Slow Down

“You are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed—or indeed only one.

Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10: 40-42

I have grown up in a performance-based culture, and people in American even seem to delight in how busy they are, and how each day is filled to the brim with activities. 

I am being refined, and my views towards God and life in His kingdom are changing. 

So much of my life has spent being busy- busy with school, activities, and ministry.  As I have entered into a new culture I am really learning what ministry as a lifestyle looks like.  I am growing to love how life is lived so freely here in Greece, and how many people value relationships and family more than their own productivity or goals.  I can’t imagine meeting someone for the first time in America, and proceeding to spend several hours with them, just getting to know them and spending time with them.  Everyone I have met here has been so welcoming and so interested to learn and value what others have to say.  I am learning what hospitality looks like, what it looks to value others above yourself. 

As I have slowed down over the past month, I have noticed that moving through life more slowly allows us to get in touch with what your soul longs for—a deeper walk with Christ, and to experience His presence more fully. 

His yoke is easy and His burden is light, I forget this so many times.  God doesn’t want us to live our lives out of obligation, but out of love for Him.  Busyness does not equal effectiveness. I am learning to rest in Christ, to not miss out on what He has planned for my day, regardless of what I have on my to do list. 

Find joy in serving—not obligation.

Love others deeply, love them well.

“Hurry is the great enemy of spiritual life in our day.”- John Ortberg

Bare Branches

" I suspected that all the yearnings for I knew not what that I had ever felt--when autumn leaves were burning in the twilight, when wild geese flew crying overhead, when I looked up at bare branches against the stars, when spring arrived on an April morning--were in truth yearnings for him. 

For God. I yearned towards Him."

-Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy 

Petals and Thorns

On Wednesday nights our team meets together for dinner, a time of processing what's going on, and some prayer time. We went around and shared our highs/lows from the day/week, except we titled them petals and thorns.  I have been here about two weeks now so I thought I would share with you some petals and thorns from the time I've had here so far, mostly petals, but I would be lying if there weren't a few thorns.  Everyone here has been incredibly welcoming and kind, but adjusting to a new culture and even a new language takes time! 

Petals

• I'm living in a wonderful apartment with sweet roommates, they have made the transition so much easier!
• There is public transportation, and I can walk or take the bus/metro anywhere- I love this!
• The fruits and veggies here are so yummy, they are much fresher than at home
• We have a neighborhood farmer's market on Monday mornings, and it's wonderful
• All the girls  that we have met on campus/coffee shops have been so friendly and welcoming
• People enjoying spending time with one another, and no one ever seems like they are in a rush, people value each other.
• Everyone here drinks hot tea, I even got it at the concession stand at the movie theater.
• Although I am in a city, life here is simpler in a lot of ways. I love simplicity.
• We had a valentine's party for some of our friends last week and it ended in a Beyonce dance party. So great.
• There are more coffee shops than I could count.
• I have been able to Skype with lots of people- very encouraging!
• I met with a girl on Monday who is a believer and it was so sweet to be able to talk to her as a sister. 
• Walking weekly where Paul walked and did ministry
• Having to rely on the Lord in a physical way almost daily
• Reading a Severe Mercy- go read it now if you haven't! 
• Getting lost yesterday while adventuring and finding a Starbucks with a cute patio- you can take the girl out of America....

Thorns

• The language barrier, feeling helpless at times
• Twinges of homesickness
• Miss Fellowship Bible and being able to worship in English.
• Hot showers! We have hot water for about 6 minutes...and then boom- finish your shower super quick!
•  No central Heat- it's not that  cold here, but our apartment can be pretty cold at night. Praise Him for Patagonia fleeces and smartwool socks- not just for camping. 

Like I said, mostly petals, and the thorns aren't too thorny. 

Thankful for gratitude, which turns everything we have into enough. 

Traveling Mercies and Elizabeth Bennett

I have now been in Greece for about 4 days! It is hard to believe that this time last week I was getting ready to leave Arkansas and spending lots of time with friends and family! 

I left home bright and early Tuesday morning to head to the Memphis airport.  Mom and I were excited about getting Chick-fil-a breakfast (we love chicken minis) on our way, but once we were finally on the road we decided we didn't have enough time to stop and still be on good track to make my flight from Memphis...little did we know....

Once we made it to the airport I went through security and my mom's exact words were "fly little birdy fly!" as she told me goodbye. She's a gem.

As I sit in the Memphis airport and enjoy my last American latte- I hear that our plane has a mechanical problem and a mechanic would be arriving shortly to repair it. We were assured it would be a 30 or 45 minute delay, and that of course I could still make my 4pm flight to Chicago! Our flight finally left Memphis at 2pm, instead of 10:40 am, so I missed my connecting flight to Frankfurt and wasn't able to travel to Germany with the rest of my team.  Thankfully, there was another flight leaving Chicago at 6pm, and I was able to make that flight! 

The night before leaving I was listening to my favorite soundtrack (I'm such a girl) to help calm my nerves and fall asleep.  If I  could choose to have one soundtrack to live my life to, it would definitely be the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack, as it has gotten me through many hours of studying for exams, and many sleepless nights.  As I laid in my bed, trying not to cry from the the sheer overwhelming feeling of knowing I would be leaving my family and all things familiar to travel to another country, I had a pull it together moment.  I am so excited to be here, and grateful for the chance to be here, but it's hard to deal with transition sometimes! As I laid there- I thought "Elizabeth Bennett would not be crying right now! She would be excited and ready to take on whatever the day held!" So thank you Jane Austen, and Elizabeth Bennett for instilling confidence in me.  This Elizabeth Bennett inspired determination and my own excitement and desire for adventure helped me as I figured out how to get to Greece without my teammates.  

