A New Chapter (2021)

At a ladies bruncheon with one of my friends.

 
Dear Family and Friends,
    As many of you know, I have spent the last several years living on the Blackfeet Reservation.  It has been a wonderful experience of growth - on personal, spiritually, emotionally, and relational levels.  My mind and perspective has been broadened to see the inclusion of the Gospel in an aspect that I hadn’t been aware of before moving to the Rez.  There were highs and lows; perhaps, you heard about them, or I told you...but I could say that I unearthed so much of my heart here in the Blackfeet Nation, and have understood grace at a greater degree.  
     However, within this year, there is one chapter ending, and another beginning.  In August, I will be moving back to Missoula, and taking a season to rest and reconnect with God on a personal and imitate level.  There is some notion of excitement; I’ll be taking this next year to do some  traveling, including going to Israel in the early fall.  The scheduling for YWAM has been bumped further down than expected, but I am also intending to go when it is God’s best timing to do so.  
     With this excitement, however, comes some other mixed emotions.  I LOVE living on the Rez!!  And I couldn’t think of any better place to be!  I am so grateful for the friendships, my church family, the place where I worked, and also my community.  They are such an amazing group of people.  Nothing like ‘em.  And so, with a heavy and light heart, I wanted to share a simple farewell.  
     At least, for now.
     I don’t know what God has in store for my life after YWAM.  I learned to throw out the notion of having a 10 year plan.  Heck, I’ve ditched the idea of a five year plan.  At least a teacher’s contact, I can commit to something for a year.  Maybe I will return to the Blackfeet nation.  Maybe I will move to another reservation.  Or go overseas.  Or perhaps get a Master’s….I have no clue.  I always had a sense that I would be constantly moving, in the hopes of sharing Jesus with different people, in creative and out-of-the-box ways.  I slightly digress...
     This letter is meant to inform, and also ask for support, if you feel led to.  Prayer is THE most needed.  If it is placed on your heart to support financially, I will ask, at this moment, to message me personally.  However, as I write this, my mind is still on my Blackfeet people.  As much as I could covet your prayers, I sincerely ask that you would start/continue to pray for the Blackfeet people, our inhabitants, land and things we face.  In summary (but, mind you, this is not an exhaustive list, and only gives a general and snippet idea of what be praying for), things to pray for include:
*Spiritual encouragement of pastors, churches, ministries of the churches 
*Strong educational system that empowers and equips our students to step into whatever future that God would desire for their lives
*End to drug/alcoholism/substance abuse, as well as violence
*Restoration of families
*Release of forgiveness and healing
*Redemption from historical trauma and generational curses
*Identity grounded in Christ
*Salvation; a revelation of and development of relationship with Jesus
“Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for [the Blackfeet people] is that they may be saved.”
-adapted from Romans 10:1

Thank you for reading, 

Laura Hall