This Week's Top 5

Happy Friday, Y'all

I'm doing something a little different with my Top 5 Favorites style blog posts each Friday. I've decided to dedicate them to my classroom (or other school activities) each week. So without further ado, here are my Top 5 from this past week.

~ one ~

All of my kiddos ended up finishing their Social Studies units at the same time. So we spent the day studying yesterday for our test today. Some chose to study with me, while a few chose to spread out and study on their own/in groups. Looking over and seeing these two friends studying together made me smile. Seeing my crew, being friends and helping each other out is definitely a favorite of mine :)

~ two ~

Anything tech-related makes learning fun. Right? My students' favorite thing to hear is... " Time for chromebooks!" Anywho - A few of my kiddos had to do some research for their latest Social Studies project. I loved seeing how happy they got to use the chromebooks. And even more than that, I loved seeing how well they researched and took notes, preparing to create their presentations for the class. 

~ three ~ 

And on a more serious note, I love that I work at a Christian school. I love planning lessons, with the Bible and God's TRUTH integrated throughout. I love being able to openly share the Gospel. And I especially love seeing my students digging in the Bible, researching information, soaking in all our Savior has for them to learn. 

~ four ~

Kids Club started back this week. It was so fun seeing our elementary kiddos back on Wednesday afternoon, spending time studying The Word and discussing ways we can honor God in 2019. And of course, it was nice hearing their lively chatting and laughter filling the room. Our "craft" for the week were these cute bookmarks.

~ five ~

Look at this sweet gift a co-worker brought back from the US for my class! Y'all don't understand how excited this made my crew - who are all, self-proclaimed Mac & Cheese fanatics. Seriously... They absolutely loved it!

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Today, I'm joining Erika, Andrea, and Narci and for their weekly Friday Favorites linkup. Click one of their names to and join in on the fun.

And I'm also joining April, Natasha, and Christina for their 5 on Friday linkup. 

Tuesday Talk - An Introduction

Happy Tuesday Y'all 

Today, I'm joining Ashley and Erika for their monthly Tuesday Talk link-up, where we, bloggers, come together and talk about whatever is on our mind at the moment. I typically try to think of one specific topic to talk about.

For this month's Tuesday Talk post, I'thought I'd "steal" Erika's idea. Since I've been receiving a few more visitors to this ol' blog, I thought I'd spend my Tuesday Talk time, introducing myself. 

Hi.

My name's Elisabeth.

...with an "s"

Anywho - I digress ;)

I'm originally from sweet home Alabama. But I currently live and work in Senegal, West Africa, where I am a Missionary Teacher.

I've wrote a bit about my work HERE.

But here's the gist...

I am a Missionary Associate with the Assemblies of God, working at Dakar Academy. DA is a preK-12 international Christian school, located in Dakar, Senegal. Our students are from, literally, all over the world. Seriously... We have students from 6 out of the 8 continents and from 31+ countries. How cool is that?!

This is my 8th year, teaching at DA. 

During this time, I have taught General Ed. (1st, 3rd, 4th, and 5th), ESL (all grades), and most recently Special Ed. (Self-Contained, all grades).

The class I'm teaching now is a literal dream come true. Back in 2016, God laid a dream on my heart to reach a group of kids who had no other truly good schooling option in our country (or even at our school, at the time). I prayed and prayed and I met with the powers that be at my school. And after a "no," a "maybe," and a whole lot of tears and prayers, God finally allowed this dream of mine to come true. 

If you need to find me during the school week, I'm in my "home away from home" - my classroom, the majority of my time. I tend to work far too many hours getting things prepped and ready for my kiddos. But having no set curriculum and no textbooks for some of my crew kind of requires a lot of extra/after hours work. But I'm trying to do better. In fact, one of my words for the year is REST. And my goal is to spend more time in rest - both physically and spiritually this year. Wish me luck :)

Anywho - I'm not always at school though.

Every summer, you can find me back in my sweet home Alabama, spending time with my family, connecting with missions supporters, and eating all the Chik-fil-a and drinking all the Dr. Pepper I can get. 

Oh and speaking of family...

My family is super important to me.

There's my mom.

And I have one brother.

He's married to the lady I call my awesome sister-in-law.

And they gave me one of the biggest blessings ever. They gave me the gift of being an aunt, which I've written about here and here :)

And I can't talk about family and not mention my dad. My dad passed away in April 2015, after a long bout with sickness. It was most definitely, the most difficult thing I've ever gone through. And there are still times when something will make me think of him and that familiar painful sting of grief will hit me again. But, I do know that my dad loved the Lord with all his heart. And that is such a gift!

