No, I didn't drop off the planet.

So, it's been three weeks since my last post. I've had a birthday since them. I am now 21! I can't believe all that God has done in my life in the last year. My 20th birthday was celebrated in Ethiopia, and my 21st was exactly one week before I returned for my second semester in Peru!
I am excited to be here. I didn't realize how much I missed this place until I came back. I saw all my friends that have become my second family. As they say, absence makes the heart grow fonder, and my heart has grown rather fond of Peru.
At the same time, my heart is more fond of my family in Arizona, and equally fond of my amazing support system there. I wish I could have greeted my dear friends, the Thiele family as they returned from Ethiopia with the three newest members of the clan. My heart was divided between three continents while their forever family waited anxiously for them.
But about this semester in Peru: I am a dorm steward. Which means I have the responsibility of making sure my room is following campus rules and working through conflicts with the other girls. It is a growing experience, and so far I am enjoying it.
Writing this is slightly easier today than it would have been yesterday, since my roommate just returned with our new fan, George. We have no AC here, so George is making life much more pleasant for us. Since seasons are opposite of the States, we are currently in the hottest month of the year, and it has been rather warm and humid.
I have written my first newsletter, which I will be sending to my contacts at my two supporting churches this week. I hope to send one every month. If you would like me to email it to you, send me your address and you will be added to my list. I am going to try and cover different things in the blog and the newsletter.
Let me leave you with this thought that God has encouraged me with this week.
I was reading Leviticus and I noticed that over and over again you see the words, "The LORD said to Moses." It made me think about how often God speaks to me. I began to ask myself if I was listening to Him.
In 1 Kings 13, there is a story of a young man who took direction from an older prophet when it was contrary to what God had told him. It lead to a rather violent death for this mistake. We all need to be careful that we are following the voice of God.
This semester, I am challenging myself to seek God's voice and follow His directions.
2 Corinthians 1:20 says, "For no matter how many promises God has mad, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through Him the "Amen" is spoken to us to the glory of God."
We can easily follow God when we remember not only His commands, but also His promises because we can be sure that He will always be faithful to His word. And when we follow Him, He promises to be with us all the way, and to love and protect us.
Amen!