...I don't know when I'll be back again.

It's hard for me to believe, but I leave Chiang Mai this Thursday, July 31. I am looking forward to sharing my experiences with many of you in person!

We are rushing around very crazily this last week, trying to fit everything in before we go. Last week, we were able to spend a whole morning at a retreat center to practice the spiritual discipline of solitude. This was a garden that is set up specifically for people to be able to come and pray and spend time with the Lord. Even though it was a little challenging to be quiet and alone for several hours, it was such a great experience! I am really learning how much God can teach us when we allow ourselves to be still before Him.

Each of the interns got to teach the Sunday morning ladies' Bible class for a week, and this past Sunday (our last one here) was my week to teach. I was a little nervous as I was preparing my lesson - I spent the last year teaching Bible class for one year olds, and I knew teaching these girls would be quite different! I taught from the book of Philippians, talking about how Paul shows us several examples of unselfishness and humility. I hope the lesson went well and that God used me to touch somebody's heart. At the end of class, we had a time for all of us girls to say thank you to the Thai girls here. It was such a sweet time of fellowship and sharing what we mean to each other, and it was such an encouragement to me! We fought back the tears (those are reserved for airports and airplanes!) and laughed and hugged, enjoying God's great blessing of sisters in Christ.

I taught my last English lessons last week. There was one group of students that I came to really enjoy, and I am going to miss them. I am praying that they will start to become more involved with the Christians here outside of English class, but I am thankful for that connection that they have to the Zone. Teaching English classes really taught ME a lot - I had to learn to think in new ways to try to explain a language. I had to really examine this language that I use without thinking. Although learning and living in the Thai language has been difficult, I think it has been such a great growth experience!

I hope to get another chance to post before I leave CM. I've learned so many things, felt so many emotions, and experienced God in so many ways. I only wish I had the words (and time!) to share them all on this blog.

God has given me another great blessing - an opportunity to visit Australia, where I interned two years ago! I am so excited to visit my friends there again. I can hardly believe that this time next week, I will be back there! I am so thankful that God opened this door for me. I have missed Brisbane very much and I am looking so forward to visiting my friends there. It is a weird feeling to be so sad about leaving Chiang Mai and yet so excited about returning to Brisbane...all at the same time!

May the Lord bless you as you have blessed me. I'll be seeing you soon!