Blooming

 

It's been a while since I've updated anything about my life, what God is showing me, how I'm doing and all I have been up to. So, I thought I'd appropriately (and ironically) title this Bloom to show where things are growing since I last shared much. The irony is that for 3 weeks now we've been in Spring and are still having some of the coldest nights yet.

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. -Psalm 90:12

In the last few months, we haven't had any teams (the last was in July) and I just found out we won't have any more coming for the rest of my term. It could be really easy to complain and be sad about that, but I'm not going to give that any of my time when there is so much to focus on here.

Knowing that I'm leaving in 3 short months has starting putting pressure on myself...to see results, which is good on the business professional side, but horrible for the disciple side. Yes, I need to work diligently while still here (cf. John 9:4), but I cannot be sure of seeing any results. Doesn't mean they aren't going to happen, it just means God's time scale is different and longer than what I would choose (how often is that the truth?) So I cling to God's great promises, knowing He cannot lie or change, and trust by faith for when my work yields fruit.

The small groups I attend are still going strong. We're almost done with John in Puerto Madero and considering Acts next if the others in the group want to. It's been 5 whole months in 1 gospel. Don't you love how rich God's word is that it alone is sufficient and we don't need prepared studies to be students of Christ?? In La Boca we're awaiting the birth of little Benjamin any day now!! We're no longer in the pizza shop, which isn't a bad thing, but it does put the pressure on finding a place to meet.

That's the short of the working side of my life, if you'll call it that. 

I am the Lord; that is my name! I will not yield my glory to another or my praise to idols. See, the former things have taken place, and new things I declare; before they spring into being I announce them to you. Sing to the Lord a new song, his praise from the ends of the earth, you who go down to the sea, and all that is in it, you islands, and all who live in them.  Let the wilderness and its towns raise their voices; let the settlements where Kedar lives rejoice. Let the people of Sela sing for joy; let them shout from the mountaintops. -Isaiah 42:8-11

I have been on 2 great trips in the last month. I will not call either one refreshing because one was physically the hardest thing I think I've ever done in my life, and the other a mental challenge for the weekend. 

I had a week long trip to Peru. And I fell in love. With Peru, just to clarify. The food there is delicious, this much we already know, but the views, the nature.... and Peruvians are just nice people. How could I not love it! I want to go back to see other parts of the country, but it may be a while before that happens. I went with some other company girls to visit the great Machu Picchu and we were blessed! By each others' company, the weather.. in every aspect. (Maybe I'll do a more in depth Peru post about what I did visiting Lima, Cusco, and Machu Picchu for readers with future ganas de ir a Machu Picchu)

Next, I went to a retreat/camp/meeting for ABA Jovenes which is just like youth group but older for the Argentine Baptist Association. We had it in Córdoba which was a 10 hour fun filled adventure in a bus! (see the sarcasm?) Really it wasn't terrible... with 2 stops driving all night we made it in plenty of time. [Note to Americans, why can't you do a 10 hour road trip with only 2 stops?? I remember going 5 hours to Branson with the youth group and had to stop 4 times to let people go to the bathroom.] We had two really great speakers and they talked about being protagonists in the story (or maybe it was in history.. still not sure). How God is THE protagonist, but as his disciples we too are protagonists in where we are. It was great to hear a Christ centered speaker with a heart for God's word. You could hear his passion in the way he preached, and assuming it wasn't just a camp high, a lot of youth were called by God to commit or a decision of some sort. 

So, why wasn't all this refreshing? I'm not against 10 hour bus drives, it's economical when you have a group. But I felt all weekend long I had on 'Merica cap, without evening intentionally putting it on. It was so clear in the way I skipped dinner to go to bed at 11PM to the fact I came to breakfast first every day expecting to leave on time, that you can take the girl out of America but you cannot take the America out of the girl. I try so hard to adjust but it's hard. Oh and did I mention I got sick with a horrible cold and the pharmacy didn't have the meds I needed? I hope I don't sound like ALL complaints here, because it was a good trip and I am thankful for the way the people looked after me. Not only when I was coughing and chugging 2L of water, but just in the in between. The family of God is good.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. -Romans 12:2

A note on me. I'm doing well and still learning a lot. I got to go to a 9Marks conference last week and WOW. If you ever have the chance to listen to them or read their material, please do yourself a favor and do it!! For two nights I sat in with pastors and leaders from all around BA, Argentina, and other South American countries listening to 5 men speak (yep, the conference was in Spanish without translators!) about the Church and Christ and God's word. I left refreshed and challenged which I think is always a good thing. 

