For the past four months I have been living, working, and resting at home here in Southern Oregon. I thank the Lord for the gift of time that seems to be one of the themes during this season of my life. Throughout the summer months and into the fall I have been able to do many of things that I have always said I wanted to do: like picking apples from our trees, canning apples and other fruit, going turkey hunting :), and walking out "Polly's 
Road" in the evenings with my parents (and my Dad's new dog "Czech"). I have also had a unique priliedge of getting to know some of the high schoolers in the town of Butte Falls, as myself and good youth pastor friend have begun a "Bible study" for high schoolers one day a week during lunch. What we have realized is though is that lisitening to them and playing with them is vital and an important step for pointing them to their wonderful Creator, we know as Jesus. These things and more have been unforeseen gifts and now moments I will always remember. I have also been studying and preparing to take the nursing board exam (The NCLEX), which I will soon known (maybe within the next few months) the date I can write the exam. I believe the Lord has a good plan for me, wherever He leads me I am confident that in His timing and place I will be abundantly satisfied. I am learning much about waiting upon the Lord and resting in His time. A friend recently told me how nice it must be for me to get this time of waiting until the next adventure clearly begins. And I agree, yet even though there are
As this time has been a lot about waiting upon the Lord for His direction, there has been many great things (I like God' appointed things) that He has opened up for me to do. I have grown up outside of a town of approximately 400 called Butte Falls my entire life. I have always thought of this town as a unique community. As I grow older and travel to other places I have begun to realize how sharing the love and hope of the Gospel is a vital need in my own community. I know the Lord has a special plan for this community and I look forward to seeing the fruit of His Word arise. The Lord has opened the door for me to become more apart of this small community in more ways than I could have ever imagined! I love this town and I am developing more relationships with the people in the town I believe I am seeing that the Lord is using this "time of resting" at 
home for a greater purpose. One of the many highlights of this time has been working as a waitress at a small cafe in Butte Falls called, "The Sugar Pine Company Cafe." I love working at the Sugar Pine, in many ways I believe it has been a great introduction for me for nursing. I see so much parallel in the duties I do at the Sugar Pine and with the duties I will be doing as a nurse. I know it is a "God Thing" that He opened this opportunity for me to work in Butte Falls as a waitress! I have met numerous people: local towns people, hunters, and people from as far away as Texas. The Lord is good and very humorous :)! I have also learned more about the blessing of laughter, whether it is laughing at the funny things I do or at life in general. I know that in all things and through all circumstances the Lord is shaping me to be the woman He desires me to be. I am thankful for this time -- for preparing me for the adventures of living for His Glory and His time! I am learning so much about simply living each day with thankfulness to the Lord for all that He is doing in me, through me, and for me. I praise Him for opportunities of shining God's grace and mercy to "Joe the Plumber" type people as well as to people who have faced great loss of loved ones. In closing I want to share a verse from I Peter 2:12, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." This is my desire and prayer request that those whom the Lord has called to be a witness of His Gospel message among the people in Butte Falls would seek to serve with excellent behavior in word and deed. It is my hope that someday, whether I witness it or not for each person in Butte Falls to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be freedom from the bondage of sin, and to grow in the light of God's grace.
home for a greater purpose. One of the many highlights of this time has been working as a waitress at a small cafe in Butte Falls called, "The Sugar Pine Company Cafe." I love working at the Sugar Pine, in many ways I believe it has been a great introduction for me for nursing. I see so much parallel in the duties I do at the Sugar Pine and with the duties I will be doing as a nurse. I know it is a "God Thing" that He opened this opportunity for me to work in Butte Falls as a waitress! I have met numerous people: local towns people, hunters, and people from as far away as Texas. The Lord is good and very humorous :)! I have also learned more about the blessing of laughter, whether it is laughing at the funny things I do or at life in general. I know that in all things and through all circumstances the Lord is shaping me to be the woman He desires me to be. I am thankful for this time -- for preparing me for the adventures of living for His Glory and His time! I am learning so much about simply living each day with thankfulness to the Lord for all that He is doing in me, through me, and for me. I praise Him for opportunities of shining God's grace and mercy to "Joe the Plumber" type people as well as to people who have faced great loss of loved ones. In closing I want to share a verse from I Peter 2:12, "Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation." This is my desire and prayer request that those whom the Lord has called to be a witness of His Gospel message among the people in Butte Falls would seek to serve with excellent behavior in word and deed. It is my hope that someday, whether I witness it or not for each person in Butte Falls to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be freedom from the bondage of sin, and to grow in the light of God's grace. May the LORD's eternal blessing be upon you. Thank you to everyone for your continued prayers. There will be more to come when I take my nursing licensing exam...
In the Joy of the Lord,
Victoria Lawrence
