like never before

I was supposed to be going through the pile of paperwork in my office this morning...applications, grocery receipts, bills.

But I have missed it so -- passionate voices that sound like hundreds, singing hearts out in praise to God -- bursting out of the chapel and filling the entire campus with something like heaven.

I slipped in the back of the chapel just as one group finished and another was about to start.

"Today, I sing in English," Wanique shared, and began slowing playing through the opening chords of Ten Thousand Reasons by Matt Redman.

A student favorite, the men and women around me lifted their voices and their hands with Walnique, boldly singing out in their best English...

the sun comes up

it's a new day dawning

it's time to sing Your song again

whatever may pass

and whatever lies before me

let me be singing when the evening comes

I begin to cry, one, because we're all crying a lot these days, and two, because the words God just finished speaking to Emily He was now reaffirming to me.

It was before seven this morning when Emily busted in our house, bawling and grinning and talking a mile a minute.  She had been awoken suddenly out of a deep sleep, and heard rain lightly falling.  Still half asleep, she went outside, seeing the sun trying to push through gray clouds.

She turned to head back to the house and stopped dead in her tracks to this:

Those are our homes, right in the middle.

"I KNOW," she repeated fervently, still grinning and dewy eyed as I headed up the office, "That God is taking care of us, that He is closely here with us, that He will carry us through."

Bless the Lord, Oh my soul

Oh, my Soul

Worship His Holy name

Sing like never before

Oh my soul

I'll worship Your Holy Name.

It is a new day dawning.  A new school year and new day, just today.

It's time to sing His praises again, and whatever may pass today, you'll find us singing when this evening comes.

Bless all these persecutions, hardships and trials.

We'll sing like never before.

pumpkin soup, name that tune, and a gorgeous new beginning

We set some new traditions for New Year's Day this year! We had been invited to share in the traditional pumpkin soup with a family next door. What we didn't realize when we accepted was that Christian families go to church until midnight or 1 am New Year's Eve, then come home and make the pumpkin soup all night, and then eat it at dawn. So, we politely declined joining them at 5 am, and joined them at 8 am instead.

Though taking a gift wouldn't have been necessary, we wanted to share something with them in return, so I took the best thing we had: a big box of chocolate Turtles. We had so much fun! The soup was spicy and loaded with potatoes, carrots, spices, meat soaked in hot peppers, and squash. Lily LOVED it, despite the heat it was packing and the fact that it was 8 am, and the family all sat with us while we ate.

Then, at the ripe hour of 8:20, we ate chocolate turtles, loaded with pecans ("big peanuts") and caramel, and talked about food and family, culture and traditions. It was REALLY fun...Matt and I have been really touched lately with the way the Lord is giving us abounding joy as we spend more time with our Haitian brothers and sisters. Relationship building, that once felt like "ministry" or work or exhausting has begun to be truly and personally enjoyable, nourishing and a blessing to us both. Many times now it seems He is replacing what used to be effort with laughter, and we are so blessed by precious moments sharing His love with our family here....maybe next year we'll join them at sunrise!

This is one of those "new things" that He is doing in our hearts, and we are so thankful!

Matt also played bass guitar with the "worship team" at church this past Sunday, a first for him, and had a really great time being a part of the service without being the preacher. Generally the singer just begins singing, and it is the job of the musicians to figure out the song, find the right key (which is, at times, frequently changing), and join in. I had thought this would be stressful, but he had a really good time, and in his new Haitian "four pocket" shirt, he (almost) blended right in!

T-minus ONE WEEK until the big inauguration of the Seminary! I'm having a terrible time getting the internet to work with the Seminary website, so here are some photos from the last few days!

Happy New Year!

This New Year's Eve has my family safely back in the States, Lily finally off to bed, parties all around us (tomorrow is also the day of Haiti's Independence), guests coming in at midnight, and Matt and I praising the Lord in wonderment as we think back through the past year. It's unbelievable that a year ago, I was still pregnant, and as we think through all the transitions and transformations of this past year, we can so clearly see His hand keeping us...We are so thankful for His faithfulness and for the ways He has drawn near to us and we've sought to draw near to Him.

We've seen a lot of articles and news tidbits lately poking fun at the "New Year's Resolution", and while it's true that "Lose 30 pounds by February" or "Wake up an hour earlier every day" would most likely end up in the trash can by January 4th, we can't help but think that it's an important tradition.

What an awesome chance to search His heart! Where have I fallen short of who He made me to be this past year? Where has my pride or my grudge or my comfort or my selfishness or my laziness or my fear or my stubbornness or "the ways I've always done it" or "the way I've always thought" kept me from drawing closer to Him? Kept me from representing Him well? Kept me from being in godly relationship with others? Kept me drinking spiritual milk instead of dining on solid food?

How can I be more like Him this year? What can I do to make Him better known in my relationships with others? What disciplines do I need to embrace in order to become Holy so that my Holy God can be near to my thoughts and desires, speech and actions?

It's not just about what I hope for, or what I want...but what I commit to...what I lay down before Him as promises because of my great love for Him, in response to all of the promises He has given to me out of His great first love for me.

It may not take many days until I slip up on one of those sweet promises to my God, but as I've seen for years, His grace and unwavering faithfulness are more than enough for me to stand on this coming year. We don't have any idea what the days ahead hold, but if they are in Him...We have so much to look forward to.

"Do not call to mind the former things,

or ponder things of the past.

Behold, I will do something new,

Now it will spring forth;

Will you not be aware of it?

I will even make a roadway in the wilderness,

Rivers in the desert.

The beasts of the field will glorify Me,

The jackals and the ostriches,

Because I have given waters in the wilderness

And rivers in the desert,

To give drink to My chosen people.

The people whom I formed for Myself

Will declare my praise."

Isaiah 43:18-21

days "away" and a new year...

We've had just a fantastic few days with my family, continuing to find some much-needed rest and Godly encouragement in them. We've been some beautiful places: to the beach, and the pool in town, and spent a few days at home, enjoying each other and the joy of friends and family.

begging for Coke on tippy-toes :)

Haiti may not be a "dream vacation", but as you can see, there are some beautiful places, and Dad and Lisa have been awesome sports about the roads (which are particularly bad right now following some rain), the ants (their must be 8 billion ants just in our home, despite Lisa's many efforts to exterminate the species) and the cultural differences (they have by now been hugged and kissed by at least 6 dozen strangers).

Because January 1st is Haiti's Independence Day, the largest holiday of the year, everyone is getting very excited for the big day. Small, skeletal bamboo and wood-slat stands are popping up everywhere, and already groups of people are holding parties and dances in them. Loud disco-type music is playing loudly far into the night, and you can feel the excited buzz around town.

Add this excitement to the joy of a new year and the anticipation of the new Emmaus Biblical Seminary site opening, we are waiting on the Lord with eager hearts, anxious to see what His hand will unfold. We are so grateful that He is on the throne! God has proven to us countless times His faithfulness, and we are overjoyed to head into this new chapter resting on that faithfulness and on His Lordship.