I've been doing a Bible Study with the other missionary ladies on my team called the Truth Project. It's a DVD series of 16 weeks I think looking at a Biblical worldview. I highly recommend it, but it isn't easily accessible. You have to complete the series as a "student" to place the order for it as I understand. It's also been a really challenging study to look at every little thing that enters our mind and test it with God's word, and make sure we're not making any assumptions or buying into any either. This study has again strengthened my love for the sufficiency of God's word in our life.

God is still revealing to me areas of my life where I need to let go and change, but I'm telling you it's hard! The process of sanctification is one of the most difficult things because it is showing us our ugly; Our personal sin that we love and don't want to get rid of, but if we're ever going to be like Christ, there is no other way. I'm thankful to God for his mercy and love! That He still pursues me and chasing me, a sinner as I am, knowing my sins past present and future, yet He calls me his own.

(As You) Go - My Vacation to the Falls.

So a few weeks ago I had the great joy of taking vacation to Iguazu Falls. Have you heard of it? Maybe you've seen my pictures?

 

There, that's the falls. As seen from the Brazil side. I thought "seen one set of 'falls' seen 'em all, right? WRONG. Niagara falls has NOTHING on Iguazu. Below: Niagara 

Niagara. Not impressive, I know.

 I'll post more photos of Iguazu, I promise, but this post (really) isn't about the beauty of the falls. 

It's about how even on our vacation, God used my teammate and I to share His truth with Argentine nationals and teach us about this culture we still know so little of.

First, meet Gabriel. This is his Spanish name. He has two other names, I think, one in Guarani which is a tribal name, and then another, in Bu'ah which was a dialect of Guarani. Incredible.

Gabriel was born in the jungle. Just like this picture above shows, he is a natural at building traps. He started going to national schools at 11 years old, and that's when he started learning Spanish. An Argentine, that didn't know Spanish until he was 11 years old! Culture is so rich if you're willing to listen.

Anyway. Gabriel lives with his wife and three kids in a small home with a little bit of electricity (he just doesn't like it; he wasn't raised with it). One weekend per month he comes to this school in the jungle to teach about 100 children the ways and heritage of the Guarani so that the kids don't get any half-truths from the national schools.

Along our jungle tour, Gabriel told us that his father was a Shaman. This was really interesting to me for several reasons. In college, I did my capstone project over shamanism. When you confront that in real life with your beliefs and knowing truth, it is a strong dissonance. 

Then there was the fact that I hear about these tribes, and people who are animistic and often are associated with Brazil and Peru, but Argentina? My mind so often drifts to Buenos Aires -- which is anything but tribal. The diversity here is real and my heart longs for them, and for once, I understood and if even for only a fraction, felt like I knew what it felt like for the people working with the Unreached, unengaged people groups all around the world. And that's not even to say that all UUPGs are animistic.

When we started talking to Gabriel about the afterlife, I was curious if he had a spirit, where would it go? He told me we all have a good and bad spirit.  With all due respect, I asked if they were little angels and devils sitting on our shoulders. He laughed and told me no, that they come from the earth and heaven when we're born and then return to where they came from when we die. That simple. 

My friend had to ask him then, where did he learn this? He told us his father, who learned it from his father, and so forth. But there are no books with anything written. Because their language (bu'ah, remember?) is not a written language, it's only spoken.

Oh, how I pray for the Holy Spirit to just open his eyes! Truly, I saw Romans 1:20-23 played out in that very moment. Gabriel chose to give credit the things of God, to things of the gods. 

Yet how often is my sin so similar; choosing to give the credit of things of God to credit of man.

Ruth and I left with him an opportunity to know the cross and he unfortunately never wanted to hear it, and we didn't see him the next few days because our schedule had us out all day. If you think about him, or right now, please pray for Gabriel, that his eyes would be open to Creator God. That God would continue to be merciful in sending people to share truth with him and that he would not reject the beauty that is so evident around him.

my super fun travel partner for the week!

