Dear family and friends,
I have been back in South Dakota now for about 18 days. I arrived safely back on May 15th in the United States. Since then my days have been filled with rest, debriefing, lots of time with Jesus and time with the ones I love.
I’ve been thinking about how I could possibly say thank you to you all for your prayers, thoughts, concern, encouragement, and fiancial support. But there’s seems to be no other way, but to share how God has answered your many prayers in my own life and the people in Jeffereys Bay. God is so good. Period. If I could describe what I have learned in one summary it would be. God loves me. Seems crazy I know. But before I didn’t know that. I knew it in my head, but not in my heart. It didn’t change the way I lived my life or treated others. But I’ve come to realize know that I know that truth down in the deepest places of my heart, it changes everything. It’s changed the way I see myself. The way I see others and treat them. Its made me WANT to love God. So, how did I come to the realization of this great truth? Well, I simply let God love me. I choose to let God show me that He loves me the way I am. Not after I confess, or spend nine months in Africa, but now just the way He made me. I choose to love myself for who God has made me. It has changed my life.
It’s hard sumarize in words all God did in the relationships I built with the people of Jeffreys. I will share with you one sweet friendship I shared with a young woman. I met her this semester and we quickly became friends. She was a new christian and so hungry for God. Though she was a “baby christian” I was so inspired and encouraged by her solid and big faith in God to do the impossible. She prayed fervently for her unsaved husband, and was unwavering in her involvement in the church. On one very powerful day she was baptized, it was so exciting! And she also recieved the baptism of the Holy Spirit. She still has a lot of rough stuff going on, but oh, how encouraging to know she has the empowerment of the Holy Spirit within her! I went into the frienship expecting to encourage her, but she was the one that challenged me.
Thank you so much for sharing with me on this journey to South Africa. The trip has come to an end, but I know that this is just the begining of all that God has planned for me. Please join me in praying as I seek what God would have me do this next year. And contiune to pray for the dear people of Jeffreys Bay.
Following His Heart,
-ellie
