29 December

It's the end of 2009. It's been a year of difficult challenges and great joy for me. It started with the wedding of a dear friend and a lot of language study. The spring was a season of dying to self...not easy. The summer was a time of rest and restoration. September brought more schooling only in English this time. The fall was a time to find direction and get connected to France. I am amazed as always to see how God has transformed me and prepared me for this season in my life. He is faithful.

I want to start out by saying thanks. I will repeat what I said in my newsletter:
I want to say a HUGE thank you to all of you who pray for me and have supported me financially this year. It has been a fruitful year and it is only possible because the body of Christ has been working together. I also want to say a big thank you to those of you who have given of yourself by: laughing with me, crying with me, keeping me in your home, feeding me (this is no small task ;), taking me to the airport and/or train station...and back again, teaching me a new language/culture, helping me prepare a CV in French, answering all my questions (again no small task), helping me organize my new life in France, sending me out with love and purpose, receiving and adopting me in a strange land so that it is no longer foreign but home. You know who you are. You know what you've done. I am grateful to God for all of you reading this email. Thanks to God for His people, His family, and His Kingdom.

I will have my first job interview in France on January the 15th in Colmar, which is about a 20 minute drive from Guebwiller where I live. It is with a company that teaches English both in their offices and they give classes at different businesses. Please pray that if this is the job God has for me that I will have favor with the employer. Also, please pray that I will be at my best with French. It will be just a few short days after returning to France and jet lag could be an issue. Also, if I get this job I will need a car to get to and from work. I don't know if they will hire me without already having working papers (a work visa). All of these are also prayer requests and questions that need to be answered. I am full of faith, however, that if this is what God wants for me He will provide these things.

If God does provide this job or one like it, I will need to have wisdom on what to do with the youth that I have been working with. I really feel that the music groups and projects we have started are important and I don't want to have to abandon them completely. I just need God's wisdom on where to invest and what His priorities are.

Please continue to pray that God will bring the right connections and direction on obtaining the right kind of visa, whether it's through a job with a language school or some way the Christian school I am working with could help me get one, or another solution I have not seen yet.

It is time to do taxes. I know...happy thought. I am going to get them filed while I am here. I will have to pay taxes. Please pray that what I owe will be manageable and that God will provide, as He always does.

We will be having an informational night on Saturday, January 2, at FOC in Russellville. If you are in the area and free that evening I hope you can stop by. There will be goodies to eat as well as the usual photos and stories and worship led by Andy Moore.

Here's what I see for 2010:

God has begun rooting me to France. I see 2010 as a year to continue to be established in the French language as well as culture. I am very happy in Guebwiller volunteering with Eglise Josué and with College Daniel. It is with joy that I see how God is taking my teaching and music experience and putting them to use with the church and school in Guebwiller. I plan on staying in Guebwiller for at least the next year. God has given me a French family and good friends. All of this just confirms to me that I am in God's will and following His plan for me. Oh what a feeling !!

I will continue to seek God's face and look for ways to get a visa and a job. I now have a resume in French and feel prepared to continue looking for jobs if my first interview doesn't work out. My goal is still to look to make a living in France so that I won't always be supported by friends and family in the States.

I leave for France on January 11. It has been good to see many of you while I've been in Arkansas. I look forward to more time with you before I return.

Happy New Year to you all! May God richly bless you now and always.


**The pic at the top is from my sister's house in Oklahoma. We had 14" of snow! It was a beautiful white Christmas. Only the 2nd white Christmas I ever remember having.

5 December

In a week I will be leaving France to return home for the holidays. I will be in Arkansas from mid-December to mid-January. It will be so good to see family and friends. I will also have the joy of getting my taxes in order and other fun administrative tasks like that. I would really appreciate your prayers during this time for good health, safe travels, effective use of administrative time, and just being able to enjoy my friends and family.

My time here since the beginning of October has been rich. I feel like I've truly found a French home. It's been so fulfilling to be able to use my teaching and music experience to help the youth here as well as plug into what is happening with the church. I was warmly welcomed and included in daily life here. While I am ready to see family and friends in Arkansas, I am looking forward to returning to Guebwiller soon to continue life and the projects we have started.

The next step... My plan at this point is to return to France in mid-January. I still do not have a visa beyond the 3 month tourist visa. I will be sending out resumes and see what God might have planned in that direction. I feel my focus for now should remain here in Guebwiller with the school and church. I'm not sure how that will play out practically. So for now I am simply doing what I know to do and trusting God will make the next step clear. Please continue to pray that God will make a way through the visa red tape and give me/us the strategy on how to continue. (For example, if the school wanted to hire me it would be a long process where any possible French candidates would have to be eliminated before they could hire me and sponsor me for a visa.) I also need clarity or confirmation that for the time God wants me to focus on what I am currently doing. If He has another plan or something to add, I need to know. I simply want to be obedient.

The past week has brought me new friends and developed other friendships. I am seeing progress with the youngest music groups I am working with. And I have once again seen the efficiency of music as a tool to reach students at a deeper level. It's simply the tool that opens the door to being able to impart life.

The coming week is going to be BUSY. A guest speaker will be here from Mexico. He will be speaking at the school and there will be evening services on Monday and Tuesday at Eglise Josué. Our youth band will be leading worship on the Tuesday night. We are also having extra practices to prepare for the monthly worship gathering called the Tabernacle which is this Friday night. Please pray God have His way in all of these meetings and that the students will have all the strength they need for school, homework and all of the extra rehearsals and meetings.

Tomorrow I get to go to a Christmas market with the Chaubet family. I am really excited to spend time with them and see a French Christmas market with all of the lights and things that go along with it.

That's all for now. Thank you all for checking in and praying!

29 November

This week has been packed with great stuff...