Ok, so you've heard one story of how God moved in my heart teaching or showing me something, but there's more. Enter day 3 of our trip and we're heading to the Argentine side of the falls and up drives this guy is in an unmarked car wanting to give us a ride. Uhhh, no thanks. He circles around. Says he'll do it for the same price as the bus. I see on his window it says "Cristo me guia" or, Christ guides me.  Well that must make everything better! (at this point you probably think we're writing the script for Taken 4, but I assure you, it's okay!)

Ruth and I talk it over and I get in, and before she gets in and shuts the door, she takes one last look at the lisence plate number (how's THAT for contingency training?!?) and we're off to the falls! Our driver's name is Miguel, and he's young, and I quickly ask him what the sticker across his windshield means to him.

"Oooh, that means everything to me." He assures us. He quickly hands us a really old, used Bible and hymnal that was up on the dashboard that I had noticed right after we got in the car. After looking over the Bible, I realized the pages were missing from Genesis 1-4. The pages were a yellow/brown. I had a feeling this had been in the family for a while. He told us he was evangelical, Betuel [note to self: still need to look them up. Every Argentine in BA has not heard of this sect/congregation...]. I mentioned to him our experience with Gabriel and said "so animism must be normal here by the jungle?" and his response?? No, we're about 85% evangelicals in Iguazu. 

Now, Buenos Aires is about 2% evangelical, reached of the 14 million. I cannot fathom this little city being that reached. I didn't see one church! Ruth and I eyed each other in the back seat with a smile to keep from gasping, I think. So, appropriating, she led the next question to explain his relationship with Christ. He talked about how he was raised in the church, going since he was a child with his parents and grandparents, but not once was the word S I N mentioned.

We thanked him for the ride and had his information for the next day to go to the airport. This is where it gets good.

The next morning Miguel came to pick us up with his girlfriend to take us to the airport. We didn't have too much for conversation until on the way to get gas he tells us they saw a snake coming to get us and showed us the picture they took of it. 

I think both Ruth and I were both thinking about how the conversation ended the day before, and wanting to know how to get back to it. Suddenly Ruth asked them if they'd ever heard of the story in the Bible about the snake in the garden. They said no.

This is a 21 year old boy who was raised in an evangelical home driving around with his "Cristo me guia" sticker and Bible in the dashboard and didn't know who the snake in the garden was....SAY WHAT??

So Ruth ever-so-kindly tells them that I'm going to share a story. I went through Genesis 3 with them all the way to the airport, and the whole time, Miguel's eyes were looking back into the rearview mirror. When I explained the moment she picked and ate the fruit, sin entered the world, you know what verse he referenced sin with?? Not Romans 3:23. Not 6:23. Not even 5:8

John 8:7.

But. It was so great to share with him that from that moment, God had a plan for redemption, that the seed of woman, Jesus Christ, would crush the head of the serpent and forever have power over death.

Miguel asked us where to find this story and we said, Genesis 3. Just chapter 3? Genesis 3, God's word, that's it, we told him. Not my word's but His. Remember how I told you that Bible on his dashboard was torn and didn't start until Genesis 5? I pray he and his girlfriend went home and read it and sought truth for themselves.

I am continually seeing how the truth God showed to me from 2 Kings 22 keeps coming around, the importance of the Law, and teaching it to those around us, to your children. This boy who claims to be an evangelical didn't know the story of the garden, of sin. We have to read God's word to know God's word. To know Him.

I think I've written enough here. I just wanted to share about some of the awesome ways God allowed me to be apart of the work and people's live in the part of the country. I could share about Alex the German, but that's just your typical post-modern worldview, and sadly there's so many of those around I feel like there all the same... though I know every person's story is different. Like Alex, who was in town to see Haussentauten. The DeadPANTS. Not DeadPANS. Better to say DeadTROUSERS so someone doesn't misunderstand you. Which can happen in German. If you say Haussentouten it means DeadHARES, like dead rabbits or something, and that's just sad.

Ok really I'm just rambling now. Here are some pictures of this BEAUTIFUL world wonder!!

