Strength

 Here in Laos things can change at the drop of a hat and what you will hear most on the streets is 'baw pen nyang" which means no problem. It amazes me each day how God has provided for me and blessed I really am, I have been able to move to a new country for a year and been able to find an amazing family to live with and a great team who are with me each step of the way. I am so thankful for the experience to be stretched each day. God has challenge me in new ways each and every day. With jumping into faith like I am there is no way that I could do this on my own. On thing that I have learned is that I can not lean on my own strength and it is amazing to see that Jesus uses me and that even when I am scared and don't know how I am going to make it through I can lean on him because I can't really do much myself. In Kenya one thing I learned was that I was stronger than I thought I was. And it wasn't because of me it was because I was being used by God. At times like sharing the gospel or my testimony I wasn't scared because I was empowered by God and how he was using me, but in reality with my own strength I would have been truly terrified. At times here in Laos when I am alone or when I am scared to ride a motorbike or I am scared about teaching or I am scared about learning and speaking a whole new language, I have been able to lean on God. Which is a blessing to be used and to be able to even have an experience like this.
  The quote from Mother Teresa has resonated with me.
“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.
If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 
If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.
If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.
The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.
Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. 
For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” 
― Mother Teresa

In the end it is all for the glory of God and in everything I do here there is no need to doubt that I can be used by God, that we all can be used each and everyday but the strength of God.