Monday night I had dinner with two women, one from Germany, the other from England. Beckie is a young English woman who lives across the hall from me in the chateau and she teaches English at College Daniel. Astrid is a young German woman who teaches German and art at College Daniel. Astrid shared with Beckie and I what life was like in East Germany and her memories of when the Berlin wall came down. Astrid is a gifted teacher and I can see the purpose of God bringing her to France.

Wednesday Beckie and I went for a walk with Katya, a young Russian woman who is married to one of the French men in the church. Katya is warm and lovely. She has pointed out that we come from countries that at one time didn't like each other. It is such a God thing how we instantly have gotten along with each other, God's redemption story and the beauty of the family of God that knows no borders. Katya shared with Beckie and me about life behind the Iron Curtain and how life changed in Moscow after communism. She pointed out that the older people knew nothing else and it was normal. The change was the most difficult for them. Can you imagine having your future, until you die, decided for you by the government?

You've noticed that Beckie is mentioned twice. We do a lot together given that we live in the same place. She is in France as a part of her language studies at university in England. She had her birthday on Wednesday and a visit from parents for half of the week. She is also naturally equipped to teach as she is friendly and outgoing as well as just having a knack for dealing with students. She also sings and helps lead worship with the group of young people that I'm coaching. We are often in the home of the Pierre-Elien's and I'm sure we will have many adventures together by the end of the school year.

Thursday night after having tea at the Pierre-Elien's with Beckie and her parents, Roland, the father of famille Pierre-Elien, took his daughter, Elisabeth, and me out to eat at an Italian restaurant. We had a great time and it just seemed a happy and fitting way to observe Thanksgiving. Father and daughter both were in good form and it was fun to be with them. Roland is an evangelist with a story that would probably make a good movie. Elisabeth is also in the group of young people who lead worship. She is such a solid young lady and a delight to be around. I have learned from her peaceful and easy going nature. The future of France is bright in the hands of young people like her.

Friday night brought the anglophone celebration of Thanksgiving. There were at least 20 of us from various countries such as: England, Scotland, South Africa, and the USA. I met many new great people and we ate traditional Thanksgiving food. And of course we ate too much of it. There was a woman from South Africa there named Helen. She has been in France for 17 years. Her story greatly encouraged me and I look forward to hearing more. With her story she was reminding me that God is bigger than any government or visa red tape. She also shared with me about life in South Africa during Apartheid. She would go with a small group of friends and look at the island where Nelson Mandela was being held and pray for him.

Saturday night was the monthly Saturday meeting that takes the place of the Sunday morning service. My group of youth lead worship. (I'm going to call them my group, but really the group is theirs and I belong to them.) Worship was great. God showed up. We've been working on songs and music skills, but how do you teach anointing and deep worship. Well, how to worship in spirit and truth can be taught. But these young people come with hearts ready to worship and draw the presence of God. They were able to handle a time of extended worship both at the beginning and again at the end during a time of prayer and ministering for people. Can you tell I'm proud of them!?

Today I am staying with the Beck girls. I got to go bowling and to eat at McDonald's with the family and now the parents are gone for the evening. Tonight will be pizza for dinner. I'm having an American day in France.

In light of Thanksgiving week and learning about several different cultures I reflect upon where I am from and where I am. I am thankful for where I come from and the freedoms I know. I am thankful for where I am and the sense of destiny and purpose I have here. In short, I am content to be an American in France at this point in history.

God is on the move in the earth. Are you listening to what He's saying? Are you watching where He's going? What is your part in bringing the Kingdom of Heaven to earth? Will you pray for someone who will rise up and be a world leader and change the face of a nation or nations? Will you be the one who changes history? Will you teach the next generation about the goodness of God and impart His love so they can change their society? Will you worship God in spirit and truth and bring the presence of God? Will you welcome the nations into your home and make the foreigner feel welcome or will you go to the nations and be the stranger?

God has given us all a part to play. It will take the whole body to get it done. I am glad that you are a part of that body and that together we move forward.

Prayer requests:
I simply ask that you let the Spirit lead you to whom in this blog you might pray for. Each person or group of people are a blessing and are in need of more of God.

Please refer also to the previous blog where the requests are outlined.

God's peace and abundance in all things to you all.

*These are pics from the anglophone Thanksgiving. I'm afraid I won't get all the names correct so I will just let you enjoy the crew.

20 November

Ok, so much for shorter and more frequent blogs. My intentions were good. But hey it is absolutely perfect outside and I'm inside writing this. Do I get brownie points for that?

There is a lot going on and I am busy. However, I don't have a lot of new to add to my last blog. My time in Germany was good. The best part of it for me was getting to know the people I went with better. I was also even more aware that I am called to France. I came back loving French, the French people, and France more than ever. That's not to say I don't like Germany...but it's not France. It was a stretching weekend for me with all of the different languages being spoken. But God is in the stretching business, might as well get used to it.

Here are some important prayer needs for the school and church I'm working with:
~The school is private and while the students are charged a fee the school depends largely on the donations of others. Please pray God's financial provision for this Christian school that is imparting the goodness of God along with knowledge.
**There is a very strong spiritual battle going on in the class that is the equivalent of 6th graders in the States. The teachers are feeling the strain and are discouraged. Please pray God breakthrough for this class in their home lives as well as at school and that God encourage and give strength to the teachers.
~There is a building project to renovate rooms that were donated. Money and work teams are needed to finish the project and get students in the classrooms.
~Workers for the projects of the church. The leadership is full of vision and there are resources but laborers are needed!

Personal prayer needs:
~The right connections and understanding on the visa process and staying in France.
~God continue to sharpen and strengthen me as He sees fit.
~Continued provision. God is SO faithful! This is also a praise.
~Safe and healthy travels as I come home for the holidays.
~Wisdom on when to return to France and the provision to do so.

Thanks for keeping up with me and these requests. Would love to hear from you when you can take a minute to write a note.

**left pic: The long flat building near the middle of the picture is the part of the school that is in need of work. The four or five rooms on the left are working classrooms. The rest of the building is in the process of being finished.