So back to present day...

I started this blog as a way to keep family and friends back home informed of my ministry (and life) over here in Senegal. I love to write. In fact, it's one of the few semi-creative bones in my body. And over the years, this blog has become almost therapeutic. It's been so helpful to be able to bear (bare?) my soul on here.

So whether you've been reading since the beginning...

Or if today's your first visit...

Thanks for stopping by and reading.

And if you have any questions, feel free to comment below or send me an email at enichols85@gmail.com and I'll get back to you soon.

Coffee Date

Happy Monday Everybody

Today, I'm sharing my monthly Coffee Date post.

The Coffee Date series was started by Erin from Erin Salmon Writes, as a fun blogging exercise on the second Monday of each month. And while, Erin doesn't actually host the Coffee Date link-ups anymore, I still think it is fun to share my own Coffee Date post each month. The premise of these Coffee Date posts was, and it still is, for me to pretend that I am on a coffee date with you, my reader, as a friend, and we are chatting about anything on our mind at the moment.

So with that said...

Grab a cup of coffee (or whatever) and let's settle in for a chat.

In efforts to cut back on caffeine, I'm having ice water today.

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 If we were on a coffee date, I'd tell you all about the 2 words God laid on my heart. I’d tell you how I’m using those, and not traditional resolutions to guide my year. I'm looking forward to embracing GRACE and REST throughout this year. Oh... If you missed my post on these words the other day, click HERE.

If we were on a coffee date, I’d also tell you about my Christmas. I’d tell you how nice it was to be with my family for the holidays. I'd tell you about making "confetti" pancakes, playing with baby dolls, trips to Chik-fil-a, opening Christmas presents, having good bonding time with my mom, and lots of snuggle sessions with my nieces, while watching cartoons. I'd tell you that I had such a wonderful time with my family and that it was such a huge blessing of a trip!

If we were on a coffee date, I’d tell you that my mom's birthday was the day before yesterday. Holidays are often the hardest while living far away from family. I hate I couldn't be there for her birthday. But I know she had a wonderful day and got to spend part of it with my brother's family. So that makes me happy :)

If we were on a coffee date, I'd tell you that my latest class started this past week. It's all about Dyslexia and teaching students affected by it. I'd tell you how I'm looking forward to this class, knowing how well it will help me in my current job and beyond. Plus, let's face it. I love learning this kind of stuff!



If we were on a coffee date, I'd tell you that I'm trying to do better with meal prepping and using up what I have on hand. And along those lines, I'm trying to have more "to go" breakfast options already prepped and ready each day. Wish me luck :)

If we were on a coffee date, I'd share this quote that a friend shared on Facebook not long ago. It definitely stuck with me. ...especially considering how often I try to "steal the pen" from God as He's writing my story :)

 

If we were on a coffee date, I'd also has how I could pray for you. I'm trying something new this year and writing out my prayers each morning. It's a good habit for me to have this be the very first thing I do every morning. Plus, I look forward to looking back through my prayer journal (book?) throughout 2019 (and beyond) and seeing how God answered all those prayers I prayed.

How about you?

If we were on a coffee date, what would you share with me?

Dear 2019 - My Words for the Year

2018 was a good year. In fact, if you missed my recap last week, you can read it HERE. And I'm fully believing that 2019 is going to be even better.

So without further ado...

Here's my post all about Resolutions (or something else, instead)...



Dear 2019,

Thanks, in advance, for being awesome. And yes, I truly believe that's how you'll be.

Anywho - Normally, I make resolutions for a new year. But for you, 2019, I'm changing things up. You see... I'm not making any "resolutions" this year.

Instead, I've chosen two words to focus on in 2019.

I thought long and hard about these words. I prayed and asked God to help me choose the best ones. And here are the two words God has laid on my heart for me to focus on while you're here, 2019...

~ one ~



The first word is GRACE. 

While in the U.S. for Christmas Break, God laid the word, grace, on my heart, using 2 Corinthians 12:9 as a guide. This verse which says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" is such a good reminder for us all. 

When I'm weak and fail, God's grace is there. 

When I'm weak and tired, God's grace is there.

His grace is always there.

And His Grace is always enough.

So 2019, I want you to be the year I focus on the word, grace, and remember that verse. 

I want you to be the year I stop being so hard on myself when I struggle. And God knows I struggle/fail often. But... Grace.

