Happy Birthday, Dear Sarah x2

This past week was FULL of activities, responsibilities, commitements, etc.

Two of the highlights of the week were the birthdays of my two great friends, Sarah and Sarah.

Sarah L. is my wonderfully joyful and ever-so-forgiving roommate! (May 14th)

Sarah A. is my dear friend and inspirational fellow sixth grade teacher. (May 18th)

I am truly so incredibly blessed to have both of these ladies in my life and praise God for their lives.

author's note: this was written April 19th but was unable to be posted until now due to delays in getting pictures.

Challenge Club Finale

This weekend was so awesome, and a great finale to the extremely busy week. Challenge club, the after school small-group Bible study for 5th and 6th grade, had its finale even this week - an "overnighter." :)

85 students were invited to sleep over at school Friday night for a mini-retreat. We did a huge variety of things: we did team building activities, played high-energy games, listened to a challenging message from God's Word, warmed up around a bonfire, enjoyed some local Christian artists perform, participated in a talent show, watched a movie, talked and encouraged and laughed hysterically.....!

Maybe the only thing that we didn't really do was sleep....ha ha ha!

The students had been anticipating this day for a long time, and God really just blessed us with a wonderful event. All the teachers were energetic, encouraging, and very emotionally "present," even after a busy week of teaching. The students were obviously challenged by the Scripture and the testimonies, and many were very open to sharing and praying with counsellors. Everyone was kept safe, and it just felt like the Holy Spirit was really among us creating a Spirit of unity!

I am going to miss these kiddos so incredibly much....but I just cherish all these moments I have to spend with them. Now my mission is to continue to pray for their impressionable lives....

Thank you, God!

wrestling and rest

Yesterday was a "wrestling" day.
Wrestling with myself and with doubts....about decisions, the future, my time here, etc.
Finally I realized the trouble - I was relying on my own abilities, knowledge, and efforts, which of course are insufficient!
God both humbled me and reassured me through His Word and through prayer.
I think the coming year may be a year of me learning to rely on Him rather than all of my own efforts, which is a dangerous tendency for me.

This morning in church we sang an old hymn, Day By Day and With Each Passing Moment, by Lina Sandell. The lyrics really encouraged me, so I wrote them down and typed out the first verse and a half below.

"Day by day and with each passing moment,
Strength I find to meet my trials here;
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure
Gives unto each day what He deems best-
Lovingly, its part of pain and pleasure,
Mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord Himself is near me
With a special mercy for each hour;
All my cares He fain would bear, and cheer me,
He whose name is Counsellor and Power."

I love sixth grade because.....

....they do crazy things with me and think it is totally cool!

Bug Soup

Centipedes scurrying in the shower,
ants parading purposefully on the counter,
cockroaches zinging around the living room (yes they fly).
June bugs crashing against the window screens,
mosquitoes humming in my eardrum,
and earwigs appearing from between the lettuce leaves.

At least the tarantulas and scorpions have stayed down the road...for now!

Bug soup anyone?!
:)

ps - I tried to add pics of them...but it didn't work - sorry!

Our God of Details

I am constantly amazed at how God works in the tiny details of life. I shouldn’t be surprised, but it’s an awesome reminder of His hand in all things!

I rarely receive snail-mail here in Honduras (read: almost never). However, on both of the two hardest days of my year, I received a card from two of my best friends!

The first hard day was when I handed in my letter of resignation to my school here in Honduras. That day, a mini-package arrived from Charlene with a letter, pictures, sweet mementos, etc. It was so uplifting!

Yesterday was the other hard day of the year; as you probably read, I told my students I would not be returning …and that night I also accepted a job. It was an emotionally draining day.
However, a card arrived from Christy. Wow!
Her card (in addition to be encouraging, as usual) had some Bible verses and quotes.
This one really spoke to me and encouraged me in my decision to step out and take the job in faith….

“Faith means striking out, with no clear end in sight and perhaps even no clear
view of the next step. It means following, trusting, holding out a hand to
an invisible Guide…faith is reason gone courageous.”
~ Philip Yancey

Thank you, God!

decisions

Dear friends,
Two major things happened today!

First, I told my students that I would be leaving Honduras! It was hard for them and for me (tears shed by both parties), but it was the right time to do it. I trust we will really enjoy our last few weeks together! :)

Second, I accepted a job contract! I will be teaching a variety of 9th grade courses at Providence Reformed Collegiate, a small Christian high school near London, Ontario. I'm excited about the decision and feel like God's hand was upon it. However, I am a little nervous about the big change and the large workload. I trust in the fact that God's purposes and ways are larger than I can know or understand.

I really appreciate all of your support and prayers thus far! Please pray for my final two months here in Honduras and for my transition to Ontario, as so much will be new (culture, community, teaching position). The Lord is good...!

Truly,
Theresa.

"I will bow down toward your holy temple
and will praise your name
for your love and your faithfulness,
for you have exalted above all things
your name and your word."
Psalm 138:2