**right pic: God is making a clear path for me in France. (This is from one of my walks in the vineyard on the hill close to the chateau.)

4 November

Hello, all. I am going to try and do shorter updates more often to keep people up on prayer requests and what's happening here in Guebwiller.

I just want to say again that I am loving working with the youth worship band here. It is my sweet spot: youth, worship, music, discipleship. You can definitely pray that God moves in us all to release and train up these young people. It's not just about having a good worship band. It's about finding who they are in Christ and seeing them set free into that.

God has been speaking to me as well as I walk in the center of the town about the youth there who have nothing to do and just hang around. One of the youth went with me the other day and we prayed in the place where students congregate. We are praying God will give us strategies on how to reach the lost in Guebwiller. Tomorrow, Thursday the 5th, the intercession team will make a tour of the town and pray at all of the schools. I am expecting God to really move. Please pray with us for the youth and the future of France.

I feel strongly that I need to be here in Guebwiller for at least the next year. So the next step is figuring out how to do that with visas, etc. I will begin sending out resumes soon. Please pray that God helps me make the right connections there and even more that I get some clear answers on how to get the proper visa I need. The best situation would be if I could remain in France while the visa is in process. I am going to be checking into this in the next weeks with the authorities here.

This weekend I will be going with some of the leaders to a conference in Germany. It will be with a network of churches from Germany, Switzerland, and France. They come together to share ideas and information and to support one another in reaching Europe. I hope to learn more about what God is doing in Europe and see if there might be any important connections for me. You can be praying for safe travels, health, and the will of God to be accomplished during this time. Praying into this conference is a way you can have an impact on Europe!

A HUGE praise report is that this month's support was for the funds that were missing last month plus the full amount for November!! Thanks so much for giving of your hard earned money to support what is happening here in France. I am grateful and encouraged once again that God has me right where He wants me and with your help we will make a difference in French lives and ultimately in the nation of France.

Ok, maybe not so short, but a lot of positive things are happening.

**The photo was taken from my room window this morning. There was a perfect rainbow that stretched from one hill to the other over Guebwiller. I was reminded of the promises and the faithfulness of God.

31 October

The last 2 1/2 weeks since I last wrote have brought new adventures. I have observed a few different classes, had rehearsals with two different music groups, prayed at the gates of the city, taken a quick trip to Paris to see school friends, been on a hike and walks, and have just generally settled in and gotten to know people better.

I have found from observing classes that French young people are not unlike American young people. That's not to say that there is no difference, but at the core we are all human. We want and need to be loved and respected. We receive better if the giver of information also listens, really listens. We respond well to people who are enthusiastic and passionate.

There is a group of young people that I am working with who are beginning to lead worship from time to time at Eglise Josué. They range in age from around 15 to 21. They are packed with talent and very motivated. Best of all, they have great hearts and are fun to be with. They call me their coach. Where's my whistle... Just kidding! They already know how to play and sing, so we are working to function as a team and I'm just helping to give some structure and stretch them when I can. It's great fun.

My visit with friends in Paris was great. It was so good to see people and to deepen some key relationships. I also got to see some new places in Paris. It was nice to come 'home' to the country though. For me, Paris is a great place to visit but I guess I'm just a country girl at heart.

After talking to a friend at Les Cèdres, the language school I attended last year, I realized even more the importance of what they are doing in equipping the saints to reach the francophone world. I also was reminded of the spiritual warfare that goes on there. It is a light surrounded by darkness. Those of you that are praying with me and for me please remember Les Cèdres in your prayers. Specifically pray for God to protect the school from the enemy's attacks that affect the administration, the teachers, and the students. It is an important call that they are all answering and it is being strongly contested. The French speaking world is in desperate need of the good news of Jesus and our Father's love.

There is much dreaming and scheming going on here. I will give more detail as things develop. I feel I could really be a part of the vision here in Guebwiller. My heart and skill set complement what is needed. Will you pray with me that God will make it clear where I am to go or stay next and how to accomplish that? I still need strategy on finding a job and even more so on getting a visa so I don't have to keep leaving the country frequently.

Thanks to you all for keeping up with me. I will give a list of prayer requests below. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave a comment here or send me and email!

summary of prayer requests:
~*my time in Guebwiller to be effective
-including organizing and preparing music groups
-interceding for the church and school here
~*improving my French skills
~*strategies for finding a job and getting a visa*~
~*financial support
-monthly giving was down this month


**Pictures at the top:
Anne Pierre-Elien, my guide on our hike and a powerful intercessor, in general, a real fireball. I challenge anybody to keep up with her. :)
Anne's family and the Bussiere family live on the floor below me. They have all been very warm and welcoming. Thanks for making me feel at home. Last night I got to have crepes with both families. It was loud and lively and a lot of people packed in a small kitchen. I loved EVERY minute of it.

The chateau from the vineyards on the hill. It's the brown building with pointed eaves at bottom center. The place the pic was taken is a good place to go and pray over the valley.

14 October

Greetings from Guebwiller, France.
It is so good to be back in France. I have many good things to report. I am sure I'm going to forget something, but at least this will help give you and idea of what has been happening and what will be happening. I will start with the more practical and then share my heart towards the end. (You might want to get a cup of tea or coffee for this one. :)

My first four days were spent with the Leigh family until my room became available at the chateau. I am grateful for their hospitality and time with them. I was able to take walks in the vineyards and enjoy the beauty. If you are a facebook friend check out my photos of the area and the chateau where I am living. I was told by another lady who lives in the chateau that I am now a châtelaine (lady of the manor). so fun...

Monday started with two chapel services at the Christian school that is located here at the chateau. There was a guest speaker from Honduras. He brought an inspiring message and many of the students from the youngest who are preschool age to the oldest who are about 15. He spoke in Spanish and Manuela, one of the leaders here, translated. Whew! After the whole day passed in French, the first one for me in a long time, my mind was spinning. The first day was frustrating. I began to understand what was being said fairly quickly but I felt helpless to speak.

