A Year of Renewal

God is so faithful. I have loved every moment being back in Ghana. It has been a busy couple of weeks of working to get things ready for the new teachers and doing whatever I could to help around the school. I got a lot done in my classroom during this time and I really got to focus on the focus of my year. This year my focus for my class is to follow God and be wise in what He has for my students and me. Our class verse is Proverbs 3:7, “ Be not wise in your own eyes: Fear the Lord and depart from evil. I love this verse because if we have a relationship with Christ we shouldn’t want to be wise in our own eyes. I always want to make sure that I am acquiring of the Lord before I make decisions.

      This past week we had teacher training. Our theme this year is renewal. Renewal in all areas of our lives, whether that be at school, in our lives, or in our relationship with Christ. This really inspired me. This summer I was on a quest to really find who I was in Christ. I was reading a book, The Real Me: Being the Girl God Sees. This really changed my view of who I was in Christ. That God made me with all my insecurities, and faults for a reason and that He made me the way I am because I am special to Him. At the end, it gives a list of who I am to God. God started my renewal process this summer by showing me who I am. Starting a fresh turn in my relationship with Christ (a renewal) by showing me that I am forgiven (Ephesians 1:7), made new in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), blessed and chosen by God (Ephesians 1:3-5), Strong (Ephesians 6:10), Holy and without blame (I peter 1:15-16), Set free (John 8:31-32), complete (Colossians 2:10), not guilty (romans 8:1), At peace with God (2 Corinthians 5:18), Protected (I John 5:18), Marked as God’s (Ephesians 1:13), created for good (Ephesians 2:10), Loved (I Thessalonians 1:4), Becoming more like Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18), not afraid (2 Timothy 1:7), and Never alone (2 Corinthians 4:8-9). 

Renewal is a process that we go through in our walk with Christ and it is a good change. Renewal is required but only God can renew us from within. Mine has started and I am ready for God to stretch me in ways that I could never imagine this year. God has already stretched me this past week with some of the things I am involved in this year.  This year I get to be on the chapel committee. I think this is going to stretch me more than anything else this year. Helping to plan what happens in chapel and getting the opportunity to speak not only once but at least 3 times. This is going to be the biggest challenge for me because I am least comfortable speaking in front of people, all of my insecurities come out and all my inadequacies. I am so excited though to get the opportunity to take things that these kids know and use it to share the gospel and share who Christ is. This is a big request for me as my first time speaking will be in two weeks the final message of three-called Ready Set Go. I get to speak on the Go. Then our next themes are superheroes and what are qualities that we need to be superheroes of the faith. I get to speak about Esther and how she was a biblical superhero. The Last theme is Disney movies. We are taking Disney movies and pulling biblical truths from them. My movie is The Lion King. I was rewatching it today and seeing what God can show me through this movie and I am so excited to look into something that I saw and heard. I can’t wait! 

      I hope this year as you read my blog that you would be encouraged. I can’t wait to share this journey with you. I am so thankful for all the prayers and support. God is going to do amazing things this year and I hope that you enjoy the journey as much as I am going to.

2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.” 

nothing like visiting the Doctor twice in 3 days...

This was definitely a difficult past week for me. So my last post I mentioned I wasn't feeling well so on Monday I attempted to go to school and just didn't feel well so I want home. Nervous that I was getting Bronchitis I decided to go to the Dr.  So I went to the doctor and he gave me some anti-botics and sent me to get a chest x ray and some blood drawn. Well the blood test came back negative and so did the chest x ray which means I just had a really bad cold. So I went to school Tuesday. On Wednesday I woke up ready to go to school and was going to take a warm shower. I turned the water heater off because it had been on  and turned the water over to warm. I then went to get into the shower when a surge of pressure came and popped the shower head off of the hose and scorching water came shooting off and it hit my right hand. Immediately I took my hand and put it in colder water and then went to go find some ointment for the mild burns that i thought I had. Well one of my coworkers that lives upstairs came down and looked at my hand and came to put some aloe on it saw that it had already started blistering all over my hand and we decided I should go back to the Doctor to get it checked out. So I want back to the Dr. and He said I had two degree burns on my hand and gave me a stronger pain killer and some ointment to put on once the blisters started drying out. It was impossible to move my right hand because of all the burns. I have had to learn to do a lot of things left handed like wash dishes, cook, clean, do my hair, write, pay and carry things and open cans up. TO say the least I have gotten pretty good at it now. My blisters have started going down and I can not do certain things with my hand. I am starting to be able to write sort of and I can now type and grip bigger things. Praise the Lord it wasn't worse off and that it healed quickly despite my body fighting another infection.