Enjoy! xo 

so much water

garganta del diablo

rainbow

2 for 1

Part I

Imma about to tell you something. Normally my posts are fairly organized but tonight, I came home from church, semi-discouraged about something. Seems to be the norm these days that there's something to tell my roommate about at the end of the day that is "wrong."

Why are churches just bad at being churches? Or loving people, rather?? That was my thought. And before I could keep going with reasons, God stopped me in my tracks and said: because it's made up of sinners. Listo. That's all I needed to hear. No church is perfect. Not in Buenos Aires, not in Tennessee, not in Missouri. We're all broken people and as long as we're on this earth, the Church - the church- is going to have issues. And that is a fact you can take to the bank. We'll remain that way until Christ returns, to make us WHOLE.

I so can't wait for that day. I so need Jesus. Don't you??

Part II

So I have to tell you about another thing I read this morning in my Bible that has just so convicted me for our world. Second Kings 22 we read about Josiah who has come to reign at such a young age and praise God, he doesn't follow his father's footsteps, but he chooses to seek God and restore the temple. (Why and how, I honestly don't know. If you read his family's messed up past, there's no reason apart than evidence that GOD calls people to himself.)

In verse 8 something interesting happens here, and the high priest finds the Law of Moses, or the Scriptures, which had been hidden away for years (because I'm telling you, MESSED UP family history rid the land of God's word. ¡Ojo!) When King Josiah finds out about God's law for the first time, it says he tore his clothes! He was living in a time so sinful and apart from God's law that he knew they were far from what God demanded of His people. He found a prophetess to call upon the Lord and find out will happen to them because they have so veered from what the Book says. He has a truly repentant heart. And the Lord hears that because in verses 19-20 the Lord tells him his eyes won't see the disaster to come.

When I read this passage today, I just wept for our generation, the world we live in. I fear that people don't appreciate the Bible for the living word that it is, while yet there are people and nations waiting for it to come in their own language. I live in one of the most literate cities of the world, and yet I can't get people - believers - to get together and study this incredible tool, gift we've been given.

I fear we're going to get to the point of Josiah where generations down, children won't even know the Word of God because parents didn't teach it to them. If only the Israelites had remembered. If only they had taken to heart Deuteronomy 6:5-7:

⁵ You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.⁶ And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. ⁷ You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.

Dear friends, please don't let us get that way. I'm not going to ask you to read your Bible because it's the "Christian thing" to do, I tried that for many years and it's tiring. Don't read it out of guilt, either. Definitely don't read it because you're bored.

I ask you to experience God through His word, prayerfully, and see what He wants to show you. You'll never walk away the same. But please, let us not be like the man James warns against, saying "for he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like" (1:24). 

Hanging.

If you got my last update, you saw me write a lot about discouragement. It was an over-hanging feeling all month long and wasn't just a one time feeling. It was the accumulation of different people [what felt like] constantly cancelling on me. Bailing. Leaving me hanging.

Now in the middle of all this, I had a great friend who was trying to be so encouraging and telling me, "I just thank God when people cancel because it means I can spend my time reading!" which is true, but when I have finished 6 books in a month, you know something's gotta give.

So tonight I was just so wrapped up in the thought that God knows in the moment I make plans with people, that those plans are going to fail.

Then I was taken to an even scarier thought.

All those times I leave God waiting for me.

He is always there, ready with an open ear wanting me to come to give me everything. Wanting to hear my concerns, my heartache, my joys, my all. Yet how often do I rush my time with him in the morning or cut short my time with him in the nights because of somewhere I have to be, or I'm too tired.

Yet sadly those are the exact same responses people give me when I'm looking forward to my plans with them in the week and then the day of when I go to confirm, they tell me they can't meet.

But our Heavenly Father, everlasting and good, is just waiting for us to go to him. And he hears us. He isn't a god that we have to fast, sacrifice, or work our way to. He has already made a way to be near to us.

I'm so thankful for Jesus and the Father never hanging up on me. Never giving up on me. Never ignoring me when I ignore him.

Psalm 40 starts off with, "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock." (vv. 1-2)

MUD and MIRE. SLIMY PITS, people! It's in the Bible. But that's what my sin is and if God can look past that and still give an ear to me, than I suppose I can take heart and not be so dis-couraged when people cancel or don't make plans for the week.

