French devotional

As this school emphasizes French language learning for missionaries, we learn Bible vocabulary in addition to the usual coursework. We also get practical experience utilizing that vocabulary. Two mornings per week, a student shares a devotional or a testimony with the school. At the beginning of the year, the professors shared, then the upper level students, and now we're beginning with my class. I was the first to share from my level on Monday and I wasn't sure I was ready to talk for 15 minutes in French! But God gives His grace for the moment and He truly did strengthen me for this task - on Monday morning, but also throughout the last few months as He's walked with me through this language learning process. It's pretty incredible to realize I couldn't even introduce myself in French 4 months ago. And of course there's still a very long ways to go, but writing, correcting, practicing, and then actually giving the devotion on Monday was an encouraging language experience and another step forward.

 I shared on the theme of (God's) strength in (our) weakness with the verses from Isaiah 40:28-31 tying in the story of my paralysis with transverse myelitis at age 10 and the story of Faith, the girl pictured below who also had transverse myelitis.

As I was paralyzed, as I sought to care for critically ill patients like Faith when there was no treatment available, and as I learn the difficult French language, I do sometimes feel like the caricature above (click on the picture to make it bigger) representing the word "s'épuiser" - to become exhausted. And many of us here in Albertville feel like that now as illnesses of various sorts have been running rampant through our community. (Community is great for lots of things, and I certainly wouldn't want to live without it, but sharing germs is not one of them! But I guess it's good that I'm still getting some pediatrician practice in here these days!) But God does renew our strength. I appreciate your prayers for all of us that the Christmas break will be a time of renewal and healing for all of us. I'm especially excited to welcome my family here for Christmas! What a joy it will be to be all together! Joyeux Noël!