Prayer Request
- continue to pray for my cold as I am still getting over it and my hand as it continues to heal
- for saying goodbyes
- Pray for my best friend Nana as he is trying to get a trip planned for his soccer program to Sweden and things are just not going smoothly.
- pray for the school as we continue to go to court.
- pray for each family that is leaving ( moving, different schools)
-Pray for each student that I will have next year and their families

making a house a home

I have been thinking about what really makes a house a home and what makes you feel like you are actually living there and not just visiting. I don't know about other missionaries but for me making a house a home is actually moving in. Putting some holes in the wall and putting some paint on the walls. I have put some holes in the wall now and paint I hope will be going up this summer. I have also got myself a tv. I know a tv doesn't seem much but it is one more step to making my apartment a stable place to live.

The past couple of days I have had a head and chest cold and it hasn't been very fun. I am not very good at being sick. I have spent a lot of the last 48 hours on my couch by myself.  The last 24 have been a little bit more pleasant because I have something to watch movies and tv shows on rather than my computer.

Please pray for me as we finish up the school year. Pray for healing for my cold quickly as I can't take off any school days for multiple reasons. it may be a small praise but praise God for vegetable soup in a can and crackers. A lot of time they don't have vegetable soup in the can. There is only about 26 more days until I am back home in chicago. I will see you soon.

its been a long time

Wow! It has been a long time since I have last written. I am sorry its been so long life has been busy and the electricity and internet being out hasn't helped. But those things are normal to me now.

Its funny how things like that don't even affect me anymore I just expect them to happen after four years. I realized how normal they had become when my dad came and they were nothing to me and how they were an inconvenience to him. I stole a phrase from my best friend here in Ghana when my dad was here and its a simple phrase, it's normal. I got to see somethings I had never seen before in Ghana while my dad was here like the gardens in Aburi which were beautiful. I saw my first ghanian play at the National Theatre which was an interesting experience, but loved it.

I can't believe this school year is almost over.  It seems like all that has happen was so long ago and to think that it just all happened 8 months ago. God has brought us through a lot but the weeding needed to happen. I love that God's name goes out even when everything is falling apart. The people I work with are amazing and I have become closer with this group of teachers and staff then any other group of people I have worked with here at AIS. The testimony of the staff at this school is truly reaching the community around us and this is only by God's doing. NO ONE can take credit for what is happening at our school all credit belongs to our AMAZING GOD!

The past two weeks have been two weeks of opportunities. God has been really pressing on my heart to bless others with what he has blessed me with. GOd has blessed me with so much and I am so thankful for all that He has given me. He has given me amazing co-workers, and awesome friends, parents that support me, students that show me how fortunate I am to have grown up the way i did, and the opportunity to be in GHana and live here for the past 4 years and hopefully many more.

Last weekend I got to host the Volleyball girls overs at my apartment for our end of the year party. THere was 13 middle and high school girls in my small apartment. They were sleeping everywhere. I got the opportunity to sleep for 3 hours in one of my chairs with my feet up against the wall (I realize that I am to old for sleep over parties. lol)  THese girls are amazing and just allow them to be a little crazy and do what teenage girls like to do, eat, dance, talk about boys, watch movies, and plenty more. I got to just get to know these girls a little better. I truly believe relationships with people is the first step to sharing the gospel and so I love the opportunity to get to know them better so I can share with them Who Christ is and what He has done for them and Me and help them grow in that relationship. Pray for opportunities to speak truth into their lives.

After that weekend I came down with some kind of virus. It was not fun at all. I thought I might have typhoid or Malaria but after being tested for both of them and them coming back negative it was just some kind of virus. I don't think I have ever slept so much in three days. God put some amazing friends in my life to help me out though. Friends that checked up on me throughout the day in text messages seeing what they could do to help, friends that took me to the lab to get tested for different things, friends that brought me soup and crackers,  friends that took on doing more for my class then is in their job description and friends that organize and get things ready for me during my break so i could take a nap on my floor during my break. I have been blessed with good health for the most part since I have been here and I thank God for that. Prayers for health and staying healthy are always appreciated since it is so easy to come down with something here.

