Hi all,
This week at Hope Hour, I am so excited to share my friend Jen's story with you all.
Jen Olsen-Padilla is a treasured friend of mine who has lived in Honduras for almost 10 years now with her husband and 9 year old daughter. She is currently the director of a non-profit whose focus is the prevention, intervention, and rehabilitation of at-risk young people. In 2022 she decided to pursue a law degree in Honduras and she is now halfway through the programme. In her, free time she enjoys reading, baking bread, hiking, and caring for the goats and other animals on their small farm/homestead.
Jen shares...
"As silly as it may sound, it’s hard for me to pinpoint a specific moment or instance where I have seen God move recently. Having so many daily chores and tasks to do, especially after returning to school in 2022, it is easy for me to get caught up in the whirlwind of the ‘to-do’ instead of simply resting in the peace of who God is and my own identity as His beloved. That being said, one of the ways God consistently brings me back to Him and His Truth is through the mundane tasks of farm life.
As one of the first jobs that God gave man, I believe that animal shepherding and even gardening are very simple ways that we can step into God’s presence and enjoy the fruits and blessings that He has for us. Returning to the earth in this way has been vital for my own spiritual life as it has given me the opportunity to reconnect with God through not only His creation but also His provision and His peace. During this season, especially as we wait for goats to give birth and ducklings to hatch, God is teaching me about what it means to rest in the simple times and prepare for a season of abundance. For now, that means perseverance, preparation, and prayer for the harvest."
Thank you all so much for reading. Let us know your thoughts in the comments.
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Until next week,
Laura
This brought to mind Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 "For everything there is a season..." Thank you.