In Africa!

I'm here!! And wide awake with 4am jet lag :) But I made it safely to Johannesburg and am now with my brother at his (beautiful!) house. I'm SO happy to finally be on this continent!!

Some cool God things/ways He's taken care of me.... He gave me I think the only row with an open middle seat on it on the *16 hour* plane ride over from Atlanta.... so my seat-mate (I was window, she was aisle) and I took turns lying down to sleep.... across all 3 seats and also on the floor below us, ha. :) I probably got 8-9 hours of real & deep sleep on the flight which was WONDERFUL after probably a combined 5 hours of sleep from the 72 hours before (but it isn't helping my jet lag now, ha).

Also- the first man I met off the plane - he started conversation with me as we were de-boarding- was a South African pastor who had just been in TEXAS doing church plants! Love it. God's sending him there and me here. :)

Tomorrow I'll be in Jo-burg for the day (which happens to be the World Cup final game day, pretty cool to be here for the World Cup spirit! :)) and then Monday morning I fly to Zimbabwe for the mission trip with Young Life.... and I can't WAIT to get out there!!!

And more perfect timing of God's-- I purposely left a few days later/into this Zim trip (which already started) so that I would be sure to be home when Sarah had her baby- and although her due date was July 1st she didn't have her until the afternoon of the 7th- so I made a *super* quick trip to Austin to meet her on Thursday morning the 8th before leaving Dallas on Friday morning (and got to see Ashley's **adorable** new baby boy Logan, too! I was waiting on Sarah's to meet Ashley's :)). She literally could not have had her one day later! So I got to meet my *beautiful & perfect* new "niece" Olivia before taking off for a year....! And I love her!! And Logan! God's timing is *perfect*. (and yes, that also puts me here for the World Cup final game! couldn't be more perfect :)) (fyi, Sarah and Ashley are 2 of my best friends in the world)

Thank you all for your prayers!!!! I REALLY appreciate them.... They are being answered and God is certainly watching over me!

"If you make the Most High your dwelling- even the Lord, who is my refuge- then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. For He will command His angels concerning you, to guard you in all your ways.... A thousand may fall at your side, ten thousand at your right hand, but it will not come near you." -Psalm 91:9-10, 7 (thank you Stef and Rachel for that!!)