Conference

Thank you all for the possitive responses concerning the pictures. I am so glad that you are able to see some now!

I just returned from a five day Missionary Conference at Rift Valley Academy in the Rift Valley. It was a fabulous time! Every year AIM has a spiritual enrichment conference for missionaries all over Kenya. It is amazing meeting new people and catching up with old friends. it is also very encouraging getting to hear everyone's heart for Africa and seeing how God has gifted everyone differently to serve in a wide variety of ways, for His glory!

The speaker was an American guy who had done missions in Africa almost ten years ago for I think ten + years. He was also a pastor in Alabama for a number of years. He was beautifully transparent as he shared about all the mistakes he made on the mission field as well as full-time mininstry. He talked about how he was always doing things for his own reputation and never really truly had a surrendered heart to the Lord, seeking His guidance and power in the ministry. He shared how he would beat people over the head with the Law, thinking he was ultra spiritual and being puffed up with arrogance because he was "spiritual" and others weren't. The destruction that this mentality lead to was tragic to his marraige, parenting, ministry, and personal walk with the Lord.

The Lord did a major work on his life as He opened the eyes of his heart and broke down the walls that he had so strategically placed around his heart. The major theme of the weekend was about the idea of Sonship. He expressed that the same Gospel that saved us is the same one that sanctifies us. Often times we forget the Gospel and begin to do things on our own strength and for our own selfish reasons. We have been saved by grace and are adopted as sons and daughters of the Creator of the universe. It is with this concept that we must frame our lives! Everything we do is by God's grace and for His glory. I wish I could accurately express in more detail what he had talked about but I am still processing through much of it myself!

It was a refreshing week. The desire of the coordinating commitee was that we would feel refreshed not only in our spirit's but also our bodies. They had min-massages set up that you could sign up for and they had someone doing manicures and pedicures. We had a lot of free time which was pivitol for some much needed time of quietness before the Lord and for being involved in a variety of sports and visiting with people.

I am so thankful for this week! So, tomorrow is back to work. I am looking forward to seeing everyone again because it feels like I have been gone for much longer than a week.

I hope all is well with you all! Miss you!