February has been an amazing month!  The Lord has really just been pouring into me like never before...or maybe I've never opened myself up to it like I have lately.  Whatever the reason, it has just been an encouraging and (I hate to be redundant but....)amazing journey.  Last month I really felt like God's focus and purpose during my quiet time was to bring me back to the basics of my faith and what it means to be a Christian and follow the Lord.  I feel like those of us who have grown up in the church kind of take all of those lessons for granted because we have heard them over and over, so sometimes we just ignore them or think that we don't need to hear them, and last month God was showing me that I definitely do need to hear them and not just hear them but learn and apply them.  This month I feel like God has gotten a little more personal in His teaching.  He has been revealing to me the things that are separating me from His perfect will for my life...areas where I am not trusting in Him to take care of me and not keeping my hope in Him alone.  Also, He is teaching me to be joyful in all circumstances and never stop praying for my own faith and for others.  He is showing me areas in my life where I need to have more patience and where I am being selfish and putting my needs before the needs of the others.  I am just laying all my junk out there for you all to see, but maybe this is part of what God is doing in my life.  I have always felt like I had to be perfect, or at least make others think that I am, but God is teaching me that it really doesn't matter if others think that I am perfect or not because He knows every move that I make, so even if I am fooling others they are not the ones that I have to answer to in the end!  WOW!  Do you see what I mean.....just amazing! God is so good!  Sometimes the lessons that He is teaching are not the easiest to hear or admit to, but He has truly been walking me through them step by step with amazing support from my Momma and Daddy and sister and some great people here and some super friends back home. It is like everyday He puts someone in my path to confirm what He is teaching me that day.  I feel like a little protege walking and following and listening.  I know that I am probably not a super good one, but I'm trying! :)
Anyways, so along with all that God has been bringing amazing blessings over the last month!  A friend that I met in one of the groups that came over the summer came back to visit Costa Rica and the people that he had met here.  While he was here, he came to one of my English classes (and actually recruited a couple of new students for me!) and Jonathan and I were able to steal him away for a couple of days.  We took him to Limon where he was able to see my students there take a test :).  We also went to a river nearby, learned how to make pati and bread and went to the amusement park in San Jose with family and friends on the Sunday that he was here!  It was a blessing to see the way that Ray interacted with the people here and how he tried so hard to communicate every chance he could even though he didn't speak Spanish!  What a blessing you are Ray! :)  Here are some pictures from our crazy week with Ray! :)

English class in Alajuela - Ray, Manuel and Jonathan

English class in Limon studying for the test! :)

Ray helping Catherine with her test....that's called cheating Ray! haha jk!

Ray hanging out with Jonathan's family watching tv while we learn to make Pati...YUM!

Issac, Me and Ray at the amusement park watching while Jonathan and Manuel rode the crazy ride where you drop like a mile from the sky at death-defying speeds :)

Here are some pictures of our Pati making and bread making and the beautiful river that we were able to go to!  God is amazing for sure!

My first Pati!

Jonathan's mom and I making super yummy bread!

The beautiful river that we went to

I also was able to meet an amazing group of people who came here on a mission trip.  One night when I was having English class and the band was practicing in the church the group walked by to go to POPS to get some ice-cream and walked in the church to listen to the music.  After class was over I was able to talk to them a little and what a blessing they were!  The following day Ray and I met them at the church that they were working at and worked with them to paint and build!  I was also able to attend one of their devotionals where I was able to listen to more about their story and how they got here and what God was doing in each of their lives.  I wasn't able to have individual conversations with each of them, but the conversations that I did have were exactly what I needed.  God used each of the conversations to really confirm a lot of what He has been teaching me about my own journey and to hear from all of these retired men and women about the important things in life and God's timing really just gave me more insight into what God had been teaching me!  I know that God didn't necessarily send this group to Costa Rica for me, but it sure did feel like it.  I made a great group of friends and they reminded me of home! :)

God's group of angels just for me! 

