A Work in Progress

Once again, Thanksgiving is upon us. It’s hard to believe that it’s that time of year again, but the calendar doesn’t lie.  Two years ago, I shared a photo a day throughout the month of November, to show you the things I’m thankful for. Last year, I was in the US and didn’t continue the tradition. This year, again, I haven’t continued the tradition (instead, I’ve been working on creating an Advent Calendar). But, even though I’m not posting photos each day, know that I am thankful…for many things and for many people – you included!

Speaking of Advent Calendars, I’ve decided to create one this year. This isn’t something that my family ever did, but having one is something most Czech families have (along with the Advent wreath). But, instead of getting candy each day of December until Christmas, I wanted to do something with a bit more meaning. So, I found a list of Scriptures that give various names of Jesus. Each day, I’ll turn the tag over to reveal another name of Jesus and the corresponding Scripture. Hopefully this will prepare my heart more fully for the true meaning of Christmas.

I’m realizing that another work in progress is me. The past few months, I’ve had the opportunity to be a part of an intentional, in depth Bible study with two friends. Through our studies, and our conversations, I’ve been realizing so much more about myself and about who I want to be; how I long for more of God’s presence and work in my life. Sometimes the things that He reveals are hard to realize, but I’m learning that it’s always worth it. Like my process of creating an Advent Calendar, it can get messy and look haphazard, but in the end, something beautiful will come of it. I pray that I will not become discouraged during the process, but continue to hold hope for the beauty at the end.

September update (while it's still September...)

Sometimes life is just hard.

Today was one of those days where nothing seemed to go right. The internet is down…all day. Packages are undeliverable. No one shows up for the lesson. Clothes don’t fit right. Can’t find the right gift.

But you know what? I am still loved. I am still chosen. I am still a Child of God.

This past weekend, my teammate, Jan, and I participated in an event that was focused on our Identity in Christ. (It was the precursor weekend to an in-depth Bible Study program called Battle for Your Heart.) The topics we looked at weren’t new topics for me, but it was still an intensive weekend.

Anyway, call me crazy if you’d like, but I’m convinced that the events of today are in direct correlation to what happened this weekend. You see, I believe that the enemy doesn’t like when we do things that draw us closer to God. In fact, I believe that he enjoys when we struggle and are frustrated in the hopes that it takes the focus away from God and puts it back on ourselves. So, when I spend a whole weekend focused on knowing God more, the enemy doesn’t like it and will retaliate. Hence today’s activities.

All that to say, today was pretty frustrating. But, I am still confident in knowing who I am in Christ…no matter what my circumstances say. And, like my dad always says…things will always look better in the morning. It may not always be a concrete ‘tomorrow morning’ but things can’t always be this way. They will eventually change. And, boy will I be excited when they do. J

In other news…what’s been happening in my life since the last blog post? Glad you asked! Here’s a few highlights…

English Camp Games

Czech English Camp! I was able to attend an English Camp in August. It ended up being a really small group (9 students total…with 2 of those being in my class), but I actually enjoyed the smaller number, as it allowed us to get to know the students a little more. We spent the week practicing English, running up the side of the mountain (well, technically we were playing different games…but it did involve running up and down the mountain), learning more about God and simply enjoying each other’s presence. It was a good week!

Worship at English Camp

 Church Retreat! One week after returning from English Camp, I headed off to our church’s week-long Church Holiday. It was a good week, but it was exhausting being that it was in Czech. Each morning we had sessions, often followed by discussion. The afternoons were free, and often included hikes. Evenings were my favorite because we had a bit of worship and then 2-3 testimonies. I was asked to share mine too (in Czech!). It was a great week of connecting with church members in a relaxed way. 

Our Pizza 

American Pizza Day! Back in August, I helped a friend of mine with an event sponsored by her language school. We had a day filled with all things pizza – including learning the vocabulary for pizza making, actually creating pizzas and then enjoying them! Here are a few photos from the day. I always enjoy when I’m able to connect with Eva and family, and help out at their language school. This family has welcomed me with open arms and I love spending time with them!

American Pizza Day

Opera at the National Theater! At the end of August, I was given a ticket to go to the Opera. My student’s father has an annual ticket and wasn’t able to attend. It was passed around until someone was able to go. That someone was me. J It was an Italian opera (Tosca). Thankfully the subtitles were in both Czech and English.

My view at the Opera (in the National Theater)

Normal Life starting up again! And, with the start of September, normal life has started again. That means English lessons at the Family Center…private English lessons…my own Czech lessons…and other involvements. It’s good to be back!

Summer Happenings

For most people, summer is the time to rest and relax. It often includes some kind of holiday, whether that's the Sea or the mountains. I see evidence of that in church on Sunday morning, when the service is only half-full. I also see the evidence in the parking lot outside my flat; where there is usually not an open space, these days there is a plethora of them.

But summers in the Czech Republic are a bit different for me; and this year was even more unique than most. In June, I was invited to spend 10 days in Belarus, helping with an English Camp. In July, I spent 2 weeks in the US; connecting with other EMM workers and staff, attending meetings, and talking with other EMM leaders about the future. In the midst of that, I was able to see my family for a weekend (which was a huge blessing!). This month, I will be attending another English Camp, doing some RR travel and attending our church's week-long church holiday.

Come September, I'm going to be ready for my holiday! Instead, "normal" life should be starting back up. I'm looking forward to having a more set schedule and to settling back in to life and work here. Stay tuned for what that looks like; what I'm learning; and ways that I see God at work around me. 

