2011 Reflections

New Year's Eve and all is well. 2011 is fading into history, and 2012 looms in front of us all. I love this time of year. I love new beginnings. I've always loved starting something new....a new project, visiting a new place, starting a new school, meeting new friends. Not that I despise the old, but the new really get's my imagination rolling and all the possibilities get me excited.

But I want to take a few moments and just reflect on this past year, the highlights that made it a great year to remember. This year was one of stability in the fact that the only places I traveled was home to visit family. I remained in Taiwan from January through the beginning of November....this is the longest time I've remained in one place since I joined YWAM....nearly 10 years ago! Staffing SBS challenged me and blessed me in so many ways. I was able to deepen friendships that began when I came to Taiwan, said goodbye to friends, and met new people.

The year began in the snowy wonderland of Minnesota on vacation but was interrupted a bit abruptly by a visa crisis in Taiwan and I had to return early in order to take care of my visa. This began a number of long hours helping with visas this year. God worked a number of miracles to help keep me and others in this country I learned so much this year. And I'm convinced visas are the most faith-building endeavors, no matter where in the world you are.


Staffing SBS

Studying the Bible has been one of the best things I've ever pursued and being able to staff the school of Biblical Studies was an incredible opportunity to go through the Bible again and learn and grow with other staff and students. As with every school it presented it's own challenges, ups and downs, sleepless nights, tearful moments and many laughs and hugs and deep conversations. Most of the people I worked with this last year will be staffing next year as well so we have an opportunity to go deeper and grow and learn and improve.

Enjoying my 30's
I know many milestone birthdays can be scary. However, I've been amazed at how much I've been enjoying being in my 30's. Making decisions hopefully with more wisdom and less compulsiveness. Discipling younger men and women out of what I've learned and seen in life, and enjoying friendships with people of all ages. I've just been really thankful for this season of life



Studying and Teaching the Word
There are so many days when I have this moment of realization and think to myself, THIS is my job! I spend most of my days reading God's word, speaking about him, counseling others in knowing his word better and talking about what we are learning. This season has been such a blessing in really cementing a foundation of truth in my life. For much of my life I secretly found the Bible a bit boring and dry and after SBS and now even more being able to teach, God's word has become so alive and so fresh and so relevant in ways that I never expected it. I feel as though I discover something new nearly every day.
I was able to teach a lesson on Figures of Speech in the SBS, shared an hour during the book of Acts on Pioneering, taught the book of 2 Timothy to the DTS, and taught Psalms, Exodus, Jeremiah and Lamentations to the SBS here in Taiwan.  One huge thing I've been seeing is how God so perfectly orchestrated history and it's events to point us to our need for salvation from our sin and it all pointed to Jesus. He has always intended to be in relationship with us and did everything possible to make that happen.

Teaching English and Making new friends
Each week I work at our coffeeshop having English conversation with local students and helping with the Advanced English class. I've been able to deepen friendships, pray with people, share the gospel and really get to know more about Taiwanese culture and life through the people I've met. This has been a huge blessing to be a part of and get to know some amazing people. Pray for more fruit in this upcoming year.

Running
This year I was able to do a 5k with my mom, run a 10k on Thanksgiving Day and then ran my second half marathon here in Taipei. There is a great group of people here that loves running and working out together so it's been great motivator this year. Next year my goal is to get in even better shape and really invest in my health.

 Time with Family
This year has been incredible in that I got to see family all throughout the year. My grandma and Dad came to Taiwan to visit me....my first visit since I moved overseas 6 years ago! I was home over Thanksgiving and just relaxed with everyone. My niece Alexee is growing so quickly and I got some Auntie Danika time with her. I am so blessed by these people.

Looking ahead to 2012

I'll be continuing here another year in Taiwan. I recently moved to a new apartment so it feels like a whole new beginning full of possibilities. I'll be staffing SBS again but before that I'll be leading a Bible teaching team to India and central Asia. I'm looking forward to being able to merge three of my passions: the Bible, teaching, and central Asia into one. 