And past that...

I want to extend grace to others. I want to show grace more to my students, to my co-workers, to my family and friends, to the Senegalese I interact with every day, to anyone and everyone I meet.

~ two ~

And 2019, the second word I want to focus on is REST. And God laid this word on my heart long before 2018 was over.

Matthew 11:28-30 was the passage that I kept being drawn to. It says... “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” 

The rest I’m referring to is more than just relaxing/sleeping... Although, let’s face it. I need to catch up on those too. Ha! :)

Instead, 2019, you’re the year I focus on resting more in/with my Savior. I am being more intentional about my personal Bible Study time, with my prayer journaling, with my “quiet” time, etc.

I’m also realizing that (gasp!) I don’t have to work 24/7. There’s often this mindset in ministry that you have to always put in zillions of hours, and stay on the brink of burnout, all to accomplish the mission/call God’s places on our life. But y’all... It’s like the quote below says...

So 2019, you’re the year when I get smarter with my time management skills in work, setting aside good chunks of planning time, and then allowing myself more time of rest. 

And this kind of goes along with my first word, grace. I need to be able to show grace to myself if I realize that I’m physically/ mentally/emotionally exhausted and truly need some rest.

It’s okay to say no to an invite if it’s clear that my body and mind are crying out for rest.

 It’s okay to go home at 4:00 one day. 

It’s okay to spend a few hours of my Saturday morning, reading and studying the Word, listening to and learning from the Master Author, instead of waking up and going straight into my classroom to do prep work.

So to wrap up this “letter”

Dear 2019, 

I want you to be the year when I grow more close to God than ever before. 

I want to experience His loving, gentle grace this year. And I want to do a better job of extending grace to others. 

I want to rest more in my Savior.

I want to give control of my life, my ministry, my everything, back to Him.

I want to see my mind and body renewed and refreshed, healthier, and more able to serve the ones He’s placed in my path.

I want to view rest as a joy and something I crave/look forward to. I don’t want to view it as a speed bump in my busy life.

2019, I want you to be the year when GRACE and REST are words contstantly on my mind. 

I know God placed them on my heart for a specific purpose.

And I want to fully embrace them.

So 2019, here’s to a good year.

Sincerely,

Me

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Today, I am joining Kristin for her monthly Little Letters link-up, where we write "letters," as a way of sharing a bit of our lives at the moment.

Goodbye 2018. Hello 2019.

Happy Friday, Y'all

For this week's edition of Friday Favorites, I'm linking up with Erika, Andrea, and Narci and instead of listing my favorites from this past week, I'm taking a blogging walk down memory lane and looking at my favorite posts from 2018.

Want to join me?

~ January ~

I started the year off by sharing the one word I wanted to focus on for the year, instead of making traditional New Years Resolutions. And while I'd like to say I succeeded in that, unfortunately, that's just not the case. But I'm thinking of rolling this one word over to next year and adding it to another. Wish me luck :)



~ February ~

February was a big blogging month. One of my most favorite posts was the one in which I reflected on the lyrics to TobyMac's song, Speak Life. Another favorite was the letter I wrote to my fellow teachers, in which I reminded them (and myself) that it's okay to not be the perfect teacher we think we have to be all the time. Another favorite post that was a bit bittersweet to write, was a tribute to the beautiful life of a dear family friend who passed away. A few days after that, I wrote a post in honor of my favorite brother. And a week or two after that, I shared some of my favorite Billy Graham quotes. And lastly, I also shared my first of what I'm thinking will be very many, of my new favorite monthly series, Growing in Gratitude.



~ March ~

I wrote a bit less in March. But some of my favorites include lessons learned from reading my Bible, all about one of my most favorite friends (and just favorite people in general), about World Down Syndrome Day, and another bittersweet post, in which I reflected on the life of a former student of my school (a favorite of all who met him) who lost his life far too soon.

~ April ~

In April, I wrote quite a few "letters." I started off the year with a letter to my adopted "homeland" of Senegal. I also wrote a letter to my past self and my future self, too. It wasn't all "letters" in April, though. A favorite post of the month was sharing about my very first visitors to Dakar. A bittersweet post in April was the one I wrote on the 3rd anniversary of my dad's death.

~ May ~ 

I started May off with a recap of a favorite event of my students - our Pancake Picnic. A few weeks later, I shared about a favorite passion of mine. Towards the end of the month, I had more posts. I wrote about it being 15 years since I graduated high school. I wrote about water balloons and prayer. And I ended the month with a post about Kids Club. 

