Tico Tuesday, October 28th

Salutations!

The past week has been full of travel and rich times of sharing with family and friends who feel like family. I have been experiencing and enjoying fall as if for the first time. While I was with my brother and his family in St. Louis I got to see some trees hit their peak color and then start losing their leaves. A nephew, my niece, and I were catching leaves in mid-air before they landed and it was one of those glorious experiences of sheer delight and freedom. I relished the moment, the beauty and wonder of God's creation, the laughs and shouts of Agnes and Isaiah, the breeze that made leaf-catching such a challenging sport, and the joy I felt welling up in my heart. I wanted to just lie down on the ground and soak it all in, wishing it would never end. Knowing that homemade pizza and homemade applesauce were awaiting us was good motivation for going inside though. After meeting my youngest nephew, Gabe and spending quality time with my brother, sister-in-law, and their six amazing children, I headed up to Chicago to visit some other dear friends and enjoy my surroundings: Pumpkins, apple cider, a wonderful time of worship at Willow Creek Community Church, a beautiful 11 mile run, pretty sky at sunset, the Art Institute of Chicago, Lake Michigan, excellent conversations, and lots of delicious food. Yesterday I had brief but wonderful visits with a cousin and his wife and a great aunt and uncle.
Tomorrow I leave my friend here in Ohio and head to Pittsburgh and the Grove City area, which leads me to a prayer request: On Friday and Saturday, I'm going to be taking a personal retreat to try to process the events of the year and pray and reflect on what God has been doing and what I've been learning. Will you please pray with me as I seek the Lord and quiet myself before him? I want to be open and receptive to what He has to say to me. Thank you so much!
May we all delight in God's creation and good gifts to us this week!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 20th

Arizona has never been so beautiful to me before!

 When my parents lived here, I was never struck much by the natural beauty of this place. The sky was big and deep blue, and the mountains all around were nice, but after being in Mexico City for the past few months with only a few brief excursions outside the city, I'm feeling like God is just spoiling me here and pouring out his love to me through natural beauty. The sky is enormous and gorgeous; I looked out the window last night and saw the most stars I've seen in a really long time; I've had amazing mountain views and was even able to hike 10 miles yesterday--and got to see some leaves miraculously changing color in a canyon and follow a pretty stream with its soothing song for a while; I'm breathing fresh, clean air, and just generally feeling a sense of joy and freedom from leaving the overwhelming-ness of Mexico City. 
Sunday, I had the opportunity to share at two different churches here. I had been a little nervous about it, but though it was exhausting, both times it went really well, thanks and praise be to God! It is such a privilege to not only serve others in Jesus' name, but also to share with others about serving and what I learn through it. That in turn brings its own wave of blessings to me and I am just feeling hugely blessed, grateful, and loved. This trip around the States is off to a great start! Next stop, my oldest brother and his family in St Louis!
Thank you again for keeping me in your prayers! 
May God continue to open our eyes to see his work and love and teach us to live in awe of him,
Carrie

PS. You might be wondering what is happening with my ministry assignment. I'm still waiting for the schedules of 3 busy men to have an aligned opening. One of them is currently traveling in a place where he has no internet access, so hopefully after he returns next week, they will be able to determine when they will meet together. Please continue to keep this matter in your prayers. Thank you!

Tico Tuesday, October 13th

In less than 48 hours I will be on US soil! It's been a week of wrapping up, good byes, lasts, and working on final details for my three week tour of the States before I get to home sweet Maine. 

I had a little going away get-together Saturday night that was very nice and low key. Well, my hilarious friend Eunice (pictured) breaking out in song for us all wasn't so low key, but it was delightful! As the party wrapped up I seized the opportunity to thank those who came for their kindness and friendship to me. Then, I gave people the opportunity to say something to me if they wanted to, and several people spoke very kind, life-giving words to me. I left the party feeling humbled, grateful, and inspired. We often have no idea how we impact the lives of others, and to get a glimpse of how God has used me in my time here was special. I like it when God uses me without me realizing it because that leaves no room for my pride--it is all grace. I am more aware than ever of everyone's need for Jesus (which is awesome because this is something I've been praying about) and feel a greater sense of importance and urgency to become more like Christ and have others see Jesus in me. This makes me even more grateful for the spiritual mentoring training I'm receiving and shows me the importance of putting everything I'm learning into practice.
May the Holy Spirit continue to make us more like Christ each day and teach us to see and love others as he does!
Carrie

Tico Tuesday, October 6th

Have you ever driven on the beach? Have you ever driven on the beach and gone faster than 20 mph?

Not very common, but it's the only way to get to the Kikomar camp I'm visiting this week. I'm staying with two other UWMers (and would be with a third, but she is in Costa Rica helping her brother who broke his back a couple weeks ago) and getting to listen to them, watch them, and learn from their lives. It is a joy to be with them, and they are challenging me and stirring in me and greater desire to spend more time with Jesus and become more like him.
The camp is beautiful and is thriving under their administration. There a lot of bugs, so I'm suffering from them, but to get out of the city and come to a quiet camp on an empty beach is worth every bite. I was really feeling the need to get away from the city again, especially after I went to the heart of the city to run an errand on Friday and saw all these important building surrounded by barricades and police everywhere because there was going to be some kind of big protest. It was scary, but thankfully I got back to my part of the city before the protest began. I've learned that big city life is not for me!
Anyway, my heart is heavy right now since there's a delicate situation my hosts are dealing with concerning another person they know. I think they'd prefer I not go into any details, but will you please lift up a prayer for my hosts, A, and those around her? Please keep me in your prayers as well, as I've been dealing with a few heavy situations myself over the past week.
Thank you so much for your prayers and support!
May God grow our desire for him every day and continue to make us ever more like Jesus,
Carrie