Gotta <3 It

This time last year I was writhing in self-pity, wondering if I'd ever get a man. This year, I'd be writhing in pain if I did have a man. It was a year of learning and growing. No big surprise. You should be worried if you haven't learned anything since last year. And growing....growing in the Lord is huge. I feel like I've done that. He has taught me alot about patience and being used where I am. The Lord is faithful and good....and I'm so glad I know Him.
Back to what I was talking about.....I meet with this amazing group of girls...no, women, on Tuesdays and yesterday we talked about finding your mate and how you know if it's right and what that looks like. It was good stuff....I couldn't help noticing that every single one of us is ready to find that someone, but I found myself asking the Lord to hold off a little bit. At least until I'm somewhere where I'm gonna be for more than 3 months. The Lord chuckled. He was like, Jenny, what makes you think I'll hold off for YOU.....how bout we do this in my time. Then I chuckled. Who am I to ask the creator of the universe to hold off bringing Mr. Right in my life. Bring him on!!! haha. Anywho, like I said the Lord is good and faithful. I'm excited for what He has in store for the next few weeks. It's gonna be good.....I can feel it.

Frustration....but the Lord is good!

Here I sit in my lovely apartment...wondering what the Lord holds for me next. Or rather, what am I going to be doing for the Lord next. I realize I haven't blogged in quite a while...and I'm sad about this. So here we go. Senior year has been interesting this year. I realize this term is pretty vague, and that's because this year has been just that: vague. It's been a cloud of mystery and a time of looking back on a week and wondering where did all the time go? It's been hanging out with friends, and no offenses guys, wondering....wow do I EVER hang out with anyone else? Sometimes I feel like I've reverted back to middle school, whispering in the cafeteria hoping no one else will see for the person I really am. It's been a semester of struggling with art and creativity and wondering if I really have a gift or have I been faking it this whole time. But I think ultimately it's been a time of messing up but then God just swoops in and picks me right back up.
Over the past few years, the Lord has taught me alot about Himself and relationships and myself and all kinds of broad subjects like that. But this year he's been teaching me in the everyday grind, whispering in my ear at random moments of the day, hey Jenny how bout you let me have that friendship, or even hey jenny how bout you let me help you study for that test, or Jenny, I love you! God is so good and He knows me perfectly.
I think that's all I have for now, but rest assured I'll be writing more very soon!

Foreign America

So, I've been back in America for a week now. And it's okay. Last week when I landed in New York I wasn't sure if it was going to be okay. There were so many people speaking English and I felt like I had to listen to every single person simply because I could. Well, then I had a delayed flight and finally made it back to the South. Well, Delta lost my amazing basket that had lots of stuff in it. I had to put in a report and then we just had to wait. My parents and I spent the night in Atlanta then made our way back to our new home in South Carolina. I love our new house! It's so cute. I love my new room. It's pretty cool. So, of course while all of this was going on I had tons of processing going on and along with that many people staring oddly at my right hand that happens to have quite a bit of henna on it. All of it was pretty overwhelming like I've mentioned before. I never had a breakdown or anything, just a missing of Senegal and a missing of all the amazing people that I came in contact with over there. Along with all of this, I've asked myself the question, What in the world am I doing after college? Seminary has become a big option along with interning somewhere to get photography experience. That's my top at the moment....but as we all know things change and that is still a whole year away. As for now, I'm looking forward to spending the rest of the summer with my parents in the South and visiting the rest of my family in a few weeks. Then I get to move in at school where I'll be living with 3 of the most amazing girls that attend HLG!!!!!

Finish Well

Sorry it's been so long since I've written. We've been pretty busy here. Last week I did some painting work in a missionary's kitchen...not exactly why I came here but it's okay. While I was there, 2 Journeymen came to interview me: Emily and Justin. It went really well. Justin is a photographer. This is where it gets exciting. All he does is travel all over and take pictures of people on the field. Amazing. So I asked him how he got this gig. He was asked to do it. He started out doing an internship with the IMB and then they offered him that position. There are only 2 Journeymen photographers in the world. I've decided I'm going to be the 3rd!!!! Hahaha!! I'm so excited. So anyway, that was fun and we talked alot about what I should do now to prepare. I painted some the next day at my house and he came and took some pics. I'm gonna paint more today. On Tuesday we all left for a getaway to Saly. It was so nice. We stayed in little bungalows by the beach and relaxed. We went to a game park and that was way fun. Now we're back in the village and we have one more week left with our family. I feel so overwhelmed of how much I feel like we should do before we leave. I feel like I should be shouting about Jesus and how He is the only way.....but our family isn't ready for that. We haven't showed the Jesus film yet because both times we've tried the power has gone out...but we're gonna try tonight! We're going to Cayer on Wednesday to meet with the Lebou believers. I'm excited about that because it will be like seeing fruit from people along time ago doing what I"m doing now: breaking new ground in N'Gor. So, it's been crazy and the L0rd is doing His work and I come home soon!

