Catching up

So I was really gung ho on the bloggin' thing in the beginning but I have been way too slack lately so here goes...

Two weekends ago, my good friend Bryan and I went up to Philadelphia to visit our friend Stephanie. What a blast!!! I haven't been up there since I was a little girl, so it was very different to go back now. We did and saw everything we could possibly squeeze into just a few days. Historical tours, medical museum, art museum, Geno's cheesesteak :-), great dinners, fun shopping, and 4 hours in IKEA!!! It was such a blessing to spend time with two girls who are such great friends, encouragers in my relationship with Christ, and who are real. We can be who we are and not worry about being loved and accepted, because we care and love each other the way Christ has called us to love each other, in spite of our shortcomings. (I'll post a couple of pics at the end of this post).

The last few days I have just been blown away by what the Lord has worked out and how He is bringing about some heart desires that I have had tucked away for quite awhile. After I had been a nurse for awhile and felt as though I had a little experience under my belt, I thought how neat it would be to use my training in ministry. I have always had a little place in my heart for the ministry of the christian crisis pregnancy centers. Growing up my parents were very involved in this ministry and I was always very aware of what a powerful ministry that it is. To reach out to young women in such a vulnerable place and potentially save a life from abortion. What an incredible thing to be involved in!!! Several months ago the pregnancy center that my church supports had a booth at our missions festival and I was so challenged and convicted at the same time to volunteer. And despite being slack in signing up for the training sessions and turning my paperwork in, the Lord has sovereignly worked everything out so perfectly just in the last couple of days!! I continue to be amazed at His faithfulness in spite of my unfaithfulness. I don't even have any words to explain how I feel...

Another thing that I have had in the back of my mind and my heart is a desire to go to Africa. I never had any specific ideas of what that would look like or in what capacity I would go, but it has always kind of been there. A small kind of back burner prayer request. And once again, the Lord has worked it out and I have been chosen to be part of a team from my church that is going to Zimbabwe in August!!! And there is a possiblity I will be able to stay for a couple of weeks longer and help out with the ministry that is going on there.