I cannot believe how fast November has flown by. There are only 4 weeks left until I come home for Christmas. I'm excited about coming back in January and living at El Puente since they have been working so hard there to get it ready for us.

I would love to say that this week has been awesome but its actually been a very challenging week for me. Monday was my last day tutoring at Sisters of Charity for ESL because the girls had their exams this week and are going home for Christmas break so I was kind of sad about that but cant wait to see them next year.

Tuesday during class, Charles made us go outside of El Puente and find some really big rocks. So we did and then he told us that we would be carrying them around with us on our backs for four days. I'll be honest and say that the first day I was not seeing the point to this exercise at all and annoyed by these rocks that I could only take off for a shower but by the third day I really got the point.

How inconvenient and uncomfortable are our sins? Carrying those rocks brought a whole new meaning to me about carrying our burdens and holding on to crap in our lives. It was an interesting week trying to do everything with those stupid rocks. Ministry was hard, sitting in a chair was hard, having to explain to people why I was taking rocks with me everywhere was annoying, and rolling over on them in the night made me angry...but now I can say it was worth itJ

Friday in class we had some worship, had communion like Jesus and the disciples did for Passover and washed each others feet. At the end of all that we went outside and got rid of our rocks. It was a pretty cool day for me. I had a thought though while one of my teammates washed my feet. If I felt that uncomfortable letting someone else wash my feet like that...imagine how unnerving it must have been for peter and the other disciples when Jesus the God of the universe washed their feet...which is a very dirty job!

I think the most challenging thing this week for me has been how Friday as soon as I laid down some rocks how fast Satan tried to bring me down again. I think that showed me though that regardless of if we give our burdens to Christ...we still live in a sin-filled world and the enemies attacks on our freedom in Christ don't really ever stop.

Here is a verse that has been a big help this week:

"Do not worry about anything but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God's peace which is so great we cannot understand it will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:6-7