the question...

Within the World Race community we often say that home is where our backpack is. After spending only 3 full months of the past two years in the States, that still remains true in my life. I realized yesterday morning that this is my first summer in the U.S. (and not in the Dominican!) in 5 years. With that came a lot of emotions... longing to be back in the Dominican, contentment with a season of rest, and realizing that life looks a lot different now than I thought it would when I entered college 6 years ago. But I love it. Living out of a suitcase or backpack seems no different than living out of a house.

So if home is where my backpack is, then right now home is at my parents' house. I got back from the Race several weeks ago and have spent my time with family and new friends and treasured old friends who I hadn't seen in too long. I'm blessed to be here right now and have time to catch up with people I love. And then there's the common question... "What's next?"

Oh that question... We hear it a lot in life, generally in the times when we really have no clue what is next. So what is next for me? What does life look like in the next couple of months? I have lots of dreams and questions and hopes and desires floating around in my head. But for now, I'm grateful for a season of rest and seeking the Lord and asking for His dreams for my life to overtake mine. My heart is still in the Dominican and I can't wait to be back there. Sometimes I feel like a small child, constantly asking my Father if it's time to go yet... and where we are going, and what we are going to do when we get there. He's got it all under control. He's got all the plans in His hands... the same hands that made the Heavens and the Earth and placed all of the stars in galaxies. He knows when I'm going back to the Dominican and what we are going to do when we get there. He knows me and He knows my heart and for now He's telling me to rest. To sit and fill up. To dig my roots down deep in Him. And He'll take care of the rest.

So in the meantime, I constantly find myself day-dreaming about what it's going to look like when I finally set my feet back on that island. Dreams of restoration. Dreams of new jobs for women. Dreams of hope. Dreams of providing a way out for those who are trapped. Dreams of new life. Dreams of a whole lot of love for 61 kids who are my family. Dreams of esperanza.

"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

Proverbs 16:3

I also feel as though I need to talk about this little treasure...

This book, One Thousand Gifts, is completely changing my perspective on, well, almost everything. Written by Ann Voskamp, the book talks about viewing life through God's perspective and seeing grace in everything. We are blessed with so many gifts from the Lord, but we often don't take time to stop and thank Him for them... or even recognize them as gifts for that matter. Anyway, I highly recommend reading this gift.