abundance and grace.

these are words the Lord has been speaking over me the past month. again and again He has refreshed me with reminders of His presence and provision. initial transitions are usually incredibly tough for me, but in this season i've found such confidence and assurance that this is the Lord's very best for me...and in that i rest. as i mentioned in my last post, this is a place where i've been learning a lot about my weaknesses. 2 corinthians 3:5 has been really resonated: "not that we are adequate in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our adequacy is from God". this adequacy has been full of grace and so abundant.

community. this is a word our church culture tosses around to describe many things; however, i think i am learning what it truly means in a whole new way over here. when doing life in a foreign country with only ten other people, you get to know each other extremely well. although it gets real quick, it has been the biggest blessing. i have a group of people surrounding me who daily press into the Lord, spur me on towards Him, and love me as i learn. not only are we classmates or merely friends, we have become a family. a haphazard, hilarious, and happy asian family. we get to pray for and with one another, we've started doing insanity together each day, we eat every meal together, and we just do life moment-by-moment together. i am so thankful for the diverse personalities and perspectives of each person i'm surrounded by. i am thankful for the grace they extend to me and how they teach me to give myself the grace the Lord offers us. i am thankful for life abundant in true community.

roommates. this word has many connotations from potluck freshmen year roomies to the very best of friends. i'm delighted to say the Lord has shown me abundance in giving me sweet Kathleen as my roommate. she is a delight to live with and teaches me much about following Him. her spirit is abandoned to His leading, she selflessly serves those around us with such grace, and she notices the small things in every situation. although a month ago we barely knew each other, we have become fast friends...i cannot imagine being here without her! truly abundance and grace in this provision.

food. as you know i might be one of world's pickiest eaters, yet i weirdly love a lot of the food here!! this is God's grace alone...you can ask my mom about my eating habits if you doubt this. i've enjoyed the majority of the foods we've tried with one exception: most things are doused in spice, as i live in the land of spicy food. one of my first phrases to learn is "without spice" so my mouth and stomach can endure the meal! before arriving i envisioned myself just getting by and dealing with the cuisine, instead i love what we get to eat...such abundance!

love from home. moving thousands of miles away from home is obviously extreme separation from everything comfortable. yet i'm daily grateful for the deep friendships i carry here with me. my friends and family (aka all of y'all) have made me feel incredibly well loved despite this distance. i've received countless emails and texts updating me on life there and intentionally asking about life here. i even got a package, and i haven't even been here a month...y'all are really spoiling me! God knows how each of us personally feels love, and He has shown me abundance and grace in showering me with love in this way.

adventures and exploring. i'm never one to love sitting still. i yearn to know new places and discover exciting things. life here has been no different in that each day is a bit of an adventure in itself. even to find the cafeteria requires some exploring! beyond our day-to-day campus time, i've enjoyed our trips into the heart of the city to complete passport and visa requirements, find bed linens, eat american food, and relax in some hot springs. what abundant adventure i couldn't even imagine! 

today i'm thankful for His grace which He is teaching me so much about and the abundant life He offers and invites me to partake in daily.