One Year and Counting

I SURVIVED MY FIRST YEAR OF GRADUATE SCHOOL!  I still find my self confused in the mornings when my alarm goes off trying to remember if I'm late to class.  I feel uncomfortable watching a movie without a book open in front of me.  I have an irrational fear that haunts me that there is still one more assignment that I haven't finished.  But I'm told this is normal for grad school, so I'm not too worried.  I completed 32 hours of grad school and 400 hours of internship and I didn't go crazy!  They did make the mistake to talk to us about the second year (another 32 hours of class and 500 hours of internship AND a thesis) just as we were finishing our first year... But for now I will just enjoy my freedom!  Social work is an interesting field and it is applicable to many situations. 

Now for the fun part, the news!  I have the opportunity to return back to Latin America this summer!  On June 27 I will fly out to Peru with a small team from Beltway Park Baptist Church to translate.  After that I will fly to Ecuador from Lima, Peru on the 6th of July.  I will be with my team there for one month (the 7th of August) and I am so excited!!  Please pray for me in this journey. 

My first semester I lived with my aunt and uncle out in the country, however over Christmas break I moved into town near my University.  The house that I moved into had one nurse and three nursing students.  I was the only non-medical person, needless to say it was a pretty open house.  All of the girls attend my church too and by the end of the semester we all ended going to the same small group during the week.  This small group is amazing!  I started attended on Thursday nights in January.  Around 30-35 people attend, most are graduate students or professionals, some are married and some single.  We took a mission trip to a little town in Texas over spring break.  We ministered to the house parents at a youth ranch.  It was an amazing experiences because God came and blessed these people (and us).  They told us that many groups come to work with the kids but this was the first time that a group had come just to focus on the workers and it was a needed relief. 

I spent most of my time this last semester working on projects for my classes.  So there isn't a whole of interesting things to say about that :).  I still struggled with my English and writing papers sometimes came out with Spanish grammar styles...

God has been using this past semester to teach me about peace and rest in the middle of craziness.  Craziness I definitely understood even way before graduate school, but peace?  That was something that I desired but couldn't seem to quite attain.  To be honest, I have struggles more with worrying about finances during this last year than I have in a very long time.  However, it has been pointless to worry and I see that now.  I know because every month God took care of my needs, sometimes though unexpected ways!  Actually most times through unexpected ways.  I have been teaching Spanish classes and tutoring in my spare time.  Now I am looking for a month long job but so far that has been a fruitless search.  But still I am not worried. God has taken care of me through every step.  I know that I am where He wants me to be and doing what He wants me to do.  Now it is up to Him to take care of everything else!  I want to stay in this peace and trust in God and who He is, when you pray for me please pray that I will continue to know Him more!  That is what I need! 

Thank you for continuing to follow me in this journey!  And for your patience when you don't get updates every month! 

Kristen, Natasha and Me (two of my classmates and friends)