he never said it would be easy

driving up to community group tonight, the sky was painted a brilliant orange. having been sick for the past week and unable to even get out of bed, i had not really seen the outdoors, much less taken pleasure in god's creation. the fiery orange sky was like a welcome back present. welcome back, ashlyn, to the outside world, we've missed you.

our bodies often give us signs to tell us we need to slow down, we are doing too much. my body decided instead, to just come to a screeching stop. i was bedridden for a week. horrible fevers racked my body, leaving me huddled under mountains of blankets, unable to get warm, feeling as though my insides were shaking to pieces. in the hours when one fever had broken and before the next one came, i would just lay in bed trying to sleep, or maybe watching a movie. walking from my bed to my bathroom (probably about 10 feet away) was a huge feat. at one low point, after being sick, i laid on the bathroom floor, lacking any strength to get back to my bed. i missed an entire week of school, and until today, didn't even care. (if you know me at all, you know that is saying a lot...i DON'T miss school) i was also homesick like i've never been before. i watched many of my mom's and my favorite movies (anne of green gables, pride and prejudice, little women) and not only did these make me miss my mom, they also seem to take place a lot in fall and early winter, both times of the year that i love and that i miss terribly.

however, today was a new day. the third day of antibiotics and wow, what a difference! while still lacking some energy from going a week without eating, i feel so much better. i ventured out to community group tonight, unable to face another night alone in my apartment. and what a blessing it was. to worship among a group of people who have also stepped out on a faith to follow the Lord to a far, distant land is a special thing. there is a special bond you have with these people. they understand that life in a foreign country is difficult, and that being sick when so far from home is harder than anyone could imagine. they become your family. and i have been blessed with a wonderful one. as i lifted my voice up to our Lord, i couldn't help but think what a truly blessed life i do have. i get to live in this breathtakingly beautiful country, doing the Lord's work daily, surrounded by amazing brothers and sisters in Christ. so while life overseas is challenging and hard, the reward is so much greater than anything you can imagine!