Tuesday was better for getting things out of my mouth. I had lunch with a French family Monday and then with another French family on Tuesday. Being surrounded by the language is helping it to come back. I know I am still making a lot of mistakes but at least I'm talking!

The leaders here are keen to get me involved with intercession, which was the first thing I did on Thursday morning. The church leaders came together to welcome me and pray for me. It was a great time. They encouraged me in prayer and I felt loved and welcomed. Then I stayed to pray with the intercession team during their weekly meeting. God is really on the move here and many things are being started. There is a real need to cover this and the people here in prayer. I plan on taking many walks to explore and pray over the area too. There is also daily prayer before school for the school and the students. They really have a heart not just to educate kids but give them a chance to live a healthy life full of God.

Just a quick clarification: There is the church Eglise Josué and there is the school Ecole Daniel. Many leaders of the church are also leaders or teachers in the school. However, the church does not run the school and many of the teachers are not a part of the church. The school is a French Christian school, the largest one in France, and it is not very big. It is a very important work for the future generations of France.

With the school I hope to be involved with music. There are a couple young groups who are interested in leading worship during the Monday chapel services. The leaders have asked if I could help train them in music and playing as a group. There is also talk of other lessons or maybe a small choir. Things are still developing. I would also like to observe some classes to improve my French and to see how the French classroom operates.

I can already see that there are many things to be done and I am here for only 9 weeks total, the first one is already gone. I want to be effective and help in supporting in prayer what is happening and teaching and training where I can. Also during this time I will be sending out resumes and looking for a job teaching English so I can get a visa to work and live in France. These are all things that you could definitely pray for me and with me about.

summary of prayer requests:
~my time in Guebwiller to be effective
-including organizing and preparing music groups
-interceding for the church and school here
-looking for a job
~improving my French skills
~interceding for friends and family in other places
-the more I pray into this place, God puts others on my heart
I need to learn to balance this or learn what God is teaching me through this.
~financial support
-monthly giving was down this month and it's a bit tight right now

Now I want to share some of my heart.
I am a relational person. I am motivated most by knowing people, not projects. With just a few weeks here I've wondered how that would work. In May, God connected me with several people at the France en Feu conference and then a visit to Guebwiller. I knew I had found my French family. It is so odd to feel you instantly have a family but you don't really know them. It's a Spirit thing. That connection was quickly reaffirmed. I feel loved and accepted here. I am a part of what is happening. I haven't had much time with students here but I can already feel a tug in my heart towards them. I think God will do what He does and allow us to get to know one another quickly and work together well, not that that there won't be challenges.

I feel a closer connection to God or maybe greater freedom of access to Him than ever before. While praying in a classroom before school yesterday I was drawn to a particular desk and spent some time praying there. After the time, I asked one of the teachers, who is also one of the intercessors, who sat there. I shared what God had given me and she said it fit that student's situation. God is so cool.

I am at peace and ready to run at the same time. I am grateful for the time of preparation God has brought me through. The struggles, difficulties, and plain old hard work are paying off. I am again reminded of the scripture in Hebrews 12: No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. We all face the challenges of life. How will we respond to them? I want to be trained by them so I don't have to repeat them!

I pray you are finding God in your present situation, whether it be in the valley, on the mountain top, or on the way up. May God's richness fill you today and give you all you need and more.

**Pics at the top are of my new home.
the château
the view from my room

3 October

I'm finished!!! One more step closer to...

The month TEFL course was a lot to do in a short time, but overall a positive experience. I did well on my tests and have a feeling of accomplishment. I am now certified to teach English as a foreign language! God has been gracious to me over this month.

Another positive aspect has been getting to stay with my friends Ruth and Ralph. Their home once again has been a refuge. I have seen them a few times in the last year, but it has been a treat to get a block of time to deepen a good friendship.

I move on to Guebwiller, France on Wednesday the 7th of October. I am really looking forward to seeing friends there and getting plugged in with what God is doing there. It will be so good to be back in France. However, I know my French is rusty and it will take a little time to get it back. Then the goal is to improve for years to come. I will let you know what I am involved in after I am plugged in and know exactly what to report.

I am ready for another stage of this adventure. It has been over a year of preparation and I feel I am close to being able to be a part of what God is doing in France, however that will look.

I read this quote on the side of a church in London. I like it. It offers a bit of a challenge. Maybe it will mean something to you.

"All may have, if they dare try, a glorious life or grave."

27 September

I am looking at the last week of my TEFL course. I have A LOT of homework. However, with just one week to go and having a tough teacher for French last year in Paris (thanks, Régine) I know I can handle it. I did really well on my method test. I actually pulled an A! That's thanks to teaching experience and all of those years of teacher in-service. Now we are on to grammar. It's one thing to know what is right and a whole other thing to know why it's right and then be able to teach it to someone else. Let's just say there will be even more study and preparation for the next big test on Wednesday.

I have thought quite a bit about the love of God this week. After talking to a friend one night, I could feel God's care for me through her. Then the next day on the train I was once again aware of God's love for me. I just relaxed and enjoyed the goodness of it for a moment (taking a break from homework). Then I looked around and realized these people don't know that He loves them like this... how sad. Isn't that what we really want people to know? Don't we want to share Jesus because we want people to know that they are really and genuinely loved by the Great Lover? We all want and need to be loved. And God is the only one who gets it right 100% of the time. What a good message.

Also, I was talking with some friends from school on the topic of marriage. They had the typical view going these days. "Yes, it would be nice if marriage would last forever but people change and I don't know if my marriage would last or not." "Can you really blame someone for leaving if the other person changes or cheats?" All of us were single. Two of them have long time boyfriends. I was quiet for most of the conversation, but when I did share my opinion I was thankful for the good and godly marriages that I knew. The marriages that have survived depression and even infidelity. I could tell it was impressive to them to hear of people choosing to stay together through very difficult circumstances. So thank you to those of you who may not have a perfect marriage (does such a thing exist?) but you have chosen with God's help to be faithful.

