Please read this

This week, my family got to go to the little town where my mother grew up and where my uncle now lives and runs a Christian rehabilitation center for people needing emotional, spiritual, and physical help in life. They use an amazing integration of worship, therapy sessions, community, and work.

My uncle and his wife have given everything to run this house (an extension of their own house) and to help these people who need some extra grace and patience with everything. Five years ago, I lived at the house for 2 weeks to help out with whatever was needed and just hang out with the residents. Already back then I was in such support of what my uncle was doing. It was really neat to go back this year, five years later with some more life experience as well as some counseling/psychology and theology classes under my belt. Again, I was really touched and the whole deal really had an impression on me--how needy people there can find a balance of 'methods' that gives room to heal and become a more whole person.

Even the worship time in the mornings has developed to be more hands-on and integrative (such as having the residents lay a paper crown at the foot of the cross to symbolize laying down their glory for Jesus'). In this way, the residents are more engaged and it can be very therapeutic for them.

Anyway, thought I would share this.

Safe Arrival

I made it safe and sound to Germany!

This past trip from Denver to Germany was the most hassle-free, convenient, comfortable, and fastest ever! And that with the most luggage and pounds I've ever traveled with. Praise be to God!

I had a very welcoming, sweet greeting rally meet me at the airport and it's been great to be with my family the last few days and just get adjusted back to Germany.

So, a few things I've noticed:

--In England, whoever said tights on girls are out of fashion, was majorly not "in style."

--It's hot here! I thought I was getting away from the heat, but I come here to find that this area is in a heat wave. And I'm realizing how humid even low humidity feels because I've gotten used to dry Colorado!

--It's so pretty here!! When I look around here (where I lived until age 5) I realize that it's no wonder I totally fell in love with the green Appalachians mountains in Georgia and Kentucky

--It's very clean here

--It's such a blessing to already to know a few people from way back when and that they are making efforts to re-connect. Yey!

Thanks for all your prayers, friends!

2 Days to go

Training went so great! My teacher has been so patient, funny, and going at a perfect pace for me. I feel like I am gaining a whole new, wonderful, big family by joining this organization. Yey!

Now I'm back in Denver and have 2 days before I fly out! I still have lots of re-packing to do, cleaning, saying good-bye, trying to sell my car, and trying to process all this! Everything is coming so fast now and I'm very excited to be joining my family in Germany, but it's sad also to be leaving here...

Upcoming Week

Well, lots going on this week!

So far, training for the new job has been going great! This week I have a few more days learning about QuickBooks and some company lingo and procedures, but I have a great teacher.

The rest of the week after Wednesday will include packing, buying some supplies I can't get overseas, saying good-bye, and (God willing!!) selling my car!

Please pray for peace, wisdom, discernment, and a continuous, conscious awareness of the LORD's presence.

"God sightings"

So, I've been helping out with the Egypt-themed Vacation Bible School at Wellspring Anglican Church this week and we're building a pyramid from brick-colored paper on which the kids write out their "God sightings."

These are ways in which we see God work and remind us of His love through any means around us.

My sightings in the last 2 days have been:

>Seeing the majesty of Pike's Peak (a high mountain in Colorado Springs)

>The laughter of children

>A little girl asking me if I will dance with her

>Bunnies and squirrels chasing each other around

>The fresh air

>Reading and just being in the presence of a good friend

>The sound of the wind in the trees

Countdown: 25 days remaining the United States of America. Mixed feelings.

I GOT THE JOB!!!

For a few months now, an organization here in the USA has been recruiting me for their new office in Europe. At first, I was unwilling and hesitant, but after much prayer and surrender, I started the application process and got the job offer!!

I will be a "regional financial coordinator" doing accounting, administration, and various other tasks. The plan is to leave the US the third week of July and I'll be moving back to my hometown in Germany! It's so perfect that the office will be located there and I will get to live in my family's house there> I'm so excited!

It's been an incredible, filled with "God-details" journey, but here at the end of my time in America, it's taking me right back to where I was born :)

Stay tuned for details!

Update

Well, recently there's just been a lot of day-to-day life that I've been enjoying. It's a grace to be able to utilize this season in which I'm on a tourist visa to just relax and be for a while. I've been reading a lot, memorizing some Scripture, posting ads to sell my car, hanging out with a few people I've met here in Denver, and see how I can help out however and whoever I can. It's been good and I praise God that I can enjoy it.

I'm still waiting for the finality of it, but it looks like a job is cooking up for me in Germany! Many things have been pointing towards it and I've had a great heart-change about moving back, but either way, I'll be leaving the USA at the end of July. This has a lot of implications for me--many good-byes to people, lifestyle, some dreams, knowing how to get around, and to life as I've built it for the last few years since being in America. But all these things--and the whole world!--is in our Father's loving and gentle hands.

God is faithful!