I was reading a few different translations of John 4, and the NIV makes the beginning sound very dramatic:

"Now Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that he was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John— although in fact it was not Jesus who baptized, but his disciples. So he left Judea and went back once more to Galilee." (John 4:1-3)

"Remembering where our true home is will help us today as we speak of light and momentary troubles, which achieve in us an eternal weight of glory." —  Randy Alcorn, Safely Home

To those like me who struggle to see all the good and beauty in academic endeavors:

We often forget that educational work is for our own good. How will we learn to manage our time, be responsible, and be disciplined? How will we learn to persevere when things get frustrating? How will we learn to ask for help? How will we discover what things we are good at? How will we ever know how far our minds can grow if we don't have the right approach to learning? If we don't try, we will never succeed. 

And now I shall leave you this well-known piece of Scripture and be on my way:

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord, and not for man," - Colossians 3:23

Sometimes all you have to do is sing songs, bake cakes, play dress-up, or laugh a little with younger people who love you to make you feel like a little kid again, all silly, fun, and carefree. 

Praise to the One Who Reinvigorates My Soul

For the past week, I have been in another time and place. My mind has been both up in the clouds and rooted in rich soil. I am exhausted, but I am no longer weary. I have seen and experienced so many good, uplifting things, and my soul has been revived. I can only thank the One Who has given me this wonderous opportunity for

- amazing spiritual leaders

- safety in traveling

- green grass and beautiful flowers

- the opportunity for meditation in the Word 

- cool nights

- good small group discussions

- health and strength for my body

- good times spent with friends

- time for personal prayer walks

- hymn sings and uplifting music

- the ability to run and feel light and carefree

- hot showers

- quiet time

- the Holy Spirit Himself living inside me and guiding me through it all

Ten Donkeys Dancing in the Moonlight

It's always interesting to think that animals have minds of their own. As I was preparing myself for bed one of these nights, I stopped suddenly when I heard the sound of several sets of hooves galloping around outside my window. Horses? Here, at this time of night? I had only seen horses in my town a handful of times, and when I did, it was only one or two. I could believe it, but it didn't seem likely. No. When I looked out, the sight before me held a family of ten donkeys trotting down the path next to our home. One of them was a little foal. I had seen this group before, but who knows what they were doing out this time of night? Maybe it was a designed escape from their owners. Or they were taking a family stroll. Or maybe they were simply feeling happy and wanted to embrace the cool, peaceful night. It's wonderful to realize that these calm, reliable beasts are also fun, intelligent, social creatures, and the mysteries of their ways continue to amaze me.

My sister's prayer earlier today:

". . . and thank you, God, for giving us friends to play with and food and books and pens and the ability to be literate and have fantastical minds."

Gökotta

This is another Nordic word (Swedish) that I found so lovely. It's the act of waking up at early dawn to watch and listen to the first birds sing. My sister, Kate, does this quite often. (Unlike her, I'm not usually an early riser, and if I awake early enough to hear the first birds sing, it's accidental. But I greatly admire those who do.) I think this also provides the perfect moment and kind of peace to spend time with the Lord and to be still before the business of the day. 

Seven different books lay before me,
Each filled with notes, terms, and references.
The keyboard is ready to be used
For an assignment not of my preference.
My mind is blank and my eyes tired;
I’m not sure I can escape this longing
To set my work aside and let sleep be acquired.
But I shall push through, for I am not far from finished;
And then I can rest, and my work will be diminished.

Life Here

As an MK

- when you start to speak, but the wrong language comes out (or when your one sentence ends up with two or three different languages in it)

- when you find yourself holding your breath all the way to your destination because the condition of the “roads” makes it too hard to breathe normally

- when you find a bug in your food or water, quietly pick it out, and continue eating as if nothing happened

- when one of the most common questions asked in the household is “Do we have water right now?”

- when traffic rules don’t exist

- when it is impossible to concisely respond to the question “Where are you from?”

- when your feet are stained red because walking barefoot on laterite beats walking in shoes

- when you randomly find goats hanging out in your backyard

- when you’ve memorized your way around the national airport because it’s small and you’ve been countless times

- when “cold” is at 80° F

- when “home” is not a place

I and many other people often overlook, or misunderstand the significance of the disciples leaving to follow Jesus. We are such independent thinkers and make decisions on our own, whereas the biblical people often thought collectively, involving their friends and families. Matthew 4:18-22 tells of the first disciples leaving their work and family behind to follow Jesus. I tend to think, “Oh yeah, they saw how good and different Jesus was and hopped up to follow their new rabbi.” They did leave immediately. But we sometimes forget how much they gave up. They left their only work they knew, including their nets and boats, their fathers and families, the comfort of home, all to follow Jesus. But it was so worth it.

One of my favorite things about living in a warm culture is the emphasis on quality time. Simple visits to people's homes mean so much, and taking the time to stop and have a conversation is a foundational part of society. I find that a very good thing.

