Thanksgiving has always been a favorite Holiday of mine; because of the fall weather and colors (I am a sucker for burnt orange, plum and mustard), the leaves changing, pumpkin spice everything, the gathering of friends and family, the big rivalry football games, the start of the christmas season.

But I've spent the last 4 Thanksgivings in Thailand. 4 years without the usual thanksgiving celebrations or black Friday sales or cool weather or pumpkin pie or football...but the week of Thanksgiving is still a favorite of mine for many different reasons.

4 years ago I signed up to be a participant on Crossroads first trip to Thailand. It was an all girls trip led by Sharie King and it was filled with all of my best friends from many different seasons of my life. It was a great adventure I remember feeling like it was a unique trip and I felt like the work we were doing was very specific to our team.

The following year I led a team and that is when the Lord showed me his plan for my life to come and live here in Thailand. As I served with the team it became very clear that God was preparing a way for me to move here and it all worked out in his timing.

Last year I got to be on the other side of the team and helped host them and then again this year I did the same.

Why is it my favorite week of the year though?

Because of the impact the team makes. It is exhausting, and I still feel like I could sleep for a couple more days but its so worth it for the gospel to be spread into schools in our community. At GES we get to tell our students about Jesus everyday but once a year we get to go into 9 or so more schools with the team and teach students English through stories and songs about Jesus. Some schools we have been to many years in a row and they remember us and sometimes we get to go into new schools for the first time and love on them in hopes that we are making a impact for them to come to know Jesus one day. Seeds are planted every year and every year more and more precious little kids get to hear about hope and about a God who loves them.

For me Thanksgivings have become a reminder to not only be thankful for my friends and family who live on the other side of the world but to be thankful for the opportunities that God has given me, for the hope I have and can share, for new friends who come to Thailand to see the world for the first time, for falling in love with where God has me all over again.

Thanksgiving has become less about the turkey and pumpkin pie and more about the hope I have been given and the desire to share it.

Here are some pictures from this past week with the team...more to come!