In process.

So, it is ten till midnight and the sky is only slightly dark. Mmm...how I love Sweden in the summertime! I usually plan out my blogs or at least make some sort of outline, but right now I am just writing on the fly. Hang with me....

Do you ever have those moments where you feel like you are learning things faster than you can process? I am having one of those moments. It seems like life has finally slowed down enough to think and so many things are being brought to my attention. I want to structure a better blog post about what Christ is teaching me, but right now I am still in the learning stage. What amazes me the most is that Christ is somehow glorified through me! How awesome! He somehow takes my mess and makes it beautiful. Broken jars of clay...that's us! Jesus, how are you wanting to glorify yourself through me, through my messiness? Ask Him. This is what I am walking through now. He is a beautiful God and I am longing to see his beauty at work in the ugly areas of my life.

Where are areas that you desire the Lord to change? To bring new life to? I encourage you to process that through with him. Give it to the Lord, so that he may be glorified!

Stadsparken.

Here is a little excerpt from my journal....

I'm sitting out in Stadsparken on a white bench in Europe, with a view of the castle and I am listening to the score from "Notting Hill." Definitely one of those moments I dreamed of a little girl. I remember watching that movie years ago and dreaming of a far away place with cobblestones and beautiful parks. Here I am! Never did I realize that was a desire placed in my heart by the Lord! Sweet Jesus. My Notting Hill is Uppsala, Sweden....

Today I am thankful that His thoughts are not my thoughts and His ways are not my ways. I wanted other dreams just a few years ago and God brought me here. He brought life to innocent dreams of my childhood. Jesus, I am thankful that your providence is good and better than anything I could even begin to plan for myself.

What are the dreams of your heart? The small dreams that you keep hidden away...bring them to the Lord!

This City.

I am the worst blogger ever. It has been far too long since my last post.

Winter is over and the springtime is here! Let me tell you, Sweden is straight out of a fairytale in the spring and summer. I have never been to a more beautiful place! I love getting on a bike and coasting as I watch the colorful architecture pass me by. Amazing. I just want to sit and type for hours about my time here thus far and about Uppsala. I am falling more in love with this city and with its Creator by the day. This city is filled with the most beautiful flowers, people, landscape, and buildings that I have ever seen; yet, there is still something even more beautiful that is being missed. Jesus Christ. It is heartbreaking to think that most of the people in this city would say, "I have no need for a God." I have absolute freedom in Jesus and in Him my life is giving purpose and meaning. I can see the world, enjoy people, taste delicious foods, and truly ENJOY life because I have no fear in this life. I am redeemed and my life is found in Christ alone. I desire this so much for this city, for these people. I want these people to expeirence the richness of life that isn't found in the bottom of the bottle, in a one night stand, or in the thought that "this is all we have." Jesus has come so that they may have life and have it abundantly! How I wish they knew how deeply and powerfully Christ loves! Pray for this with me...

" I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10

Let the Good Times Roll...

Well, the Lord provides!! I am here in Sweden!! It has been a long process, but the Lord has taught me so much about my nature, trusting him, and so much more. I am sure I will reveal some of those things eventually through this blog...

I have been in Sweden 6 days now and I am loving it!! My teammates are so some of the most kind and beautiful people I have even met. I am blessed to live life with them and excited to see what God has in store for our ministry here. I will update in a few days about my life and ministry here in Uppsala, but for now here is an entry that I wrote on my long journey to Sweden:

25.2.09

Well, I'm sitting in Munich by myself, waiting to board the plane for Sweden. I can't believe that I will be living there for the next little bit of my life. It hasn't hit me yet and I still have not cried. I said goodbye in Chicago and I am on my own until my team picks me up in Stockholm. It is by the grace of God that I haven't freaked out yet!! I'm strangely calm, freakishly calm--like I was made to travel the world. This just feels normal, not liberating or overwhelming, just like I do this on a daily basis. The plane ride to Germany was L-O-N-G, but I did sit beside an US olympic wrestler! No joke. He won 6th place in Sydney. Welcome to my crazy life.

