an elephant and a dear friend.

I wanted to show you this elephant towl because it's cool and who doesn't want to see things like this? Really.

This is my best friend, Linda, and I in Arenal, Costa Rica...a volcano city! We just got back to our hotel, after running through the rain (yes, I fell and yes, it hurt and yes, everyone stared).

***

I killed two posts with one hour of my life...cool!

hey, it's me.

Oh boy, I wished I could blog more. But hey, I'm blogging now, right? So what's new in my life, you ask? Well, I'll tell you! (in bullet form because that looks cool).

• Today, I worked 9.5 hours and waited on A.J. Halk and Donald Drive. Score! Or should I say, Touchdown!
• Come September 24, I'll be in Costa Rica.
• Right now, I'm hungry.
• I like this. I dare say I love it.
• I'm really trying to learn more Spanish. And I think I'm getting better.

Well, that is what is going on in my life. Dull, you may say...quite the contrary! God is keeping my life exciting and I can't wait to see what's next!

I hope to write again soon..

panama, in short.

Two of my friends and I decided to take a four day trip to Panama City from San Jose, Costa Rica. What we didn't realize is that it takes 18 hours to get there. But, despite our cramped traveling conditions, we made it to Panama City! So here's my trip to Panama, in short...

An indigenous lady making homemade crafts...

Portobello, Panama.

Exploring old ruins...

Portobello, Panama.

Indigenous boys canooing into Portobello.

The small, but beautiful, town of Portobello from the view of a castle ruin.



Playing BINGO in the streets...
Casco Viejo, Panama.


A new friend...
Panama City, Panama.

they came running.

I was in Diriamba, Nicaragua this past March. One of my days there, my group had a children's program with singing and drama. To say the least, it was much anticipated in the neighborhood slum below.

my heart is here.

I have spent the last ten days in Guatemala and it was incredible. It was so refreshing to go back to Central America, where my heart is. During my time there, I was constantly being reminded of God's faithfulness to me, to everyone. He is unconditionally faithful. There are children that live in slums and dumps that run around with smiles on their faces. Their living conditions are not a boundary for the joy God has put in their hearts. God's faithfulness overwhelms me.

Being down there gives me life and passion. I am actually getting to the point where I can share my heart with the people down there...in spanish. This is so amazing! Nothing feels better than sharing my heart with someone that truly understands what I'm trying to tell them. This short trip to Guatemala pushed me closer to my calling in Costa Rica and put a good dose of gratefulness in my heart.

p.s. I love this song - Hosea's Wife by Brooke Fraser

I just spoke silence with the seeker next to me
She had a heart with hesitant, halting speech
That turned to mine and asked beligerently, "What do I live for?"

I see the scars of searches everywhere I go
From hearts to wars to literature to radio
There's a question like a shame no one will show, "What do I live for?"

We are Hosea's wife
We are squandering this life
Using people like ladders and words like knives

If we've eyes to see
If we've ears to hear
To find it in our hearts and mouths
The word that saves is near
Shed that shallow skin
Come and live again
Leave all you were before
To believe is to begin

There is truth in little corners of our lives
There are hints of it in songs and children's eyes
It's familiar, like an ancient lullaby, "What do I live for?"

set of three

I did a portrait project with a dear friend. These are a few of my favorites.

perfect love.

Sometimes, well actually alot of times, I find myself having to repeat over and over in my head "love is patient, love is kind...". I am so easily angered. I so easily lose my patience. I am so easily selfish. It amazes me that God's love is perfect. Perfect love! His love is never motivated by selfishness. It's difficult for me to comprehend this perfect love at times because of my tainted, unperfect love. His love is so real. It's alive. It's changing lives. It's bringing justice. His love is spreading love.

justice

God has opened my eyes to some of the realities of the world. He has shown me that I am responsible for the people of this world. To fight for justice, to pray for the children, to act.

Both of these photos were taken in a dump called "La Churreca" in Managua, Nicaragua. Families raise their children here, they live in shacks, they dig through the trash to find anything salvable to make a living.

"Get up and pray for help all through the night, beg him to save your children who are starving to death at every street crossing." Lamentations 2:19

beauty

Words cannot express how blessed I am. God has taken me around the world, on a crazy adventure and has placed the most wonderful people in my life to experience that with. Sometimes, I just look outside and am overwhelmed by God's beauty. These are the moments I cherish.