THis coming week I get the opportunity to lead worship at school for the staff on Friday. My theme for that is just praising God for who He is.  Something God has really been speaking to me is how awesome and powerful He is and really just rejoicing in Who He is. Our GOd is truly amazing, unstoppable, unshakable, unchangeable, and not taken by surprise about anything. I think the craziest thing is that He is all those things and still He loves me, He loves you and is there for us no matter what. He takes care of us and all the little details in the world. Today at church the sermon was on worrying and if you know me pretty well you know i am a worrier about everything, which is so stupid because I don't need to worry at all because God has it under control. When I worry I doubt God's power and His love for me. I mean He takes care of the birds and gives them food and shelter so why wouldn't He take care of me. I mean He has proved himself over and over again that He will take care of me. I just need the wake up call sometimes but don't we all.

Also this week my kids get to do chapel. I love my first graders they have really blossomed into some amazing kids and I am going to miss them dearly next year. They are doing a skit about Elijah and the false prophets and how the false prophets had to do all these things to try to get Baal to listen and send fire and they just made themselves exhausted but how Elijah just had to pray and GOd showed himself almighty again. They are singing songs that just praise GOd for who He is and I love hearing them praise God. Pray for our chapel this week that GOd will speak to someone in the audience and that all the kids, teachers, and parents will just have an open heart to what GOd is saying to us on Wednesday.

Almost 4 weeks until I am back stateside with all of you. I miss all of you and thankful for the opportunity to see all of you. Pray for me as I prepare to leave and say goodbye to my friends that will not be coming back this year. Two of my really good friends that I talk to about everything are leaving this year and its going to be really hard to say goodbye to them. I have come to hate how people always leave.

THanks for all your support and prayers.

You Make All Things Work Together for My Good

It has taken me a long time to get to the point where I actually believed that God does actually work all things together for my good. I must admit this year has been a whirl wind of emotions and ups and downs. You know I wouldn't have changed any of it. I have learned so much this past school year and I look back at 2012 and I can honestly say I am glad its over but still wouldn't change a thing.  Life is hard but I was never promised a life that was going to be easy. This year I have really come to known what it means to take up your cross daily. This last year I have known lost but I have also known gain. I lost some friends but God has brought others into my life that have helped me during certain times and then took them and brought old friends back. I lost my sense of security but I gain a sense of God's protection. I lost trust in people but gained a new reliance on God. I was determined to make 2013 year that is focused on Joy. Having the renewed confidence in who i am in Christ.

My verse for this year Deuteronomy 30:20a. That thou mayest LOVE the LORD thy GOD and that thou mayest OBEY his VOICE and that thou mayest CLEAVE unto him for HE IS LIFE .

On Fridays we have worship at school for our staff meetings and there is one chorus that we sang that hit me this Friday and it really put the joy back into my life. The chorus says, " you stay the same through the ages your love never changes there may be pain in the night but JOY  comes in the morning. And when the oceans rage I don't have to be afraid because i know that you love me your love never fails."

This past week I have realized God that GOD DOES WORK TOGETHER FOR MY GOOD!  God has answered my prayers. For the past 2 years I have been praying for one of my best friends that God would work in his life. He was open and we have talked about Christ before but nothing really came of it. Well coming back to Ghana I hadn't talked to that friend in a while and He told me he had gone to church and has been sending me verses and prayers this week. I can tell there is a change in him and it has encouraged me. God brought him back into my life to show me how faithful He is.

I don't know what the future holds and I don't know what is going to happen tomorrow or the next but I am OK with that because i know God has it under control and that in the end it is going to be the best for me.

Thank you so much for all of those who support me through prayer, giving of funds, and encouragement. You will never know how thankful for all of you.

