Be Still

Buenas Noches,

I was reading in the Psalms the other day and I came across some verses that I have heard before, but they really stuck out to me the other day. I have been starting to become worried about what is going to happen next year. Will I get a Job? Where will I get a job?

I am really trying to give it all to God and lean on him. These verses that I am about to share, really helped me think about how to give this all to God.

Here they are:

Psalm 46: 1 - " God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way"

Psalm 46: 10 " " Be still and know that I am God"

This verses helped me remember that God is indeed my refuge and that I do not need to fear. This means that I do not need to fear what next year brings( where I will live, If/where I will get a job).

The second verse especially really made me think. It says for us to " Be still". How many times am I just still and let God do his work. Being still means not to worry, not to fret, not to over analyze, to get worked up. Being still means to give it all to God and to wait to see his answer. He is God, he is the ultimate worker. He works all things out for our good.

I know some of this might sound redundant, but I know that God is working in me and teaching me some really important lessons. So thanks for listening! Let's be still and let God work!

Adios! - Rachel

Pressing on!

Buenas Dias!

Sorry for the long delay in getting a new update out. The past couple weeks have been kind of chaotic. We had two weeks were we did not really have school do to some things that were happening in the country, then we had one week at school, a week off for vacation and this is our first week back.

I think we all enjoyed some extra time off during the weeks leading up to break, but we got a little stir crazy after the second week. We are all glad that things seem to be getting back to normal. This first week back has had it's ups and downs. My student who is prone to having emotional freak outs, lost it during math time on Monday. So it took a lot to get her back on track and keep the rest of the class under control. This week is also our chapel, so it has been extra busy trying to find time to practice for chapel. Our chapel is talking about the miracles of Jesus. The kiddos will be doing two skits one on the Miracle of the Blind Man and the other is about Lazarus. It is so much fun to see my students act out these stories and to see them learn more about Christ. It is a blessing to be able to teach my students about this. We also had a Basketball game on Wednesday which helped add to the busyness of the week. The girls played well and they WON! It was a lot of fun to see the girls in a game and to help encourage them along the way. This Friday is also the end of the quarter. So as you can see this has been a busy week and we are all looking forward to the weekend!

Sarah and I had a fun time in Florida during our Spring Break. It was nice to get away for a week and de-stress a little bit. It was refreshing to spend time with Sarah's family and to not worry about teaching for a week. We enjoyed sleeping in late, eating some yummy food, going shopping at Target and Walmart ( it does not take much to amuse us when we have been away for 7 months). As I was in Florida I thought about how weird it was that we were in the U.S. and it felt normal, but I knew that I would go back to Bolivia and it would also be normal. When we came back to Bolivia after being gone for 6 days, it really seemed like we were going home. It is amazing how in 7 months living in Bolivia has become normal.

With the busyness of school, it is hard to believe that I only have 8 weeks left. Where has the time gone??? I remember when I came in August, I thought that I would never make it to this point. The past 7 months have flown by and I know the next 8 weeks will also. I have learned a lot in my time here and one of the main things is that being a Missionary is not for the faint of heart. To be completely honest there are some days in which I want to get on the next plane home and then the next day I get sad about leaving. Living this type of life is not easy. I have enjoyed the work I am doing and I know that God called me here for this year but it has been the most challenging year of my life. Even though the hardships I have learned a lot about who God is and have been continually reminded that I can not do this in my strength.

As I think about the next 8 weeks, I can not help but think about what will happen after I leave Bolivia, which has brought on stress of its own. I know that I want to teach and I know that I need to get a summer job, that trying to find one from here is going to be hard, but I am reminded that God is faithful and he will provide. Over the past few weeks I have let worry and anxiety take over and I start to wonder how any of this is ever going to happen. Throughout the past few days God has brought verses to mind( through friends) that have given me a lot of comfort and peace in the midst of the worry. Please pray with me that I will take to heart what these verses say and not let the worry take over.

Here are the verses, I hope they give you some encouragement:

Lamentations 3:21-25 " But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. " The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "therefore I will hope in him." The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the should who seeks him"

1 Peter 5:7 " cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you"

Philippians 4:6-7 " Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God and the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus"

This verses are great reminders that God is faithful, that God cares about me, and God will help me through my worries and anxieties if I bring them to him.

Adios! - Rachel