Prayer requests:
-a good finish to this last week of TEFL training
-continued provision for the next stage
-continued good health and rest
-a safe journey to France on Oct 7
-a good transition into life in Alsace

**the picture is Waterloo Station taken from my classroom window

17 September

I am almost half way through my TEFL course and so far so good. I have taught two lessons this week and they both went well. I had forgotten how much I like to teach. I seem to forget when I haven't taught in a while. It only takes one lesson to remind me though. There is a lot of lecture, prep and work to be done but I have managed to stay on top of it all. It is a lot of teaching method, which I've had, both as a teacher and as a language student last year. God has prepared me for this course and I am grateful for it. Otherwise, it would be a little overwhelming.

My class is made up of 17 people from several different countries. The reasons they are there are as varied as the people. Our teacher is Polish. She is a ball of energy and really knows her stuff. It's been enjoyable for me to be a part of such a diverse group.

Commuting has been good. I'm definitely getting my exercise. I had a chance last Friday to check out the National Gallery. I love free museums. I realized that when I lived here 11 years ago, I always took the Tubes (subway). I missed so much of the city by being underground for my travels. So, I am hoping to walk around the central part of the city and rediscover London.

Prayer requests:

I am home sick today. (Taking this opportunity to blog.) Please pray for good health to finish this course and throughout the fall.
I will have major tests on the next two Wednesdays. Please pray I do well on my tests and the remaining 4 lessons I have to teach.
Please pray blessings, healing, and grace for Ruth and Ralph who are such kind and generous hosts to me.

**This is a picture of my school in London near Waterloo Station, Schiller International University. However, my certification will come from TEFL International.

6 September

I have safely made it to my English home. I will be here for a month. Tomorrow I start my TEFL course which will train me to teach English as a second language. I will then take my certificate and move on to Alsace, France to volunteer with a church there helping with the youth.
That's the fall in a nutshell if you hadn't heard the plan before.

So starting tomorrow, I become a London commuter. AND I'm actually looking forward to it. Crazy. I'm not much of a city girl, but the idea of catching a train each day and continuing to learn and be equipped for the next stage is exciting to me.

I am ready for a new adventure. I am starting this season of life in fullness and hope. (2 Peter 1:3) I am very grateful to God for all that He has done. The most amazing thing He has done in my life is not paying for stuff, it's not the travel, although these things are great! The most mind-blowing thing God has done in my life is that He is transforming me. He has healed me, grown me, taken me apart and put me back together. I am on more solid footing than ever before. Even when the terrain constantly shifts, I keep my balance. This is a huge change and improvement for me. This is the power of God to save. This is the power of love. This is the power of the Gospel. This is what we must share with a hurting, dying, lost world. We all need this precious Jesus that can set us free and transform us.


**This is the first buddy pic of Liviyah and me. Isn't she sweet!?

20 August

T minus 2 weeks and counting....

I can't believe it's almost time to get to the skies again. It is transition time but I am glad to say that I am more at peace during this transition than I have been in the past. That is testimony to the goodness and faithfulness of God.

It has been a wonderful summer. There have been weddings and births and lots of time with great people.

Last Friday night we had a gathering for me to share about what is going on with me. I was so blessed by the people who came. It is so encouraging to see people come together because they want to hear what's happening with you and be a part of it. The theme for the night seemed to be "we got your back." This is definitely a team effort and I'm on a great team. We're gonna win.

I am pleased to report that much of the money needed to get me back to Europe has been given. Now I just need the $1650 to pay for the rest of my TESOL course. Thanks everyone. And isn't this testimony to the faithfulness of God!

We have a newborn in our home now. Liviyah Grace Knox came to us this past weekend. And will wonders never cease, I am actually enjoying living with a baby! Those of you who know me well know this is a miracle. I am so grateful for how God puts us in family.

Kids went back to school yesterday. It was really odd to be here and not to return with them. But I know my day is quickly coming. And this time my school will be in English! I have a little better grasp on that language so maybe it won't be quite as challenging as French language school was.

As you can probably tell, things are going well with me. God has filled me with His peace. Now I can feel my spirit stirring at the thought of another adventure. There is nothing like life in Jesus. To quote Steven Curtis Chapman, "This is life like no other. This is the great adventure."

**Pictured above are my dear friends and housemates: Liviyah Grace Knox, Danny Knox, and Emily Knox.

July 31 -What's coming up...

I am home in Arkansas for July and August. This time home has been a time of rest and refreshing. It seems the personal trial of the spring has brought about the fruit of peace. It feels like going back and forth between continents will be less difficult than before thanks to the grace of God. I am reminded of Hebrews 12:11, "No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."


Here's the latest on what's coming up for me. I just registered for a TESOL (ESL) course in London, England. It is an intensive 4 week course. I will finish with a TESOL certification which will make me eligible to teach English as a second language anywhere. Of course, my goal will be France. This certification should help me in obtaining a job and a work visa.

I will then move on to a region in France called Alsace. God has connected me with wonderful believers in Alsace. I introduced you to them in my blog in May. I will be volunteering with them and will serve with the youth in their church Église Josué and in their French Christian school École et Collège Privé Daniel. I will simply aide the youth in worship and prayer and be involved in a 24/7 prayer initiative. While serving the visions of Josué and Daniel (the church and school), I will also be improving my French, deepening and making connections, and looking for job opportunities.

I am very excited about what is coming up this autumn. God has been so faithful to make things clear and provide the way.

Thanks to all of you for keeping up with me and supporting me.

