Muchas gracias! (Thank you very much!)

Aaah, first post, and I haven't even left yet! I'm not a blogger, so we'll see how this plays out. I promise I'm going to make an effort to post as much as I can though, I know that a lot of people who are supporting me have asked if I'm going to be keeping a blog, so I want to honor their interest in what's going on while I'm in Honduras. And pictures, hopefully there will be some of those too! But in return, I'm going to throw in some Spanish here and there and I expect all of you to be fluent by the time I get back. Haha, just kidding :) But really, learn Spanish. If nothing else, it builds character, just ask Chris Lamb or anyone else who was in our 8 a.m. Advanced Grammar class last semester.

People have been asking me for like a week if I've packed yet. Do you know me? Of course I haven't packed yet. That's a job for Tuesday night. But, against my nature, I did get my suitcase out of the attic today and throw in about a billion t-shirts (all proudly repping Lipscomb, of course) and shorts that I'm pretty sure I won't be needing in the forty degree weather here over the next two days. I looked at the forecast in Tegucigalpa and its predicting highs in the eighties and sunshine. So apparently you don't have to die to go to heaven, you just have to go south. Just in case you were wondering.

Anyway, I really just want to say that I've been completely overwhelmed by all the love and support I've gotten from those who know about this trip. I can't count the number of hugs I got at church today, so thanks to everyone at North Central who has let me know that they are behind me and praying for me, it really means so much! And to all my friends who think that this is a worthwhile thing that I'm doing and that they love me no matter where I am in the world. You know who you are, and I love you back :) And of course to my family, who I know is proud that I'm doing what God is most definitely calling me to do. Sorry I sent you into shock back in October when I told you about my very vague plans (that are only slightly less vague now), but I'm glad you came to terms w everything, I couldn't have gotten all the pieces together without you! I know I'll have more thanks at the end of my trip, but for now that will do.

I'm beyond grateful that I've always had so so so many wonderful people in my life who have been committed to lifting me up to God in prayer, and I have no doubt that I wouldn't be the person I am today without those prayers. So for those of you who fit into that category, or if you'd like to at least temporarily join that category, there are a few things I'd really appreciate prayers for as I'm preparing to leave and starting out my time in Honduras. First, that I would have confidence in my ability to do the work God has called me to Honduras to do. I know that He wouldn't have guided me to this place if He didn't have a way to use me, but I don't know exactly how He plans to do that at this point. Also, that I would stay healthy and safe so that I can be an effective Kingdom worker. And most of all, that God would open my heart and the hearts of those with whom I come in contact to the ways He can enrich our lives and also to the ways we can enrich each other's lives. That has to be what I'm most excited about, it gives me butterflies just thinking about it! Those who are older and wiser and have more missions experience, and life experience in general, will also probably have more of an idea of what else I'll need prayers for while I'm there, so you can add to the list, but those are the things that are on my heart right now and should at least give you a good place to start. Thank you so much!

There's a lot more I could say, but ADD is a growing issue these days and I know half of you lost interest after the first paragraph, so I'll cut it off here for now. Get excited about this, I know I am! Hasta luego! (Until next time!)