Back from the Philippines!  There are so many stories to tell of the amazing things that God did and is continuing to do, but I hardly can tell them all.  Just know that your prayers and support were greatly appreciated!  The trip would not have been the same without you all!  Thank you so much, and hopefully I will get the chance to tell you all about it in person.

Please be in continued prayer for the whole team, especially Melissa Sherrill.  She became very ill on the trip, and though she is doing much better, she is still not at 100%, and is very exhausted.  Pray that this weekend is restful for her, and that come Monday she will be ready for a full week of classes.  Pray that everyone's jetlag is a minimal as possible.  Thank you all so much!  I love you all!

Less than 75 hours till we leave for the Philippines!!!! 

and tons of work left to do before then...

but that's ok, Jesus and I will get everything finished

I'm sure of it

Today in one of my classes we were discussing the book of Job, and how sometimes God does things that we don't understand, but there are plenty of reasons to praise Him, even in his silence.  There are plenty of things going on, or that have gone on, or that will go on, that I do not and will not understand, but I was reminded today, by my professor, of something very important...I don't understand why God blessed me with the most wonderful parents I could ever ask for...I don't understand why God blessed me with sisters and a brother who are my best friends...I don't understand why God was generous enough to give me wonderful grandparents...I don't understand why God allowed me to have a best friend like Ericka who has been with me through every major event in my life...I don't understand why God has blessed me with an incredible group of people from home who raised me to be who I am...I don't understand why God has provided me with a home, while millions of other people in the world remain homeless...I don't understand why God has filled my stomach with food today, when I don't deserve it anymore than those who are starving...I don't understand why God has given me an awesome roommate, and incredible friends here in Dallas...there are so many things that God has blessed me with that I have no understanding of, but God does, and he has a purpose and a plan.  So when something happens that I wouldn't consider a blessing, and I just don't understand, perhaps it would do me good to remember that I don't understand the good things either, but God does, and He knows what He is doing.

and...HAPPY 18TH BIRTDAY TO MY BEAUTIFUL SISTER, JESSICA!!!

Sometimes things just don't work out the way that we planned them...

sometimes they do...

I really wish it could just be one or the other.  That way I could know to either stop planning all together, or plan out everything just the way I want it.  Truth be told, things would work out a lot better if I just stopped planning altogether, because even when things do work out my way, I often, in hindsight, wish they hadn't.