my cup overflows

I have less than one month in Arequipa. This fact brings a mix of feelings. Part of me is excited about what is to come in the next few months. Another part of me is reluctant about what is to come in the next few months. Mainly because I DON'T KNOW what is to come in the next few months. In any case, I am looking forward to being back in Lansing and to seeing the family and friends who I have only seen on a computer screen for the past few months. But the biggest part of me is the part that is feeling like less than one month in Arequipa is definitely NOT ENOUGH. It is going to be hard to leave. I feel at home here now.  There are so many wonderful people that I have met in the past few months -- people whom I want to get to know more, but time is now limited. It is sad to think that I don't know if or when I will ever see these people again. It would have been easier (as in, less painful to leave) if I hadn't made friends and shared life with people. But the pain is completely worth it! I wouldn't change a thing. In a way, it's a good pain. Yes, it could have been avoided if I had simply not allowed myself to get to know anyone. But I would choose to have experienced the richness of meeting these great people and having to say "goodbye" to them over not having ever met them at all.

In light of these feelings, God has really spoken to me through Psalm 37 for the past few days.

Trust in the Lord and do good;
    dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.
 Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

 Commit your way to the Lord;
    trust in him and he will do this:
 He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
    your vindication like the noonday sun.

 Be still before the Lord
    and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
    when they carry out their wicked schemes.

 Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
    do not fret—it leads only to evil.
 For those who are evil will be destroyed,
    but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

God is calling me to delight in Him, to trust Him, to commit my way to Him, to be still before Him, to not worry, to wait for Him. Even though there is a lot ahead of me that is unknown (What's going to happen to all these new and precious friendships that I have made in Peru?), I can trust God. He has a plan, and it is infinitely better than anything that I could ever come up with. My friendships are in HIS hands, not mine. And that's really good. I want to know what's going to happen... if I'm ever going to see these people again, if I will be able to keep in touch with them... but instead of worrying about what will happen, God is reminding me to trust Him. I need a lot of reminders sometimes. And God keeps providing them.

This time in Peru has been such a blessing. Really, I don't have words to express how awesome this has been so far. God has taught me so much about so many things and he has put so many wonderful people in my path. When I think of what I have experienced so far in Peru, I can't help but praise and thank God, and rejoice with the psalmist: "MY CUP OVERFLOWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" (That's my version of the last bit of Psalm 23:5).