1 1/4 inches???!!!

My parents have a special wall in our kitchen. It's covered with names and dates, lines telling how tall we were and are, the story of our growing.

I was surprised today, by that wall. My dad was measuring my 5 year old brother. He grew about 1 1/2 inches since last September. So I asked him to measure me, knowing that I am done growing, and would be exactly as tall as the last mark, which was in January of '07.

I grew 1 1/4 inches! I couldn't believe that I would grow between my 23rd and 25th years. I hadn't grown taller in several years before that.

But maybe it is a symbol. I had a huge spiritual growth spurt during that time period. Maybe my King just wanted to give me a physical reminder that He cares about my growing.

Who knew I'd grow 1 1/4 inches taller while I was growing closer to my King! Thank you Jesus, for caring about all of my life :) I love You!

Ay Corey kang go Molli ra

Ay bay kang boreykulu mana faham wone tirra. Amma, ay ga ba kang ay Afrique borey ga faham, zama ay gonda sanizey a se.

Zarma borey, da ay cele, AY GA BA NI!
Ay go ga ni faaji.
Ay ga Irikoy sabu ni se.

Fati Myma, Irikoy ma konda cimi ni se. Cimi, da cimibeeri, da baafuna. Irikoy ma konda arrawaso hanno kang bay Yesu ni se, da Irikoy ma ni konda nwari, da bani, da coro hanno, da coro kang bay Yesu. Fati Myma, ay go ga adduwa ni se, kang ni ma du gabi, ni ma ci borey boobo Yesu bong, ni ma du farha Yesu ra. Ay ga ba ni gumo!

Fati Bubacar Beeri, ay go ga ni faaji. Ay faaji ni suru, da ni care-bandayang da ay. Ay go ga adduwa ni se, kang ni ma faham Yesu baafuna ni se, kang ni ma du cimibeeri, kang ni ma du Yesu, da ni ma te Yesu sani. Ay go ga adduwa ni se, kang Irikoy ma konda ni se bani, da cimi, da Yesu baakasinay.

Bubacar, ay go ga adduwa ni se, mo. Irikoy ma konda ni se biya bani, da cimibeeri, da Irikoy sani, da gabi ga te Yesu saniboobo. Ni ma te Yesu sani, zama ni ma ti Molli Yesu Alfaga. Ay go ga Irikoy ba ga ni no gabi kang ni ma ci Molli boreykulu se Yesu sani, da Yesu cimi. Irikoy go ga ni ba gumo. Ni mana dirgan kang Yesu ga no jineykulu kang ni gonda moradu se. Mo, Irikoy ga ni no haykulu kang ni gonda biya moradu se. Ni ma miila bong Yesu sani zarakulu.

Sadi, Ay go ga ni faaji. Ay ga ba ga te cowyang da ni, da ay ga ba ga ti ni beeri. Waati kang ni maa Irikoy sani, ni ma maa hanno, da boori. Irikoy gonda cimi. Ni ma maa, ni ma te. Zama ay ga ba ni. Ay ga ba ga di ni beene ra! Irikoy ma konda cimibeeri ni se!

Irikoy, Ay Yesu, Ay Baba, fonda goy ni goy Molli ra. Ay go ga Ni sabu gumo zama ni baa ay Molli borey, da Molli boreykulu. Ni ma te borey se hannokulu. Iri ga ni beerundi zarakulu. Iri ga ni sabu, zama ni Iri zunubu teeri. Ni faham sanikulu, da Iri beerundi ni Iri biya ra, carebanda. Ka, ga te iri se. Zama Iri ti ni izey kayna. Yesu mayo ra, Amen.

Cardboard Testimonies from West Africa

I know some of these people!!! Kinda long, I know, but worth watching.

Brayma

Brayma. What will become of you? You are so handsome, so much like your father. He is seeking, searching, he is beginning to follow. You are young, sweet, spoiled. You know the Arabic words of the call to prayer by heart. You know what it means to be a Muslim.

Will you see the desire for God in your father? Will you learn truth from him? What will you choose to believe?

