esperanza: saying yes.

It's now April and it's hard to believe that Semana Santa (Holy Week) has already come and gone. Things around here have been the best kind of busy. Full of friends who came to visit (to plan their Dominican wedding!) and lots of laughter and good coffee and conversations that make you think a little deeper about things and traveling around the country to visit some special ones who used to live at the orphanage with us.

I simply can't explain how incredibly blessed I am by the people who I get to walk alongside through this one wild and precious life. I have these friends who are crazy world changers, each of them changing and impacting the lives of others and fighting for the freedom of the ones we've been entrusted with. They care more about others' needs than their own and they understand the need to trust the Lord and step out in faith even when the unknown can seem overwhelming. Mostly, they'll stop at nothing to love people with everything they have in them, to bring freedom for the captives, to heal the brokenhearted, and to bring hope to some of the darkest places I've seen.

And the best part is that they live right here with me. In this country and with these people who have stolen my heart.

Sometimes I just can't contain my awe at God's faithfulness. He's so so good.

And recently, I've felt this deep knowing that I'm living through a season where God is about to do something huge through the time spent with these people and the conversations that we are having. It's this sense that these are holy moments. And it's all the Lord. We have done nothing but simply listen to Him and follow where we know He is leading.

We've just chosen to say yes.

Yes to God and yes to His plans and yes to wherever and whoever He leads me to. Yes to what He is asking me to give up and yes to more of Him and less of me and yes to what He is asking me to step into.

For it's all so worth it and I'm humbled to say yes to the One who gave me everything. So my prayer recently has just been that God will show me what to say yes to.

And then I'll do it. I'll say yes.

Even if it's hard or uncomfortable. And even if I need His grace to have a good attitude about it. Because by no means do I come close to always choosing what He has for me over what I think I need. It's just a journey in learning how to say yes.

So you should check out this goodness. It's been changing my heart and filling my soul.

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And here are a few glimpses at life here...