Jesus is Good!!

I could list you a million reasons why but I will try to limit it to a few:

the journey has begun!! i am safe in jo-berg. all my flights went smoothly, i slept a little bit on the 15+ hour flight :), i was seated between two amazing women- one from Germany who teaches New Testament studies at Berkley- wow, and one who is from South Africa but living in Chicago (shout out to LORI) with her husband. There were also 3 pastors sitting in the row in front of me & I was reminded that "i am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses" thank you jesus! ok other reasons Jesus is good- got to be sent off by the 3 best roommates in the whole world (no arguments please, i know it is true), i am staying at the cutest little bunk house run by an older couple who are the SWEETEST, the wife is a cancer survivor and told me all about her story- wow, and there are some other cool people staying here from all over- australia, cookeville,tn (haha, small world) and Minnesota and i dont know where else. my cell phone miraculously worked here and i got to talk to mom. i felt completely wrapped up in prayers and love all day long, my heart was so moved every time i thought of all the love & support i have been covered in. thank you all so much. let's see- tomorrow i will be in the Pemba dirt! glory glory hallelujah! i want to go to bed right now so i can wake up, hop on my plane & see all the faces of those i love. :) ok those are a few good reasons to praise Jesus :)

also, as i was in the airport waiting painfully for my first flight for like 2 hours because we got there so early i had some time to read & journal & i wanted to share what God showed me because its really wonderful...

1 Corinthians 1:2-5
1 When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.

-that's Paul talking, about he came to teach and preach only through the Holy Spirit, not by his own skills or wisdom. He decided to know nothing but Jesus. Thank you Jesus- that that's all you ask of me. I just have to seek you out, rely on you. You don't ask me to be well-versed or well-spoken. You just ask me to know you & rely on your Spirit. Such a comfort. Even Paul came in weakness- timid and trembling. Whew, what a consolation. thank you God that all the glory is Yours.




prayer requests-
~that my baggage gets all the way to pemba :) haha they said it was checked all the way through so i didnt have to get it tonight but i'm not 100% sure about that... :)
~continued health and energy
~unity and sweet connections with the other staff members as we begin to meet up.

Love to each of you! Can't wait to send you an update from Pemba!!! :)
kelly