Boarding the plane to Chicago was TERRIBLE! My carry on took half the half the room of the plane. The sweet man who sat beside me helped me place my heavy backpack in the overhead and how did I repay him? My HUGE purse slid down my shoulder and hit him right in the crotch! Yes, this is why my friends joke about me being "The American Bridget Jones."

Happy Birthday, Granddaddy!!

I thought I would give a shout out to my sweet granddad on his birthday! He is 76 today!! :)
I absolutely adore this man. He is such a godly man and I just love him. I have his eyes.
We celebrated his birthday the other night with a fish fry--and yes, we caught the fish!! I caught 5 catfish for this occasion! I may be a girlie-girl, but there is still a little bit of country in me too!

Granddaddy, I hope your birthday is extra special--because you are one heck of a man and you deserve the best! You are dearly loved!

PS--Just a support update...67%. We are creeping closer!! :)

OCT. 9

Well, I am currently at 65% of my support goal. This is great, but I am also so ready to be on a plane. The new deadline is OCT.9! Please be praying for my goal to be met and that I can fly out soon after. Today has been a battle. I hear Satan's lies everywhere, "you're not going to make it", "God isn't going to meet your needs", etc. I was reminded of this verse today and I absolutely LOVE IT....

"But I trust in you, O LORD; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in your hands."
Psalm 138:8

There is nothing too big, too overwhelming, too anything for our God to do. I am excited (yet, still a bit nervous) to what HE is going to do these next two weeks! I can't wait to begin updating you on life in Uppsala. :) Our lives are set in his hands no matter what happens--he will glorify himself and make himself known through every situation. I can rest in the fact that although I don't know what the future holds; I know who holds the future...

My Girls

I leave my heart scattered among the various places I grow close to around the world. There are pieces in my hometown, Camden, and a huge chunk is hidden somewhere in Sweden, and an even bigger piece remains in Rocky top. If you can't tell, I am missing Knoxville like crazy today.

It isn't really the city that I miss the most, but rather the people. I think if I were to catch a glimpse of that big golden sunsphere-- I might shed a tear though. I miss those darling little kids that I babysit and their parents, who grew to become family. My best friend, Diana. I miss being six inches away from her in 219. My bible study girls. I am really missing them today.

I am blessed to have friends scattered all over the world. My dearest friends are following the Lord on some the coolest adventures! Rebecca is interning with Cru in Wilmington, NC. My childhood dream-town, thanks to Dawson's Creek! Kristen, who was in the bible study Rebecca and I led, is in EGYPT! (She is in the third picture of the two of us.) I talked to her briefly this morning and I am so proud of her. I am really blessed to be a part of the lives of these wonderful women of God. Becca and I had 10 girls who were in our bible study that met every Wed. night. They are entering their Senior Year of COLLEGE! I posted our picture taken at our "YA-YA" night. They truly are dear sisters of mine whom I miss laughing and crying with! Let your light shine brightly girls...

I was also blessed to be a part of Beth's bible study. These women really taught me what it meant to vulnerable in front of one another, but especially in front of the Lord. So much of my growth with my walk with Jesus occurred through what he taught me from these women. They are beginning to start new lives all over the country. Laura is in Texas, Amy-Chattanooga, Frankie-DC! Rachel is engaged! I am so excited to see what the Lord has in store for them, but I am sad that I can't meet them somewhere between campus and Kingston pike for coffee and a chat whenever I want!

My dear friend Katie is a NANNY for sweet children in South Carolina! She has put her self out there and is showing so much courage! She has completely immursed herself into a new town, a new life, church, etc and I believe she has rich expierences in store! You can follow her blog too...http://ktsnannyadventures.blogspot.com

I thought I would share just a bit about some of the most well-loved, beautiful, and amazing women of the Lord that I have the blessing of knowing. I pray that you find those people who walk through life with you and bring great joy to your heart! They are an absolute treasure.