been told many times that Satan likes to pick on your strongest point. He wants to make you feel weak in that area so that it is no longer being used. 

You matter more than he would ever like you to believe.

Now, I don't know about you, but I'm an overachiever by every meaning of the word. If it isn't perfect, I'm not done. It can be so good to have this personality... it can also make you feel like everything is wrong in your world.

I didn't do my devotions this morning and now I'm a day behind. 

My pies didn't turn out how I wanted them to look and taste, and now everyone probably thinks I'm an awful cook.

My new blanket isn't the exact shade my other blankets are, can I even be trusted to decorate my home?!

Do you get where I'm going with this? When you are always ready to beat yourself up, Satan is there with a a baseball bat ready to help finish you off.

When you wonder if you matter, remember the times you have succeeded and not the times you have failed.

When you wonder if you matter, don't hesitate to ask God what His opinion on it is....

Time flies when....

One month ago today I had come down with a terrible case of pink eye. How do I remember this, you may ask? Because it was four days before I left the country of Azerbaijan.

As I look through the pictures of my trip, I can't help but be a little teary eyed. It hardly seems as though that was even a season in my life, it passed so quickly. All of the people I did life with, all of the miles I traveled through the city each day...it already seems like a distant memory.

It seemed while I was there as though there were many hard things that we dealt with each day and yet as I look back on my time there, I can barely even think of those things. All I can seem to remember are the beautiful people I sat next to on the bus, the flower crowns that were made with friends in the village, the fun 'family' meals with all of us crammed into the girls' apartment, the countless games of banana-grams and phase ten played between us girls and the guys on our team that loved being at our house.

I'm so thankful that I wrote things down while I was there, because who would ever want to forget these memories that we will never all have the chance to make again?

Mama

                                                As she says often, we grew up together.
     She was close to the same age I am now when she had me (okay that one scares me a little bit)

She had a friend as a teenager who when they grew up and had daughters who were friends....

We have been friends from day one when I would stay up until 11pm with a young mama who didn't think about the fact that maybe babies weren't supposed to do that, and we still do it when I'm home even to this day.

I had her as a teacher almost my entire life, and can spell quite a bit better than her.. ;)

We have disagreements and we both are childish about 90% of the time.

She still makes me breakfast when I'm at home and don't want to make it myself, and sometimes even midnight snacks.

She gives me money for a new swimsuit (or maybe I should change that to "I hope"...) hahaha

She loves my brothers, me, and Daddy with all her heart!

Happy Mother's day!!

Life.

A newborn baby. A family made larger by one. A little girl made into a big sister. A little boy made into a big brother all over again. A daddy with tears in his eyes as he stares at his new daughter. A husband who is praying to God to allow his family to stay whole. A man of God serving his Lord every single day wondering if he has the faith to keep moving. A mama looking at the miracle that she's been carrying for the past 8 1/2 months. A wife looking into her husbands eyes willing him to have faith.

An entire building where over a hundred people live at one time covering this family in prayer. Rejoicing over a brand new life. Praying healing over another life.

Me in Azerbaijan. Being excited over being able to meet this little girl in less than 2 months. Praying for this family as always. Being so grateful for the fact that maybe they went without as much as usual for a few months so that I was able to be here. Praying for healing. Praying for courage. Wanting to hug the entire family. Thankful that cancer has treatment. Tears.

The Lord Is My Strength And Hope

This precious baby was born yesterday....I can't wait to get back to Colorado to meet her!!!

New name.

Today, I changed the name of this blog.

Not because I was tired of the old name but because my identity is no longer where I am from or where I live or what culture I follow.

My identity is not in the people I know or in the places I go.

My identity is not in my job or even in the way I put my small mark on the world.

My identity is in what I believe.

My identity is shown in the love I show the world, in the things I do all over this planet...in the way I teach.

Read the new name of my blog not expecting to meet me, but to meet my Savior through my words and my actions which I talk about.

Read the new name knowing that in order to make it possible for you to meet me through my words, I must first know myself, which I am growing to learn each day.

So welcome!!