music to my soul.

so i don't usually listen to christian music. at least in america anyway. music is one of my favorite pieces of life. i love so many different kinds, but i rarely find my radio tuned to the local christian station. until today that is.

driving in the car, i was absolutely blessed by the Lord. there are three songs that i believe He has used to call me back to italy. no lie, i heard all three back to back to back. absolutely fantastic.

walk by faith.
god of this city.
mighty to save.

thank you Father. i needed that.

it's not easy.

what a whirlwind it's been. i've been back in america for just under a month and in that time i have managed to spend two weeks in dallas, a weekend in branson, made two trips to stillwater, and just recently married off my best friend. not only has it been crazy, it has been emotional.

in all the insanity and busyiness it is easy to lose sight of why i am back. it's been easy to hide from support raising and from the thought of returning to italy in general.

as i rode away from the wedding with my teammate sarah, i knew that the hiding was over. it was time to get serious... about italy, my distrust of the Lord in sending me back, and of course raising support. the tears were hard to stop. in two short months, i was scheduled to get back on a european bound plane and i wasn't sure i wanted to be on it.

i spent the morning at panera today- spending time in the word, and making a list of all the reasons i'm excited about returning to italy. it boils down to this... i'm scared. i fear going back. i fear another all too challenging year. i fear losing relationships back in the states. i fear missed time and opportunities with the team that is currently serving at oklahoma state university. but He is bigger than all these.

the truth is, there is much to anticipate in returning to florence. there is much to look forward to. and although for me, it is the harder choice, i know that it is the right one. it is His best. and there is no other place i'd rather be.

"bless our God, o peoples,
and sound His praise abroad,
who keeps us in life,
and does not allow our feet to slip.
for Thou hast tried us o God;
Thou hast refined us as silver is refined.
Thou didst bring us into the net;
Thou didst lay an oppressive burden upon our loins.
Thou didst make men ride over our heads;
we went through fire and through water;
yet Thou didst bring us out into a place of abundance."
psalm 66:8-12.

hello, again.

hi dear friends.

i know that it has been far too long since i have updated this blog, and for that i am sorry.

the craziness of packing up my italian life got the best of me, and there were moments i wasn't sure i was going to be making it onto the plane. but all is well. students were farewelled, boxes were packed, final gift purchases were made, and an apartment was officially cleaned.

i'm back in america! oh it feels so good to be back. i love that as i sit here in a certain coffee shop, there is a young man across the way reading his bible and taking notes. i love that two tables down there are two men talking about john piper and how his teachings have affected their walks with Christ.

this is my vision for italy. how wonderful to think that one day, these same things could be seen at novoli [the business/polysci campus] or at martelli's bookstore. please hope and pray with me.

this summer, i'll be raising support and reconnecting with those who have supported me over this last year. i am so thankful and i look foward to sharing all that has happened over the year.

for those who have so sweetly asked about sarah, she is still at home. please continue to bring her health situation before the Lord. she has just begun a new medication that we are hoping will increase her ability to eat and digest. i know that she too appreciates your prayers and feels them.

i'm looking foward to connecting with you this summer- what a joy!

prayer for sarah.

today was a sad day.

my teammate sarah has been sick for months now. she has tried many avenues of healthcare here in italy and cannot find any answers.

today, we put her on a plane, and tomorrow she will be back in america.

please pray for her. that the doctors would be blessed with wisdom. that answers would be found. that her body will heal. that her hope and confidence will be solely in the Lord. that she will not be discouraged. that through it all, the Lord would be glorified.

and pray for us too. it is hard to see her go... to keep going without our oh so valued teammate. pray for encouragement and continued stamina.

pray that tomorrow will be better.

earthquake.

as i'm sure you have heard, yesterday there was an earthquake in central italy. the region of abruzzo, and specifically the town of l'acquila was hit by a 6.3 earthquake.

honestly, i would not have known about this instance except for all the calls and messages i received from family and friends. we are slowly starting to receive information, and the devastation sounds absolutely terrible. please be praying for these people. pray for comfort. for healing. for peace. and ultimately, that it would be found only in Christ.

we have looked into going down and helping out with cleanup. as for now, the city has requested only volunteers that are trained and certified in rescue work. that may change later, but for now we are sending financial help and our prayers. these are two very vital things [as they are the two reasons i am able to be here... financial support and prayer!].

all this to say, thank you for your concern and care for me. we are safe.

please please continue you to pray for those in and around abruzzo.

just a few updates.

i feel like there is so much i want to update you on, and so much to tell you that is upcoming.

but i'd like to pause for a moment and ask for your prayers. pray for spiritual strength for those who are working in italy. pray against the enemy as he fights against all we [and other ministries in italy] are trying to do. we expect and believe that the Lord is about to do something amazing here. pray that Satan would have no foothold.

we are seeing great suffering and attack amongst the believers in italy. it's coming in various forms: sickness, disease, discouragement, and actual physical attack. i humbly ask for your prayers.

wednesday afternoon we are having an informational meeting about this summer's project in malawi. our hope is that students, believers and non-believers, will join us for 2-4 weeks as we continue work in malawi. italian students of all types are drawn to humanitarian aid and so this provides a wonderful opportunity for us to build into their lives. [as an aside, i will not be going to malawi this summer but 3 of my teammates will].

my family was here this last week. it was wonderful to have them in florence- i wish they could have been here longer- but we did a little traveling and of course, it was great to see them after being apart for 6 months.

la bibbia.

my team has spent the last two wednesdays partnered with the gideons. we have passed out hundreds of new testaments [with psalms as well].

i want to write more about the entire experience later, but in the meantime, i want to ask for your prayers.

we know that God's Word does not return void. pray that students would open and read. that hearts and minds would open. that lives would be transformed.

thank you.