"Tiny, terrified space of being right"

Ahh the smell of sugar beets in the mornings; I can't say that I'm fond of that smell. There's a sugar beet mill down the road and for the last several days the air has been filled with a putrid aroma.

I'm down in Idaho at the moment and just finished up the first week of Cultural Orientation. The seminars have been really informative with practical tools to help in different scenarios. The first part of the week was quite heavy as we talked about stress, grief and other potential losses to anticipate as we head overseas. Yesterday we talked about embracing our new culture and what that may look like. We also discussed our own culture as Canadians & Americans and the learned patterns we have been taught.

One of the areas we focused on is the need to be right. I am not saying that this is a beneficial thought process, but one that does exist in me to which I am re-thinking. If I continue in this pattern, merging into another culture is going to be torturous, because I will ultimately do and say things wrong. I'm not sure about you but I've never really liked making mistakes. I learn from them but avoid them as much as possible. Some even suggest you don't really learn UNTIL you've made mistakes. (Shudder). Kathryn Schulz called it a "tiny, terrified space of being right". I wonder why I'm so afraid of being wrong. The more I think about it, the more I realize I must have attached meanings to it that don't necessarily belong. The funny thing is, there is no freedom in operating this way.

I wonder if the need to be right smells like the air today.

Jesus is fully aware of my fallibility and loves me fully. His thoughts towards me don't change. He doesn't value me more when I'm right or value me less when I'm wrong. His love is steadfast towards me. His love for us was never based on our performance, for He loved us first, when our performance was poor.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23

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Ministry Partnership Update~

The Lord is Faithful! Every week I'm seeing a few more partners join the Team to which I am so thankful and encouraged. It is great to be a part of this faith journey with you - faith for me, to see how the Lord will provide partners, and faith for you to see how He will provide for your part as well.

Please continue to pray as I prepare spiritually and emotionally to live overseas.

Pray for safety as I travel again in another week.

Praise the Lord that I was able to meet my 2 co-workers last week and start to get to know one of the couples who is staying nearby.

Thank the Lord for unity among our team.

Thank Him for the Team He is bringing together in support for me.

Thanks friends:)

April:)