Is it really February??? I can’t believe we are already in 2012 and that it is February. I remember when I was younger someone told me that as you get older the years seem to fly by faster and I am realizing how true that is.

Travis and I had an awesome Christmas and New Years as we celebrated with family in Ecuador. It was so neat to be able to show Travis around and get to experience new adventures together. It was also really neat for me to be able to introduce Travis to my Ecuadorian family that he had never met including my Grandma Vasquez.

Since we have been back it has been busy. We right away started looking for a home that we could call our own and after two weekends of looking God blessed us with a beautiful home that we will get on February 24^th. We are so excited, though it will be sad for me to leave the apartment we had for our first year of marriage. I know there will be many memories made in our new place. Today someone wrote me this about our house. “May God fill it with children for you and Trav to pour into and raise as arrows for the Lord, may the rooms be filled with love and peace that will spill over onto all who come through the door. May the Word of God be read, studied, shared as encouragement and lead many to the saving Love of Christ and a life filled with the leading presence of the Holy Spirit!” Isn’t that beautiful? That is just what we want our home to be. Travis and I had talked about wanting to get a house where we could hold studies and have people over to encourage them as we learn too and I know that our home will be that. God has placed Travis and I together for a reason and I am excited to see what He continues to do in our lives.

A lot has changed since the last time I wrote. Not enough funds were coming in to continue to work full time with Into All the World so I have taken on another part time job looking after some kids. I continue to meet with girls and more opportunities to speak continue to open up. I have learnt recently that just because I am asked to speak doesn’t mean that is where God wants me. With every opportunity that comes up I need to go to Him first and see what He says I should do. I was recently asked to be interviewed on TV. After praying about it I knew that right now was not the right timing. In April I will be speaking in Toronto at MissionFest. It is pretty crazy to see yourself on a poster of an event you have heard so much about. I was honoured to be asked to speak and I hope that I get a chance to see the other speakers that will be sharing their stories and their lives as missionaries. Please pray for this weekend and for all the people that will be attending.

I also have two more speaking opportunities that have come up for 2012 and I still find it kind of crazy to think that God is still using me to speak. I have been reminded over and over again of two verses in 2 Corinthians. “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness” and “that is why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak then I am strong.” It is Him who has brought me to where I am today and He is the one who deserves to receive all glory every time I speak. I may feel weak in my body and feel that I am not strong enough sometimes but His power is something we don’t understand and we will never understand until that day we see Him face to face. In my weaknesses and in yours….He is the one who is right there beside us to give us that immense strength we need to do what He has called us to do.

I was reminded of the picture named “Forgiven”.

Though it is about sin and God’s forgiveness it also reminds me of when we have hurt in our lives. When we feel down from things going on in our lives and we feel like we can’t even get up, God is right there holding onto us and picking us up and being that strength that we need to keep going. May you all remember that no matter what situation you are in God is right there lifting you and that as hard as your situation may seem God does have a plan for your life. He feels your hurt and will not leave you alone. He will be your strength and everything you need!