May Your Wonders Never Cease

May Your Wonders Never Cease

This is a blog of my thoughts and heart as of currently. I won't have time to revise or most likely even reread, as my flight is about to leave, so please read with grace:)

But He said to me, "My Grace is sufficient for you, for My Power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's Power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. -2 Corinthians 12:9-10

As I sit here, the tears come, and I try to hold them back, but then I let them fall freely. And my heart, my heart, how it hurts, but also is filled with excitement. There is such a mix of emotions with going back to the States. I am grateful that for this time, it is just to visit for a couple weeks. My heart is not yet ready for anything else. I am excited for the sweet reunions with amazing family and friends, but also sad to be leaving the people, the people who have become my family. And to be leaving the place, the place that has become my home. And the place that has become so written on and cherished in my heart.

The only thing that counts is Faith expressing itself through Love. –Galatians 5:6

Devote yourselves to prayer; being watchful and thankful. –Colossians 4:2

I am grateful for these hours at the airport. The time to think; the time to ponder; the time to pray; the time to be silent; the time to reflect; the time to journal; the time to process my thoughts that are sometimes so hard to process in the moment; the time to think about what I have learned, what I have been taught, the time to feel and remember the moments, whether they seemed important at the time or not. The time to be grateful, thankful, and blessed. G r a t e f u l. T h a n k f u l. B l e s s e d. The time here, it's been incredible; it's been painful; it's been joyful; it's been heart wrenching, there have been days when I just want to give up, but oh, how it's been rich. So very rich. And the things I have learned. The times I wouldn't change for anything in the world. The times more precious than gold or anything that money could buy. The days where He is so near and comforts my soul. The days where I feel so alone. The days where I am filled with incredible happiness. And the days where I cry out to Him. And the joy through every. single. moment.

You have made known to me the path of Life; You will fill me with Joy in Your Presence with eternal pleasures at Your Right Hand. –Psalm 16:11

For you were once in darkness, but now you are in the Light of the Lord. Live as children of Light. –Ephesians 5:8

The past few weeks have been incredible. Ironic how sometimes you don't learn to completely appreciate things, until you know you will be leaving. My days at the dump; my time and teaching with the kids at the train station; the work at The Jicaro Project, endless hours of picking out colors for necklaces and painting ornaments, my conversations and relationships with my sweet friends; the pouring out of my heart into these people, and the pouring of them into me as well; the time I have spent cleaning and spending time with the people at Home of the Ancients; the incredible women in my small group and the things we have talked about; our conversations; the people I get to serve with; living in an incredible community. I could literally go on and on and on and list for pages and pages…

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins. -1 Peter 4:8

I was down at the train station the other day, and after reading some Bible Stories, we started coloring and the kids all started drawing me pictures and writing me letters saying things such Jesus loves you and me; you are like my mother or big sister; I love you with all my heart; you are amazing and beautiful; thank you for loving me. And I think of me, unworthy, and how God has chosen me to love these children and show them His Love, His Mercy; His Faithfulness, His Word. Talk about humbling. Little unworthy and sinful me, but made perfect in Him. Mmm, the process, it's been tough, but it's so rich and so good. So, so, so good.

Hear my cry for mercy as I call to You for help, as I lift up my hands to Your Most Holy Place. –Psalm 28:2

Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning! –Psalm 30:5

There's a family down at the train station that captured my heart over 2 years ago and has been continuing to capture it ever since. There are 4 children in the family; Maria 13 years old, Joseling 11 years old, Aniansy 9 years old, and Manuel 7 years old. I can't go into too many details, but their lives are s.o.o.o. hard, and the fact that I get to spend time with them and teach them about Jesus is such a rich blessing.

Therefore we do not lose our heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. -2 Corinthians 4:16

This incredible and strong girl named Maria, who is only 13 years old, is one of the most amazing children I have ever met. Her heart is pure as gold and she serves her family constantly, without a complaint ever coming from her mouth. Her parents both work, and she cooks and she cleans, and takes care of her younger siblings. If I loved her anymore, my heart would burst.