"Working" :) ....they caught us

God also sent me on an amazing weekend trip to a place called Talamanca.  I don't have a ton of pictures because my camera died while I was there, and there is no electrical outlets their, so I was not able to charge it...bad planning on my part...sorry guys!  Anyways, before I tell you about the trip I want to tell you a story about how God continues to confirm the lessons that He is teaching me.  Out trip for Talamanca was made in order to help the locals in this community with uniforms and school supplies as the school year kicked-off (here school starts at the beginning of February).  The church in Limon along with some people from Alajuela had been gathering supplies for a couple of months and were about ready to go.  They were still short a little bit, and I felt like God was really calling me to help.  In January I had recalculated my budget, and if I continued spending the same amount on food, transportation, and teaching supplies as I did in June - December I would not be able to stay past April in Costa Rica.  Like I said earlier, God has really been teaching me that I need to think in the present and follow in the present each step that He calls me to make and that He will protect and provide for the future. So, knowing all of this about my finances I still followed what I felt like God was calling me to do.  I bought 35 notebooks, about 10 pairs of uniform socks, 4 uniforms and about 100 pencils.  That day when I got to the church and checked my email I had an email from my mom saying that she had deposited a check for the exact amount into my account that someone had given her at church!  God not only provided, but he provided exactly what I needed, but there is more to the story!  About 5 days later I received an amazing donation for almost exactly what I needed to cover the months of May and June, and I know that God will fill in the gaps as He already has begun doing!  What an amazing God we serve! :)

Luke 6:38 Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

So thank you to all that have contributed...financially, in prayer, in support, and in encouragement.  Know that your gift will be returned in full and not only that but pressed down and shaken together to make room for MORE!!! :)

So back to the actual trip to Talamanca....Talamanca is a community in the mountains that has no electricity, no modern plumbing, none of the things that we consider so necessary in today's culture.  It is located in the mountains and is about 3 to 4 hours walking from the closest grocery store.  Many of the people living in this community have never seen a car or a grocery store or a paved road.  Their main form of transportation is their feet and second to that are horses.  The church where I am serving in Limon has helped to built churches in this community and teach pastors and build communities of believers and now they go occasionally to help and fellowship with the people there.  Here are some of the pictures of this beautiful place!

Our team minus Jonathan who was taking the picture

Shower - Day 1

One of the 3 churches that they have helped to build

Shower - Day 2

One of the houses

It is hard to see in this picture, but we had about 10 kids walking with us...right now we were on a break but each of the kids was helping to carry the supplies and clothes and boots that we brought.  Each bag weighed somewhere close to 30 pounds.  The girl that is second in this line of kids has one of the bags tied around her head with a piece of a shirt, so that all the weight was on her head!  This was one of the smaller bags.

Then my camera died...:(, but I promise next time I will take lots of pictures for you all to see! :)

We were also able to help in some of the construction on the church in Limon.  We are only taking small steps in this project because we are only able to do what each month's budget allows, but every month we are able to do a little more!  Here are some pictures from this month's steps.

Our pulley system to get the materials upstairs

My super powerful drilling stance! haha

Things have also been going great with the English classes both in Alajuela and in Limon.  God has really been teaching me what I can do to better meet each groups needs!  We have added an advanced group in Alajuela one day a week, and we have added 30 minutes a lesson to the classes in Limon just for English homework help.  All the students in Limon are in middle and high school, so they had English classes at school too.  This insight that God has provided has really encouraged the students in both groups and me as well! :)  I love it when God shows me exactly how to do my job! :)  Here are some pictures of the classes (with lots of new faces!!)

Alajuela group work

Alajuela partner work :D

Alajuela class

Limon one-on-one practice

This month has really been a Spirit-filled month of growth and stretching.  God has been doing so many wonderful things in my life, and I am so honored and blessed to have this time where I am able to really set my focus on Him and learn to put in first in all situations and turn to Him first in all circumstances!  He has been teaching, testing, and rewarding/correcting (depending on what grade I get on the tests! :)), and I have just felt entirely unworthy of all the attention that He has been spending on me over the last couple of months, but loving every minute of it.  He teaches us to rejoice in all circumstances and pray continually, and I am learning this and learning what it truly means.  All circumstances are to teach us and grow us, so we should rejoice with each step because it means that we are closer to the place that He wants us to be and closer to Him!  As always, there is no way I would be here right now if it weren't for each of you, so thank you so much for your prayers, support, encouragement and love!  You all are amazing and will be rewarded in full for all that you have given so that God could have me exactly where He wants me!  I love you all very much and pray that God would bless you, mold you and protect you along your own journey! :)

