Athens

A quick update on this end, in case anyone even reads my blogs. God is amazing still. He is taking this time that I am away from home ... to teach me to rest in Him. Something that I feel I could do at home, but never had - that is why he had to bring me practically as far away as I could physically get. We do ministry in the evenings and I am stretched. I am never pushed, but the opportunity is always there for me to reach out, to speak, to better myself. My leaders will never force me to do anything, but encourage me to step out. Pray for me, that I can step out more. Now is the time to work on things in my life, to better myself, to overcome fears. Now, that I am in the time I have set aside and am surrounded by people who are as family to me.

I have been pouring my time over Proverbs 31, working on memorizing that chapter. I am learning to let God speak to me even more through his word, letting him mold me into who HE wants me to become, not into the person my mind thinks I should be.

Last week, I was on top of Mars Hill. That is the hill that Paul preached from. You can see for miles in every direction, but in one direction is was just nature, just trees and grass and rocks. That would have been the same view Paul would have seen. It was a crazy moment to stand there and read the words that he spoke, the people of Greece are still idol worshipers and running from God. It is almost sureal being here. I love it!

I was looking at a map (one that I take with me everywhere) and I put my finger on Oregon, then a finger on Greece, the distance is huge, i have entire bodies of water and land masses between me and the place I want to call home... I mean, this is the big ol' world that I use to lay in bed and look at and dream about, here I am. Some days I have to let that sink in, other days I just get it, this is just a day in the life of me - and I LOVE IT!

I have than two months to go before returning home - yet I feel the best is still in store. The height of my journey is yet to come. God has so much more to teach me.