A Definition

Lead Me On...

"I can't see what's in front of me. Still I will trust You..."

I have been in Brazil for almost a month now and it has been quite the journey of learning and growing. God has provided many to help me and assist me in adjusting to a different culture and to teaching a classroom. There are still times, though it has been many months behind and thousands of miles away, that I do hurt or yearn for the past. However, I know that this place, Brazil, is a place of freedom, a place of hope, and a place of healing.

I did not come here for that purpose, but God has made it so in His Mercy and Sovereignty.

 I still always have the question of "What are You doing?" It has been a blessing, but I just don't see why??? Of course, He has His reason and I am to do my job knowing that I may never know the answer. Honestly, I must admit that it takes on the appearance of extremely 'random'. I must remember that this is God's story, not mine. He is faithful.
I have greatly enjoyed the smiles, hugs, eyes of wonder, giggles, 'whys?', and incessant "Ms. Boger, Ms. Boger!!!!" I truly love each soul that enters the classroom.
May God give me continual patience for extra energetic children with constant poking, wriggly, squirming, running noses and 'potty' breaks.
What a privilege it is to work with these little guys!

May I love all those around me and remember Jim Elliot's famous saying " Where you are, be all there". Living in this land has been both a blessing and a humbling experience. I hope to fully serve Him here and let go of selfish ambitions and proud inclinations. It is a constant wrestling match.

He has revealed my restlessness and my inability to be satisfied in Him alone and the places/circumstances He has put me in. I could be given the moon and it would not fill the hole in my heart shaped in a way that only God can fill.
Although I do not know my future, I hold the promise in Psalms 62:5, "Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him".

May He be glorified this week. Please continue to pray for me and that I may be completely squeezed dry from service to Him. May I be exhausted from the race I run because I am running so hard and fast for Him and giving my very best all the way to the finish line....wherever that may be.
Below is a link to a song that was shared at my Pre-field orientation and has been an encouragement to me. Enjoy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hfh_x5rFuWc

The Wait is Over

    I am happy to announce that the visa came through yesterday, a ticket was bought and I am now sitting in my new apartment in Brasilia, Brazil. The waiting is finally over. After months of blood, sweat and tears, God has given me a chance to serve Him in South America. I would love to say that I waited well and was the perfect image of how a Christian should properly deal with waiting and unpredictable events. To my shame, I was quite the opposite which may be one of the reasons why it took me longer to get to Brazil. The constant statement running through my mind was "I just don't understand!" I have a tendency to want things done right away and I will literally stop at nothing until it is accomplished or until it is utterly impossible. People would call this determination, God would call it something else.
    The point is, is that I do not have to know. I have this drive to want to be better and to fix things, but sometimes I just have to wait and trust.  For some reason, I think I can do it better and faster. There is goal or task at hand and I must finish it. This, of course, is untrue. I believe God was again reminding of His sovereignty and His plan.
   His way is a mystery and I must remember the simplicity and beauty behind the child-like faith.
 I thank Him for getting me this far and I have no idea what the rest of this year will hold, BUT THAT IS OKAY! Again Thank-you dear friends and family who pray for me. I will need it.
                          
                      May He be glorified through my time here in Brasilia.

 I will have pictures soon!

Roots by a Stream

"Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord and whose trust is the Lord. For he will be like a tree planted by the water that extends its roots by a stream and will not fear when the heat comes; but its leaves will be green, and it will not be anxious in a year of drought nor cease to yield fruit"
Jeremiah 17:7-8

After months of waiting and hoping, Brazil has decided to approve my visa! Lord-willing,  with a few more steps,I will be heading to Brasilia at the end of July. I recently returned from Pre-field orientation in Mississippi and had a wonderful time of stretching and learning. I met others who were on the same path as me, just going where God had put in front of them. Every single one of us faced uncertainties whether it was a new job position or new location in the world and new cultures to learn. However, we were excited to be apart of something much bigger than ourselves and there is joy in that. I was so reluctant in the beginning, but God has been changing my heart to match His desires. During training, I was faced with giving Him things that I could not undo and with surrendering my life and my all to Him. He has my past, present and future. I have failed Him in many ways especially when it came to trusting Him, but He is gracious. I pray that I will grow to trust Him more and more so when the "heat comes" I  will not fear but stand strong. He has lead me to where I am now with a huge step of faith ahead of me...getting on a plane and becoming a stranger in a foreign land for years.
    Father, give me steady feet to walk, take my hand and guide my journey. Give me the right words to speak...and when I fall pick me up once more... Plant my roots by Your abundant stream so I will not grow weary or discouraged when trials come. Give me peace and joy in the journey.

Friends, continue to pray that this servant will obey her King and allow Him to rule over her mind, heart, and soul so that I will glorify Him fully. Pray for those I will come in contact with and show them His precious love.
                 
                        I do not know what is in front of me, but I do know Who is beside me.

A Moment

Here is a link to the school I will be working at for those who would like to take a moment

http://www.brasiliainternationalschool.com/

Interruppted

“Jesus wrecked my life, shattered it to pieces, and put it back together more beautifully.”
-Katie Davis

       Life for me has been interrupted. See, I had a plan and I thought it was a good one. Nowhere in that plan was to travel to Brazil and be a missionary and a teacher in a city.  I think of the verse in Proverbs 16, "In their hearts humans plan their course, but the LORD establishes their steps." In my heart, I knew what I wanted and I was finally going to get it. God had different plans. I think I knew deep down that I was made to do more with my life.
     I was unsure and terrified, however, there was this hope that all things were going to work out just right. Not the way I had wanted, but in a way that God knew was best and better for me. The adventure ahead is exciting and terrifying, but I have full confidence that He who has promised will be faithful and He has promised that I cannot even imagine what He is can do and what He will do. "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" (Ephesians 3:20).
     How extraordinary that He has decided to use me to continually prove His strength and power to others! Even in my failure and faults, He believes that I can carry on the task to glorify Him further with Him as my Foundation.
So I cling to Him because I cannot do this on my own. This blog will document all the things He will be doing with me in Brazil for the years to come. He is good and He is faithful and He will take care all of my needs.

I pray this is an encouragement to those who read.

Here is a picture of the classroom in Brazil I will be working in for two years...