The End of Week One

So trying to write
a journal entry
every night
wasn't really working all that well.
I just get so tired
at night
that I just want to
take it easy afterwards.
So...
what does this mean?
I'll just be summing things up
in a blog post
occasionally.
What does occasionally mean?
Whenever I feel like it,
and whenever I have time.

Anyway.
Today has been good thus far.
It's our day off.
So I've just been chilling.
And doing some random stuff.
(This would be one of those things.)
But yeah.
It's a beautiful day outside.
The sun is shining.
There's a slight breeze.
And the Lord is faithful.

The past three days have been
so good.
The Lord,
like I said,
has been extremely faithful.
I had been feeling
very low because I felt like the
language barrier and my own personality
were a hindrance to
telling the message of the Gospel
to the girls in my 5th and 6th grade class.
I thought that because I was so shy
and the girls didn't understand me
that the girls just wouldn't
get what I was saying in Bible Study time.
But they were.
As the week progressed,
I got to see some
relationships with the girls form.
They started to answer my questions
that I asked about the story.
It took them a lot longer
because of the language barrier.
BUT they could still understand
what I was saying,
they just couldn't respond very well.
No matter what,
I told them the Gospel several times,
and I know the Lord will be
faithful
when His Word is preached.
I pray that He will do
great and mighty
things in the lives of these girls.
I pray that He
touches their hearts
and
saves them from this life of death
to an abundant life with Him.
Each of the girls are so precious.
And they were a joy to teach
and be around this week.
I was able to say their names
by the end of the week.
(Which was an incredible thing.
I couldn't even understand
them when they first introduced
themselves on Monday. And I was
able to carry on a conversation
with each of them by the end of the week.)
I think the Lord really opened up my ears
to be able to understand them.
He is so gracious to me.

The rain has started to clear out here.
Which is a blessing and a curse all at once.
haha.
A blessing because we can
now be outside more often
and see more of the island.
A curse because now it will be
extremely hot outside.
Honestly,
I'm kinda happy that
the rain has cleared out.
It will be good to have
some sunshine.

Anyway.
This week I have just been
dwelling
on the Lord.
Who He is,
How great He is,
His provision,
and His power.
It's been an incredible week
of just more of Jesus.
An incredible time of
reflection and refreshment.
I am amazed at all He's
been doing in my life.
And I pray He keeps working.
I desperately need Him to keep working
in my life,
in my heart,
and in my mind.
I need Him to continue to
knit my heart to His.
I need Him to draw me closer to
Himself.
I just crave more of Jesus.
More of His love.
More of His power.
More of His joy.
More of His peace.
More of Him.
All of my doubts,
fears,
worries,
and anxieties
pale in the splendor of
His great and majestic presence.

And I just desire to share this,
not only with the Samoan people,
but with everyone.
I love being here,
but I can't wait to get back home
and find the apartment complex
the Lord wants me to live in
so that I can start building relationships with
my neighbors and sharing
the Gospel with them.

So.
That's what's up in
my life,
my mind,
and my heart.

Keep praying for what is going to happen
next week.
We have two VBS's:
one in the morning at a church,
and
one in the evening with the mid schoolers
here on campus.
Pray that the Lord works in hearts,
changes lives,
and saves many.
Pray that we can be clear
with the words we say.
Pray for understanding.
Pray that the Lord changes
our hearts and lives as well.

Blessings!