~ June ~ 

June didn't produce as many posts as the other months. I started off the month with a recap of the 2017-2018 School Year. Soon after that, I shared my recap of my trip home to the US for Summer Break - a trip that definitely was not uneventful :) ... I also wrote a post about summer planning. And I ended the month with a bit of gratitude.



~ July ~ 

In July, I posted even less. In fact, I only shared 4 blog posts during the entire month. I'd say I'm sorry. But that wouldn't be true... I was busy living it up in the USA with my family. And I'm definitely not sorry about that. :) 

At any rate, my most favorite post of the month was the one I wrote about the 9th anniversary of my arrival in Senegal.

~ August ~ 

August saw a rise in blog posts, starting with my post on the number 33, written on my 33rd birthday. I wrote a letter to Teacher Me and I started what has been my most difficult semester of teaching in my 10 years of teaching. Not long after school started, I wrote a post, giving a tour of my classroom. And towards the end of the month, I shared my philosophy of teaching.

~ September ~ 

I started September off with a letter to Kids Club. And not long after that, I bared my soul a bit and shared about something I was facing. I wrote a few other smaller posts, but I think my favorite of the month was my post, sharing about a song I was (am) grateful for.

~ October ~

October was busy at school with lots of fun events - most of which I shared in my most favorite post of the month... a (mostly) Wordless Wednesday post. 

~ November ~

November only saw 3 blogs get published. I'd love to say I had a good excuse, but that's not true. I was just busy with life :) At any rate, on Giving Tuesday, I shared a bit about what I do and how I can keep doing it and I saw lots of support come in from generous individuals back home. And one of my favorite events of the month was Thanksgiving and a mock Black Friday Shopping Trip with friends :)

~ December ~

One of my most favorite blog posts of December was the one where I reflected on the 10 years since graduating college. Although, I think my absolute most favorite was my All Things Christmas post. I also shared a photo recap of September through November. And I ended the month/year with my December What's Up Wednesday blog post, which included my newest silly family selfie.

And that was my 2018 - Blog Version. 

Currently

Happy Wednesday Y'all

Today I'm joining Anne from In Residence for her monthly Currently link-up, where we share what's currently going on in our lives.

Each month, Anne gives us a list of prompts to use to guide our posts. 

Want to see my Currentlys for...

* choosing * tidying * resolving * exploring * refreshing *

I'm currently choosing to enjoy/embrace the last few days of family time I have while here in the States. It took a lot of saving to be able to afford this trip. And I feel so blessed to have had this time. The Lord honestly knew I needed it. And y’all, it’s been such a good trip.

I'm currently tidying up my apartment (or rather I will leave nice I get back in Dakar). And by tidying up, I mean, I will be going through every cabinet, drawer, shelf, etc., and getting rid of stuff I don’t need. Clutter will NOT be a pet of my life in 2019. Wish me luck!

I'm currently resolving to do better at self-care in 2019. I spend far too much time at work. And here's the thing... My work is ministry. So somewhere in my semi-warped sense of reasoning, I told myself that I couldn't be burned out doing ministry. It's not possible. Is it? Ha!

I'm currently exploring my new Bible I’ll be using for my personal Bible studying. I love it!

I'm currently refreshing... 

Actually, I’m changing that one.

I’m currently feeling refreshed after this trip to the States. Y’all, I won’t lie. This past semester has been hard. I needed a bit of time away. And now that I’ve gotten it, I do indeed feel refreshed and ready to get back and start this next semester. I’m so thankful that even Jesus, Himself, went away for a short time by Himself. He set the example for us. Ministry is indeed important. But we have to be willing to acknowledge when we’ve hit a wall... When we need some time “off.” Even if it’s just a few hours or a day... Whatever it takes to get closer to God and leave that time “off” feeling refreshed and ready to continue the work He’s called us to do.

And since I normally do, I’m choosing to add in a few more Currentlys.

I’m currently spending the day with my mom. We’re meeting a friend for lunch. Then, I need to run to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things to take back to Dakar. Then, we’ll head to my mom’s church for Bible Study, where I’m sharing tonight. 

I’m currently dreading the thought of packing tomorrow. I so hate packing. 

I’m currently smiling at all the fun memories made with my nieces this Christmas Break. I so love those girls!

I’m currently feeling ready to tackle 2019. 

 

And what about you?

What are YOU currently up to?