He will delight in you with gladness with his love, hew ill calm all your fears he will rejoice over you with joyful songs. Zephaniah 3:17b

Building a wall

It has been a long time since I have written and a lot has happened. All I can say is God is working in His school and He is taking it back.  I never would have imagined that I would be in the situation that I am in this year. I could say that everything that has happened i wish wouldn't have happened but while that has some truth I can honestly say that I am thankful for it. I know a lot of you as my supporters may not know what is going on but know God is working. It has taken me a long time to come to the conclusion of being thankful and not to feel like a victim. I am thankful for this whole situation because I have learned a couple of things. One the type of person I want to be and the type of person I don't want to be. The second is how faithful God is. I can honestly say God has worked on me a lot through this whole experience and that He is still working. I have a more intense relationship with my savior than I have ever had and it has been amazing. He has freed me from that feeling of being a victim. I am not a victim. Spiritual warfare is real and right now we at AIS are fighting in the battle. The awesome part is God is fighting the battle for us.

As a faculty we took a retreat this weekend. Everyone was really excited to get away and just be encouraged. Three of our leadership were taken away from the retreat. I believe that the devil was planning to get to discouraged our faculty and tear us down but God is bigger than the devil and evil plans. For me God brought many verses to mind.

Deuteronomy 20:1-4 when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies and see horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, BE NOT AFRAID OF THEM FOR THE LORD THY GOD IS WITH THEE which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. and it shall be when ye are come night unto the battle that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people. And shall say unto them, hear, o Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: LET NOT YOUR HEARTS FAINT, FEAR NOT, AND DO NOT TREMBLE NEITHER BE YE TERRIFIED BECAUSE OF THEM: FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS HE THAT GOETH WITH YOU TO FIGHT FOR YOU AGAINST YOUR ENEMIES TO SAVE YOU.

Deuteronomy 31:6 be strong and of a good courage fear not nor be afraid of them for the lord thy God He it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee.

At our retreat this past weekend we talked about Nehemiah and how the Israelites were rebuilding the wall . In chapter 4 as they worked side by side to rebuild the wall there was mocking and threats and talk about how bad their wall was. The Israelites didn't give up they kept working and when they were going to be attacked they continued to work. In verse 9-19  they continued to work but not only did they work they were aware and on guard. They were faithful to the work that they had even though the adversaries were coming all around them. They prayed constantly . Then verse 19 and 20 is the verse that really inspired me and just encourages me to keep going to work and teaching these kids even though people are trying to tear our ministry and school apart.  It says
" and i said unto the nobles, and to the rulers, and to the rest of the people, the work is great and large, and we are separated upon the wall one far from another. in what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet resort ye thither unto us OUR GOD SHALL FIGHT FOR US"

we may be separated from our administration right now at school but we still have amazing people that have stepped up and our leaders and even though we are separated upon the wall of AIS  we have an assurance because God is fighting for us,

God has been good and I can't even put into words all the Lord has done for me and taught me. I am so thankful for the parents i have that are such and encouragement, and all the friends God has brought into my life.

Keep praying for our school. Pray for strength and encouragement for the teachers. Pray about the decisions about church and pray for the leadership of my church. I have a meeting this Wednesday with one of the pastors to talk about some things. Pray for continue healing from all the hurt from past people of the school. Pray for me as I work on forgiving certain people.

I am sorry it has been a long time. I wanted to make sure my heart was in the right place before I started writing again. I didn't want to write from hate and anger. Know that I can feel all of you who have been praying for us here in Accra. God is good and He has been working. Please continue to be prayer warriors for us here.
God Bless all of you and thank you for your support and encouragement!

God's overcoming power

Wow I would never thought that the first week of school would be as difficult and draining as it was. God has been working at our school in ways that we could never have imagine especially in our staff. I thank God for a mission who will stand up for what is right and not just give into evil and who will encourage its staff to do the right thing even when there is wrong going all around.

As of last Sunday the people that I have come to know and trust in running our school betrayed me. It was such a hostile atmosphere and I never thought I would see myself in the situation i was in alongside my wonderful co workers. Taken by shock, fear, anger, and sadness I walked out of school not knowing what my future held. I had so many questions but knew that my life would change in many ways over the next couple of days. As I reflect on last week and the material that I have read in my devotions about the Lord bringing the Israelites out of Egypt it became very clear to me Sunday why he was showing me and reminding me that He was the LORD.  Throughout Sunday and Monday I clung to the fact that He is the Lord.

