Trip Logistics
We have had tickets purchased, and are planning for the trip to be June 30- August 1. Along with that, we have gotten tentative weekly schedules for once we are in France, and our roles as an 'English Counselor Team' member. We will be helping to teach workshops in different activities for the students, like painting, or photography, or some other such thing. Now that is what I am being told, what that looks like, eh... Not sure. I mean, I guess that is because I am rather unsure of how everything will play out. I think that is part of what faith is about :]
Team Logistics
I know very little right now actually, but the closer June 30th is, the more I know. Originally, we were going to be a team of four girls, and four guys. One of the guys and one of the girls are both returning leaders of this trip. The other two girls are set, and one guy who has been before is joining, along with two more who will be meeting us there (I think). We have exchanged e-mails between a few of us mainly with trip questions and such, so I don't know them very well yet but I am very excited about learning more about them and how we will all work together and reach out to these kids. I met with one of the girls, Elizabeth, and had coffee earlier this week and we got to talk about ourselves and each other, and try to connect a little before our trip. I am almost positive though, that as much as we prepare, there is no way we will be able to fully know what we are getting ourselves into before we actually get there, if even then! Once again, teaching me to trust.
Financial logistics:
I have an update on fundraising. I have sent out all of my support letters, which I'm approximating to be around sixty total. I do have some extra letters if I missed anyone who would like one, please just let me know. There is some basic information there, along with prayer requests and a card to be mailed with your donation, and a nice little note. Also I am selling t-shirts! A few of us students in the Aggie BSM got together and designed one that we can all sell and help contribute to our own funds. I have a picture of the design: Please let me know if you would like one this week, the picture is below. If you have already ordered one, I have it, and will mail it soon. (Which means probably after finals). I do ask that you send me your money asap :]
As of right now, I have had about $250 sent in for me. From t-shirts and a car wash I helped to work, along with some money that I have saved, and other bits that people have blessed me with by just handing to me, I have just over that much waiting to be sent in now. I'm nervous, and my parents are a little too, but I am excited to see how God will prove Himself faithful. I have seen Him do it before, so many tiems for me, in ways smaller than this, so I know that He is able, and he is loving. He will do what He says He is going to do.Whew, so that finishes the 'logistics' section...
Aaaand now. To life.
I'm a big fan of getting to know people by sharing stories, comparing stories, finding how stories have things in common you never knew they did, and finding out how many different ways there is to see one story. Connections, meanings. So, naturally, and as I said before, this blog is very much a product of that- I'll be selecting relevant stories to help tell you about my experience involving France, whether that be before, during, or after. Which normally would mean that I could end the blog here.
But I'm not going to do that.
(Yep, it's going to be a long one... better go grab some coffee if you haven't already).
I'm going to share a little more, and hope that maybe, just maybe, some of you will too. We shall see.
This semester (hah, this entire past year!) has been full of challenges for me. It's also been full of blessing for me. I'm still trying to fit a lot of these thoughts into words, so bear with me if they sound a little disorganized. They still are in my head, so no doubt that will come through in print.
Earlier, I said that I have seen God prove faithful in many ways. Well one way that I have seen that God is faithful is with my schooling; this semester has been a stressful one. I must admit though, they are all stressful. They all have their challenges for everyone, and their blessings. What makes this one different? There is quite a bit my friend, quite a bit. A specific example though would include the classes that I am in. For me, it has been a trust building experience in taking two of the classes I have this semester, specifically my Latin and Whitewater canoeing classes. Some of you may be familiar with this story, and how yet again I had to trust that God wasn't going to let me fall. I had to trust that even when I am not motivated (which is a new sensation for me), He is enough. He is why I do what I do. He is why I am still in school; I would have scared and overwhelmed myself out of it by now without Him. I am not enough to pour into my classes alone, and get all A's. And that's ok. That was rather hard to swallow. I had to learn to rely on God more than I ever have for my classes, and for my mental stability :p I was afraid that He might choose to let me fail, but he shown me once again that He is bigger than my fears and failures, and bigger than me. He can handle it. And He has! Praise Him He has. Like I said though, that is a very general college lesson, I think I learn that more and more each semester, along with my classmates.
Another thing that God has been faithful in is something a bit deeper. Deeper than even my fears about schooling, He has stayed by me and reminded me of how much I am loved. I am sure that many of you do not know that I tend to be 'my own worst critic', and that sometimes it gets the better of me. (Or maybe it's incredibly obvious). But God has shown me, that even when I am frustrated with myself, even when I think I am being crazy, it's ok. It's ok, because this isn't about me. This is about Him. And He is bigger than me, He is SO patient, and loves me, even when I don't. I have been looking through the Psalms, and 1 John, and all I read about are things that touch on this. I want to share one set of verses in particular that really hit me between the eyes every time:
Every time. He tells me that when that half of me that says 'I do not understand what I do... because what I want to do I do not do, and what I hate, I do' (from Romans 7:15ish... I'm glad Paul relates :] ) starts getting crazy and frustrates me, and I bring out my baseball bat and start a -whacking on myself, He stops me. Because He loves. Me. He tells me, yes, you fell... but don't beat yourself while you are down. Get back up, shake it off, and keep walking. Because He loves. Me. And no matter how many times we go through this, His answer doesn't change. I have learned this before, I know it in my heart, and I treasure it, but once I pick up that baseball bat, it's a dangerous cycle that takes some time to stop and heal. So yes, I have learned this, and I know that often I have an unhealthy way of handling it. But God is faithful, He will not leave me in my own mistakes, He will not give up on me. He forgives. Me. He loves. Me.
