11 days to go...

I can't believe it. We only have 11 days until we step on a plane headed for Davao, Philippines. This whole process has just been so fast, it is hard to know how to feel. I don't think I truly realize that my life is about to change so dramatically. The things that we do, the people we see, the places we go, the food we eat, the way we cook, the culture we live in, even the way we wash our clothes is about to change. I feel like it all comes with a bag of mixed emotions. I know that I am feeling excited, a little apprehensive, curious, nervious, encouraged, and overwhelmed, but most of all I am feeling very content and peaceful, knowing that the Lord has His hand upon this next step in our lives. He has done so much to confirm that this is where He wants us.
At this moment, and it could change any second, I think I am mostly curious. We have seen pictures, video, and even Google earth of the school campus and surrounding areas. You know how when you are about to embark on a new journey, you kind-of imagine what it will be like and you even picture the place you will live and the people you will meet. Well, maybe you don't do that, but I sure do. So, I have found myself imagining what our lives will look like in the Philippines so much lately. But you know how every time you imagine a place, and then you go there, and it never looks like what you imagined. Yeah, so here I am picturing our lives there, knowing that all these pictures in my head are not going to be reality. Even though I know that, I still can't help but picturing what it would be like. Weird, I know. So I end up just plain curious about what it will be like. Ok, I should go busy myself with the 80 million things we have on our to do list before we leave so that I can stop this cycle of imagining and then convincing myself that that picture won't be reality. Off I go...

My Health

So, I just realized that I have not given an update on my health. I am doing much better these days. I have a few things going on in my body, nothing major, but must of my symptoms were probably caused by stress. Yeah, who knew that stress could cause your body to freak out on you! I had some really bad problems for about 2 weeks and then it gradually got better. I am doing really well now.
Ya know, its kind-of strange. I almost felt like we were dealing with some spiritual warfare. There was a time when so many things for our trip to the Philippines just wasn't working out and then they finally did(at the last possible second). Soon after, I started having all these health issues and we weren't even sure if we were still going to be able to go! We felt that either God might be telling us that this is not the time to go, or Satan might be trying to discourage us! Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world!! Looking back on it now, it just prepared us even more to leave. God taught us so much about Him and about each other. God has continued to confirm to us that this is what He wants for us! It's amazing to see how God uses things in our lives to draw us closer to Him. What Satan meant for evil, God meant for good. I love how God works!
Thank you all so much for all your prayers! I am so blessed to have amazing people in my life who will pray for me and walk along side of me even in my darkest times. You all mean so much to me! Thanks.

What a Mighty God we Serve

Yeah, so I know that I have not posted about this, but I think most of you know. Life has been so crazy lately, I almost forgot I even had a blog! Rob and I are moving to Davao, Philippines to teach at a missionary kids school for about 10 months. We recently bought our tickets! and will be flying out of New Orleans on August 3, and arriving in the Philippines August 5. I guess August 4 just won't really exist for us considering we will only be traveling for 24 hours! Needless to say we have been extremely busy preparing to move overseas. The crazy part is that we were accepted at the beginning of May and needed to be there at the beginning of Aug. Yeah, I know, do the math, that's only 3 months to prepare! Talk about a God-sized task. The last 3 months have been some of the hardest times in my life and some of the sweetest times in my life, where I could sense the Lord gradually leading me along each step of the way. God is just working everything out. It is the most amazing thing to see. I NEVER dreamed that we would raise the amount of money we needed in the 3 months that we hadto raise it. Rob and I assumed that we would have to save money, sell his truck, etc. in order for us to be able to have enough money to go. In the last few weeks, GOD (only God could do this!) has blessed us by giving us almost 100%! Yeah, a couple of weeks ago we were only at about 35%. our God is so amazing! God is so much bigger than I think He is! I am still blown away at how He is taking care of all the details! It is so amazing to see. I wish that I could convey to you in words how much God has provided and taught us through this process, but it just seems that words do not do justice! All I feel like I can do lately is thank the Lord for all He is doing in our lives! Davao, Philippines here we come! 15 days and counting! We are so convinced that this is the next step in our journey of life and we can't wait to see what the Lord is going to do in us and through us as we serve Him overseas!! Praise the Lord!