2025 Books

Here are five stories I have read and loved this year that I will gladly suggest:

Our Only May Amelia by Jennifer L. Holm - a beautiful historical fiction telling of an American-Finnish girl with a wild spirit

Not My Will by Francena Arnold - a very good contemporary story of learning to surrender 

The Green Ember series by S. D. Smith - these were written for people much younger than I, but the entirety of the series and its sub-series is all about swords and rabbits and courage and community, and reading it was wonderful. 

Marmee: A Little Women Novel by Sarah Miller - some of the content would call for an older audience; however, I absolutely loved every minute spent reading this. It's the Little Women account in the form of Marmee's diary.

When the World Was Ours by Liz Kessler - one of those books written in multiple perspectives; based on a true story, it is such a good, bittersweet tale about three friends during the Holocaust.

I highly recommend using a free afternoon to stay at home, brew some tea, have good music playing, and read a book.

"In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." — 1 John 4:10

There is no other god, no king, who lays down literally everything, his glory, his divine power, his life, for his people. No other ruler loves his children to the extent that the Father does, who sent His one and only holy, beloved Son, devoid of any wrongdoing or speck of dirt, to sacrifice Himself through death, out of pure love for us. 

What a King.

Jólabókaflóð

In Iceland, every evening on Christmas Eve, it is tradition to gift books to each other, then spend the remainder of the night reading them while drinking hot chocolate. Does that not sound wonderful?

Caroling

I sang Christmas carols in three different languages this evening, and it was beautiful. 

Candle lights in hand, our young group walked door to door of fellow missionary friends to saluer them with hymns and smiles. Carols are so common this time of year, that the words and wonder of singing them are sometimes overlooked. 

Allow me to share my highlighted one for this year.

"I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is based on a poem ("Christmas Bells") written during the Civil War by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. At the time, he was grieving his wife's death and was coping with his son having been wounded in the war. The nation was engulfed in anxiety and darkness. Christmas had come, but where was the peace and goodness? The joy and hope? 

However, when the bells chimed louder, Longfellow was reminded that "God is not dead, nor doth He sleep; The Wrong shall fail, The Right prevail, with peace on earth, good-will to men."

Revisit the song, listen to the lyrics, and remember that peace is promised even when the world seems so dark. Let this Christmas remind us that Christ came to lowly earth to give us that peace, and we should honor Him with songs of praise. 

Eulogy

So little were you that came to my door.

Your brother was timid, but 

You were determined.

You came lacking nourishment,

And we fed and cleaned you,

Even if your little body struggled to live.

You snuggled with us day and night.

You slept in our arms and

Ate from our hands.

You kissed us with your whiskers and

Licked us with your tongue.

Your curious ears perked

As you followed us around our home.

You were brave, my boy, to open up to us. 

You had no mother to raise you, and you 

Watched your brother fade away 

Under the Christmas tree.

You were so strong, little one,

To let us hold you and

Watch over you, with all your family gone;

And to have lived this long 

In our care is beyond reason.

Thank you, my dear, for letting us have you 

For this bit of time.

You were so small, but your 

We loved you no matter. 

Studying and writing about the wonders of the present and coming kingdom of God, and then later singing "Days of Elijah" brings much hope and and happiness to my heart. 

The Rain Is Sleeping

And dry season has come upon us. Winter is not-existent here. Snowflakes have never fallen in this place. But flakes of dust have. Harmattan is here, and that means that

- dust and dirt coats all things at all times.

- you can look straight into the sun and your eyes won't really be harmed (due to the amount of dust filling the sky).

- temperatures drop significantly, and we can joyfully use blankets and jackets.

- small dust tornadoes are seen and chased after by children.

- occasional nose bleeds happen.

- our chapped lips are begging for mercy.

- a round or two of sniffles hit everybody.

- fires are burned everywhere after the fields have been harvested.

- simply driving down the road leaves a monstrous trail of dust.

- skin cracks and peels.

- I repeat, it gets cold! (for Africa)

- the holidays approach!

After listening to a sermon about courage, I have lingering thoughts. That courage isn’t all about being bold in the face of giants. Having courage is knowing that it’s okay to be afraid. We can’t have courage without fear. Almost constantly the Lord is telling us to not be afraid. That’s when we lean on Him the most — when we are afraid — because He is the source of our courage.

If you don't know what book hangover is, look it up. It is very much a real thing, and I struggle to find a cure for it besides ignoring tasks at hand and staring blankly at a wall. One of the downsides of loving beautiful stories.

The Bucket List

Not the “before you die” kind, but the “Quick! Water’s coming in!” kind.
Filling up buckets. Washing clothes. Taking showers.
When water finally comes into our house, it’s a blessing not to take for granted.

My Kingdom

"My Kingdom" by Louisa May Alcott, one of my very favorite poems my mind has recently been thinking about:

A little kingdom I possess
Where thoughts and feelings dwell,
And very hard I find the task
Of governing it well;
For passion tempts and troubles me,
A wayward will misleads,
And selfishness its shadow casts
On all my words and deeds.

How can I learn to rule myself,
To be the child I should,
Honest and brave, nor ever tire
Of trying to be good?
How can I keep a sunny soul
To shine along life's way?
How can I tune my little heart
To sweetly sing all day?

