Ephesians 4:2 - Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

1 John 3:18-20 - Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

John 16:33 - I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.

Isaiah 26:3-4 - You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord, is the Rock eternal.

Lamentations 3:32-33 - Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love. For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to the children men.

Psalm 145:8-9 - The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love. The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.

Lamentations 3:22-23 - Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

Psalm 145:13-14, 17 - ...The Lord is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made. The Lord upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.

Bits and Bobs.

I was just waiting for the post I could use that as the title. It's actually a phrase they use here, along with the title of a pack of scrape pieces of crafty paper goods; you can buy it at Pound Land, for a pound, I bought a pack. This is only relevant because lately, I've been using some 'bits' for letters and 'bobs' in my artsy journal. It is the strangest thing...I have never considered myself as a crafty or artsy fartsy person, but within the last month of being at Capes again, I have discovered a like for being crafty. It's probably because I want to maybe express the way I'm feeling so I make something. Like a crafty looking card, envelope, or journal entry. Does that even make sense?

I have started writing more letters though, that's for sure. That is one thing I wish I would have done more of last year, so I've begun that this time 'round.  I'd like to be better as a pen pal this year.

Today marks one week since students have arrived. Their longest, (sometimes) hardest, first week is finally over and hopefully a routine has begun to set for them. Today also marks my one-month since returning to England. Now that it's been a month, it feels like just two weeks. That is encouraging when I'm really missing people. Only nine more times before I'm home! 

Last year I had such a real experience with the peace and comfort from the Lord that I had never really personally experienced before. Returning this year, I believe I thought going back to a place that is so familiar to me, that I love, I would naturally feel peace about it. But when I actually arrived, I felt far from that. I was relying more on my own experience and feelings of the previous year, that I had forgotten I need to rely on the Lord and not myself. I felt in control leaving home, but once I was here the Lord reminded me I wasn't and that I needed Him. It seemed such a simple thing to return here for another year. I had prepared myself so well...mentally...I completely neglected the preparation the Lord needed to do in me: body, soul, and spirit.

Isaiah 26:3

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,

all whose thoughts are fixed on you.