First, I must begin with apologies for not keeping this up monthly, so you get two posts for November! You think you will be more than able to find a moment to sit, gather your thoughts, and put them to paper (or in this case computer) with little difficulty once you get settled, but it appears I may have assumed too highly

In my second to last post, I had just landed in South Africa and was telling you of my first moments. I’ve now been here just over 4 months and I can scarcely believe all that has transpired.

First, is that things that required so much brain power and cognitive thoughts, (for example, driving on the opposite side of the road) have nearly become second nature. In fact, now when I think about driving the way we do in America, it seems so STRANGE!!! Like shaking hands with your left instead of right…so oddly uncomfortable!

Foods and snacks that were novelty when I arrived have become part of my weekly grocery list. Words which I had to often pause to recall their South African names have become part of my vocabulary without much thought-for example, serviette (napkin), robot (traffic light), and biscuit (cookie).

People who were mostly acquaintances have now become my team and my family. Areas of Cape Town, which were once distant memories of a mission trip and vacation, have become familiar and even “home.” Ideas about being in ministry, being missionary have become reality, my day in and day out.

And all the while these things are changing, there has been much happening in my heart below the surface as well. I must admit to you the road has been both beautiful as well as bumpy. There have been days when I wondered if this was all a mistake, whether I was going to cut it here, and nights of battling loneliness and homesickness. There have been moments of longing for stability and familiarity in the midst of total foreignness and inexperience.

BUT…and anyone who is a follower of Jesus Christ knows there’s always a but….

But God is FAITHFUL. And He is GOOD. And He is reassuring, and loving, and through every trial has shown His steadfastness. He is my stability, He is the ever-present lover of my soul, who turns my tears to joy, and brings exuberant laughter to my lips.

I may not always feel qualified or that I have it all together, but HE has called me, so HE has qualified me. And I may recognize that I’m just a stupid sheep, but it pushes me closer to the shepherd. And what better place to be than wrapped up in the shadow of His wings, where He tends to my every hurt, and brings me safely over every rocky path?