Two Sessions down, 4 to go!! We have completed 2 sessions of language school as of Friday. Each session is 6 weeks. That means 24 weeks of school left. I think it sounds shorter if I say 4 sessions left instead of 24 weeks.

Anyway, Lucas gave his devotional on Friday. I tell you, even with our small vocabulary, it was a great devotional.  The Lord has certainly blessed my husband with a gift to teach His Word. I can’t wait to hear what his messages when we’re done with school!

At the end of each session, we have oral exams with the director of our school. I did mine on Friday. I had to recite 5 memory verses and the irregular verbs up to this point.  Portuguese has quite a few different tenses of verbs (ie. present, perfect past, imperfect past, and I think 4 more).  Each of these tenses has some irregular verbs that are conjugated differently than the rest of the verbs in its tense.  Each verb has a 5 conjugations. That means for each tense of irregular verbs we have to memorize 100 verb conjugations (I think my math is right).  This is definitely my biggest language school challenge. I don’t have the type of brain that memorizes lists. But, God was so good and I was able to rattle them all off!  And, this weekend, I even found myself using those verbs…correctly!  Lucas does his this coming week.

The boys had their first sleepover at our house last night. This is their friend Junior. He is the son of our friends Geferson (the pastor of the Rincao church) and Marcia. They have been wanting to do this for weeks and it finally worked out this weekend.  I have no idea how late they stayed up. I just know I was asleep by 1:30 and they were still talking! I have a feeling the rest of the day will mostly consist of this…

A message from a friend recently  brought to my mind  a song that is very precious to me. This is the song that the Lord used to speak to me about my unwillingness to follow His leading to Brazil. I was being stubborn and selfish. He reminded me of what He had done for me.  Unfortunately, I’m still stubborn and selfish.  So, He has reminded me again.

“The Precious Blood”

Before the cross I kneel and see
The measure of my sin
How You became a curse for me
Though You were innocent
The magnitude of Your great love
Was shown in full degree
When righteous blood, the crimson spill
Rained down from Calvary

Oh, the precious blood
That flowed from Mercy’s side
Washed away my sin
When Christ my Savior died
Oh, the precious blood
Of Christ the crucified
It speaks for me before Your throne
Where I stand justified

And who am I that I should know
This treasure of such worth
My Savior’s pure atoning blood
Shed for the wrath I’d earned
For sin has stained my every deed
My every word and thought
What wondrous love that makes me one
Your priceless blood has bought

A crown of thorns, pierced hands and feet
A body bruised, and Mercy’s plea

Oh, the precious blood
That flowed from Mercy’s side
Washed away my sin
When Christ my Savior died
Oh, the precious blood
Of Christ the crucified
It speaks for me before Your throne

Where I stand justified.

Praise the Lord for His precious blood.

This is my best friend. I used this picture because this is how I knew we would be friends for life, totally selfish, I know. 10 years ago this month (last week actually), I attended the NANC training in Lafayette, Indiana. I went there with a married couple from our church and this single girl I didn’t really know. She and I roomed together. Our first night she gave me a back rub. I knew she had to be my friend forever. Actually, God brought her into my life at a time where I was very lonely. He knew just who I needed.

We could not be more opposite. She’s quiet, I’m not really so much. She’s an amazing writer, she blogs alot, I think we all know how good I am about blogging. She has 2 girls, I have 3 boys. She used to chop wood, I’ve never mowed a lawn. Actually, after several years of picturing her with an axe in her hand, I learned she used a wood splitter, it was devastating. Anyway, the list of our differences go on and on. I think that’s why this friendship is so beautiful. We mesh perfectly together. We never argue. We can sit in silence without it being awkward. She’s a great mom. She let’s me pretend her girls are mine.

Someday, these two are going to get married.

Our husbands are best dudes too. They understand each others quirks. They laugh at each others jokes. They play video games together. Its a beautiful friendship.

This is one of their proudest moments together when they won the Halo tournament at the Impact Superbowl party 2006.

Becca officially found out she has cancer this week. She’s had a tumor in her lung for 2 years now, but it was confirmed this week that it is cancer, along with some small spots in her liver. What her cancer is going to learn, if it doesn’t know this already, is that she is one tough chick. She used to chop wood, you know.
It’s not easy to be so far away while she’s facing this. She has walked hand in hand with me through every difficult thing I’ve faced in the last 10 years and I so desperately want to do the same for her. Unfortunately, thousands of miles hinder that a little. God has been reminding me, though, that His plan is for me to be here. My favorite verse is Psalm 18:30.

“As for God, His way is perfect”.

Becca gave me a bracelet before I got on the plane to move here that has this verse inscripted on it. She now wears one on her wrist with the same verse in portuguese.

“Este é o Deus cujo caminho é perfeito.” Salmo 18:30

This verse is so true (duh, its from God’s Word). God’s plan in her life is perfect, no matter what it is, as it is perfect in mine as well.

I am asking for your prayers for our dear friends. They have some big decisions to make in the immediate future. They meet with an oncologist next month to figure our where to go next. Pray for God’s working in Becca’s body. Pray for strength and wisdom for her husband, Dustin. Pray for those beautiful girls whom I love dearly, Karis and Gabi. Pray that in all of this we remember that “As for God, His way is perfect.”