my last night in the states...

its almost 3am as i am writing this. my flight leaves in 13hrs. i am about to take my 3 bags and move to uganda. it has come so quickly and it all feels surreal. but as much as i can be, i ready. i'm ready to get back to my second home and i'm looking forward to sharing it with you!

on the eve of my departure, many of my family and friends came by to "send me off" to uganda. i absolutely loved getting to see so many people. my heart was encouraged by our conversations, prayers, and worship. what a beautiful picture of the body of Christ! i am so grateful for the relationships i have been blessed with here in cleburne. God has used each one to spur me on and make me more like Him. no matter where i am, God has been gracious to bless me with wonderful friendships. i am looking ahead to who He will introduce me with and allow me to walk next to in life while living in uganda.

here are a few pictures from tonight...

britt and i

my friend jennifer drove all the way from dallas! 

i just love her! thank you for coming! 

the buren 3

 sweet prayer time!

Vickie and some of the Ford crew!

 Britton, Anna (left); JJ and the girls plus josh (right)

dad and us

thank you again for everyone's love, support and prayers! seriously, my spirit has been lifted because of you. i anxiously look forward to sharing the journey with you! my love goes out to you and the next time you hear from me i will be in route or in uganda!!! :)

a trip down south

sept 9-12 i was down in new braunfels for one of my best friends bachelorette party. we had a blast hanging out at the lake, going to dinner in gruene, and teepeeing the house of the bachelor party (we ended up getting caught and some of us got thrown in the lake). i also got to spend time with my sister, jamie, and her family before i leave the country. much needed fun and refreshing weekend! here are a few pictures of the weekend below...

my precious friend sarah!

love all the boots

my beautiful friend sarah!

gruene, tx

  the amazing sunset at my sister's house

i head back down on thursday for the big celebration weekend of sarah marrying matthew! i can't wait to  to spend time with them as we honor them on what will just be the beginning of life together! 

from months. to weeks. now DAYS.

i have just 7 days to have everything....either packed up in my bags or packed up to store. it has been a few weeks of stress, errands, packing, list making, and trying to prepare my heart and mind for the journey ahead.

i have days of excitement and energy. then days of overwhelming stress. i am starting to feel the tug between the two worlds. i am in the transition period. which for me is hard. i am packing up my life here but yet i'm still here for a week. i am trying to spend time with loved ones which brings the emotions and reality of me leaving, but yet i am trying to look at all the exciting adventures ahead! it is that push and pull. these moments and feelings are inevitable. they are just sometimes difficult to endure.

it is weird for me to think a week from wednesday, i will be waking up to the sounds, smells, and feel of africa. yes i will be living with an american family so the culture of the home will be similar to what i know here, but still surrounding me will be everything africa. it will be everything, i know, i hope for. as i wake up in uganda, you will be going to sleep in america. the difference in time. the difference in communicating. the difference in life. my world is about to collide.

though worlds apart. we both will still be living life. still striving for goals we have set. still dealing with struggles. still working hard. whether that is going to school at a university, being involved in a sorority or church group, leading small groups, working 8 to 5, being a tutor, a babysitter, a mom, a caretaker, a counselor. though we may have different tasks and living in different locations dealing with a variety of things, we have a common purpose. the purpose to which we were called in carrying the name of Jesus to others. may we recognize that we are a unified body, placed specifically by the Lord in unique areas to fulfill His plans in our lives. acknowledging that it is not about us, but ALL about Him!

may we continue to be unified in spirit to encourage, strengthen, and pray for one another.

a must read...

i love reading. it has always been something i love to do. but with crazy schedules and on the go most of the time, it gets hard to sit and read. lately though, i have made it my goal to carve out time to read on a daily basis.

one thing is for certain though. reading books is so good for me. it's good for my heart. it's good for my mind. it's good for my spirit. it's good for my well being. there is something about letting myself sit, get caught up in a book, pushing the distractions aside, being challenged, and gaining more then what i began with.

one of my friends recommended a book to me this summer. it's called

"when helping hurts: how to alleviate poverty 

without hurting the poor and yourself."

i love when i open up this book to read. i learn more. i relate more. i grow more in how to come alongside others no matter the culture, the color of skin, the socioeconomic status, or the lifestyle. for it's not about any of those things that our world or society says that makes us different. we are all suffering and dealing with poverty in one way or another. we are not here to tell people what or how to live. we are hear to do life WITH others. to build relationships. to learn from each other. to serve one another. to share our lives.

that is what this book discusses. so many times we (individuals, small teams, short term mission teams, ministries, churches, etc) will go do mission trips to alleviete some form of poverty of others. we will go thinking "we have something to offer". we go with a "fix it" mentality. we go with a plethora of projects, to-do lists, materials, and so much more. i am not saying this is a bad thing, but when you really think about the culture, the people and country you are going to be a part of, you may not need any of that. when it comes down to it, the relationships you form with the people is the most important thing and should be the ulimate goal of any mission trip.

it takes more time to sit and talk with others. it takes more time to discuss the ups and downs of life. it takes more time to hear people's life story. it takes more time to truly get to know others. it takes more time to make disciples as we have been called to do. building relationships is not a quick, easy to-do project. it is an ongoing, everyday, long-term commitment. you may not see instant results, but your life as well as theirs, will be changed forever!