God love us personally.

I returned from our week away as a staff team to evaluate this year and plan goals for next year. It was a great time and really got me excited about being in Newcastle for another year. I am planning on leaving for the states in two days though and am emotionally not ready. I feel like I haven't had time to grieve saying good bye well to the team I have been working with this semester and even to some friends that won't be here when I return next year.

So yesterday my friend Kara and I decided we were going to go to our favorite coffee shop and get some chai tea (the chai there is the best in australia). We walked in and sat at our usual spot at the window overlooking a beautiful bay. I walked up to put in our order and start talking to the guy behind the counter. His name is Wade and he ended up being the owner of the shop, but here is how our conversation went.

Wade: Hey, how are you?
Erin: I am doing really well and how are you?
Wade: Been pretty good. Do I detect and accent?
Erin: Yeah, I am from the states.
Wade: Oh yeah, what part are you from.
Erin: Washington state, so the northwest.
Wade: Oh that is awesome, so what are you in Aus for? Study?
Erin: No, my friend and I are actually here for a year working as full time missionaries on the uni here.
Wade: No way, really? That is awesome. So is that volunteer or a job?
Erin: Yeah it is our full time job. We are fully supported by friends and family and work full time as missionaries.
Wade: Wow. That is seriously so amazing. I am a Christian and my wife is a Christian as well. It is so encouraging seeing you working with uni students here. Keep going and keep working hard. You are doing amazing things and God is using you in big ways on that uni campus.


Ok, so that was the general idea of the start of that conversation, but then we just talked more and he was so encouraging. He was talking about how it is so important to live our lives as missionaries and how he reaches out to his co-workers and the people that come into the coffee shop regularly and yeah he was seriously the coolest guy ever.

But then, I walked back to my seat and told my friend Kara what just happened and how I was so encouraged and as I was talking to her one of the ladies who worked at the restaurant came out with these two plates with huge slices of cheesecake on them and she said, "From our manager for doing God's work." She then set down the two slices of cheesecake and started talking to us about what we did and it was amazing.

So yeah, two days before leaving Australia I have been nervous about coming back to the states and just nervous about support raising. When the cheesecake came out and talking to Wade I just felt like God was saying, "Erin, I love you so much. You are doing amazing work and I am so proud of you. Keep up the good work and I will provide for you." It was seriously the coolest afternoon ever! :)

Just wanted to share with you how amazing God is and just how I felt loved by Him this week. :)