Yes, it makes relationships a little more difficult, but nobody said it was easy... [cue the Coldplay music]

Xo, B

A Valentine's Day Pslam.

Pslam 103, of David

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, 

Bless His holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, 

and forget not all His benefits,

3 Who forgives all your iniquity, 

who heals all your diseases,

4 Who redeems your life from the pit, 

who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 Who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways to Moses,

His acts to the people of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, 

slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.

9 He will not always chide nor will He keep his anger forever.

10 He does not deal with us according to our sins,

nor repay us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth

so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

12 As far as the east is from the west, 

so far does he remove our transgressions from us.

13 As a father shows compassion to his children, 

so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.

14 For he knows our frame, he remembers we are dust

15 As for man, his days are like grass, 

he flourishes like a flower of the field;

16 for the wind passes over it and it is gone, 

and its place knows it no more.

17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting

on those who fear him,

 and his righteousness to children's children,

18 To those who keep his covenant, 

and remember to do his commandments.

19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens,

and his kingdom rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, 

you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word!

21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will!

22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his domain.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

All Things Redeemed.

Christ the Redeemer. Redemption. We are redeemed. He is redeeming all things. These are all thoughts that have been on my mind lately and I love when God puts His word with a physical picture to remind us of it! Don't you? His word is living and active and ever present in our lives.

The first definition in the dictionary says:

redeem

/rɪˈdiːm/

1.

 Compensate for the faults or bad aspects of; to do something that compensates for poor past performance or behavior, to atone or make amends for (sin, error, or evil), to save (someone) from sin, error, or evil. 

 

Synonyms: vindicate, save/free from blame, remove guilt from, compensating, qualifying, save, compensate for the defects of, rescue, justify, vindicate.

Now that we've clarified what being redeemed what what redemption is, I can go on. Last week I was able to read the story of Ruth again and I just love the way the writer writes it like a play. He sets it up so perfectly as a drama, setting the way for the kinsman redeemer to come and save Ruth. Just as Christ has been brought into humanity's life story to be our Redeemer. To atone, make amend for our evil, our sin.

This week I've been thinking about how God redeems so much, not just at the start of our walk with Him and he's done, but all throughout our lives, he takes things and makes them new.

For example.

I have these two floral plants on my balcony that I bought when my mom was here and I was so excited to have color and something to look at. If you know me, or have ever worked with me, you know I have a black thumb. I kill plants! I don't know a thing about watering or how much sunlight, or watering (!!) they need. So a week after my parents left, I did too for a trip and I left my plants outside because that's were plants go, right? In the sun? Well, much to my dismay, when it's 90* and sunny and you're not home to water them, you're SUPPOSED to bring them inside, I'm told. So imagine my surprise when I get home and they are all but brown. I ran to the kitchen and dump buckets of water on those plants and watch the next day for blooms.

And were there blooms the next day? No.

But this week, 3 weeks later, with slow watering and a careful eye, both plants have had blooms and I am happy to say my balcony has color again.  God has redeemed, or compensated for poor past performance or behavior, the life of my plants, when I should have brought them in but left them out to almost die in the sun. My poor behavior and knowledge on flowers led to their bad, but God has redeemed it for their good! You guys I was so excited when I realized this connection. 

Did you see my post on Monday about my quick prayer, "Lord redeem this 10x over"? He always has a plan to bring about good, don't you know Romans 8:28! And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

*not my photo, not my blooms. I wish.

 {P.S. There's a really great song by Big Daddy Weave that is called Redeemed that you should check out! Here's the link for it! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU }

Monday Musings.

This is going to be short. Yesterday I was out walking a LOT farther and longer than I thought I was going to. It was easy to get frustrated, with myself, mind you. Nobody else was to blame for getting off the bus too soon or for not asking precise directions when leaving the church.

So I came up with this quick prayer, and I'm pretty sure other people say it and it's not original, but I just said:

"Lord, please redeem this situation 10 times over."

Just like that, it leaves you open to expect the Lord to come in great ways and redeem and make much of himself. Especially when we make messes of ourselves.

Try it and see if you don't find yourself with less stress and joy!

2015: Chasing

As I wrote this title, I can't believe we're already in 2015, and more so, almost done with January.

