Hey Y'all! Sorry it's been so long since my last update. I've been a busy gal. Let's see, what did I do last month? I have made it about half way through my last semester at CIU. That is strange to think about! I have had lots of fun with friends lately. We had a Superman movie marathon one weekend. We watched all five Superman movies in two nights. We took the top off the Jeep one beautiful day and had an adventure. There's nothing like feeling the wind and singing with the radio turned way up with good friends! I have gotten some good homework in there as well. I have been doing well in my research class so far - thanks for the prayers about that! It is always a challenge, and I feel like a fish out of the water, but so far so good.
I have had several southern cultural experiences lately. I went to a Presbyterian church with some friends a few weeks ago. They were having something special in their Sunday School class and I went along. It was a typical huge brick and white southern church with large steeple and a building so big we got lost! Everyone was dressed up a lot - suit and ties and dresses. They had a huge choir with nice blue robes and a big organ. The Sunday School class was great and the preaching was excellent! It was great, I felt like I had really experienced some southern culture after going there.
This week is Spring Break. We are not allowed to stay on campus so I am currently with some friends at a beach house in Myrtle Beach. However, before that I experienced some more southern culture! My friend Linda's dad was in Birmingham, Alabama for a couple days to visit some churches and his mission. So Linda and I drove down there on Sunday. I think most of you remember that Linda is from Honduras so it was fun for her to see her dad and it was great to meet him. They talked in Spanish a lot and it was fun for me to try to figure out what they were talking about! We stayed there until Tuesday morning and I got to see some more of the "real south". I don't think it gets much more southern than Birmingham, Alabama! We had a great time and on Tuesday we had another long road trip. We left Birmingham at 7:00am, drove all day, stopped by campus to pick up our things for the rest of break and drove to Myrtle Beach. It was a very long day, but we had fun.
We are staying at a house one block from the beach. It belongs to a friend's grandma so we are able to stay there for free! Yesterday we went to a deserted beach and it was lots of fun. It was a beautiful day out and I got really sunburned. For those of you who have never seen me anything but white, enjoy the above picture. If you look real close you can see some red arms!! I look like a lobster, but maybe, just maybe it will turn to a tan instead of just going away this time! This morning we got up and did homework on the beach all morning. Now I am at a local library checking e-mail, updating my blog and hopefully doing more homework!
As you can tell, I have been doing really well. There are some things that I would love for you to join me in prayer about. I have two midterms to take this week during break. Please pray that I would get them done and done well. I also have other homework to do. We finally received all of our information for North Africa this summer and I am working on addressing envelopes this week. Hopefully I will be able to get my letters printed and sent out early next week so be looking for those in your mail! The biggest thing on my mind right now is what happens after North Africa. Please pray for wisdom and direction for me. I would love to stay in Columbia and work and get an apartment with Linda. I am looking for a job either here in South Carolina or back in Wisconsin, preferably in ministry. It is difficult to look for work when I can't start until July or August. However, I need to know where I will be living fairly soon so that I can arrange housing if I need to. So, please pray with me that God will provide a job and give me clear direction if He would have me stay down south or head back up north.
Thank you for marching around the walls of Jericho with me in prayer. I'll let y'all know when the walls come tumbling down and the Lord provides in His perfect timing!
"There is a living God.He has spoken His word.He means just what He says,and will do all that He has promised."~ J. Hudson Taylor ~