The flight to Germany was through the night, and I got to watch Sleepless in Seattle, so that was fun. 

My flight from Germany to Athens was supposed to leave at the time that my rescheduled Chicago flight landed in Germany.  At this point I realized that my best bet would be to make it to the closest United gate and ask them what I should do, and when the next flight to Athens was leaving.  As I landed in snowy Frankfurt, Germany I had to go through security again, and also through customs.  Funny story, don't fill your nalgene/water bottle in an airport and forget about it.  I had a grumpy German TSA agent look at me and tell me to drink my almost full water bottle in front of her, because you couldn't have liquids.  I think I made her day, because she was laughing at me. I've never drank a bottle of water so quickly.  

Once I made it through all of that, I saw on a sign that my original Athens flight that my teammates were on had been delayed an hour!! I could make the flight!! I ran to my gate and met my team, and felt so overwhelmed by seeing God's provision in such a visible way.

They almost didn't let me on the flight to Athens, because apparently the woman in Memphis helping me change my flights had cancelled this flight because she thought there was no way I could make it.  A few minutes and the best sad puppy face I could muster- she printed me a boarding pass and I ran and got on the plane.  She assured me that there was no way my suitcase would make it, but I could get it in a few days.

Fast forward, we made it to Athens and as my teammates and I went to get their luggage, what do I see?! My suitcase is the first one coming off the plane! It is such a sweet thing to have a God who delights in details, I had been praying that there might be some way I could get my suitcase so I didn't have to come back to the airport to get it. So. awesome. 

I have been settling in to my new apartment, and I am loving each new experience so far!

I'm just happy to be here, and have my suitcase! :) 

Traveling boots. 

All things alliteration, and fresh starts.

In honor of my upcoming travels to Athens, Greece for the semester, and to document my time there in a memorable way, I have decided to start writing a blog!  If you know me, you may know how much I love alliteration, it might be charmingly cheesy, but it's one of those quirky things I just happen to love. Obviously, every good alliteration lover has to have an alliterated blog name- so Greece, Gratitude, Grace was created from this.  These three things don't just happen to start with the letter G, they have also played a huge part in my life lately.  Allow me to explain...

Greece- 

On February 5th, 2013 (God willing and the creek don't rise) I will be hopping on a plane to Athens, Greece to work with CRU (http://www.cru.org) from February until May.  My teammates and I will be pioneering (I've always wanted to be a pioneer woman!) CRU Abroad (http://www.cruabroad.com/Cru_Abroad/Cru_Abroad.html), and working with the stint team that is already there.  Many people have been asking me whether I am excited for this opportunity- the answer is YES! I have no idea what to expect as we are the first ones to go, but I see this as a blessing.  It's a huge step for me to be enthusiastic about the unknown, but I also have no expectations, which I think will be a blessing.  No expectations can have a negative connotation, but for me it means that I will be entrusting my time in Greece to the Lord, fixing my eyes on Jesus, and excitedly watch where He leads me and my team.  

Gratitude- 

Ohhh gratitude, you have been a huge victory in my walk with Jesus and have brought me JOY! Last year I read the book 1000 gifts by Ann Voskamp (read it. It will change you!), and the Lord used that book in my life to break down the years of anxiety and sometimes negativity that often followed me.  I've heard the term prosperity gospel, and I think it means believing that as a follower of Christ, life will be hunky dory most of the time, and God will bless you because you follow Him. Correct me if I'm wrong, I am not a theological scholar by any means.  Anyway, back to prosperity gospel, I think it's silly, but it could also be interpreted this way-- as Christians we have the ability to see our lives through eyes of grace.  We are so prosperous because of His gospel.  If we have Christ, and His Holy Spirit is living in us, we are able to see the world in a different way.  

This quote somewhat sums up the book

“I want to see beauty. In the ugly, in the sink, in the suffering, in the daily, in all the days before I die, the moments before I sleep.” -Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts

There are huge faith building and awe inspiring moments in our daily lives, but there are also glimpses of the Lord and His goodness no matter where we are, and this book has helped me view my life through eyes of thanksgiving.  

Grace-

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace." John 1:14-16

During the month of December, and the season of Advent, my home church studied the book of John together.  These verses have stayed with me, even as it is January now.  I am still learning what it means to accept the grace that Christ has given me as His child.  I often struggle behind a mask of perfectionism and trying to be productive and busy.  My "busyness" has always resulted in good things, good grades, friends, and a happy life.  Those moments when I would feel so exhausted and that something wasn't quite right, I would always concede to myself that I should be doing "everything to the glory of God." Over the past few months I have lived my life in a constant state of transition (College graduation--moving home--starting a new job--switching jobs--preparing to go overseas) While these months have been difficult, the part that has been the most challenging is no longer being "busy".  As I have had time to slow down these past few months, I began to realize that my relationship with Christ is not based on works, or how successful I am. This sounds so simple, but I think we lose sight of this sometimes.  Anyway, I am learning to receive "grace upon grace" and learn that is ok to be honest before the Lord with my struggles. I don't have to put on a cheerful and annoyingly optimistic view of myself before the Lord. Sorry to get all emotional/debbie downer on y'all for a minute, but I am so grateful that the Lord is continually working through all my hard edges! 

Also- this pin on pinterest..made me think of what I had just written...can I get an amen?!