to carry on to completion..

       I love my life here in the Philippines. The overwhelming confirmation and hand of the Lord on the life He has led me to here is unmistakable. I thrive. I am living a dream come true—God is fulfilling desires left and right that my heart has had stored up for years. I love things like jumping on public transportation, going to the market, speaking the language and understanding what is being spoken back to me. I love worshiping with Filipino believers, seeing a family-based culture band together to meet everyday needs, and adapting by understanding that my own culture doesn’t do every little thing the best way. I love that a part of me—quite a huge part—will never ever be the same, and will carry so much from these beautiful people around with me for my entire life.

     I love serving women and their babies and their families. I love that laughing and smiling and being goofy and giggly is an everyday must have in the life of these people. I love it.

But..

Let me be a bit transparent with you all.

A season of change is approaching quite fast. I have been here almost a year and a half. My remaining time here is dwindling—and quickly at that. My mind tends to wander exceedingly often these days. When it does, it will wander straight to next Fall. I have begun to ponder what a new transition in life is going to look like when I go back to the life I have in the States.

I am scared. I am scared to try to switch back to a world that seems so foreign in my mind. Find a job, get a car, settle down to live somewhere. It is comforting to know that the coming season is only just a season--that the goal is not the US alone, but all nations. That of course is the desire of Christ. But still, moving back and trying to figure out life is a lot of pressure.

I am homesick. I am missing weddings and births and holidays and time. I am missing my sister driving a car on the busy Memphis interstates, my brother excelling in college classes, and best friends starting new lives with husbands or in a new town. I miss hanging out watching redbox movies with my mom, telling her everything under the sun because I know she will listen. And I miss spending the night with my aunt and cousin in Midtown and eating good Southern food with the whole family at my grandparent’s house.

I miss it. I really miss it all.

And yet, I know that the Lord has not overlooked this, as He is patient and teaches me and shows me His plan through His word.

“…And I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong—that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the Gentiles.” –Romans 1:8-13

“I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ.”

–Romans 15:29

These verses are such an echo of my heart, as they are bookends to the letter of Romans in the Bible. Paul longs to go to Rome but has been prevented from doing so. He tried a few times, but rests in the fact that God’s timing of his return would produce a harvest and would carry with it the full measure of the blessing of Christ. For me, this is a promise of the Lord’s sovereignty, even in the time I am missing and the seasons that will come.

Continuing to long. Continuing to trust.

All that being said, I am not finished here. And I don’t intend to check out mentally, spiritually, academically, clinically—anything. There is still work to do. There are still babies to be born. There are many, many things to be learned, many experiences to share, and many joys that the Father intends to shower as I serve.

So I ask for prayers from home.

*Pray that people would come to salvation and trust Jesus Christ as Savior. Pray that we would be bold here and make that our focus.

*Pray that God would strengthen our organization and charity birthing center here. Oh what a mighty work He continues to do, as things change and new ideas and opportunities to serve arise.

*Pray for opportunities for us to serve those affected by the typhoon that hit the central Philippines a few weeks ago. Pray for those already meeting the need there.

**Check out this wonderful video of the clinic I serve at daily by clicking HERE.

And I once again ask for you to pray for me.

*Pray for spiritual endurance and joy in each day.

*Pray for me financially. I have one more round of clinic fees due on February 1, 2014. I know if seems pretty far away from now for some, but I ask that you would consider partnering with me here. I need 200 people willing to send $25 each to fund February through August of 2014. Remember that fees go to help run the charity birthing center I volunteer with and serve the impoverished women of Davao City by providing a safe and loving place for them to give birth, as well as be exposed to the Gospel of Christ.

I know that God intends to finish what He began.

“Being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” –Philippians 1:6

“Blessed is she who had believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

–Luke 1:45

Thank you for walking alongside me in this journey! What an impact your prayers and support are making! Will write again soon,

--Midwife Brittany