Hi friends. 

It's been so long.
What has the past few months looked like? It's looked like struggling in a new state for 10 weeks trying to find a job.  It's looked like loneliness and no sense of friends. I realized later that when I am sad or moving/ transitioning, I tend to push people away because "see you later's" are hard. I recently have been reading a book  titled Burried Dreams. It spoke of that saying "When we are lonely because of grief, people who are with us in our pain reflect His deep love for us when we think/ feel like His love is far away."
It looked like a seasonal job talking about furniture and appliances all day.

It's looked like mourning and releasing everything I thought my future would contain. It's looked like talking about fridges and couches and suddenly finding tears in my eyes.

It's looked like Adventures in Missions telling us that Covid has again changed traveling restrictions. I won't (with current restrictions) get to leave for 11 months. Adventures in Missions does,  however,  have women's mission trips, called "Beauty for Ashes". "Beauty for Ashes" wants women to experience the hope and healing of Jesus. They create safe spaces for them to encounter Him. They use biblical stories,  testimonies, seeking the Lord's voice,  and sharing with the community to allow women to walk out of shame and into freedom. They were able to transfer my already raised funds to these trips. I get to go with them on one of these trips to Costa Rica. It leaves March 12 and is a week long. 

There is a lady (Sammie) that is coming with me to Costa Rica who I have become friends with. We started talking through GroupMe for January 2021 World Race. Then we both deferred to August 2021 and then to August 2022. She also lived in Illinois, so we have gotten to connect in person. We have both had women's ministry on our hearts long before we met each other. We are excited to travel together.
It's also looked like joy when my sis and I got to celebrate big life events with a cousin.  It's looked like being thankful for an apartment to call our own. It's looked like being thankful for every single one of my donors. It's looked like being thankful for so much and getting connected at church. It's looked liked being an encouragement to people.

It's looked like wondering if I was even supposed to be down here,  if I even heard God's voice. In the past few days, I have been shown and reminded that I do hear Him. He gave me confirmations and words of wisdom. I had been struggling to walk in God's joy for quite some time. Joy has been, in the last few days, restored to me.

Prayers: *Safety and provision for travels to and from Costa Rica
*We would work well as a team
*God would bring women who need healing to our meetings

Support: Travel to and from Chicago, Covid tests, culture day will be out of pocket and you can give straight to my Venmo @Rachel-Kemper,  if you feel led.

I appreciate you all!