How on earth...

...Do I start blogging again!? So many things whizzing through my mind that I could write about. Sorta' overwhelming.

Well, I guess we'll start with first things first.

I went to Brazil!

And it was amazing!

My brother Nate went with me, which made it EPIC! He is an incredible guy, an awesome brother, and a treasured friend. I kept on feeling immeasurably blessed to be in that beautiful country with him. We stayed with friends in Annapolis (central Brazil) for about a week and a half, then traveled with them about three hours north to a mission station in Puerto Velho. Here, several organizations including Wycliffe and YWAM (known in Brazil as "Jocum" are based. This is a strategic spot for reaching several of the MANY remote tribes in Brazil.

Nate, who is a pilot and is preparing for mission aviation work, offered assistance with a plane that needed repairs. During the three or four days he was busy with that, I pretty much wandered around the base exploring (which was very fun!), read some, and spent time in prayer, too. I couldn't help but feel that God had definitely lead us to Puerto Velho for a reason other than tourism. Part of me was completely content with that reason being for Nate (that he'd get a clearer vision of what sort of missions aviation God is calling him to)... but another part of me kinda' hoped that God had something for ME in Puerto Velho, too. Someone I should meet; something I should see; a ministry I should know about, maybe. So I prayed about it.

I'm long winded. So because it's a long story, I'll fast-forward a bunch of things that I would be jawing on and on about if I were telling you this in person, and simply say that on the LAST day of our time in Puerto Velho I met people who are working in a ministry that I can really see myself serving in (it's an international ministry, so I'm not talking about necessarily moving to Brazil any time soon!). I felt my heart burning with excitement and with a vision to help reach remote people groups with the Word of God; a vision I've been passionate about for close to 10 years now, ever since I read the book "Bruchko."

As I contemplated these things on the flight home, I decided that I need to make this an active matter of prayer and start at least "knocking on doors" to see if God wants to send me soon. It's a terrifying thought, to leave my family and my comforts here, and I don't think I'm quite ready for it... but I trust that if God has given me this passion, He will equip me for it in due time. Perhaps God wants me to stay stateside for now and continue serving here for Him. I'm definitely willing for that. But I also feel like it's time to start looking into the possibility of going.

So, if you think to pray for me as I start tentatively seeking for guidance, please do. I would be SO SO grateful! I'm overwhelmed and excited; feeling cautious and eager all at once. God would have to do a LOT of things in order for me to move overseas anytime soon. But He's a big God. His dreams are bigger than mine. And my heart is increasingly burdened with the truth that there are tribes out there who do not know Him; people who do not know how to die. Men and women who are being hurtled into a Christless eternity without ever having heard that there is a God who loves them. It's so wrong... and I want to be part of telling them.

A little side note that doesn't have much to do with the rest of this post: I'm wondering if there are very many people who actually read this blog. So would you mind, if you read THIS post, just leaving a tiny comment? Nothing big. You can even be anonymous. Just say something like "Hey! Read it!" ...And I'll be happy. :) And you'll have done your good deed for the day.

I'm just curious.