meet my shelter...

"The Shelter is not a static building or a list of rules. It is a living, breathing spirit inside each of us that gives us the grace to carry each other during the times when we walk through the valleys of our lives. The Shelter is a gift to us in the most desperate times of our lives, and it’s a gift we also have an opportunity to offer to others freely."

In the shelter of each other we truly live.

Unfathomable Love

The whole Earth speaks of Your glory.

"Where we love is home, home that our feet may leave, but not our hearts."

To think that You love me this much, is unfathomable to this heart of mine.

You've shown me YOUR glory...

This blog post unfortunately disappeared into the grand abyss of the Internet. Hopefully, I can remember everything and properly recount it for you...So our classes began, only to then, be blessed with more time off for the NOE Staff Retreat on Wednesday. I had classes Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Three days of catch up and re-explaining concepts, because after two weeks, all is easily forgotten. Yet, God is indeed blessing me in regards to the teaching aspect and opening my eyes to see it from my dear students' perspectives.

After much review and refreshing laughter, we spent Wednesday preparing our things for our trip. We left at midnight and I was thankfully, able to sleep most of the way. We arrived in Tolantongo around six or seven in the morning, I believe. And that is when our day started! Our days were spent exploring God's beautiful creation in las grutas, waterfalls, Paseo del Gloria and el Rio. Time was spent bent over with laughter, birthday serenades, reveling in the beauty of God's handiwork, trading Spanish for English..time was devoted for rest in every sense of the word, and what a blessing, it was.

Following our trip, it's been crazy to ascertain a semblance of routine, but we are managing! I am pretty sure we have just thirteen more MWF classes, wow! Time has been passing so quickly. It's unbelievable.

I have been able to have mini-outings here and there with different students, and each of them has been such a blessing! Crepes, Starbucks, and today- Tortas de Chiles Rellenos. Today after class, I was able to enjoy the company of some of my students for awhile, as usual, there was much laughter. And afterwards, I was able to go have lunch with Nadia, a fellow teacher at NOE. What an incredible blessing, that was. It was indeed one of those instances when I was speaking Spanish and I was taken aback at how far God has brought me.

Sure, I am definitely not there yet! Paul's words would be appropriate, I am not there yet, and I don't believe that I will ever arrive. But still yet, to be able to sit and speak mostly Spanish without too many problems, leaves me awestruck. Last night one of my students complimented my accent, and I tell you all of these things create within me such a grateful heart. It's all Him, Him in me.

We have exactly one month before the final exam...so with that being said, I ask that you would pray for my dear students. Pray for comfort and peace to be abounding within them. Pray for clarity in the classroom. Pray that God's presence would be made known to each and every one.

There's just forty-five days left to this part of my journey, so please be praying that not a moment would be wasted. Goodbyes are being dreaded, but I am more than certain that this will not be the last I see of Morelia, God has intertwined my heart too much for that to be the case.

My Moments of: dancing, thankfulness, and laughter...

Many things have come pass since my last entry! Today, we officially said goodbye to vacation!

And, I'm weird in that, this truth excites me. I have missed my students and my classroom. I could say that my students agreed with me, because we actually had three classes this past week :). All due students' requests! We reviewed some concepts that they have struggled with, preparing them all the more for the big test, that is nearing in June. As usual, the classroom was full of laughter! It was a nice change too, because this allowed me to have some students from each of my three classes in the same class!

A small group of us went on a picnic, and yes of course, it rained that day! But thankfully, it stopped once we got to our spot. We laughed. We talked. We ate. A lovely, lovely time, indeed.

We ventured out for paint ball, tacos ahogados (smothered tacos), and gaspacho this past Friday. I didn't participate in paint ball, but I had fun watching the students and their competitive natures. We went to Daniel's house for gaspacho and his mother asked us to each explain why we were thankful for NOE. I was very, very closed to crying-a number of the students said they were thankful for NOE, because that is where they came to know God.

Even though, I knew that was NOE's purpose, and I knew some of their stories; it was so beautiful hearing it. Once again, they blessed me more, than I believe that I can bless them. I am so grateful that God brought me here to experience all of this love. I am so grateful that I can say that heartbreak doesn't define me anymore. Even in the midst of the darkness, there is still an undeniable light.

I just got back from the Ranch last night; we went for Montse's cousins' quincenera. Which was quite an adventure! A group of students came from NOE...and it was such a blessing having their company! We ate and then moved our chairs into a circle and they started to play music-of course that led to being questioned to dance. Two of my students asked me and wouldn't take my "I don't know how to dance," for a sufficient answer.

While they were both asking me to dance the rest of them were saying it was impolite to say no...and then Marco got down on his knees to ask me to dance. So I retreated from the no, and stood up. Just please keep in mind, that all of the other people were looking on and no one else was dancing!!! Haha. It was hilarious, I am sure all the more for everyone that was watching. Once they left, I later turned down five other men.

While there, my students once again, tried to convince me to change my date of departure to July, then August and then to the following year :). Oh, dear students of mine, I am very certain that this won't be my first, and final time, in Morelia.

All in all, I am blessed, below are the reasons why:

Quincenera with Luis Miguel:

Picnic with Marco and Company:

"I thought I was ready, but I wasn’t prepared for what He was calling me to do yet. I needed to struggle. I needed to doubt. I needed to let go of the controls. If God called me to do this, He would open the doors, not me. And at the same time, somewhat paradoxically, I needed to have unwavering resolve to pursue the vision He put in me.

What happens when your dreams don’t happen easily, quickly or how you thought they would? How do you deal with the delay? It’s in those seasons our foundation is laid. Our response determines everything else.

A lot of people give up. They get distracted. They get packed social schedules. They choose an easier path and eventually the dream that once consumed them fades away.

If something comes easily and without sacrifice, it’s rarely significant.

God has put dreams in each of us, something we can contribute to the world that no one else can. What’s yours? And what are you doing today to pursue it?

If your dream is worth doing, it won’t be easy. But rather than give up when obstacles arise, push through. Embrace the process. Embrace how you’ll change. Be teachable, passionate, humble and determined.

Remember, “He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” (Philippians 1:6, NIV)." Cameron Strang, Relevant.

One Month Today:

It's my one month anniversary in Morelia, and what better way to celebrate than to share pictures with you from our trip to Patzcuaro today. I am so blessed to be here, in the company of these beautiful people.

My heart overflows with utmost joy and love, that could only be from my Maker.

I could go on and on, but the pictures tell the story of joy upon my heart,

because these people are the reason for my joy.

Erick, Luis, Juan and Marco:

Luis and Marco:

Luis:

Marco:

My sister, Montse:

"Someday you're gonna look back on this moment of your life as such a sweet time of grieving. You'll see that you were in mourning and your heart was broken,

but your life was changing..."

— Elizabeth Gilbert

Today, my heart is full, well and alive.

I have overcome the grief and the mourning that was upon me when I arrived,

all thanks to these beautiful people God has given me to love...

for they welcomed and loved me without knowing who I was.

Praise be to Him, who makes ALL THINGS NEW, including me.

Pieces of my Journey:

This is for the ones I love...

All of these pictures were taken from our camping trip :)