Here are the websites for the church and school if you are curious and want to see where I will be going. The sites are in French.
http://eglisejosue.free.fr/
http://www.college-daniel.org/

Please pray for:
~strength and success for the intensive TESOL course in September
~continued provision
~guidance on how to find a job and get a work visa (this is a big one!)
~safe travels and good health

**The photo above is from a recent visit from a young woman I met at language school last fall. Katie (second from the right) was able to come for a couple days. On the right is Emily a long time friend who is expecting her first baby. (I am praying the baby comes before I have to leave.) Carl and Becky Hudson are on the left. All of these folks are special to me and examples of the importance of the family of God.

27 June

I made it. I finished my year at language school. I am so relieved and happy to be done. Please understand this does not mean I am fluent or I am finished learning. This is just a good place to start and really learn the language. It usually takes 2 to 3 years to really learn a new language. I am happy to say that on my final tests I scored the highest on the oral expression part. This is a complete turn around from past tests. In the past I have scored higher on the written and grammar parts of the tests and was always frustrated by the oral section or just speaking in general. This is good news because most communication with people is just talking with them. Praise God!

In the past week I had a couple other victories in speaking French. The French like to debate. We've had a few lessons on the vocabulary for this. I had dinner with some friends this week that ended up in a debate. I was able to express my opinion and even counter a couple things that were said. That was a good feeling. The other encounter was on the train on the way to the airport to leave France. Deborah was with me and we had a run-in with the porter. We did our best to argue our point but in the end we didn't win. However, we both laughed about it later and said it was good French practice and a good experience. So, now for the day I can argue my point and win...

I am happy to be on my way home. I will be in Arkansas for July and August. As of right now I still do not have concrete plans for the autumn. However, I do have ideas and I am confident that God will have me back in France in the autumn. I will share what the next step is as soon as I know it. Thank you to all of you who are praying for God to make my future clear. I continue to rest in the peace and confidence that God is preparing the way for me.

I have become aware of a work that God has done in my heart. My heart belongs to God and He is knitting it to France. The longer I stay in France the more I want to be a part of what God wants to do there. I met some missionaries in the north of France this week who have been planting a church for the last 3 years. The church now has 17 adults...3years, 17 adults. But they are not discouraged they see the mission field and even though it is slow tough work they are in it for the duration. He talked to me about how God had given them specific words for a man and he was still suspicious after it was clear that what the missionary knew was beyond what a human could just observe. I admire them. Pray for them and for God to send more workers for the harvest in the north of France. It will take dedication of the people of God but in the end I believe it will be the outpouring of the Spirit of God in France that will change a nation that has walked away and closed the door on it's spiritual roots.


**Pic #1, celebrating the end of exams with a BBQ, French style:
L to R: Règine, Saraly, Sabrina, Deborah, Cècile, Angie
**Pic #2, at the BBQ:
L to R: me, Elizabeth, Sabrina

17 June

The countdown to the end of school has begun. I am more than ready to be finished. I am so thankful for this time at language school. It has taught me so much in addition to learning French. But I am ready to be home for a time and see family and friends and have a time to rest.

The past few weeks have been interesting (don't you just love that word? it can mean so many things...). I have been exploring options for the future and each door has closed firmly. So this is where I take my own advice from the last blog and not worry about the future because God is at work. I am confident in this, God loves me and His plans for me are good. I am full of hope. So I wait...

I ask that you would pray for me in the next couple weeks for the following:
~final exams
~safe travels
~the provision to finish paying school fees and US taxes (I need about $1000 more)
~health and rest
~to be in tune to God's voice to know when to seek and when to simply wait
~grace to once again change homes, lifestyle, and leave friends

I want to brag on my FOC family and those who support me financially. I recently met an American missionary who was surprised to learn that ONE church was providing for my school costs as well as living expenses. Most missionaries have support from several churches. I was very proud of my church family and your generosity!

Thanks to all of you for your part in my adventure. God bless you for your time, resources, support, and prayers.

God is faithful!


PS A very Happy 40th Birthday to my dear friend Michelle Henry who gets more beautiful each year!!

**Les belles fille des Cèdres, mes amies et moi: L to R, Elizabeth, Lauren, Deborah, me

28 May

I just want to take a moment to share how God works behind the scenes and then "bam!" we see what He's been doing. And then, if we take the time and look, we can see how we have changed in the process of waiting.

This isn't my story, but I have a few like it. This is the story of my dear Korean friend, Deborah, who has a heart for France and ultimately the nations. She has been searching for a long time to find a university to study at and stay in France. Nothing with regards to paperwork is easy in France. The process has been difficult and discouraging. Then a couple weeks ago I just happened to go into Paris with her to check out a couple universities. The first one was inhospitable and difficult to navigate. The second however was easy to get around and the people were helpful. AND the office for exchange students was still open, unlike at the first place. I prayed she would come out of the office with specific answers to her questions. She came out of the office knowing exactly what she needed to do to apply. We both felt a weight lifted. There remains however an entrance exam to test her proficiency in French. She returned last week to turn in the necessary paperwork. There was a long line and they were all told the office was closed for lunch to leave and come back later. She waited. A man stuck his head out and repeated that she needed to leave. She waited. Two minutes later a woman came out and told her to come in. When Deborah left the office she had turned in all the papers AND after asking how to prepare for the test, the woman gave her a copy of an old test to help her study!! Let me reiterate it is unusual for people to go out of their way to help you in public settings in France. Now she is studying like crazy. Pray for her. God is in this. How has Deborah changed? I have seen her go from stressed out, worried, and fearful to full of peace and confidence. God has been speaking to her about being full of faith. She is listening.

What is your story of nothing, nothing, nothing....BOOM? How has God transformed you in the waiting time? As Manuela, a friend in Alsace, said to me this weekend, "So many times we worry, but God is working and we just don't see it yet because it's not time." So, take heart. If you aren't seeing anything yet, it's because it's not time yet. But rest assured God is at work.

