Seek The Things Above

"If then, you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory." -Colossians 3:1-4

I am so sorry that I haven't posted a blog post or an update in quite a long time. The days sometimes feel long and tedious, and I always feel that I have nothing new to share about, but God has been teaching me things lately that remind me I don't need big stories or a million pictures to share what's on my heart. The last few months have remained busy here in Washington. I'm working on finishing my schooling (only a few courses left), graduating, and then taking my NARM board exam.

Summer has been rather dry around here, which if you've ever been to Washington, you know how rare that is. The days are hot and filled with so many unknowns, but I'm thankful that we have had opportunities to go hiking, swimming, geocaching, berry picking, kayaking, and to just spend quality time with friends. I adopted two new houseplants, Jethro and Harrison, and I am frantically trying to keep them alive, which is quite difficult when I am gone for long periods of time. Jethro is especially dramatic and likes to randomly die on certain days, but then always comes back when he feels like it.

My family is driving cross-country and will be here in 3 days. I cannot wait to hug them and show them the beautiful West coast! Washington scenery is gorgeous, with its rivers, waterfalls, bridges, greenery, and forests. It will be a wonderful 10 days, and I am excited to see how God uses it.

I spend most of my time with two of the midwives, Cheyenne and Taylor, and this summer one of the girls from Davao City, Philippines, Anna, spent 7 1/2 weeks here, so the four of us had a great time encouraging each other, going on adventures, and catching babies together. We ate way too much chocolate and stayed up way too late, but I am thankful that I get to work with such amazing women who strive to share Jesus everyday, amidst the chaos of the world.

July has been a month of many changes and learning new things, and this month I decided that I wanted to try birth photography. After asking a close friend (who is a birth photographer) a million questions, I borrowed a friends camera and I LOVED it!! It is so special to be able to tell a story through pictures, and especially a story as life-changing as birth. These families never fail to amaze me, and God has shown His faithfulness through each birth.

With all of the chaos in the world right now the Lord has been putting it on my heart to not focus on the worldly things, but to focus on Him and the Great Reward. He reminds me that this world is NOT our home, and that I have something wonderful to look forward to. That being said, I also have been trying to remain steadfast in the present, which is hard for me. I am a "future-thinker", always thinking of the next adventure or schedule. I recently was reminded of the Lord's steadfastness and how I need to imitate Christ in that. I can be steadfast because the Lord remains faithful! "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls." -Hebrews 10:39

All that rambling to say that I will try harder to post often, but know that God is using midwifery and His followers here in Washington to do mighty things for His Kingdom!

Prayer Requests:

-Finishing school

-NARM board exam

-Rest amidst the busyness of life

-Future plans/country I will serve in long-term

-That the Lord would show me His will for my life and future

-Family arrives safely