Resignation

res·ig·na·tion

/ˌrezəɡˈnāSH(ə)n/

1. an act of retiring or giving up a position.
2. the acceptance of something undesirable but inevitable.

I started this blog in August 2010, after I joined Wycliffe Bible Translators. Since then, I've been a missionary kid teacher. Now, after eight years, I'm giving up that position. I'm resigning from Wycliffe.

I've decided on this path for two reasons: I need to give my body time to recuperate from ongoing issues with insomnia. And, I do not have peace about living indefinitely in missionary community as a single person; while I have loved the last years immeasurably, it's exhausting to live in a community where your housemates and closest friends tend to move away on a regular basis.

So, definition 1 for resignation applies. Sometimes this choice feels like definition 2 as well, "the acceptance of something undesirable but inevitable." That's because I loved what I was doing and don't know what's next and sometimes my imagination forgets that God is abundantly good, including His plans for the future! So I made this picture to affirm His goodness, to remind my soul that definition 1 does not equal definition 2!

I'll continue this blog until my resignation date, May 31. 

Ethnodoxology

 I'm surrounded by snowy mountains, sometimes glowing white, sometimes doused with pink. Each time we have a break from classes I go to the windows to see how the beauty has changed. Just looking brings refreshment.

We're here for a class called Ethnodoxology. Ethno=cultural group, Doxology=praise. We're learning a method for getting to know a community and coming alongside them to help them use their own art forms to praise God and grow in His ways (strengthen church community, find His peace amidst trauma, meditate on His word, et cetera).

My favorite part of the day so far is the morning when we take time to connect with God through different art forms. Today we used story telling as our art form. Yesterday we used drawing and word, one of my favorites. Here is my meditation on God's strength in us. It feels freeing and joyful to validate drawing as a real way to connect with God, not just singing or talking-prayer or listening to a sermon. Using a people's traditional arts to praise and grow in God might feel the same way for them, freeing and joyful, validating their way of communicating with Him as real.