This playful girl in the neighborhood at El Puente, named Fernanda. Oh, Fernanda. Some days she hates me and some days she loves me. Sometimes she's an angel, and others, well, other days she's…not. Ha:) The letters I have from her are incredible. I see how she acts sometimes and I realize how she just wants to know that she is loved. And I realize that we, as people, are no different from her. We all want to know that we are loved, that we matter, that we are cared for, that we are important, that someone would be willing to die for us.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of the darkness, made His Light shine out of the darkness, made His Light shine in our hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ. -2 Corinthians 4:6

My days at Home of the Ancients, sweeping and mopping and dusting and cleaning and cooking and changing sheets and helping dress wounds and helping them go to the bathroom and washing rags and mops and clothes and listening to their stories and hearing about their life growing up and their children and the things they have experienced, and doing all these "ordinary" things, but how they are so extraordinary to me and how I get this incredible and inexpressible joy from serving these people and serving Him and working with Him, alongside Him to show them His Love. And that this joy is given to me by my Father. And that His Grace is more than enough.

The goal of this command is LOVE, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. -1 Timothy 1:5

My mornings of going to the dump and feeding hungry stomachs, but also feeding hungry souls and empty hearts with His word and His message and His Love and His Goodness and His Grace.


Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others. -1 Corinthians 10:24

And this is my prayer; that your love may abound more and more in the knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ- to the glory and praise of God. –Philippians 1:9-11

My days at Jicaro, picking out colors for necklaces and working with the women, approving jicaro and working with the youth, painting ornaments, fellowshipping, helping provide jobs for these people, being a little part of His bigger purpose and plan for these people's lives.

My nights playing soccer with the kids and my neighbors and just having conversations and hearing their hearts and their stories. Just listening to them talk and hearing about their days and what happened. It is such a sweet time and I will miss it an insane amount.

I have a beautiful friend named Ingrid (Een-gree) who is my next door neighbor. She is 11 years old and she has taught me so much. I love her, but oh man, can she get on my nerves sometimes. She has taught me so much about patience, forgiveness, and love. I, and my wonderful housemate, Jacque, have been trying to teach her how to treat people and how to act in a good and Christ like way, which I've learned is harder than I thought. I know that how sometimes she looks to me is exactly what I look like to God. She gets angry at me, mocks me, calls me ugly, tells me I'm a liar, calls me fat, tells me I'm bad, tells me she doesn't like me anymore. She always comes back and apologizes, and I forgive her again and again. The other day after Bible Study I had to work on some things for Jicaro, so I couldn't play with her, and she got so mad at me. Probably the angriest she's ever been with me. I told her I was really sorry, but that I had to work, and that we could play later. If her eyes and looks could kill, I would be dead. That afternoon she rode her bike all the way to find me and said that she was so sorry and her heart was hurting, because she knew she had hurt me and was really mean and had treated me wrong. Melt. My. Heart. It was absolutely precious. She told me she loved me and was so sorry and didn't want to be like that anymore. Granted, other things have happened since then, but there was progress! And for that, I am thankful. Thank you, Lord, for giving me grace to teach her and love her. By the way, I've only been gone a few hours and I already miss her so much!

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times." –Matthew 18:21-22

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs that it may benefit those who listen. –Ephesians 4:29

A sweet story to me:) I'll try to make it short and understandable! The other day I went to "Los Pipitos" which is a special needs school in Granada. I love going there! BUT last summer, I used to work with Corazon Contento, another special needs school, that now doesn't accept volunteers. I so missed the kids I used to work with there! Sooo, the other day I walked into Los Pipitos, and Alberto, one of my favorite kids at Corazon was there, who has now switched schools (yes!), and he immediately saw me when I walked in the door and jumped up, had the biggest smile on his face, was saying yay yay yay, and came up gave me the biggest and longest hug. It made my day to be able to see him again AND the fact that he still remembered me after almost a year! God is so good!!

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? –Matthew 6:27

So with a heart that is not sure how it feels right now, I am reminded that He is My Peace, and in Him, everything is going to be okay, and I need not to worry.

For He Himself is our Peace, who has made the two one and has destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. –Ephesians 2:14

All of this being said, I am still sooo excited to be back in the States and to have some time with my incredible family and friends!

I will probably not have the chance to blog when I'm in the States, but I will see you all on here when I get backJ Much love.

Serving Passionately for our King,

Berk-Leigh

But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. –Philippians 3:7