Last week as I was flying to Guatemala, I filled my phone up with podcasts to last the 18 hour travel day, and the first one I listened to that day was from Jeff and Alyssa Bethke. It's a new one and this particular day they were talking about the new year and goal setting. Everyone's favorite, right?

So Alyssa went on to share about how every year she finds a word to capitalize on and make it her everything, a focus, for that year. For example, this year it was JOY. So many verses talk about rejoicing and we know it is a part of the Christian's character.

I've normally picked out a verse for the year, not that I search my Bible January 1st, but as the days go on I feel like God places something on my heart. So when I heard this idea about a word I wondered if I could find something like that for me.
. . .

In my 2014 end of the year post for I talked about how I don't want this year to look like the last or the one that follows. I want each year to be better than the last. And the only thing that I could think of for this is chasing. Maybe it was influenced by a favorite Bethel Music song, but who can hold that against me? ;)

chase¹

/tʃeɪs/
verb
gerund or present participle: chasing
1) to follow, rapidly in order to catch or overtake, pursue
2) to seek the favor or company of persistently 

I have 1 year left (down to the week) here in Buenos Aires, and I want every day to be spent chasing the only One who matters. Ministry comes second to my time with the Father, because He's the one from whom all blessings flow, afterall. When I see the synonyms or definitions for chasing, I realize that it's active, a present tense thing we do. It's not something for us to sit by and watch happen. We are going after something, whether it's Christ or not. 

I made a goal for myself, and feel free to come back and check me on this, but I looked up all Scriptures with seek, pursue, and follow in it and there was a good variety from both Old and New Testament. We are told to chase peace, love, JESUS. And do it whole-heartedly. 

When I think about how He pursued me in my sin, and continues to chase me when I'm far from Him, I'm overwhelmed by his grace. How can it not evoke a response of anything less than a life of worship to my Savior.

 

2014: A Year in Review

I always like to sit back and look at my year's past and see what has happened during the last 12 months. To see the tapestry the Lord is weaving, and while sometimes I see one square inch of it, it's good to know it's there nonetheless. Here I was a here ago already reflecting on 2013!

2014 was a huge year for me. Leaving home, for real. Saying lots of see-you-later's. Adjusting to people difference from myself. Living in a culture different from my own. I could continue, but I'll save that for myself. I think the main thing I heard through all of this though, is that regardless, the only constant I'll ever have, is God. Granted, I have always known that, praise Him, but His faithfulness has only been proven more and more in the roughness of this year. Don't get me wrong, there was lots of celebrating this year, but it's in the rough moments that we come to realize His faithfulness.

In the hard times of this year, the ugly times, when I just didn't see the point, He brought me back to His will and His word in John 15:16. You did not choose me, but I chose you, and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. Those are Jesus' words, and knowing that He is seated at the right hand of the Father, I take great comfort in knowing I can come to him with a n y t h i n g. Without that, I would not have made it through this year.

I briefly looked through my pictures from this year... when I say briefly, I mean it was quick, to pick for you the best representation of what meant the most in 2014, or some of the most memorable, rather. There's so much more I could say and pick from. A lot in here in not included, like my church, the teams I work with, etc, but those are also a part of my life here in Buenos Aires. But those are everyday life now, and pictures I chose are 'milestone' moments of 2014, if you will... So, starting from January to December, we begin in Virginia:

my time in Virginia for FPO was golden. i made some new friends, both field workers and not, that i know i will have for a lifetime and I'm so thankful for the time i had before leaving the states spent here. [l to r: Leanne, Emily, Carlie, Natalie, Corey, me, Clint]

moving to a city of 13 million and living in an apartment after living in a big house with your parents in a suburb of a city of 200k doesn't have any comparison... you just do it, and hope you adjust well. Well, I've loved it. BA, you're amazing.

i celebrated my 25th birthday after 1 month here and wasn't sure I'd have anyone to invite. Well, as you can see, I had 4 friends at that dinner and i'd have them all over again. Thankful for their sweet friendships. God has richly blessed me in that even still in Argentina, it's not the quantity, but the quality that matters to me.

in July I had the amazing opportunity to go to the Dominican Republic with the company. It was a great escape from the city, a time to hear from soon-to-be-president David Platt, reconnect with friends from Viriginia, and meet new friends.

in October i went to Rio, solo. It wasn't the plan, but life doesn't always go as planned, does it? It was a lesson in patience, trust, and i had a great time with the family i stayed with! Brazil is nothing like the rest of Latin America, but the people are friendly, the food is great, and the weather is HOT!