Habacuc 2:3 (Habakkuk 2:3)

First sorry for the long wait!! I have gotten really bad about updating everything that is going on here, but it is just because it has been so much fun and so encouraging!  God has been teaching me so much and really helping me to understand Him and His will for my life.  I have learned that God's timing is perfect and that we just kinda mess things up when we try to do things in our timing.  Especially as the new year has begun God is really getting me exciting about what is to come and the blessings that are available when I seek His face, lean into His promises and trust in His timing!
So let's go back to December!  I last updated my blog about a week before I left to go back to the states for Christmas, but that week was packed full of blessings!  Here are a few pictures of all of the fun!
It started with the long process of tamale making!!

First some friends cut down the leaves to wrap the tamales, so we fired the leaves....

Cut the leaves...

Made the mix and put in on the leaf.....

Wrapped the tamale...

and finally, cooked the tamale! I have some pictures of my family eating the tamales, but we'll get to those when I get to my Georgia pictures!

The week continued with lots and lots of foods!  The people of Costa Rica know how to eat at Christmas time...and I LOVE it!  Everything was so delicious.  I am trying to get lots of recipes so I can try to do some of this when I come home, but I know it will never be like what my friends and family here can make...WOW!

This is for real!  Yum! :)

Pati! This is a little spicy but still amazing!  

Leccy and I making chicken for our last night together before my trip back to Georgia.  I wanted to cook something for my Costa Rican family before I went home!

I also was able to spend time with all my students one last time before the holidays.  The students in Limon drew the short stick though because we actually had classes there.  Because I only see them twice a month we continued to have classes, but my students in Alajuela had a party with food (of course) and a white elephant gift exchange!  We had so much fun!

Limon class

Alajuela Class

 I also was able to watch a Christmas play at the church in Limon.  The kids were adorable.  They did a play and sang and danced to a song.  They had been practicing for weeks and they looked like they were having so much fun!

The play

The song and dance

Although my last week before going home was super packed it was so much fun.  God has really put so many loving, caring people into my path here, and I am so grateful for each of them.  It has made such a difference in my ministry here to have people here and in the states that give such encouragement and support, and I couldn't be doing what I am doing now without you all!  So thank you!!

Back in Georgia things were amazing!  This time I really made it a point to not make a to do list of things that I needed to get done while I was home but instead relax and just spend time with my family.  I loved it!  Mom and I made 5 blankets while I was home to give to some of the people here, and that was perfect because we were able to spend so much time together just sitting and talking or watching movies!  I really LOVE my momma and daddy!  They are amazing people, and I am SO super blessed to have such great parents!  They are so wonderful that they had a second Thanksgiving dinner just for me! (I'm not really sure that it was just for me.  I think that they just wanted an excuse to eat more yummy food, but I'm gonna say it was just for me!)  We had lots of family over and then after that we took out the party food and had friends come over...all in one day!  My aunt Kathy made chicken salad...she makes the best chicken salad ever, but you won't see that in any of the pictures because it was in the back of the fridge hiding!!! :)  

I also was able to go caroling with the church and to the Santa Supper, something that I don't think we have missed since we have been members of the church.  I was also able to spend some time with some of my closest friends on the last few days that I was there.  Some were unexpected visits, but all really just warmed my heart.  I love my friends!  I have some of the best for sure.  

Because I was flying standby I wasn't quite sure what day I was going back home, but it worked out perfectly because I actually ended up leaving the day after I thought I was going to, so the last day was completely open to hang out with my family and say goodbye to one of the most amazing men I have even known, Mr. J.W. Benefield.  

Here are some of my Georgia pictures:

Mama Faye eating tamales with Lizano Sauce and Logan eating Tamales with Ketchup! :)

Mama Faye, Dad, Me, Logan and Mom in front of our Christmas tree

Caroling

Our first annual Taylor makes carrot cake while all others eat and play on their phones!  This is a new family tradition that my cousin Staci wanted to start...it looks like it worked out well for them huh!?

