Restore my joy

As I'm sure many of you know, I was having a really hard time with the thought of coming back to Amsterdam after Christmas. Once I got away for awhile, it made me realize how much oppression and spiritual darkness I deal with on a daily basis, and I didn't think I'd be able to make myself come back to that. I guess you just get used to dealing with it day in and day out, and being back home in the States for awhile brought that truth to light for me.

Thanks so much to each of you who lifted me up in prayer as I came back; the transition was so much easier than I was anticipating! As soon as I got to the airport, I was fine and feeling good about things. When I went back to the ladies ministry this past Monday, I was riding my bike through the District and just asking God to renew the joy that I first had in this work, and to remind me of the call I felt for these ladies in the first place. Then when I got to the Cleft, someone had written on the white board the verse Psalm 51:12--"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." That is exactly my prayer for myself at this time--I feel like that's all that's going to sustain me through this kind of work, the willing spirit that God gives me. As you pray for me, would you also pray this verse? Thanks for being so faithful!