gracious and abundant…

God has continually, and ever faithfully shown me His perfect sufficiency in my life during my time here- and not just in my life….but in the lives of many people I have been around.  I am so thankful for experiences to look back on in my own life that clearly demonstrate the character of God.  It’s one thing to read stories of His faithfulness in His Word, or to hear about it from other people….but entirely something else to be able to point to a time in your own story when He proved Himself faithful to you!  I am SO thankful for that!  
And- as in awe of that as I am……it gets better- God has not just been sufficient….but graciously, and abundantly sufficient!  That is a beautiful thing about the God that I serve…..He does not do just what He has to, but far exceeds in every way!  God is SO good….and I am blessed to be His child!  

 

 

 

 

This week has held a lot of emotions in getting ready to leave……saying goodbyes already to friends and people that I have gotten to know while being here.
We finished up full time school on Thursday- and I think we ended on a really good note.  The kids have learned a lot and are doing well, so that is good and encouraging.
We went to co-op on Friday and I was totally blessed by the moms there- remembering that I was leaving……having a really sweet card that all of them signed and a gift, and having their kids make cards for me- and lots of hugs and well wishes!  It’s been fun to be apart of that….and I was totally blown away by their kindness to me!

It seems absolutely CRAZY that in just a few short days I will be HOME with my family!  Can’t even express how excited I am to see them!  

And- I get to have a bit of an adventure in London on my way home….so that is happy!

The next couple days will be hard goodbyes- to the kiddos at the Baby Home, and to the Fowlers…….so I ask for prayer just for a really special last day in Uganda!  

Lord, we long for you!

This morning I was reading out of Isaiah- and just so encouraged by what I read- jumping into this new and LAST week in Uganda! I am constantly amazed by the Lord using scripture to encourage, and challenge us all in unique ways.  With my girlfriends here- that is something I have so enjoyed with them- challenging eachother in things that we are challenged by through God’s Word, living here, hard things, and good things!
Anyways- here is Isaiah:

“Oh LORD, be gracious to us, we long for you. Be our strength every morning, our Salvation in time of distress.  The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high.  He will fill Zion with justice and righteousness.  He will be the sure foundation for your times, a rich store of salvation and wisdom and knowledge.  The fear of the LORD is the key to this treasure.”

~Isaiah 33:2,5-6

Just blessed by those words.  I love the words “Lord we long for you”  ….such a beautiful expression of dependence and need for our God.
And- the Lord being described as a rich store of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge.  We serve an amazing God, and I am so thankful for His character and His Word.

I would love to hear about what you are reading from the Bible these days and how you have been encouraged.

Meanwhile- I leave one week from today!  This time next week I will be in London having my 24 hour experience there!
Today school went well, and now we only have 4 days left of that until I leave.  After school I had a tea party with the girls- sad to know that our time together is soon going to be ending.  The Fowlers have definitely had a special place in my heart….and this week especially I will treasure each hug I get from them, every time I tickle the kids and hear their laughter, our time of school, and just living life here alongside them.

Have a great day!  Treasure people, treasure moments, and I pray you are encouraged through the Word!

how lucky i am…

Saying goodbyes are never fun….but just realizing what a blessing it is that saying goodbye on this end will be hard for me.  That means that relationships have been valuable and special, and have impacted me.
And then also- what a blessing to know that a loving, wonderful family will meet me at the airport in Denver in just 9 days!  :)   Reunions are the best!

Things have been busy here!  Last weekend Kelly and I watched all the kids while Leo and Menda went to Fort Portal for a few days just to get away.  We had a good time at home with the kids, holding down the fort!

This week, we have been trying to finish up school and get to a good stopping point before I leave…..5 days left!  It has been fun to see some of the things that the kids have learned this year, and to know that they have grown and been challenged, and definitely made progress in their work.

Today I am killing worms…..Bilharzia worms to be exact. Read about it only if you want to be grossed out.  I went to the surgery on Friday to make sure that I was going home worm, and parasite free- but I do have this….so am taking meds for it this weekend to KILL them!  Ewww!