8 May ~France en Feu report~

Have you ever had an experience with God that left you...transformed, healed, full of peace and rest? Well, that sums up last weekend for me at France en Feu. God was there. It's no surprise considering there were around 300 (I'm not a good judge of crowd numbers) people who worshiped for around 24 hours total throughout the weekend. There is no way I can report everything that went on in this blog. But I will give a few highlights. And thank you to all of you who prayed about France en Feu!

The speakers were American Jim Goll and Française Fabienne Pons. I was encouraged by both speakers. Fabienne is from Toulouse and shared about taking God to the streets. (I was pleased to find I understood about 90% of what she said. This is a big improvement in my French listening comprehension.) She was a great speaker who I think people can really relate to and be inspired to think, "Yes, we can live this out in daily life."

Jim talked about steps to and characteristics of revival, generations working together, and the importance of reconciliation with the Jewish people. There was a powerful time of repentance for what had happened on French soil to the Jews. Jim also shared prophetic words, visions, and dreams which were for the encouragement of the French people as a group and for individuals there. The two things that struck me the most were:

He saw major moves of God coming in Marseilles, Morocco, Tunisia and other francophone countries. He also saw major moves of God on university campuses in France with tens of thousands coming to Christ. All of this being accomplished through generations of God's people working together.

There is an involved story for the second I would like to share. I'm going to skip the long story which will lessen the impact I'm sure, but it is necessary for sake of time and space. Through a series of events Jim came to find two stamps in his bag he travels with in which he keeps his effects for preaching. He has no idea how they got there, but the Holy Spirit told him there was a surprise for him in his bag two separate times. The first time he found a framed stamp of Winston Churchill which was a reference to Churchill's quote, "Never, never, never give up!" The second time the Holy Spirit told him to look for a surprise it was the following day. He was sure he knew everything in that bag because he had to search to find the first stamp. He did however find another stamp. It was just 2 weeks before Jim would be in France. This one was of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris on September 28, 1945, "Liberation Day." As he described the stamp I began to cry. I knew where God was going with this. It's what I want to see. Jim explained God has 2 things to say to France: Never, never, never give up and a day is coming when there will be celebrating in the streets!
YES, LORD! So be it!

There is so much more to tell about what happened at France en Feu. The presence of God was thick and the people were hungry for the things of God. But it really is something you have to experience to fully understand. So I won't go on and on...

However, I do want to share something that God did for me personally. My American friends David and Angela Leigh picked me up from the airport and made the arrangements for the weekend. (Thanks again!) I can't tell you what a help this was to me. In addition I got to spend the weekend with the amazing French ladies who are a part of and lead their church. I all ready knew the Leigh's were God connections. I quickly learned that wasn't where the Alsace connection stopped. I was prayed for and welcomed into France and their hearts and lives by these wonderful women. They prayed for my destiny in France to be released. I cannot explain in words the difference this had made in my spirit and in my feeling of purpose and destiny in France. Thank you, Jesus, that you place us in family. Thank you, family of God, for opening your hearts to me.

I will post a pic of this wonderful group. They are from left to right:
Caroline, me, Hugette, Emilie, Nadia, Angela, David, Anne, and Manuela

29 April

The final trimester for me aux Cèdres has begun. It's off to a good start so far, all two days of it. I will be here until the end of June and then back to Arkansas to work on visas and details like that.

Thank you to all of you who were praying for my travels, etc. over my spring break. All went well and I had safe travels. I did end up really tired at the end, however. I just can't seem to get any real strength back. I am doing my best to take care of my physical needs while strengthening my spirit hoping it will pull my body along with it. I would really appreciate continued prayer in this area.

This weekend, May 1-3, I will be in Lyon at the France en Feu (France on Fire) conference. It is a gathering for worship and prayer for France. Pray with us this weekend that God will have His way in France. It would be great to have believers around the world in agreement with us!

This season in my life is a true mixture of trial and hope. I've never experienced this exact mix of being broken and being confident that God will have His way despite my weakness. I don't know what else to say except to ask your continued prayers for God's grace and rest in my life.

I had a couple friends say they would like to see more of photos of daily life. So I'm going to add a few photos from Massy to this blog.

top left: sunset over one of the major roadways We have to cross this bridge to get to the park where I like to walk/run.

bottom left: a photo of the sunset from that same park

top right: dans la salle de la téle (in the tv room) Each Tuesday night we like to watch Nouvelle Star, the French version of American Idol. Let's just say this show proves that music needs to remain part of the education system in the States. The French don't have music in their public schools and it shows. Watching has helped my language listening comprehension though. :)

April 17

First of all let me say I am sorry it's been almost a month since my last blog. I had the flu which took me out for a couple weeks and I have been gone. I will try to do better!

Thank you to all of you who support me financially!!! I am happy to report that April's support is enough for me to pay off the trimester I have just completed! Praise God and thank you for your faithfulness. That just leaves one more semester of school and housing to pay for which will be about $2500. That is above the monthly living costs that is all ready pledged and being giving. I am so grateful for your generosity.

Let me give you a brief summary of what's happening. I am happy to say I have recovered from the flu. It always takes so long to get over. Because of the flu I missed 1 1/2 weeks of class and the final grammar test. We are now on a 2 week spring break. I have to study and take my test before school starts again on April 27. I am also using my break to see friends and explore future possibilities.

I got some much needed sleep and rest with Ruth and Ralph in England. Ruth also introduced me to two English people who have been faithfully going to France to pray monthly for the last 3 years. It was very encouraging and I think they are important new contacts. We will see what God does there.

Tomorrow morning I go to Toulouse to visit friends, the Berrys, that I met here at Les Cèdres. Again I will be looking to see if God is pointing to Toulouse as a place to pursue living and working there.

