The Hard and the Beautiful

 

   That is one of my very favorite views in St Kitts. It's not an easy hike, but it's a very short one. The reward is delicious breezes, fragrant flowers, and a landscape of hills, a volcano, and both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. As much as I always want to get to the top, certain particularly steep sections of the climb sometimes make me question my resolve. It's usually a matter of quieting down (if you know me, you know that is not in my nature), putting one foot in front of the other, and focusing on moving forward in that moment.

   I find that ministry often feels like hiking. We know the goal, we know the worth and value of the work, but it can often require a whole bunch of obedient steps for a long time in the same direction. Steps that may or may not give you a glimpse of what's to come. Steps that feel like moving up a hill in the rainforest; hot, sweating, out of breath, tired, and thirsty. But that's exactly where God so typically shows up! He picks us up, refreshes us, and reminds us of why we are on this path in the first place.

Psalm 23:3

"he refreshes my soul.

He guides me along the right paths

for his name’s sake."

Jeremiah 31:25

"I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”

Jude 1:24-25

"To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen."

Dean's class was all covid tested together at the health department, and they were cleared 24 hours later! Our kids were very glad to go back to school and not be online any longer. It was only a week and a half, so not too bad compared to the huge chunks last school year and the one before. It's crazy to think that our kids have had only one "normal" school year at SKI, but this is their third year being effected by covid and regulations. We are leaning into the Lord for grace in dealing with the long term stress. So grateful for a good school, helpful teachers, and an incredible God who walks beside us through everything!

Our church had a games night! It was so fun laughing and playing with this incredible group.

Shackila and I spent time working at the church, but we also had a day to do a prayer retreat together! It was really special to get to experience it with a wonderful friend, and to hear what God is teaching each of us. 

We took that hike I mentioned at the beggining! It's often called the "Sofa Stone" hike because of the interestingly shaped boulder at the top. However, my favorite is the big, flat stone that gets some sun, some shade, a nice breeze, and has a perfect view! Of course the kids were the first ones to the top, but I was proud of everyone for sticking with it, even through the more intense bits. They all said it was worth it for sure!

It's been so refreshing to see the church grow again, to see so many new faces, and to see people coming back and plugging in. Aaron is in the home stretch of teaching through Genesis. He does an amazing job, but I have to say I think the kids have the most fun upstairs with our amazing volunteers, silly games, and funny videos. They are also learning abut Genesis, but on their level! They get the opportunity to discuss how it applies to their lives, and it often blows me away how thoughtful they can be.

Speaking of the kids, October was a month of dress up days for our kids at school. Wacky Day, Breast Cancer Awareness Day, and Halloween Costume Day! 

  

We got to spend time with friends several times this month. It's been really sweet to recognize the life God has carved out for us here in a place that is both home and not home.

(Above, Addalyn with a friend just casually checking out the monkeys. How crazy to no longer be that impressed with wild monkeys being a few feet away!)

Sometimes island life astounds us still - monkey hoots from the new troop that moved in behind our neighbor's wall, a family of chickens and a LOUD rooster that moved into the yard of an empty house down the street, huge centipedes on the path during a walk, forgetting it's October because it's the hottest we've been since last year at this time! Other times it just all feels so normal - friends, church, school, grocery shopping, homework. 

As we step into a season where Americans are meant to be more thankful, I'm feeling quite full-of-thanks for St Kitts, for our island family, and for the God who calls us to things that are both hard and beautiful, but always worth it!