Changes and Opportunities

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

As this year has winded down and the school year has come to an end there have been many changes to come about. First the school administrator announced she has retired and the principal will be taking her position starting this summer. With new leadership you can imagine the changes to come. Although the changes I've heard about are good - they are changes nonetheless. Next, I've learned my friend and coworker will be going back to school and this has been a change that I was not most happy about. Then the school announced the school will no longer be called Sun Valley Indian School (SVIS), but will now be called Native American Christian Academy (NACA). The reasons being it's more politically correct and includes who we are - Christians. As you can imagine these changes, both good and bad, have had me praying and adjusting to the changes. 

As I've adjusted to these changes, or the thought of the changes to come, I gave much prayer and thought to myself. I thought about what the next year will look like and up to last Friday I thought my year would be in Arizona. As many of you know I have a large student loan in which the payments have been on a scale and each year the monthly payment is raised. I've reached a point where continuing at this school in the position I'm in will not cover the payments and my living expenses (as little as they are). After much prayer and seeking God in what to do I've been given an opportunity I cannot resist. 

Starting in September 2015 I will be working for Nightlight Christian Adoption Agency helping families in the adoption process. The position is currently part-time with an opportunity to go full-time. Although this is not the most ideal situation I am hopeful with the possibility to go full-time. I will be moving back to California to continue my mission of following after God and seeking His will. 

My time as a missionary to Native American children has been one I will forever hold in my heart. Although the time was not always easy and often draining mentally and spiritually I can look back with a smile and know I have accomplished my purpose of allowing God to use me to reach these children. I have learned many new things about myself and what I am capable of overcoming. I now have a skill of using a drop spindle to make yarn from raw sheep wool in addition to the skill of processing the wool in preparation of spinning the wool. I have fed and overcame my fear of being in the llama, sheep and goat pen by myself the time I dropped a plastic bag while feeding them our leftovers and needed to retrieve the bag and then led the animals as they sought more food they thought I was bringing them (that adventure was documented in a blog post). I took care of a dead bird I found in my storage shed without the help of anyone else (I wish I could say without screaming and gagging... but that's a whole new level of strength). I have learned what it is like to be a parent of teaching life-skills I hope to have left with each child no matter the amount of time I had with each child. I have taught the girls not only who Jesus is, but guided many to a relationship with Jesus they will have eternally. 

My new adventure and mission is bitter-sweet. I am saddened to be leaving, but am happy and excited to help families come together by adopting a child and being their forever family. I am excited to see all the areas I will continue to grow as a person as well as the adventures I will have on my continued journey.