Words? Yes, please!

I love words.  No, really, I mean it, I LOVE words.  Love them.  I like speaking them, hearing them, learning them, writing them, reading them.  Which brings me to two very exciting things in my heart and life this week: the start of Thai classes (in Thailand, hopefully not forgetting most of what Toomy taught me in MI) and the consuming of the Word of God in a new way. 

I live in an English speaking bubble here, and most of the time, that's okay.  My primary ministry is at the school, is with my students and their families, and the girls in my LifeGroup.  And that is awesome. I love them and I love what I do.  But my ministry and calling in Thailand goes beyond the gates of ICS as well.  I want to be involved in ministry of mercy of some kind- probably with orphans and/or kids in some way.  But those guys don't speak English so much, so my effectiveness is pretty limited until I can communicate with them.  Enter Thai classes. 

Second, this past week God has brought some amazing conversations and verses into my heart and life.  And suddenly, I want to study God's Word in a new way.  I have  never really paid too much attention before to Biblical word meanings in the original language, be it Hebrew or Greek, but I have been seeing more and more lately how that can reveal so much to me about Who God is.  Even just reading the Bible in Spanish shows me new things at times, how the different translation brings out a different aspect of the original meaning.  So I am currently hunting down some good tools for this but am not feeling real patient in the mean time.  The internet is a great free resource, but you know me, I want the physicality of a good book, which I will get eventually.  I have just been so blessed this week- both by conversations with people that encourage me in my walk with God to people who have helped take care of me while I have been sick to extra Jesus time while I am in bed recovering to an email from an 8th grade student who apparently really missed me while I was gone and wants to make sure I am okay because math was "too hard and confusing" without me there. 

I am asked a lot what brought me to Thailand, and why Thailand, and my answer never really satisfies me.  I think it's because the reasons I am in Thailand go way beyond what I can see.  I might  not fully understand them for some time, or ever, but that's okay.  I know God is here, working and moving, and I am just glad to be a part of it.

Prayer requests:

• Health- complete recovery from the bug I've had this week.  I am slowly regaining strength, but still not feeling 100%.  Pray for wisdom to ease back into my schedule and to be careful about not taking on too much and getting run down. 
• Language- that my ears and tongue would be loosened to the Thai language and I would be able to see growth even in just 2 hours of class per week.
• Ministry- for now for the four 8th grade girls in my LifeGroup, that God would reveal himself to them in new ways as we study the book of Matthew together.