Yesterday I went to Jinja with Amanda…..and it was a day of adventure, LOTS of public transportation, good laughs, and really not what we planned! But, I was thankful to have a day adventure, and fun time with a friend!

This is us with our boda driver Moses- who said every time we asked him if he knew where we were going “yes, I know it”…..then we’d go a bit farther and realize…..yeah, he doesn’t know where to go.  And we would laugh, ask other people, follow other bodas, etc.  Good times.
We ate lunch overlooking the beautiful Nile River and watching people bungee jump, so that was enjoyable!

This week is looking full and busy!  Can’t believe that those suitcases I packed so carefully almost 9 months ago are gonna be packed up again!
Definitely needing to trust God for each of these next days before going home……contentment, peace, patience, strength, and just depending on Him for all things even when I feel overwhelmed.

 

 

 

It’s May!

Okay People, 
I can’t even believe it’s May already!  Seems like honestly we were just celebrating the New Year!  It is going by SO quickly.  I feel like life here kinda all blends together since we are completely without seasons……..for me- it has been summer for an entire year straight!  
I go home in 2 1/2 weeks!  Although I am going back for summer in the States- I know it will be different there, and I am SO looking forward to time at the lake, BBQ’s, tennis, volleyball, bike riding, picnics, campfires, friends, family, and boyfriend time   :)

 

Trying to see the babies as much as possible before I leave….and realizing that a whole lot of goodbyes are coming up in a couple of weeks.  Kelly and I took Rose to the airport the other night, and it kind of hit me then that that will be me very soon!  

Recent Highlights:

-going to CrossFit in Kampala with Rose……running, doing sit-ups, pull-ups, and squats in the dark….and riding a boda back to her apartment- I would have thought the whole experience was strange before coming to Africa….totally normal now.  

-Shopping day in Kampala on Monday to get last minute souvenirs…..

-Meeting a guy from Germany on a taxi yesterday…..and being able to help him know when to get off, how much to pay, and to help him negotiate a price for a boda…..made me feel like an old pro living here!

-Taking beach balls that my Mom sent in her last package to me to the baby home yesterday….they LOVED them and had a really good time playing with them!

-Encouraging girl time last weekend with Rose and Amanda….all enjoying time together before we head out! 

I guess that’s all from me for now!  I hope you all are having a wonderful week!

 

winding down:

22 days left in Africa…..

I am feeling very reflective about things right now….and my time here.  Crazy how quickly it all seems to be coming to an end.  It is bittersweet for sure….thinking of all that I have learned and experienced here, and all the amazing people that I have met during my time here.  Saying goodbye to the kiddos makes me sad just thinking about it.
With so few days left….I feel like they will be full and busy.
My friend Katy left this past week, and Rose leaves this week- so time is running out for lots of us.

2 years ago around this time I was graduating from Bible School and was challenged by one of our teachers to finish well…….it’s always easy to start things, but finishing them is much harder and takes a lot more character.  So, I am challenged in that right now as well…..part of my heart feels so ready to move on to things back in America- but I know that I need to be present here and will trust God to be able to do that!

Lately I have loved the verse in Isaiah 25:1 that says:

“O lord, you are my God, I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done marvelous things, things planned long ago!”

Water balloons during PE……thanks for sending them Mom!

Learning about marsupials in animal science class for co-op…..I had the kids make really cute little kangaroos with joey’s!