Dear Father, help me with the love
That casteth out my fear;
Teach me to lean on thee, and feel
That thou art very near,
That no temptation is unseen
No childish grief too small,
Since thou, with patience infinite,
Doth soothe and comfort all.

I do not ask for any crown

But that which all may win
Nor seek to conquer any world
Except the one within.
Be thou my guide until I find,
Led by a tender hand,
Thy happy kingdom in myself
And dare to take command

 "It is not for the flock of sheep to know the pasture the Shepherd has in mind. It is for them simply to follow Him." - Elisabeth Elliot

Never underestimate the power of going on a walk. 

Near the beginning of this fall, there was a time I was particularly overwhelmed and stressed out over various things that were happening. One day I had so much energy to get out, that I asked one of my siblings to go on a little walk with me. 

After my poor sister finished listening to all my worries and complaints and had walked the perimeter of the surrounding buildings, I felt so much lighter. Perhaps it was because we had talked the whole way and treated our time as a type of therapy session. But burning off all that stress energy from the day also played a part. We surrounded ourselves with bushes, trees, and bypassing lizards. We felt the wind hit our faces as we strode along. We got our blood moving, and our brains unwound. 

Even now, I take breaks to stroll along with friends weekly. Walks like these cause you to breathe, clear your mind, catch up with people, and let you spend time outside in the God's creation. 

Never underestimate the power of going on a walk. It does wonders. 

When You Feel Like Amy Carmichael

I gaze into the beautiful blue-green eyes of my sister every time she smiles at me. When my mother speaks to me, I long to have the blueberry color that illuminates hers. One of my closest friends has lovely grey-green eyes that look back at you with kind wisdom. 
When you’re stuck with plain brown eyes, it is often so easy to get lost in the Realm of Comparison, and refuse to accept the wonderful color eyes the Maker gave you. I often forget that I have eyes the color of autumn leaves, steeped tea, and chocolate. Of rich soil, honey, and coffee. And I have eyes the color of all my African friends. Yes brown eyes are common. But so is rain, and smiles, and kindness. Some say that brown is the color of all the other colors mixed together. Now let us never be dissatisfied with color eyes we have, whether the color of emerald, or the ocean, or chocolate. For the Lord made us all bright and beautiful, and with that we are blessed.

Quiddling

If this were a profession, I would be very well-off.

To quiddle (or quiddling) is the act of busying oneself with trivial tasks as a way of avoiding the important ones.

Empty Chairs

There are empty holes in my heart
Where ones dear to me lived.
Before they left my side,
They filled me with so much life.
Their absence doesn’t mean that 
They are gone forever.
But the empty chairs I see tonight 
Bring a pang of hurt to my heart; 
Why, oh why must we
Create beloved friendships 
Only to say goodbye?
Why must we depart from each other, 
Bringing tears to our eyes?
But I know the Maker gives 
And the Maker takes away.
I know that He has plans for us 
In the midst of our dismay.
And I know for sure that 
The empty chairs I see 
Will not remain deserted.
For the ones I love I will see again, 
And my heart will be made whole.

 "I am afraid... But I keep on loving what's on the other side of this fight. And that will have to make me brave." - S.D. Smith, The Black Star of Kingston

Celebrate Gladness

So much rejoicing.

Food, kids, and dancing. 

We made joyful noise unto the Lord.

Chatted with those who serve. 

Thanked Jesus for What He’s done,

And no evening was lovelier. 

Simple Joy

I love quiet one-on-one time with those who make me smile. And today, that happened. My little sister, Elise, and I biked the sandy roads to our home. It was hot, we were tired, and we were happy to have a calm house to ourselves for some time. I brewed tea (raspberry-pomegranate is my new current addiction). She talked. I listened. We sat there, sipping our tea, eating muffins, and simply enjoying each other’s company. Before the others came home, she told me, “This is so nice. We should do this again!” Her sweet heart makes me happy. 

Ruska

It’s a Finnish noun referring to the process of leaves changing to the colorful shades of red, yellow, purple, and brown in the autumn. (One of the beautiful things that I miss living here). 

I read this passage earlier today:

All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 86.9-12 

Let these words be forever true, that we may praise Him for all Who He is, all He has done, and all He will do in the future to come. We are not worthy; yet in His amazing goodness, He teaches us and guides us and loves us. Let us worship Him, love Him, and thank Him forever. 

Arms of Strength

I am tired and worn and feel I might break;
I wrestle with stress and it makes my head ache.
But through Your loving kindness and fatherly care,
You hold me upright so life I can bare.
A touch of Your grace I do not deserve,
Who's child am I that tenderly serves?
I stumble and falter, yet You are still near
Your peace, Your presence - it brings sweet tears.
Though weary I wander, Your promise remains,
You carry my burdens and quiet my pain.
So I'll rise again, though feeble, I'll stand,
Held firm in the grace of your merciful hand.

There's no feeling quite like accomplishment. Having something done, completed, out of the way, is wonderful. Freedom. Feeling light. Knowing that goals have been reached. Peace of mind has been established and motivation has once again been restored. Behold, the power of pushing forward.