I’m not going anywhere.

This year has been crazy. My schedule is so busy with teaching, church events, social activities and various outings that the time has been flying by. I’ve also been hit with a ton of spiritual warfare, leaving me frustrated and discouraged more times than I thought possible. But despite all the opposition I can confidently say I love my life here in Paraguay.

How can I be discouraged, stressed, or upset when every day I go to school I’m greeted with hundreds of happy, smiling faces yelling “Hola Profe!” and “Hello Teacher!”

Getting to know my high school students and being silly with my elementary students has made this such a fun year. I’ve been challenged by a lot, but those challenges have helped me learn and grow so much.

As I’ve been looking ahead to next year I’ve been faced with a lot of decisions. Do I go back home and reenter my old life and familiar routines as I try to find a teaching job and move on in my career, or do I stay here in Paraguay for another year of challenges? As I began to pray about this decision, I began having so many doubts.

How am I going to fundraise for another whole year when I’m not even fully funded for this one?
How am I going to afford a plane ticket to get me home and back?
I’m facing so many challenges here, do I want to stay in this place?
If I go home, will I be happy?
Will I find a job?
Will I stay in Florida or move back to Illinois?

So many questions, decisions, and doubts began surfacing the more I weighed my options.

I kept praying for God to show me what I should do next year and in the meantime the Devil kept creeping in with roadblocks and challenges that screamed “THIS IS HARD, GO BACK HOME.” 

I began doubting God’s provision for my financial support and physical and mental strength I’ll need to continue through these challenges. I began wondering if I could really do this for another year. I was living in fear of the future, instead of in faith that it would all work out.

But then I started realizing how much I like it here and how I can do so much more good if I stay another year and I realized I’m being tempted to go home because the Devil wants me to FAIL. Like Joy told me the other day, the best victory the Enemy can have is tearing a missionary from the field. So I decided I’m going to spit in the Devil’s face as I say “I’M NOT GOING ANYWHERE!”

I’ve decided to stand firm in my decision instead of saying reluctantly “I’m thinking about staying…”  The more I tell people with confidence, “I’m staying another year,” the more the Devil cringes in fear of my faith.

So, here’s the big news… I’m not going anywhere.

I’m staying in Paraguay another year, where Satan likes it or not. :P

I’m standing firm on the promise that if God has called me here, He will provide the money I need and will equip me with all the strength and peace I need to be successful here. Despite all the challenges I’ve faced, I’ve started something here that I can’t abandon. I’ve been told I’m “needed, wanted, and loved” here and that I’m definitely “missionary material.” Everyone I’ve talked to about my decision has told me they are so excited for me to stay.

So with all of that encouragement I can say with a smiling face, that I am trusting in the Lord to provide for everything I need as I continue to serve His people here in Paraguay. :)

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." 

Ephesians 3:20-21

To be a part of my Paraguay Adventure you can donate online at www.uwm.org/donate or go to www.gofundme.com/a4h5ew to help me fund my way home and back at the end of the year. :)

Thank you for all of your prayers, love, and support!
I wouldn't be here without all of you!

Bag the Live Ones

About a week ago I met with Joy, a seasoned missionary here in Paraguay, to talk to her about life and my decisions for next year.

I began realizing on my walk to the church to meet with her that a lot of the struggles I’ve been facing here in Paraguay are simply deep spiritual warfare that has tried to discourage me and distract me from my mission here. As I began talking to Joy about this and revealing many of the struggles I’ve been facing and their effect on my life here, she shared a story with me that she said has stuck with her for many years.

Once there was a plantation owner in the South who owned a slave named Sam. Sam was a Christian, but his master was not. Bad things always happened to Sam while his master lived a nice, carefree life. All day Sam would sing praises to the Lord while he worked and one day his master took note of this and came up to him to ask him about it.    

“Sam, why do you always sing praises to your Lord, even though bad things are always happening to you?” 

“I’m not sure, I guess I’ll have to think about that.” said Sam.

A few days later Sam’s master saw some ducks flying overhead and yelled for Sam to come along with him to hunt them. So off they went and they began shooting them down. Killing some while only wounding some others, who started running away. 

Suddenly Sam’s master began yelling, “Bag the live ones! Bag the live ones! Leave the dead ones and bag the live ones, Sam!” and at that moment Sam realized something. 

“Master! Master! I’ve got it! I know why bad things don’t happen to you! You see, I'm a live one. The Devil is afraid I'm going to get away, so he tries to bag me first. But you, Master, are a dead one! He's already got you, he's not worried about you."

Joy told me that because I’m a live one, the devil keeps trying to do all he can to stop me from being successful here. I need to do my best to not let him win. 

I’ve heard people say that the closer to the Lord you are, the more spiritual attacks you may come against because the Devil is really jealous. I’ve definitely experienced that throughout the years and after talking to different missionaries, I've found it’s very common on the mission field as well. Every missionary that leaves the mission field discouraged and defeated is another victory for the enemy, so he tries his hardest to make that happen.

I’m determined not to be one of his victories, but instead I plan to stand firm where I am and claim the victory of Christ. :)