All i can say is I am so thankful God is in Control and He knows what He is doing. I also love that He has put people in our lives to remind us how faithful he is and people to encourage just at the right time. This week was an emotional roller coaster of laughter and joy that my students provided, to hurt and tears from what I had experienced. I have grown so much it what it means to stand up for what was right. I know many of you don't know the full extent of my situation here and all that has happened and are confused when you couldn't get to my blog but I felt like closing my blog for the time being was the best thing to keep me safe from people who would try to use prayer request and phrases for their own personal use and not as a testimony of who God is. God is working and I encourage you to pray for our school as it is working through some very serious issues. Our school has now been declared a NICS school and NICS will be running it. Our leadership that was fired by this hostile group has been reinstated and will run the school and the administration and the leadership that was a part of the hostile group has been told they may not come back to campus. Our hurdle is not over and it will be a long process but I am excited to see the miracles God does in this time.

Please pray for the people in administration at our school that were apart of planning this hostile take over because they will have a lot to answer for not only here in Ghana but also in the states and more importantly to God. As my emotions of anger towards these people has changed to sadness as i have already seen the toll it is taken and the effect it has on all the people involved including the teachers, staff, parents, and more importantly the students. Pray for us as a staff as we deal with hurt and anxiety from what we have experienced this past week.

One of my close friends who left this past year to teach at another school reminded our staff of Psalm 37 and I want to write it here as a reminder to me but also to remind you Who the Lord is.

Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb. TRUST IN THE LORD, AND DO GOOD, SO SHALT THOU DWELL IN THE LAND AND VERILY THOU SHALT BE FED. DELIGHT THYSELF IN THE LORD AND HE SHALL GIVE THEE THE DESIRES OF THY HEART COMMIT THY WAY UNTO THE LORD TRUST ALSO IN HIM AND HE SHALL BRING IT TO PASS. AND HE SHALL BRING FORTH THY RIGHTEOUSNESS AS THE LIGHT AND THY JUDGMENT AS THE NOONDAY. REST IN THE LORD AND WAIT PATIENTLY FOR HIM FRET NOT THYSELF BECAUSE OF HIM WHO PRPOPERETH IN HIS WAY BECAUSE OF THE MAN WHO BRINGETH WICKED DEVICES TO PASS CEASE FROM ANGER AND FORSAKE WRATH FRET NOT THYSELF IN ANY WISE TO DO EVIL for evildoers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the lord they shall inherit the earth. for yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea thou shalt diligently consider his place and it shall not be but the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves int he abundance of peace the wicked plotteth against the just and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. the lord shall laugh at him for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword and have bent their bow to cast down the poor and needy and to slay such as be of upright conversation. their sword shall enter into their own heart and their bows shall be broken. a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked, for the arms of the wicked shall be broken but the lord upholdeth the righteous the lord knoweth the days of the upright and their inheritance shall be for ever they shall not be ashamed in the evil time and in the days of famine they shall be satisfied. But the wicked shall perish, and the enemies of the Lord shall be as the fat of lambs they shall consume into smoke shall they consume away the wicked borroweth and payeth not again but the righteous showeth mercy and giveth. for such as be blessed of him shal inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off. the steps of a good man are orderd by the lord and he delighteth in his way though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down for the lord upholdeth him with his hand. i have been young and now am old yet have i not seen the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread.  He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed. depart from evil and do good and dwell for evermore for the lord loveth judgment and forsaketh no his saints they are preserved for ever but the see of the wicked shall be cut off. the righteous shall inherit the land and dwell their in forever the mouth of the righteous speaketh wisdom and his tongue talketh of judgmetn the law of his god is in his heart none  of his steps shall slide. the wicked watcheth the righteous and seeketh to slay him the lord will not leave him in his hand nor condemn him when he is judged wait on the Lord and keep his way and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land when the wicked are cut off , thous shalt see it i have seen the wicked in great power and spreading himself like a green bay tree yet he passed away and lo he was not yea i sought him  but he could not be found mark the perfect man and behold the upright for the end o that man is peace but the transgressors shall be destroyed together the end of the wicked shall be cut off but the salvation of the righteous is of the lord he is their strength in the time of trouble and hte lord shall help them and deliver them he shall deliver them form the wicked, and save them because they trust in him.