Next Chapters

By Monica Elliott

In every book there are the fast chapters and the slow chapters.—those that whiz by in the blink of an eye, jam-packed with adventure and drama, or those that take a more leisurely route, full of the necessary relationship-building or character-development that eventually advances the plot.

I feel like the last chapter of my life, my summer at Eighth Day Farm, happened so fast. I felt the need to cling on to every moment and savor my time with the incredible people it brought into my life. Now that I’m home, I have more time to process my experience, and begin to anticipate the next chapter.

This coming February I will be moving to Central Asia, to the little-known country of Tajikistan. It sounds random, but the Lord has really clearly been moving me in this direction (since many chapters ago), giving me an interest and passion for the work that I will be doing there. I’m joining a team of missionaries from America who have been partnering with local villages. They have many awesome projects providing access to clean water, and more recently have become interested in agriculture. My role will be working with the community to develop and expand their agricultural production, and do it in a way that’s sustainable. I’m so excited!

I hope that you’re also excited or intrigued by this next chapter in my life. If you would like to hear more, or follow along with my story, please click here to add your email/contact info to my update list. I’ll follow up with you about partnering with me in prayer or other ways. Mostly, I just want to give you all the opportunity to continue being a part of what the Lord is doing in my life,

And I want to thank you for being the Lord’s instruments in the last season of my life. Through you, I saw His grace, and care, and justice, I don’t think words can express how grateful I am for this community of thoughtful people (although Madison’s blog put it super eloquently).

Altogether, the last chapter of my life has impacted me profoundly. Whether it’s the techniques of tying tomatoes, the rhythm of farm life, or the conversations about faith and justice had while pulling weeds, I know that what I learned this summer I’ll bring with me to Tajikistan. However, more than anything, what I’d like to carry onward is the relationships formed with you all at eighth day farm.