Last Week

I’d be lying if I said last week was easy. I know that being a missionary, especially when I’m in another country, is going to have hardships. I can’t pinpoint one specific thing that made my week hard, but each day was a struggle. I would wake up wanting to go back to sleep. I felt almost depressed and couldn’t snap out of it. I couldn’t feel God near and that made things more difficult. I struggled through out the first part of my week with this sadness and depression and mostly struggled alone; the enemy wanted it that way. In the middle of the week, I finally asked one of my roommates to pray for me at the end of the day, and after she did I felt lighter and had some joy. The next morning I woke up with the same yucky fog of sadness. On Friday during our Si Senor talk Mr. Frank discussed spiritual warfare and how real it is and how to handle it. I felt in some ways that I was experiencing some serious attacks from the enemy.

On Saturday we had a “work day” in the morning and my roommates Madi and Susanna and I got to clean our apartment. Cleaning, especially if I am going through something, is quite enjoyable to me. Later in the day we had “desert day” and my time was spent under a tree in the shade until one of the horses disturbed my peace and tried to eat my bible and journal. The next place I went God spoke some truth into my heart. “For by his innermost nature man is a social being, and unless he relates himself to others he can neither live nor develop his potential,” Vatican II documents. Okay, I get it. No more spending time wallowing in my sadness. I have to spend time with others and through that I knew I would be relieved of my sadness. I was.

Highlights of the week:

One of the Eckstine girls, Bridget, has a way of brightening my day. Earlier last week I had gone to my apartment for something and stopped to talk to her. When I was trying to leave she yells at me,” Wait, I forgot to give you a kiss!!” I am so loved! She definitely brightened my day!

For my early morning jogs, God kept me on my feet at all times! :)

On Saturday night we celebrated “Lord’s Day” and also Madi’s birthday. After dinner, we had a bon fire and roasted marshmallows and had smores. We sang songs by the campfire and just spent time talking to one another and entertaining the kids.

I would like to leave you with this: “At a time when you did not know God, you became slaves to things that by nature and are not gods; but now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and destitute elemental powers? Do you want to be slaves to them all over again?” Galations 4:8-9 “For freedom Christ set us free; so stand firm and do not submit again to the yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1 Do not turn back to your old ways before you allowed God to save you from your slavery, whatever it may be. It is okay to struggle with things of the past, but not to submit to them. Stand firm in the freedom that God gives you!