12 days until I will be back in Michigan!! SO excited, but there is so much to do before then! This past week was basically a rush to get everything finished that the kids will be tested on for exams, so it made things pretty crazy! We have exam review this week, and exams the following week.

I started teaching Health class last week, oh my was that interesting! Monday we started out by talking about Self Esteem….good/bad, how to be a friend to yourself, how to like yourself, ect….definitely a tough subject for 6th graders! Some of their comments were hilarious, but some were really sad. I definitely don’t miss those feelings of insecurity, and it is so sad to see them just getting into that! Overall, it went pretty well though! This week we are moving on to drinking/drugs…ahh pray for me!! Haha!

I went to the river with the girls from my campaigners group this weekend, and it was so much fun! We walked down there, and seriously the kids here hardly ever go down to the river, so for some of the girls, it was their first or second time going to the river EVER! They LOVED it! They were all like “wow, look at God’s creation, look at what He has given us, right here!” and that was SO COOL to hear them say that, and to be able to move into conversation from there! It was so cool. When we left, they were all asking when we could come back next!

We talked in my Bible study this past week about how important it is to not live for the end of our time here, which is SO HARD because I feel like I am always thinking about what is next whether it is going home, a break, or even thinking about what I will do when my time here is up! That is one prayer request--to just be here and take full advantage of this opportunity!

Psalm 27:4 “One thing I ask of the Lord, THIS is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and seek Him in His temple!”

"As disciples of Jesus, we should wake up every morning asking ourselves 'How can I get through the next 12 hours in God's power, accomplishing His purposes and only be concerned about pleasing Him?'"

I love this blog post, I think it is so true--the devil so tries anything to steal us away from focusing on God’s plan to being stressed/worried about life, when we really just need to seek God’s plan and find peace!

“Sunday morning I was participating in a worship service. We were singing songs and reading from the text of Scripture as a car alarm just outside the building was blaring. It was incredibly loud. People were getting antsy as they tried to pay attention. Heads turned, looking back to see if anyone was addressing the noise. Others were shifting, some were praying for silence and still others continued to raise their voices in song.
As I tried to sing I couldn’t help but think that I was living in a sacred moment. The morning’s theme was Peace. The first Sunday of Advent. We daily, anxiously, await the peace that is offered in the person of Jesus. And here we were, setting aside an entire morning to the idea of peace, and we were met with nothing but noise, interruption and chaos. Funny.
That sounds about right actually. We long for peace. We pursue it. And in the midst of that pursuit we run into noise, interruption and chaos! Peace isn’t natural. We live in a world that constantly seeks to steal our peace.
The car alarm continued through most of the morning. I don’t know if others thought about the reality the car alarm offered, but that morning the noise of the alarm spoke loudly as it was juxtaposed with the gift of peace we’re offered in Jesus. As the alarm continued to blare, my heart continued to long for my expectant Jesus. My heart longed to connect with the peace He brings, the peace which is his very character and I was drawn to worship in chaos.
As you walk through each day, seek peace and pursue it. Even in the midst of the noise, interruption and chaos. It can be found!”