Colorado

Hello Friends!

My, my, how time has passed and how life has changed in the past 6 months! As many of you know, I moved to Colorado in September of last year to pursue a graduate degree at the University of Denver. Let me briefly bring you up to speed on the events that led me here to Colorado and share with you my thoughts on where God may be leading me in the future.

After returning home from Uganda last summer, I faced an important and difficult decision concerning the direction my life would take. I had been questioning for months whether I should pursue graduate studies that year or wait until my financial situation was more reliable. On one hand, I wanted to be a good steward of the experiences and knowledge I had gained, and to invest them as soon as possible into studies that I felt would contribute to the life to which God had called me. However, I also wanted to utilize wisdom in my decision, and to not put myself unnecessarily in a vulnerable or disappointing situation. I struggled to apprehend God's will for me at that time.

Logic clearly dictated that I NOT move to Colorado. I was faced with an overwhelming set of obstacles that threatened to prevent both my ability to actually reach Colorado and my abililty to attend school. It seemed impossible and even foolish for me to make the move. Yet logic and wisdom are not synonymous. After much reflection and prayer, I still did not have a clear sense of whether I was supposed to pursue the school thing. However, I did feel strongly that I was not supposed to stay in Florida. And I also felt strongly, as I long have, that a life in pursuit of Christ often means giving up the security and stability that make life comfortable and predictable and safe. A life of total abandon, of exponential unknowns, of complete reliance on God... is... scary. But I have learned time and again that it is also the most fulfilling.

I moved to Colorado. And I have been attending graduate school for the past five months. To relate to you the absolutely perfect and unbelievable ways that God has provided for me would require a much more extensive report than what I will include here. Suffice it to say that God has provided, in just the right timing, everything that I have needed. Life has been anything but easy and worry-free since arriving in Colorado, but it has been so FULFILLING. Many of my new friends and colleagues, if they knew my story and situation, might look at me and discern that I have "nothing". But the truth is that I have EVERYTHING. My life is so incredibly BLESSED. And I feel so indescribably GRATEFUL for this life that God has granted me. (Phil. 3:8)

I am currently in my second of six quarters (about two years) of study for a master's degree in International Human Rights with a certificate in Humanitarian Assistance. The University of Denver (DU) is reputed to have one of the best international studies programs in the country. However, in addition to its top-tier study programs, it is also imbued (as expected) with the particular secular viewpoints and the Humanism that are so common in the world of higher academics. I pray that I can stand as a legitimate voice of moderation, but one that exudes wisdom and ethics based on my faith.

I don't know exactly what God has in store for my future. I simply know that I am on the right path, still pursing the passion that He has placed in my heart for helping those who are suffering and hopeless. As of yet, I do not know whether this path will lead me permanently or not to Uganda. The people and the land, however, are consistently on my mind and ever more deeply embedded in my heart. Initially, I had decided not to pursue another trip to Uganda until after I had completed my studies (after mid-2011). However, I now find myself reconsidering this decision. I have been giving some thought to planning another trip in Nov-Dec of this year (2010), during my winter break from school. If you feel led, please pray with me for wisdom in discerning whether this is the right time for me to return to Uganda.

I appreciate your support and interest more than you can know.

Blessings,

Holly