A Weekend Away

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This past weekend after celebrating a wonderful Thanksgiving (as in AMAZING food, TOO much fun, and GREAT company!) with a bunch of other American missionaries, my friend Natalie and I took a trip to Jinja, just a couple hours away. Jinja is the town right by the source of the Nile river which flows from Lake Victoria, and our accommodations were situated overlooking the Nile. It was truly wonderful to take the time to rest, be refreshed and fellowship with the Lord and with Nat for 3 days.

Soaking up the beauty around me, and just being for a while was so wonderful. In the confusion and commotion of living in Africa, there is so much to think and analyze and evaluate and feel and change and do. I'm so grateful for the opportunity the Lord provided for me to go away for a time and find my balance and center around Him alone again.

Time away also gave me a chance to read/listen to some books while cross stitching! I've been reading Hannah Hurrand's book, Hinds Feet on High Places, and loving the way the Good Shepherd changes Much-Afraid, many times by asking her to do what is most difficult and frightening to her. Each time she come to the the most difficult task yet, and she asks herself if it's worth it, she remembers who He is and what He has promised and says yes. Because of His love for her and her trust in Him, she is transformed from being named Much-Afraid to being called Grace and Glory. With each new challenge and discouragement I've faced here, I've also seen His face and heard His voice that much more clearly saying, "Melanie, I love you, so will you trust Me?" I trust that because of His love for me, and my growing love for Him, I will continue to say yes too.

Time and time again the Lord used the beauty around me to again say, "I love you." A breathtaking sunset, a richly adorned flower, soul aching music, or a heavenly scent are a few things that are guaranteed to take me right into His arms, and He showered me with them this past weekend! Here's just a glimpse:









And if the sheer beauty wasn't enough, He also provided laughter therapy through the antics of the monkeys frolicking in the trees above me!


Demonstrating proper tree-sitting techniques


Prepping for his pedicure

The old wise one just observing the antics

I think he appreciated the view as much as I did!


Comments

  1. AnonymousDecember 1, 2011 at 1:12 PM

    This is great! Praise God for a Sabbath for our beloved Melody! - Bethany

    ReplyDelete
  2. Linnea WheelerDecember 1, 2011 at 1:43 PM

    How wonderful!!I love that book, and love hearing the way in which it has blessed you recently. And seriously, what a gorgeous place to rest! Happy for you, Melanie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hector & LaurenDecember 2, 2011 at 7:36 AM

    Did you take all of those photos?! WOW!!!!!!!!!!

    I love that book. Thanks for sharing your heart :)

    ReplyDelete

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