Brayma? Are you well? Have you been injured while you work? Do you have malaria? If you get sick, who will take you to the doctor? You are too old to go for free. I hope your father is willing to spend his money on you. Brayma, make sure that you watch out for your little brothers and sisters. Don't ever hit girls, but protect them. And Brayma, remember that Yesu loves you. He always will. You can always go to Him. He has the answers. He knows how it feels to hurt. He's worth trusting, even more than your dad. And I know that you have a faithful man for your father. Don't forget to say thank you to him. Listen to what he says to you.

I don't know if you know it, but I love you. I'm not sure I knew I love you before, in time to tell you. But I do. I'm over here in America, loving you. But someone loves you more: Yesu.

Brayma, Irikoy ma konda cimi ni se. Cimi, da cimibeeri, da bani, da bina kani.
Irikoy ma konda baafuna da fonda hanno ni se. Nda Brayma, ni ma maa Yesu waati kang a ci haykulu ni se. Ni maa. Zama Yesu go ga ni ba gumo, oho, baa soho.

I love the little ones

Rukea I miss your smiling, silly face! May many Jesus people share truth with you and love you.

Excitement, and what I did.

Excitement.
It's like momentum.
It is building up, more.
And More, and MORE and MORE, and MORE!

It is knowing that I'm heading off, away from my home, family and all I know, into the great thrill of following God's call.

I know it will be crazy. Amazing, I'm sure, to see God's faithfulness in new ways. Testing, I'm positive, of my faith. I'll grow. Teach. Give, and receive of God every day. Experience fellowship in a way I could never in the States. Experience need in the same way. Experience fear, and learn more to rely on the King. My King-Papa.

Most of all I will be following God's calling on my life, and that in itself is surely satisfying.

But I bet you are all wondering what has actually been happening in my life, not what I'm feeling. Well today I:

• restrung a 12 string guitar, breaking only one new string, and (surprise!) it wasn't the high G!
• helped my mom put up our swamp cooler (it's getting warm out!)
• talked with my neighbor Betty for about an hour. It was awesome. We haven't got to do that in a long time.
• took a bike ride, and looked at the stars.
• Watched the stars come out!
• Worked on stuff for Camp Guamiski
• Called my guitar insurance people again.
• Took my little sis and bro to the park, endangering our skin (the sun was hot!)
• Went to prayer meeting
• and FINALLY posted on my blog!

Whew! I know I did more stuff than that! I just can't remember it all. :) I'm getting so old my memory is going away. He he. Goodnight all.

The Zerma Video

A video about the people group I will be serving in just a couple of months! Time goes by so quickly. It is only a couple of weeks until I go to Guatemala, and then my summer is going to fly by!

I have much to be thankful for tonight. People who love my church, me, in Jesus. Is there a greater blessing in life aside from Christ Himself? Tonight, I don't think so.

Few and Far Between

Some friendships are for awhile, while interests coincide. Some last only until the ocasion ends that brought the friends into each other's company. And still others are friends only until trust is betrayed, or character changes. And then there are friends for life and eternity.

Such a one is my sweet friend Jenna. We share great desires for Jesus, purity, music, worship, faith, and holiness. Kindred Spirits come few and far between these days, so I treasure every one.

You will not be surprised at my joy, then, when I heard that she would be coming to stay with me for about a week this winter break. We had one of the nicest weeks ever. Just hanging out was precious to us, because we don't know when we will see one another again. I will be leaving the country, and college dominates her schedule.

We went walking, in the semi-country, the golf course.
We spent talking time, relaxing time, movies and puzzles.
We played piano duets till my brain ached.
And we watched One Night With the King--one of the most romanticist movies ever.

Thank you God, for friends who know You, understand love for You, understand the choices of following You.

Thank you God for Jenna.

Something, Finally.

I've finally feel like I'm getting somewhere in this long missions project.

My passport has come.
My application is finished, and my references requested.
I've nearly picked out my jobs.
And I've taken my first round of vaccinations.

I know that God is still at work in the unseen things even when it seems like I am not getting anything done. I know He has been at work in my heart, changing it, preparing and renewing me.

But it sure is nice to see something happening.

at home and away

Very much at home, my heart is in Africa. If you have the time to read this article, you may know why.

Soon I will be there. So I treasure my home moments.

Amid the family bustle of Thanksgiving I have had very little time for blogging. Hopefully I will be back to my online journal soon.

milliejo