I think the last I shared was that I was apart of a community in Sligo town called ReCentre. It’s been great! I just love that community and people and I really believe God is going to do radical things through ReCentre. We had a community meeting a few Mondays ago and we just got to dream and plan for the fall and winter. With me moving to Sligo soon, It will help with [WO]manpower at ReCentre and provide so many more ministry opportunities.

I got an opportunity to serve on the Youth team at a conference last weekend in Sligo. What an amazing week. We had about 70 students ranging in age from 11-18. I HAD SUCH A GOOD TIME. Probably because i’m stuck mentally at 17 lol. 3 young people gave their life to Jesus and so many more decided to take action in their faith! It’s so amazing watching them pray and worship and just be moved by God.

We have another short term team coming to Lacken at the end of July beginning of Aug. That will be the last short term team of the summer and then two days later I go home!

Summer hasn’t really felt like summer. Even locals are saying it’s a really crappy summer. It rarely gets above 16 degrees. Which is like…60 Fahrenheit. Although I will say that as I am writing this it’s a whopping 80!! WOO! So praise God for sunshine and warm weather. Speaking of temperature… I was at church this last Sunday and someone mentioned an analogy that really hit me. You may have heard it before, but it was the first time for me. She said there’s a big difference between a thermometer and a thermostat. A thermometer tells the temperature and a thermostat sets the temperature. I started internally snapping because HOW good is that. It made me think of how the past eight months i’ve been reading the temperature. Especially within my organisation. (Yes I spelled that with an ‘s’. I’m trying to switch over). I’ve been so easily swept up in the heat of the tension or the bitter cold of ministry post covid. All this temperature gaging provoked disappointment and honestly doubt of if I should even be here or not. But something shifted a few weeks ago. I did absolutely nothing, not a single thing. But GOD did. It just all clicked. All the transition struggles, hurt from my organisation, and what felt like silence from God.

I was at a worship night in Northern Ireland about 3 hours from where I live. I was craving a good worship sesh with people who radically love Jesus so you know, gotta travel to Protestant country. This dude spoke there about pruning the parts of our life that weren’t baring fruit. I was thinking “like damn Keanna. You need to prune your whole self because you ain’t baring no fruit’. Immediately I got defensive with my own thoughts because, why not get into and internal argument with yourself in the middle of a beautiful worship night. I was thinking about how God just wasn’t with me and wasn’t speaking to me or directing me in the way I wanted him to.

I had a moment with the Lord shortly after where He said “Keanna, My silence isn’t My absence”. Super simple I know. But it was remembering that he hasn’t been absent. He hasn’t been distant. He’s been working, not in the places I wanted to see Him work. He was just working in me. Lesson after lesson after lesson. From humility, to practically working in ministry. From thinking more and speaking less, to what it really looks like to see people according to the Spirit. All these places and situations that felt so intense and absent of God’s hand and presence were actually EXACTLY where God wanted me and wanted to move in and use me in. I was just busy taking the temperature of the atmosphere.

So, eight months in and God is calling me to be a thermostat. To set the temperature. Let me tell you guys, how STARVING I am. I feel like I haven't eaten since I got here. And this time i’m not actually talking about food. (although a Chick-Fil-A spicy chicken sandwich would hit the spot right now). I feel like i’ve been in the desert for months and months without water and now I simply cannot get enough. I just see so freaking clearly now why I am here and that I am supposed to be here. I see so clearly the desperate need for the Gospel and how I play a part in that. “Like duh, of course Keanna”, is what you are thinking. I know I should already know this. I mean I did move across the world to live life on mission but sometimes it all just hits you and you remember why and you just get WRECKED all over again. And that just happened to me.

My dad and Lisa came to visit! How cool is that? We did all the touristy things and we only got into like one fight. PRAISE GOD and don’t judge me. Like you don’t still fight with your parents sometimes.

We rented a house in Donegal and its was BREATHTAKING. I’m convinced the further north you go the prettier it gets. It was nice having familiar faces around. This is an official hint to anyone and everyone.. please come visit.

I leave for the States in a little less than a month and i’m kind of nervous. Don’t get me wrong i’m buzzing with excitement! I’m just also worried it won’t feel the same and it probs won’t. Being with my closest friends back home will be so magical, I do know that. I am just so happy being here that I’m afraid home won’t feel as good. And I want it to stay a good place. You know? I simply cannot wait to eat good food and be in the warmth. Sushi and lake days, here I come!