December brought my parents HERE to Argentina!! They came for Christmas and New Years and we took a trip to Mendoza in between. Here they are in front of Aconcagua, the tallest mountain in the Americas!

I hope everyone has a good New Year's Eve/Day, and that 2015 is everything they want it to be.  I hope this year is full of challenges, in a good way, that push you to be a better person. Push you to want more of Christ, drawing you closer to Him. I know personally for me this year, I've come to realize that at the age of 25, I don't want my walk with Christ to look the same as last year's, and I don't want next year's routine to be the same as this year's. I want each year to be more, to be growing more like Christ, whatever that may be. 

May your 2015 be full.

Love,

B

City Sidewalks.

Today I was meeting a friend for lunch and as you can imagine, I was following American time, but following Argentine time, she was 45 minutes later. As I stood on a street corner waiting for her, I got to see a lot. Think a lot. Standing on this busy street corner, I got to thinking about how many people were passing by me on this beautiful spring-like winter day. So, I started counting how many people crossed the crosswalk at every light change. I usually got anywhere from 50-75 people in 1 minute crossing the street.  I didn't really keep track of the light changes, but if you can imagine in 45 minutes, I wouldn't be surprised if 750-1000 people passed by me this afternoon. And while I was watching, the biggest statistic for general Buenos Aires came to my mind: 1 out of 95 might be a believer. There on the street corner I stood, my heart breaking for the masses of people...wanting to know where to even begin.

God has been so good to me lately serving me opportunities for spiritual conversations, and He's using it to open my eyes to the broken reality that this city is. The broken world that we live in. It's one thing to read survey's done about what people think about God, but then to have those conversations yourself and hear people say:

 "All religions are just love. All those prophets, Jesus, Muhammad, they were just enlightened ones..." 

- or how about -

"Yea, I pray to God, to Jesus, but I am my own church. I don't need to go to one. I don't think there is anything after this life, so I feel good about what I have."

... Hearing that is crushing. But, it's encouraging that a) they're open to talking about things of God, and b) God is using them in my life to encourage me to do more. Keep talking. Because "this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come" (Matthew 24:14).

Blind Faith.

"He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it." 1 Thessalonians 5:24

The weather here has been melanchonly lately and I feel that this fall weather is matching my mood. Yet God keeps bringing this truth to the forefront of mind mind in the last few days as an anchor. Not the part about being faithful, this much I know. But that He will surely do it. I always have faith, that is never lacking. But can I really call it faith if I lack the belief on when it will be done?? I submit not because then I'm trusting in my own time, my own expectations, and that's not what God has called us to do. This is hard for me.

Today marks 5 weeks in country for me. It feels more like 2 months, but really, it's only been 5 weeks. 2 years is a long time. I feel like the first 3 months is going to be the hardest... especially when you're this shy and introverted. I wish my future friends would just come find me here and now.  Life never is that simple though, is it? If you know me well, you know I'm not the type to have 50 different friends. I just can't operate like that. I'd be doing good to have 4 friends. Then I could go deep with those 4. Deeper that I ever could with those 50, and I'd be lifelong friends with those 4. I just wish I knew right now who they are. But I'm only 5 weeks in. And I have 89 weeks left here, roughly. So here's to being perceiving this week and in the weeks to come as to who God is putting in my path.

Those are really all my thoughts tonight. This verse has been a stronghold for me and rather than always leaving you with music, I wanted to give you some idea of what's running through my mind as of late. 5 weeks in, and that's about it. Friendships are hard when you're trying to be intentional. For me, anyway. I'm super thankful for my supervisor and his wife, they are super encouraging and so incredibly wise... I love meeting with them and hearing them talk about anything! They're a great duo.  I'm leaving you with pretty pictures of my city and Pinterest quotes. Have a good rest of the week!

Panoramic view from atop of a co-workers rooftop. One of my favorite views in the city!

One of the most famous cafes in town, Cafe Tortoni