Doing hard things with the Lord is something I’ve had to learn from the Lord, often reluctantly – going back to Morgan’s birth, moving internationally, taking a ministry director role, and most recently going through and trying to lead our kids through re-entry. One of my takeaways from my time in Manila was just thankfulness and the realization that I am really proud of myself for doing it!  Going by faith.  Going with kids (8, 5, and 2 when we went)! Leading. Navigating not just the culture, but the cultures – over 30 in total over our years! Navigating the city! The roads. The traffic!! I have done so much more than anything I could have thought years ago. I told Brian discouraged early in our marriage while in Mexico City once, “I’m not international material.” Who would have thought I would have raised a family for almost a decade in another country while leading a ministry to women from over 20 countries?  It’s amazing to me and I’m really thankful! 

         I’ve had to learn to do hard things with the Lord…but I’ve always partied and celebrated well!! 🙂  And a joy of this trip after all we did and the ways we served was to just enjoy the people and the moment with our friends, colleagues, faculty, IGSL employees, students, and alumni.  Our banquet with its global vision and our students was a snapshot of heaven!  And the graduation was a powerful moment that I think allowed everyone a sense of closure to this past pandemic season and a moment of gratefulness to God for carrying us through. It felt like a transitional moment – resolution for the past, but the start of a new chapter for the school with a faithful God at the head!