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!