Our Thanksgiving meal

The Thanksgiving food!!! Casserole!

Jess, Addy, and Me

Debra working on moving out the Thanksgiving food and moving in the party food!

Mama Faye, Kelly, Paul and Me

My cousins, sister and me with Santa

So maybe now it is a little more clear why the blog has taken so long to post. haha!  I have been spending so much time taking pictures that I haven't been able to post them all!  But wait...there are more! 

I have been back in Costa Rica for 3 weeks now, and the Lord has really started this year off full of blessings!  I was able be with my family until the very last minute to still come here and spend New Years with the church in Limon.  They had a four hour service full of skits, prayer, sermon, singing and food!  It was a fantastic way to bring in the new year.  I have never been so NOT tired at midnight!

The choir singing in the New Year!

One of the many hilarious skits!

The Sermon

The Congregation with tables set up for the food

New Years day we spent the entire day with Jonathan's family and some family friends at the pool.  I actually got sunburned on New Years Day! Crazy!  Again, the holidays here kind of center around food, so of course New Years would not be New Years without a lot of delicious treats!  We ate ALL DAY LONG!

Carrot Cake with Costa Rican ingredients!

More yummy meat!

The family by the pool

 After the New Years celebrations in Limon I came back to Alajuela for a few days to spend time with my friends and family here.  We went to the beach, bowling and to see the new James Bond movie, and then it was back to Limon.  

Leccy, Wendi, Me and Cournae

Courtnae and I trading socks and shoes...I forgot mine! haha!

While back in Limon, we were able to visit a banana farm where they make Del Monte bananas and had lots of fun there.  I also went fishing in a way that I have never fished before.  I mean I am no professional, but I think I have gone fishing probably 10 times in my life, but this time we went to a bridge with only a string and a hook and sat on the side of the bridge for hours.  Although I didn't catch anything Jonathan's dad caught a few that they ate for dinner that night! They smelled delicious...well after they were cooked that is!  

These are the bananas that have been picked moving on this pully system through the forest

The trees with the bananas that haven't been picked

And this is my riding on the pulley system for the bananas! Weeee!

"Fishing" but all I caught was a big tree branch

So I moved to Costa Rica and got all country! haha!  I went fishing with only string and I milked a cow!!!  I never dreamed of milking a cow, but Jonathan's uncle has a farm with cows and they wanted to make some cheese so they needed to go milk the cow and asked if I wanted to try! I will confess...I am awful, but it was so much fun to try something new!  I will never forget that experience!  While I was there I also ate some guanabana for those of you from the Bethesda Mission Team I thought you would appreciate that!

Notice...there is nothing coming out! haha!

The cheese that we made from the milk

Guanabana...nuff said

In my vacation time here I also went sledding!  I know you are probably thinking I am crazy, and in part you are correct because this really wasn't the smartest thing I have ever done, but there is a park in San Jose where you can rent a sled (a cut trash can) and sled down this big hill on the grass or dirt.  I chose the dirt because I was more afraid of the grass where I could not see the holes and ditches.  I obviously didn't take into account the more painful landing that could take place on the dirt, but I made it out with a little strawberry and some red potion that the lady renting out the sleds rubbed on my arm! haha!

Oh what fun!

Oh what pain! haha!

This week we started "back to school" with a review of everything that we have learned so far.  I think it was probably just as fun for me to make the review as for them to do it! The board was full of questions and pictures and next week we will be playing games with the concepts that still proved to be challenging.  

I think everyone is happy to be back and learning and I am so excited about what the next 5 months is going to bring!  The Lord has truly been blessing me in amazing ways over the last 3 weeks especially. I can't wait to see what all He is going to reveal this year.  If the next 11 months of 2012 are as spirit-filled and enlightening as the first month we are in for a powerful year!  I believe God has great plans for each of us and I am so thankful that you are helping me to follow His plan for me and to discover what the next step in that plan will be!  I love you all so much! Thank you for everything!!