I'll be teaching the book of Hebrews in May in our SBS, a book I'm greatly looking forward to studying and getting to know more. I'm also hoping to do some traveling and teaching this year and will be making more of those plans as the year unfolds. 

So, here's to a great 2011 and anticipating a fantastic 2012!

What have been the highlights of your year?? What are you anticipating this next year??

My New Apartment

Well, after sharing stories of the crazy man in the stairway of our old house, moving houses, and leaving out all the sordid details of the frustration of dealing with our old landlord, I'm excited to show you a little bit of my new home. The photos of the living room and kitchen turned out a bit dark because (thankfully, and at this time of year it's a rarity) it was a sunny day outside and I'm not a gifted photographer. 

But this will be my home for the upcoming year and this place has really been a God-story. We needed to move very quickly and we found this place in ONE DAY which was in our budget, was partially furnished and had perks in it like the flat-screen TV (and the 100 cable channels including some English ones) on the wall, AC in every room of the house, and a good amount of space for the three of us. 

So, come on in...make yourself at home: 

Our living room.....all decorated for Christmas too! 

The kitchen...this is nice and big for Taiwan

The bathroom...everything in here was newly remodeled

My bedroom

and my bedroom...my study area

the living room and kitchen shelves as seen from my bedroom
The place is really open and spacious

This apartment used to be a four bedroom dorm housing for students with a kitchen, but they remodeled it taking out one bedroom which is now the living room so the kitchen and bathrooms are remodeled and the whole place is newly painted and quite well taken care of. This was definitely God's gift to us girls this upcoming year. You are always welcome to come on over for a visit to Taiwan!

Christmas Eve celebrations

 Christmas Eve arrived in Taiwan and I invited a bunch of people over to celebrate together. We had some pumpkin pie (I made with cans of Pumpkin from the US!), homemade cider (see below), eggnog, gingerbread cake and of course, pizza!! I made the above paper babbles to hang in the living room and they turned out pretty nice. We watched Christmas movies and talked about all the great things that happened in our lives this past year. God has truly been good.

Starting to make homemade cider...turned out delicious! 

Our cute little tree

Can you see me waving at you?? Merry Christmas!!

A toast, from two distinguished gentlemen

Friends

More friends

I hope that you got to spend the holidays with people who you love and that there was love and fellowship around you to share in. Merry Christmas from Taiwan everyone!

Taipei Half Marathon, Round 2

Oddly enough, the half-marathon at the end of the SBS is starting to become a bit of a tradition around here. Last year fifteen of us ran and it was about the same this year.  This has been such a great community to challenge one another in getting out and running, staying healthy and fit. In an environment where study and sitting takes the majority of the day, this half is quite a motivating endeavor. 

This next year I'm hoping to be better at eating healthy and exercising. It's just hitting me as I continue to get a bit older every year (though I know I'm still a little young'un) that I want to be better at taking care of myself because then I'm able to also give out more to others. 

Those races and running while I'm at home in MN paid off because the last two weeks being back and finishing SBS, my training suffered a bit. But, I still finished the half, my time was a few minutes slower than last year but I also made a full-on potty break in the middle of the race....stood in line for the bathroom and everything. 

I'm so thankful for the friends who I got to run late evening, sweaty humid runs at the university track with, Sunday morning mountain runs, running along the river together and of course, celebrating at a finish line with. It's been another incredible year, another amazing time of persevering with God through teaching, studying, living, witnessing, laughing, crying and celebrating life with. 

"crossing the finish line"

NOW we're almost all the same height

A beautiful day for a race at 101
Thanks to all who came out to cheer us on! We have some amazing friends!!!

For those of you who are wanting to get out and accomplish something great this year, I'd challenge you to pick a half-marathon where you are at, and get out and start running. Two years ago I couldn't run more than 5 minutes without  needing to stop, but you have to start somewhere. One of these days, I hope to accomplish a marathon as well.