Three Weeks In

There were some days when I didn’t think my return to Prague would happen. There were days when I questioned what the draw was to live overseas. There were days when I felt impatient, and days when I relished the activities and even the routine of life in the US. Now, I am (almost) three weeks in, having returned to Prague days after Easter. As I reflect back on the journey leading up to my return to Prague, as well as the three weeks I’ve been back, I remember the questions.

Questions like:

·       Would my Czech come back?

·       Would relationships that I built still be there?

·       Would I remember where to find things in the grocery store?

·       What will it be like to be the foreigner again?

But there were also questions about leaving the US.

·       Would the relationship that I built with my nephews stand, once we returned to only Skype and FaceTime?

·       How will things change while I’m gone?

·       How am I going to deal with missing out on family events again?

·       Will I miss the over-attentive waitresses and the ability to communicate with ease?

But the question I keep coming back to is…did I make the most of my 9.5 months in the US? Was I able to connect with people and to invest in the lives of those I rarely see? Will I look back on these months with fondness or with disappointment of unmet expectations?

While I really wasn’t sure I wanted to spend so many months in the US, I am very grateful that I had the opportunity. These months were filled with big things, like completing my Master’s studies and celebrating life events. They were filled with emotional things, like visiting Grandma’s grave and moving Grandpa out of the farmhouse to the nursing home. They were filled with trips and weekends away. And they were filled with the every day events of life – reading to my nephews, drawing animals for Caden to color, playing tractors with Grahm, binge-watching shows with my sisters, many conversations with a variety of people and the list goes on. Without these nine months in the States, I would have missed out on that. I would have missed Grahm’s sweet voice telling me to “take me to Prague, Stacy!” it was a precious time.

At the same time, it was hard to live in transition, knowing that I wasn’t living in my own home and that I was dependent on the generosity of others. I would think of my life in Prague randomly each day, for a variety of reasons.

Now, here I am. The past three weeks have been filled with settling in and re-engaging with people. It has included home group and helping out at the Family Center. I have gone to church and actually understood parts of the sermons. I have started both Czech and English lessons again. I have even hosted visitors to Prague already!

As I look to the future, I am not sure what the future holds. In many ways, I feel like I have a clean slate, now that Grad School is finished. I can take the time to sit with God and hear his heart for this place and the work that he wants me to do. I can invest in people that I didn’t feel I had enough time for before. I can focus more on improving my Czech skills. This excites me and I look forward to what lies ahead.

To those of you who hosted me, met me for coffee or a meal, attended a fundraising event, supported me (financially and in prayer), or simply spent some time with me: Thank you. I am grateful for the time I had with you!

To those in Prague who have welcomed me back, I thank you as well. You have helped to make my transition go smoothly. I look forward to more time together in the future!

The long overdue update from the US

Yep, this blog post is long overdue. There, it's out there and acknowledged. No more denying it. Ha!

It's been hard for me to think about writing a blog post while in the US. I mean, would anyone even want to read it?! It'd be filled with a lot of the same thing...speaking engagements, playing with my nephews, school work, playing with my nephews, connecting with people, playing with my nephews, etc. Boring, right? Well, boring or not, that has been my life the past 6 months.

It hasn't all been boring. I've been able to reconnect with people that I haven't seen in a long time. Those times have been such a blessing! I love the body of Christ, where I'm able to go for long periods of time without seeing or talking with someone, only to be able to step back into those relationships and pick back up where we left off. No, not every relationship is like that, but I am thankful for the ones that are!

One of my highlights so far has really been playing with, reading to, and simply being around my nephews. It's so fun (and also quite tiring!) to be with them almost every day and watch them learn and grow. Grahm (the youngest) is speaking a lot more than when I first arrived and it's so fun! Caden continues to amaze me at the things he learns and remembers - on numerous topics! Since I've been living with them, I get to see them regularly, which is great. It'll definitely be hard to leave them when I go back to Prague!

The one year anniversary of Grandma's death was last week. Being here and not seeing her has been one of the weirdest, and at times, hardest things about being in the US. It just doesn't seem complete somehow. I've been back to the gravesite a few times, both to grieve and to remember her; often thinking of her and praying. One thing I learned from her is the importance of prayer. I'm humbled to know that even without Grandma, Grandpa has continued their tradition of praying for each of us each day. May I learn to carry that same mantle.

My time in the US has also been filled with school work. But, the exciting thing about that is that I am now in my last quarter! If all goes well, I will finish in March. It has been such a blessing to study again, and I have learned so much, but I'm also getting to the end of my patience with paper-writing! :) This quarter, I am taking a class entitled "Self-Care for Missionaries." I am really excited to be able to take this class, as I know it will (and already has!) provide some valuable tools and helpful information for me as I return to Prague.

Speaking of returning to Prague, I've had a number of people ask me when that will be. I wish I could tell you for sure, but at this point I can't. My hope is to return in March sometime; however, it is dependent on my support level. At this point, I am at 51% so I have a ways to go. While this is discouraging for me at times, I am trying to rest in the knowledge that God is aware of the need and that he is in control.

I'm sure there is much more that I could say, but I'll just leave you with a few pictures from my time Stateside instead. Enjoy (and thanks for reading!).

Hanging out with college friends

Hiking in Hocking Hills

Family pictures

Grahm enjoying "Pete the Parrot" - the parrot I use when teaching children in Prague

Caden telling the Christmas story

Returning to Hocking Hills in the winter

Connecting with friends (like Bethany in DC)

I even made it to a Christmas market! (Philadelphia)