Today in church we sung a song by Matt Redman that I really loved called “Never Once”….here are some lyrics from it:

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us
Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Was Your power in us
Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Happy Sunday.
~Amy

hope:

 

“The earth will be FULL of the knowledge of the Lord….as the waters cover the sea.” Is. 11:9 My heart is definitely longing for the day that as obvious as it is now to say “the ocean is full of water” it will be to say “the earth is full of CHRIST!” 
I was reading this chapter in Isaiah the day last week that I found out about some of the craziness that is going on in the States….bombings, shootings, etc.  And, as I felt just overwhelmed by all of that and at a loss to even know what to pray….I was comforted by this passage that promises restoration to a world that desperately needs it!  
This passage talks about justice and peace and righteousness reigning….and I love that hope that we can have as believers.  Christ is going to come back and make all things beautiful again.  

in the middle of africa

Who would have thought that in the middle of Africa I would meet such sweet friends to hang out with.  5 girls from Oregon, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, and Nebraska meeting in Uganda and blessing eachothers lives with much needed friendship and community.
God definitely answered my prayers in bringing these women into my life.  They have all been doing amazing things here and I am inspired by each of them.  They have incredible hearts for the Lord and for what they are doing here in Africa.
I was so blessed to be able to safari with all of them….to enjoy reminiscing about American things we love….Target, Starbucks, even just ice-water from Starbucks, almond milk, music, grocery stores etc…..and of course more meaningful things challenging one another in our ministries and work here.
After leaving Africa…we may never see eachother again in this life….but for now, I have been truly grateful for my season of friendship with these girls!

My friend Amanda wrote a really sweet post that you should also read over on her blog.

stewarding:

It’s crazy to me how very different each persons experience on this very same earth can be. No person has ever lived the life that you are living, and no one ever will. 
Each combination of experiences and reactions to those experiences is completely unique.
Our lives are journeys of learning and trying new things, going new places, working, playing, and loving….and all the good and bad in between.  
Something I have been challenged with recently through a Beth Moore study (if you’re a fan of her great, if not, great…..either way, I learned some good things!)….is the idea that we are to be stewarding our life experiences.  Our circumstances in life, our stories, and the things that we have gone through are unique to us….and we are called to be responsible in using those things in our lives for God’s glory.  
Our stories are not always meant to be locked up and not shared with others.  Maybe things in your past or an experience you have had could be of great help or encouragement to someone else going through something similar.  
There are definitely reasons for going through things that we do.  

I have had some amazing opportunities in my life….missions trips, going to Bible School, having amazing friends, great jobs, living in Africa, etc……and I definitely am challenged in my thinking of whether I am stewarding those things well.  
Often for me, I struggle with being selfish in things and kind of just want to do my own thing sometimes….I act as if my life only affects me and not others.  But, as the saying goes….”no man is an island” and really everything that I do affects others and vice versa.  
This can either be good or bad.  Everyday we rub shoulders with people and through conversations, working together, or whatever…..part of their story often rubs off on you.  
Our past- all the hard and painful things we have experienced and struggled with….and
Our life experiences- the cool, amazing things we have been blessed with being able to do, the things that give us depth….are things that we need to guard and carefully use in our lives for ministering to others.  

I love the verse above….and I think it is phrased so beautifully- only we ourselves can know the things in our heart that are hard, that cause us pain, and that we struggle with…..as well as only we can know the things that truly bring us joy, that inspire us, that we are passionate about, etc.  
It sounds so cliche to say that each person is unique….but really, it is so true- and I am encouraged and challenged to see that our paths on this earth are SO vastly different….and that amazing things can come from all of them! 

I hope that maybe in some way this is a challenging thought to you as well.  
Blessings, 
Amy

Sister Post- Summer Memories

Since summer is a FAVORITE time of year for both Jenny and I….we decided to post on some of our favorite summer memories from the past few years!  It was fun to think back on my previous summers and the adventures that they have held….and then to look forward to the adventure that this summer will hold!
Check out Jenny’s post over on her blog!

My parents were gone for a week during this summer- and I was just home for a little bit after my first year of Bible School…..Me and my two little sisters had a BLAST that week just hanging out…having lots of girl time, playing loud music, rollerblading, watching Little House on the Prairie, roasting marshmallows over our fire pit….oh and making pizzas! Definitely fun memories for all of us!
That summer was also when my older sister Katie got married!  We added Nathan to our family and all of us got to be together for a short time for the wedding!
That summer I also worked at Camp Id-Ra-Ha-Je in Colorado which was a wonderful and challenging experience.  I met lots of cool people and definitely learned a ton!
At the end of the summer before going back to school, I got to be apart of Leadership Training for New Tribes Bible Institutes student leadership team which was an amazing time with fellow classmates and some of our teachers and deans.  It was a great summer!

