Thought this was stunning, and wanted to share it with you.

I was looking back on a letter I wrote my dad from Indo, and was refreshed, once again, as all the tastes, smells, feelings, and heart joy came back to me as I remembered.... 

gorgeous brown little Balinese kids

drinking fresh coconut milk

waking up to the sound of waves dancing upon the sand, and having only a little dirt road seperating us from the ocean

out of this world Indonesian food

worshipping with the locals in their language....as we set aside our indifference and God inhabits the praises of His people

going to the Jimbaran fish market everyday and becoming friends with the darling local women 

running children's programs for the kiddos of the village

worshipping and interceding on the beach in the middle of the night, and running on the beach early in the morning while tons of little naked Balinese kids run with me. (must have been a sight to see....a tall, white "Bulay" girl surrounded by all those naked bottoms!)

 

We went to the slums on wednesday and taught the children there. And I was sitting there with l these gorgeous kids on my lap, hanging on to my arms, as I sang to them, and taught them the alphabet....and Dad, this amazing contentment swept over me...as I thought, 'This is really it!  this is what I want to do with my life.' It was so incredible to actually DO what has been burning in me for so many years. To be immersed and living with the broken. And as hard as it's been sometimes, I want to do this for the rest of my life more than anything I've ever wanted. Ah, God is so good. 

And within the same week, my mom had written this in her prayer journal for me...

endearing child of mine

in hula skirt hair

blond curls everywhere

leggings under skirts

sticky bubble gum lips

worshipping You

alone in her room

tears filling her eyes

holy complexity

crayons at her feet

perfectly complete

 

I knew then

that startling moment

You'd be sending her

across the seas

dancing into danger

overcoming adversity

crowned in simplicity

this endearing child of mine...in hula skirt hair.

I am overwhelmed by the incredible parents that I have.... in them, I have two of my best friends who have given me consistent love and who have constantly believed in me.