April 2026: Blessed and Highly Favored

Since this is a faith-based blog, I would be remiss if I didn't mention that today is Easter. It is because He rose that I live freely and can share this Gospel message far and wide. Happy Easter, everyone! He is risen indeed!!

Well, March was another positive month--God is just so good. I'm writing this paragraph from the Atlanta airport--the world's busiest and one I know well--after saying goodbye to my family after an amazing Holy Week spent in Savannah (where my parents currently live) and St. Louis (where my sister and brother-in-law live). It was a great time, filled with life-giving conversations about my future in Guatemala, God's blessings in each of our lives thus far, and of course, amazing food and coffee!!

 

My family and I celebrate after solving an escape room near St. Louis. L to R: me, Brendan (BIL), Maddie (sister), Jen (mom), Jeff (dad)

As for my life at Christian Academy of Guatemala, that continues to go well, too. I had parent-teacher conferences ("student-led conferences," where students explained their classes to their parents and laid out their goals) that went far better than before. Not that the previous round of parent-teacher conferences in October went poorly, but I've been getting to know so many families well, I feel like many more parents trust me. 

As yet another case in point, we had our Family Date Night a few days after conferences. While the students had fun tossing rings, mounting a mechanical bull, and playing soccer, I sat and talked with several parents of students I teach. They shared how happy I was that I was at the school, and the smiles when I told them I would be returning next year were priceless. I greatly enjoy their students, too, but seeing their happiness as parents was powerful reassurance that I am doing my job correctly. Anyway, on to praises and prayers!

Praises:

  • Well, this first one is kind of mixed, but I'm excited to announce that I'm finally getting a car!! While my parents have agreed to help with the initial expense, I'll probably need to still raise another $300-500 to be able to afford fuel, maintenance, and insurance (in addition to new housing--more on that next month). Please pray that the Lord keeps me safe on the Guatemalan roads and that I am able to use this vehicle--whatever it ends up being--to further His kingdom. 
  • The way the came about was thanks to my boss, Dr. Mike Wills. As Director here at CAG, he has been a constant fount of encouragement, even during my darkest moments. I am immensely thankful that God has placed him in my life.

Prayers: 

  • I still have not managed to raise extra money towards my goal (see above--I would like to reach that amount by August). Please prayerfully consider providing for my newfound expenses. You can make your tax-deductible donations at the link below. 
And that's all!! Enjoy another year of life because He has beaten death!! 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

September 2025: The First Paragraph

Image
 Settling In      Hola a tod@s!  It's so good to be able to share my new life with you from so far away. I know this is a bit different from what you may have expected...turns out my old site got lost (as in, permanently deleted)!! Yes, it's frustrating to no end, but you know what?? That's a good thing. Let me explain.       I believe that if we are completing God's will, the Enemy will come back and attack us for trying to do it. After all, Jesus Himself told us, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." That my transition has been a bit rocky--since arriving, I've had my debit card captured by an ATM, been saddled with increasing responsibilities on the job, and had trouble getting my donations transferred to me. (That last problem's been solved--if you would like to support me, click on the link at the bottom of this post!) And now, the old site I worked so hard to build over the summer do...
Read more

March 2026: The Slingshot

Image
Hi there, everyone!!  It's so good to be back--your prayers are felt now more than ever!! For instance, right after publishing last week's blog post, I went on that retreat with the high schoolers that I asked you to pray about. But here's the thing--it almost didn't happen.  Yes, the devil does have a tendency to get pretty crafty, doesn't he? In my case, it was an attempted blackmail from a parent based on nothing but bad vibes. Suffice to say, my bosses had none of it, and I decided to go anyway. And it was a hit!! While my sophomores only finished third in our many competitions, I still got to witness great worship, facilitate refreshing spiritual chats, and laugh at teenage antics. A little slice of heaven opened up to me that day, and I am forever thankful for it.  But the blessings just kept coming. Even after moving down here by myself, I've apparently already made enough of an impact on my students that I got several Valentine's gifts! I included a ...
Read more

November 2025: Hitting My Stride

Image
Did you miss me?? I certainly missed you all!! To those of you who continue to support me, thank you. It truly means the world to me. Your prayers and pennies have allowed me to do even more in a few short months than I could have imagined! If you would like to donate to support me, please click on this link , and remember, EVERY LAST CENT IS TAX-DEDUCTIBLE!!!     A pineapple grows in a pot at Vikingos,  a favorite local hangout of mine and many other CAG teachers.                                                                   Now, on with the show! I guess the biggest update is that I've started with a Model UN club here at school! OK, it's technically a Debate Club with a Model UN focus, but still--a chance to teach the skills I learned in college and grad school to an e...
Read more