 

Summer 2011 was also good….just a bit different, and a bit harder for me.  I just graduated from NTBI and was trying to figure life out again…..But, I enjoyed great time with my family, I worked at True Value again, helped with VBS, spent time with friends, and made plans to move to Missouri!
A big highlight was going to Snowy Range- our favorite family camping spot in Wyoming!  It was SO much fun to go as it had definitely been a while since we had made the trip…..Snowy Range holds precious memories for me and is one of my favorite places in the whole world.

It’s weird to do a little review on the summer of 2012 cause it seems so recent!  But, it was a WONDERFUL summer filled with joy, and fun, tennis, busyness, and volleyball, and lots more fun, and friends, and BBQ’s, and swimming, road trips, more volleyball…..eh, it was good.
I spent the summer in Wisconsin living with my friend Molly and her family…..spending every spare moment with my friends hanging out and enjoying life.  I took my CNA course, so that was an accomplishment….but other than that, it was one of the most fun summers I have ever had.
At the end of the summer I went home and was able to spend good time with my family before my little sister got hitched and I moved to Africa.  Our whole family was together which was so special even though it was just for a short time.  Definitely thankful for that though….

Summer 2013…..coming up!

 

 

life lately:

I have to say….that in living here in Uganda- I have never experienced feeling so many emotions in just 24 hours….everyday.

There are moments of happiness, of contentment, of adventure, of learning, of being challenged…..and as well moments of discouragement, frustration, confusion, loneliness, and exhaustion. And, it isn’t uncommon for me to feel all of these things in the course of a day.

Living in a third world country (even though my living situation is quite comfortable…..) is just exhausting sometimes.  I go to bed every night thoroughly worn out.  At times, in living here, I think it is mentally exhausting at every turn being unsure of the culture here, why people are doing what they are doing, and how you fit into (or don’t) everything here.

Often on my blog, I feel as if all you hear are the highlights, the encouraging and exciting things.  I don’t usually mention how living here can be really hard.  I don’t always have a good attitude about it, and then that is hard too.  There are days when it is hard to love people. There are days when is is hard to live among people that I feel I don’t always understand.  But essentially- that is why I am really thankful for this experience….LIVING in a country is a whole lot different than a 2 week missions trip where you see everything good in a country….enjoy new foods and learn to say hello in another language.

LIVING involves seeing all the stuff that you are amazed by in the beginning…..being amazed for a while, and then being super annoyed at times by those same things and working through that.  Living means learning to do a lot of things that are really uncomfortable and scary and making them a way of life.  So many different aspects….and I am only on the surface of those things since I am only here for about 9 months.

I have deep admiration for people who live overseas long term and make their home in a culture other than their own.  There is so much to be learned while being put out of your comfort zone and thrown into a third world country and everything that comes with that.

In these last 6 weeks that I have living here, I want to make the most of them……realizing each opportunity for what it is, and treasuring every person I know and meet, and every moment that I am here.  It is amazing how very quickly the time has gone by…..but am I counting weeks, oh and maybe days…..yeah, I am.  I miss people a lot, and I am VERY excited to see family again.
As the time is drawing to a close, I am realizing how important a lot of people here are to me, the impact that they have made on my life, and that saying goodbyes on this end are going to be hard….Life seems to always be full of that.  Definitely one of the biggest things I am looking forward to about heaven….no more goodbyes.

I have spent some precious time with the babies at the baby home recently…..

And some sweet time with the kiddos at the pool…

This photo above cracks me up…..cause Gloria really does like me- she just LOOKS like she hates me in this picture cause she had been holding my camera….and I gave it to Rylea to take a photo of us, and she got pretty mad about that!

Thanks so much to everyone who has cared about my adventure here in Uganda and is praying for me here, it is so appreciated!