hello, my name is... naw, just kidding. :] hope is growing.

this first week of Mission Year, training/orientation week, has been a crazy amazing one. 

there are an unspeakable amount of thoughts, emotions, convictions, realizations ~ more than anything, I think, just spiritual affirmations ~ that have passed through my heart and mind in just a few short days.

i will say, first (well, 3rd, actually ha), that i regret~ nay~ i would have liked to have updated you sooner (aka, before MY started) concerning the more hopeful, spiritually uplifting, and rollercoaster-ish time which emerged after the rather down-hearted blog i last posted, but factors including time and people and exhaustion kept me from doing so . . . there's much going on now, so i'll presently inform you of that; perhaps we shall return to the former at a later time.

good luck with that sentence. (^) :P.

how to share so many, many things in the few words i know, and in the short space in which you can devote to me your attention ~

fragments, only, and moments (hey; that's all we've got anyway):

beloved community: to love and receive love, to know and to be known, to serve and to be served.

Jesus is everywhere; there is nowhere I can bring him; I can only look for Him, can only invite Him in.

i must do for one what i would do for all.

Jesus is beginning to erase my fears of being too small...

i feel at home in his love; i feel at home in their love; ~

i've always belonged to Jesus; my heart sings "I want to fall in love with you;" i think i am beginning to truly fall in love with Jesus.

i want to look into the eyes of every person i meet and begin to fall in love with them in the same way i begin to fall in love with a certain boy:

to enjoy people fully.

to be present fully

to see the light of Jesus in every person

i want Jesus to humble me, no matter what the cost, so that i can see everyone as i see myself, and love myself as God loves me ~ come fully and unabashedly into his love.

i'm finding that God has given me ears to listen, and, as i pray, a heart to truly, personally care.

today (thursday), walking to my new home, i said to my new roommate, Carole, who i believe may think similarly to the way i do, to an extent,

"you know when you feel an emotion in the pit of your body?"

"yeah."

"i feel hope. i feel hope down there."

and i do.

i desire that through these blogs, Jesus can begin to draw you into that hope with me.  (and, perhaps, through a letter or two :], he can draw me into yours.)

my curiosity, and confidence only in Christ,

plus a good measure of affection to you,

Hannah Rooth