It's Getting Hot!

O Africa....it's getting pretty hot here. yep. Not too much has been going on...we're at a little less than 3 weeks and only 2 weeks total in the village. Crazy! Leah and I have been sharing alot with a girl in our house-Amina...she's only 13. We've read through the first couple of chapters of John with her and she's so eager to learn. Pray that the Lord will use her curiosity to find Him. I'm doing more art this week. I've come up with a drawing that corresponds with a tape in Wolof and at the end of it is Jesus on the cross. So I'm doing that twice this week. Tonight Leah and I are cooking chili for our family and then we're showing the Jesus film...please pray that this goes well!! The Lord has been teaching me a ton.....trust, His Sovereinty, and just how He does things. It's been really hard and trying and I must admit I miss home quite a bit but I want to finish strong for His Name and His Renown. We have a getaway July 3,4, and 5....so that'll be fun. Then I'm only in the village for another week....after that we have a debriefing and then we come home! I miss America and someone please drink a Dr. Pepper for me! Haha! I miss everyone alot and thank you again for all your prayers-they are powerful and the Lord hears them!
Love, love, love,
Jenny

Comfortable...well as comfy as you can be in Africa...

Ok this will be short and sweet. As far as Spiritism goes it's real and that's all I'll talk about right now. It's been a hard week for sure: spiritually,physically, and emotionally draining. We were able to read some of the Bible with one of the ladies, May and it was met with an hour long speech/lecture on Islam so that's hard and draining. We washed clothes this week by hand. It's an experience. I've decided I'm gonna line dry everything at school next year!
This weekend is our getaway weekend. Today we went to the pool and I burned my back. But its ok. Tomorrow is house church and camel riding. I'm so pumped and I hope its everything I'm hoping for. We're trying to figure out how to practically allow me to paint while a story is being told and we haven't quite gotten it figured out yet so we need some prayer on that. I'm thinking about doing so characatures in our compound but I'll just have to see. Thank you everyone for your prayers and comments they are very encouraging!!!! I love you all and I'll see you soon!
Love,love,love
Jenny

O My

Wow....So much has happened and I'm not quite sure where to begin. Last week was good, but once again very hard. I got a little homesick last week but the Lord has called me here for now...so I just have to deal with it. Oh our getaway weekend was wonderful. Very relaxing and we actually have another one this coming weekend. Anyway, last week.
On Friday I got sick. Lovely. This is fun: I threw up in the village road where everyone could see. Luckily, I had a bag so it wasn't that bad, but it was still pretty bad. I stayed at Tim and Kate's all day on Friday and had diarrhea. Good times. :-/ So then I went back to my house on Saturday and everything's good now. Sunday we went to church, then to eat some good American food. Also, we went to the artisan cafe and I got most everyone's presents. O boy. O and Kari, one of the other girls in N'Gor, got sick yesterday. So that leave 1 person out of 8 in N'Gor that hasn't gotten sick with throwing up. Satan is alive and working. Speaking of that......here's where we need some major prayer: Today our family is making a sacrifice to their "family spirit" aka a demon. They have invited us to go. We are at the cyber cafe now so that maybe we don't have to go. It's very possible though, that we might end up going. So, we just ask that you pray that the Lord would give us wisdom about what to do and say and yea just for the situation. Also, last night I woke up deathly terrified because I sensed a not good thing in our room. I was sweating profusely, my heart has never beat that fast, and I heard weird noises and it just wasn't good. Leah and I prayed and it was gone after that. During that I also asked the Lord to wake some of ya'll up to pray so if that happened to you Thank You and please continue praying! Please pray that I will not be fearful because I have no reason to be because of the Lord Jesus Christ that lives inside me has defeated them and I have his power! So, that's the start of this week! :D
On a lighter note, this weekend is our getaway weekend like I mentioned before. We're going to eat at some nice places and go to the local hotel and swim and relax. And then this is the fun part. On Sunday, we're going to ride camels!!!! I'm so excited and I'm going to take lots of pictures!
So, to wrap up Africa is good but hard, like I keep saying, and the Lord is working and that's what's getting me through. I miss you all and love you!

Love, love, love,
Jenny
P.S. Please pray for my buddy Mallory who is in Thailand for 3 weeks doing the Lord's work!