I'm in Hawaii!

I made it! It's been a long and busy day but I'm finally here and I'm feeling good. I got two hours of sleep last night because I had to wake up VERY early to head off to the airport for my 6:20am flight. I got to Hawaii at around noon and since then I've been registering, getting all the stuff I need, and unpacking. It is crazy humid here and I feel like I'm sweaty all the time. But I am loving the warm weather!

I've also been meeting lots of great people and making new friends that I'm excited to spend the next 6 months with! I have seven roommates (I haven't met them all yet) and our room is awesome. Right now I'm sitting outside on a deck in a different part of the base cause the internet isn't working in my room. Hopefully it will be working soon...but one of the benefits of me being out here on this deck is that I get to watch a beautiful sunset! (I will try to post a sunset picture sometime soon...)

"The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it." (1 Thess. 5:24) This verse was given to me on a note in my room from one of the leaders of my DTS. It was a wonderful reminder that God has called me here and He is faithful. In the week leading up to me leaving there were lots of emotions, but I feel very at peace now that I'm here. I believe that God is taking me on an amazing adventure where I will be transformed and will also see the lives of other people transformed by Him.

Pray for strength and energy for me as I adjust to a new schedule and new place. Pray also that God would provide for my financial needs as I still need to raise more money for my outreach.

Thank you for your prayers - they are appreciated.

18 days.

It's hard to believe that I will be leaving for Hawaii in just 18 days. The most frequent question that I am asked nowadays is: "So...are you getting excited?"

I never quite know how to answer this question. Because usually when I'm going somewhere it doesn't really feel like I'm actually going until I'm gone. I think there are both positive and negative aspects to this.

Positive:

I don't have tons of expectations so then I'm not disappointed if things aren't the way I pictured/imagined/expected.

I am able to be fully engaged in what I'm doing right now in the present without being so caught up in what is going to happen in the future (living in the moment).

Negative:

I could find myself in Hawaii and be confused about how I got there. :) "How did I end up here? Where am I?"

I might not be prepared for the next 6 months in the same way that I would have been if it actually felt like I was leaving.

So, to answer the question about my level of excitement, I have to honestly say that I don't feel very excited... But at the same time, I would definitely say that I am looking forward to this DTS and outreach. I wholeheartedly believe that this is where Jesus is calling me. He has been preparing me for this for a long time and I'm anticipating that this is going to be an incredible time of growth, transformation, vision, and renewed passion. I am excited about that - I am excited about deepening my relationship with Jesus no matter where that is. Botswana. Texas. Abbotsford. India. Hawaii. Wherever.

I'm reminded of a quote by missionary Jim Elliot:

"Wherever you are, be all there. Live to the hilt of every situation you believe to be the will of God."

This is my desire. Wherever I am, I want to be all there. I believe it's God's will for me to go to Hawaii so that's what I'm doing. And for the next 18 days God has me here in Abbotsford, so I'm going to be fully engaged here. This is the way I want to live my whole life. Following Jesus wherever He calls me and having a singleminded focus on Him and what He has called me to. To surrender and allow Him to work through me for His glory and honour and praise.

On another note, I wanted to thank all of the people who have supported me financially and in prayer. There is still a lot of money that I need for this school but God has been continually reminding me that He is my provider and I can trust in Him. (Pray that God will increase my faith and that I will truly believe this - the reason that God has to keep reminding me that He can provide is because I keep doubting...)

Please also pray for me in these next couple of weeks as I pack, finish work, get all of my stuff together for my social work application, and say goodbye to friends and family.