3 Announcements

Announcement #1
My hair is a bit different than it was when I left Colorado Springs. My friends Greta, Martina, Hannah, Christian, Sarianne, Louise and Lindsay helped me dread my hair last week. Finally! This is something I've been wanting to do since I was in high school and I'm so happy to have it done! Yeah, it's a big step, but I'm excited. I have 60 small dreadlocks and they stayed pretty long (I promise to post pictures soon!). Amsterdam is the perfect place to start dreadlocks- no one gives you a second look because actually every second person has dreads themselves!

Announcement #2
I have decided to extend my time at the Shelter. This is something I've been thinking about since the first week I came. Before I came I thought that 3 months would be enough time to understand the ministry, get my feet wet and then move on, but I see now that I have so much to learn still. You barely learn a place in 3 months, much less the ins and outs of a ministry, the hearts and wirings of fellow staff, the way to pronounce Spanish and French and Portuguese names at breakfast. I am planning on staying until November 11th. I will be able to stay and serve until the Jordan closes for renovation and will also be home in time for Thanksgiving. Perfect. Thank you Lord. I am really excited to stay and be a part.

Announcement #3
God is so awesome! Man, I can't even write everything down that I have seen God do in the past few weeks. He is after people in the most beautiful way. I have a huge story or two still to explain to you, but let me tell you this picture that I had that describes it all perfectly. I see people- hundreds of people- standing in a huge open white space. And I see a colored ribbon flying in this crowd. It is chasing someone. It is God's spirit and it is chasing someone to show them His beauty. He is after them. And this ribbon goes through the people standing there. It weaves through people but always it chases, pursues, soars. We are those people. God uses us, God chases through us and we don't get to be in control, but we get to see the beauty of Him working His work through us. And so the crowd is criss-crossed with ribbons- teal, orange, red- turning and fluttering and following. It really brings tears to my eyes how much Jesus LOVES us and wants His freedom to be ours, His victory to be ours, His comfort and love and community and everything to be ours. He's after people and the biggest blessing I could pray for you is that you get to be part of the work.