Loving Others Begins With Loving Yourself

To quote one of my favorite lines, this past Fall season in Kona, Hawaii was the best of times and it was the worst of times.  Some of you know that Ava and I have moved on from Kona, back to Asheville, North Carolina.  We came home for Christmas, but sadly, won't be returning.  My love for the land in Kona, and the people there that we were so blessed to meet is stronger than I had anticipated, and my grief in leaving is still fresh and painful.

However, God has taught me so many wonderful and great things in the past three months, and in the year that we were in Kona,  that I know I will be able to rest, and trust that God knows my heart and my desires.  While I still believe that God wants to use my gifts and passions for children and education, I have learned that in order to truly bless others, and to live out the many plans I have in my heart to love others,  I must first know and believe God's love for me.  I must be loved.  I must listen to God's voice in my life, and know that God's plans are always loving.

Two of the main reasons that Ava and I have returned to the Mainland are:
firstly for me to finish teaching two more years in NC to repay my Teaching Fellows Scholarship loan and to pay off my other school loans,
and secondly for us to be surrounded and supported by our family. It was challenging this past year to be so far from family.  I feel that this time in Ava's life is the most important time for her to be able to be surrounded by our family.

Thus, Ava and I will be living (temporarily) with my parents in Asheville, NC.  My sister and her husband are moving up to help me home school Ava for the rest of this school year so that I can also substitute teach.  I will be trying to acquire a teaching job for the next school year, and Ava will then go into First grade at whichever school I end up teaching at.  Please be praying that this transition will go smoothly for both of us, and that the right school will open up a job for me.  Ava made some strong friendships in Kona, and misses her friends deeply.  She is adjusting well, but still has moments of sadness.  Please be praying for her, and me, to make new relationships quickly.

I once again have no idea what lies in the future corridors of mine and Ava's lives...but I know without a shadow of a doubt that it involves God's Love, God's beauty and excitement, and God's people.

While I feel that part of my heart will always be on The Big Island of Hawaii, I am excited to move into this new era of life...and see what new adventures lie ahead!