Two Thousand Thirteen

When 2013 rolled around, I had already been living in Vietnam for almost three months. Looking back, the months leading up to this year were some of the hardest I've ever faced.

 I had so many questions racing through my mind; What did I get myself into? Why did the Lord send me to this place? How was I going to survive another eight months? Why was this journey turning out to be so difficult?

I imagined that I'd wake up January 1st and suddenly things would "click".
All the answers would magically arrive in my head.

Well, that didn't happen.

I had never experienced loneliness like I did in those first few months.

I'd have to say my biggest/most rewarding experience was Journey 2013. [the retreat I planned to take our youth and another youth group to in a mountain town for three days of adventure and inspirational talks from a pastor living in Laos]

I look back now and am still blown away that it all came together and everyone made it out alive. [considering the excursions we went on, this was actually an achievement]