Another thing that I have been reminded a lot lately of how small life is; really, more of how little of an impact in the grand scheme of things that a single life, like mine has. (I think of James 4:14, where he says, "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.") It made me wonder then, does anything I do truly matter? YES! My instant reaction, yes, yes, emphatically yes. Because even the smallest thing you do can speak to a part of someone else. And I know that. I have witnessed it in so many different contexts. Whether this means spending that extra half hour with friends who need a laugh, talking through something with a friend, panting your face for a study break with your room mates, smiling at someone who walks past you, getting a phone call from Dad, saying thank you to someone, doing a random act of kindness, calling someone by a pet name, or even just noticing someone who isn't used to being noticed... the little things matter so much. Though our lives leave just a faint and fleeting breath upon a windowpane, the smallest of our actions can speak so loudly. I have tried to be more intentional about letting people know that I care about them after being reminded of this... And I say this to encourage you to try this. Watch what happens when you do, it may surprise you. I know it has surprised me, and blessed me.
If you have any questions about any of this, or want to complain at it being forever long, please let me know :]
I believe this is where I will leave you for now; I hope that you all have a blessed week! Good luck to those with finals, and I encourage you all once again- Remind yourself of the times God has been faithful to you, has shown His love to you, and let His love pour through your life into others.
I'm going to share a little more, and hope that maybe, just maybe, some of you will too. We shall see.
This semester (hah, this entire past year!) has been full of challenges for me. It's also been full of blessing for me. I'm still trying to fit a lot of these thoughts into words, so bear with me if they sound a little disorganized. They still are in my head, so no doubt that will come through in print.
Earlier, I said that I have seen God prove faithful in many ways. Well one way that I have seen that God is faithful is with my schooling; this semester has been a stressful one. I must admit though, they are all stressful. They all have their challenges for everyone, and their blessings. What makes this one different? There is quite a bit my friend, quite a bit. A specific example though would include the classes that I am in. For me, it has been a trust building experience in taking two of the classes I have this semester, specifically my Latin and Whitewater canoeing classes. Some of you may be familiar with this story, and how yet again I had to trust that God wasn't going to let me fall. I had to trust that even when I am not motivated (which is a new sensation for me), He is enough. He is why I do what I do. He is why I am still in school; I would have scared and overwhelmed myself out of it by now without Him. I am not enough to pour into my classes alone, and get all A's. And that's ok. That was rather hard to swallow. I had to learn to rely on God more than I ever have for my classes, and for my mental stability :p I was afraid that He might choose to let me fail, but he shown me once again that He is bigger than my fears and failures, and bigger than me. He can handle it. And He has! Praise Him He has. Like I said though, that is a very general college lesson, I think I learn that more and more each semester, along with my classmates.
Another thing that God has been faithful in is something a bit deeper. Deeper than even my fears about schooling, He has stayed by me and reminded me of how much I am loved. I am sure that many of you do not know that I tend to be 'my own worst critic', and that sometimes it gets the better of me. (Or maybe it's incredibly obvious). But God has shown me, that even when I am frustrated with myself, even when I think I am being crazy, it's ok. It's ok, because this isn't about me. This is about Him. And He is bigger than me, He is SO patient, and loves me, even when I don't. I have been looking through the Psalms, and 1 John, and all I read about are things that touch on this. I want to share one set of verses in particular that really hit me between the eyes every time:
"Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth. This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in His presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and He knows everything." (1 John 3:18-20).
Every time. He tells me that when that half of me that says 'I do not understand what I do... because what I want to do I do not do, and what I hate, I do' (from Romans 7:15ish... I'm glad Paul relates :] ) starts getting crazy and frustrates me, and I bring out my baseball bat and start a -whacking on myself, He stops me. Because He loves. Me. He tells me, yes, you fell... but don't beat yourself while you are down. Get back up, shake it off, and keep walking. Because He loves. Me. And no matter how many times we go through this, His answer doesn't change. I have learned this before, I know it in my heart, and I treasure it, but once I pick up that baseball bat, it's a dangerous cycle that takes some time to stop and heal. So yes, I have learned this, and I know that often I have an unhealthy way of handling it. But God is faithful, He will not leave me in my own mistakes, He will not give up on me. He forgives. Me. He loves. Me.
Another thing that I have been reminded a lot lately of how small life is; really, more of how little of an impact in the grand scheme of things that a single life, like mine has. (I think of James 4:14, where he says, "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.") It made me wonder then, does anything I do truly matter? YES! My instant reaction, yes, yes, emphatically yes. Because even the smallest thing you do can speak to a part of someone else. And I know that. I have witnessed it in so many different contexts. Whether this means spending that extra half hour with friends who need a laugh, talking through something with a friend, panting your face for a study break with your room mates, smiling at someone who walks past you, getting a phone call from Dad, saying thank you to someone, doing a random act of kindness, calling someone by a pet name, or even just noticing someone who isn't used to being noticed... the little things matter so much. Though our lives leave just a faint and fleeting breath upon a windowpane, the smallest of our actions can speak so loudly. I have tried to be more intentional about letting people know that I care about them after being reminded of this... And I say this to encourage you to try this. Watch what happens when you do, it may surprise you. I know it has surprised me, and blessed me.
If you have any questions about any of this, or want to complain at it being forever long, please let me know :]
I believe this is where I will leave you for now; I hope that you all have a blessed week! Good luck to those with finals, and I encourage you all once again- Remind yourself of the times God has been faithful to you, has shown His love to you, and let His love pour through your life into others.
