Lurking Discouragement

It was day two of classes and I wrestled with feeling discouraged all day! I made some mistakes in class, and I have a hard time with that. I'm the kind of person that only likes to speak up if I'm sure I'm right...well, that's not an option here. You HAVE to speak Spanish...in front of people you don't know and a prof who's fluent....whether you're right or not. This is good, but scary at times! Today was a scary day.

I know I'll just have to get over it...and I am...but it's a process. And I'm still speaking, even though I mess up a lot. But learning Spanish felt so impossible today! There are so many words to learn....it's overwhelming! My Tico family encourages me and tells me that I'm very smart and that in 4 months I won't have any problems with Spanish at all. My Tico dad, Jose, says that if anyone tries to say something bad about my Spanish just tell them, "I know 1.25 languages. How many do you know?" He's sweet.

All I know is that God has placed this fire in my heart to learn Spanish, which means it's going to cost me something, for the passions given by God always do. And I have obeyed the yearning in my heart. Where it will lead...I'm not sure. And in the midst of my obedience, I struggle...with discouragement, fatigue, lonliness.

But here's the beauty of obedience: "If you...are careful to obey...I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful...You will still be eating last year's harvest when you have to move it out to make room for the new" (Leviticus 26:3-10). I want this! I want the blessings of my Lord to be so abundant that I won't even be able to contain it all!!! His goodness compels me to obey...to follow Him on whatever crazy adventure He takes me. The blessings of God intrigue me...and so here I am, thousands of miles away from my "comfort zone," learning a new language in order to obey...obey and receive. For this is the promise of God. On this I will stand.

Pray for me, will you?

1. Against discouragement
2. Against loneliness
3. Supernatural ability to learn and REMEMBER
4. Physical strength
5. Mental strength

I am so grateful for my life...it is one OBVIOUSLY marked by the hand of God and I am so thankful and humbled by that fact. I will hang on to His truth...I WILL learn to speak Spanish!

Con mucho amor,
Danyal

PS. Thanks Tim!