A little prayer?

Hey girls,

I just wanted to write quickly to request your prayers. I'm usually pretty stubborn on this subject and don't often ask, but I'm breaking down my absurd barrier that says I don't need anyone's help or prayers and asking anyway.

I feel crushed on all sides right now. The combination of things I'm doing right now has just made every day stressful with no break in between. Work is a mess, schoolwork is time consuming, wedding planning is a headache, SCUF/Sherpa work is a whole new position; I'm finding that this semester will prove to be my most trying in every way.

Tonight, Melody reminded me that I needed to just take this all to the Lord. I'll admit, I haven't been. When I do "cast my cares on him," it is only to pick them back up again minutes later. I have not been good about prayer at all in this situation, and now that I've recognized it, I feel as though I actually could use a lot of it.

If you girls could just be praying for my stress level, which makes my emotional peaks dramatic and my decision making dull, I would greatly appreciate it. I feel dumb even listing all these things. They seem so petty and pathetic in the grand scheme of things. Unfortunately, my stress level is seldom obedient to the purport of a "grand scheme." It's one of those easier discussed than lived out sort of things... Anyway, I doubt I have to explain that to all of you as if none of you has been stressed before. I guess I'm just trying to justify my overwhelmedness, to justify a need for prayer.

I sort of feel as though God doesn't care about this, to be honest. Not because He thinks I'm dumb, but because he has more important things to take care of, like Haiti and all the people I write about at MNN. How incorrect and stifling my theology can be. I suppose I just feel like these problems of mine should not be problems, like it's my fault I'm stressed and my fault that each day is so miserable lately. I'll admit, I feel it probably is.

All this to say, I need your help, sisters. I'm sorry if I seem distant this semester. I want more than anything to see each one of you and relax and forget about all of this other garbage (but of course it is not garbage, it's just beginning to smell like it). I miss you girls and am so very grateful to have each of you. Thanks for being the three I can come to. Thanks for your prayers ahead of time. I love you all.

Peace, (right?)

Elisa