The first weekend in May I will be going to the France en Feu (France on Fire) conference in Lyon. My friends David and Angela Leigh who live in Alsace will help me find my way around and meet new people. This is a time of prophetic prayer and worship for France. Needless to say, I am really excited to meet more of the people of God in France and see and here what God is up to around the nation.

I am doing really well in general. I would ask you to pray for me to be able to rest at school. The dorms are so noisy that I find it difficult to get the proper amount of rest.

Please pray also for the events and contacts listed above that God will make it very clear to me where and with whom to pursue my future in France.

God's peace and blessings to you all!

**The picture above is of my classmates. It is taken in the garden in front of the dorms at Les Cèdres.

25 March

Right now I'm feeling pretty good about being called to France. I was talking to a couple here who are called to an African country which they cannot name for safety's sake and anonymity. It's a great story. But if you get squeamish when God gets in our stuff and messes it all up, then maybe you don't want to finish this paragraph. The husband had a pediatric practice for 9 years. They had a nice house and were happy with their lives. The American dream... Then they went on a short term mission trip to South America. That's when God started meddling. A few trips later and after seeking and getting confirmation they are now here learning French so they can join a team in Africa that meets the practical needs of their neighbors. Living conditions are radically different from the home in the States with the dogs, etc. For example, she said that "shower" is a hole in the ground you stand over and pour your bucket water over you. And this is a communal shower shared by a few neighbors. The potty is the same sort of thing.

These people are not super heroes or even super Christians. They are ordinary believers, ordinary humans like you and me. However, they are amazing in their response to the call of God. I have so much respect for them and many others here. And it is another example of how God strengthens us and provides what we need when He calls. One must depend on Him fully when walk into the dreams of God. They are too big for us. BUT all things are possible with God. He is LIMITLESS. He is ABLE. He is our SOURCE.

Has God put a vision in your heart? Does it seem too big? Is it more than you can do? Of course it is! If it's from God, it's more than you can do. But it is not more than He can do! Submit. Surrender and watch what happens. You'll never be the same and neither will the world around you. And that my friends is what we are called to be and do, lovers of God, Kingdom builders. And on the note of you'll never be the same, that's both beautiful and terrifying. There is a cost to following God with all you are and all you have. Jesus paid the greatest price. Can we follow Him on that part of the path too? He chose the Father's will when it hurt and He didn't really want to do it. Just read the passage in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26 36-45). But He did it and it is our life.

So, maybe it sounds like I have it figured out. HA! These are things God has been speaking to me through what I read, who I talk to, the movies I watch. In other words, I need a lot of teaching and reinforcement.

Onto another note: Margaret and Becky are working on some cool fundraisers for me. Those of you at FOC and the Russellville area might keep an eye out for them and/or talk to these ladies and see if you might want to help. The money raised will go toward my tuition and housing costs.

Thanks to all of you who read this and pray and support me. I need all you do!


Please pray for:

~encouragement daily from the Holy Spirit. I must have the presence of God with me and in me! (Don't we all need this?)

~guidance on what to do after school in June. -where I am to go in France -what I am to do there -who I am to do it with (I am starting to look into a couple things, but nothing to really speak about yet.)

~grace to handle the work load and not burn out physically and mentally.

~provision.

March 13

You know when a song stirs something in you the first time you hear it? "Where You Go, I Go" by Brian and Jenn Johnson is the most recent song to do that for me. It simply talks about the fact that Jesus did and said only what He saw and heard the Father doing and saying. And the song declares to God, "Where you go, I go. What you say, I say. And what you pray, I pray." I'm letting this work itself into my spirit. It's what I want to do. Now to get on with it...

I've been back at school for two weeks now. I'm back into the rhythm of it. I am still adjusting, fine tuning if you will. It is so tiring to be immersed in a foreign language. I am doing well in my class. I am just where I need to be with grammar but find listening a struggle still at times. This is natural I think. But that doesn't stop me from getting frustrated. Perfectionism is not my friend.

This semester is very different from the last one. The school and dorm are very full. This is a good thing. It means more people with a heart to reach the French speaking world. For me, it means a lot of new people, less personal space and a noisier dorm. I suppose that is part of the reason I am still adjusting, the familiar mixed with the unfamiliar.

I would ask all of you to pray for encouragement for me and the students here. I talked and prayed with a precious friend the other night who also feels the strain. Here are some of the thoughts we share: ~This is hard. Can I really learn this language well enough to then live and work or study at university in France? ~How do I do my school work and do what's needed to prepare for the future at the same time? ~Am I crazy to think God really wants me to reach a people/the nations? ~Why can't I just be normal? (The last one makes me smile. We would never be content with 'normal.' Nothing but Jesus will satisfy.)

As with believers anywhere doing anything that know who they are and what God wants them to do, the enemy doesn't want us to fulfill that which God has called us to do. So he sends discouragement in many forms. I have been told that people have been so discouraged learning the language that they have given up their calling completely and gone home to do something else. I am not at that point. Grâce à Dieu. But I am fighting discouragement. And a student shared about that discouragement at chapel today. So, we the students of Les Cèdres, could use your prayers.

I would also ask you to scroll down to the bottom of the last post and continue to pray for the things listed there.

Thank you for taking your time to read this and pray for me. Prayer changes things. Your prayers are a source of great strength and encouragement for me!

**The picture above is me with Becky and Carl Hudson. These wonderful people take care of me. I couldn't do what I'm doing without them. Thanks to you both!!

March 3

The music swells, the tempo quickens and my feet shuffle to the beat. The continental dance continues...

I'm back at Les Cèdres. I have been to two days of class. I am happy to report that I was able to return to my old class. I turned in my tests and was taken in by Régine. So far so good. Mme. Freeman has me prepared for the grammar, and with a little time my ears and mouth will get used to French immersion again. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for me to do well on my tests and return to my class!

I was so happy to be in Paris again. It's just...right. That's not to say that it's not an adjustment or without it's challenges. I am far away from many special people. But God is faithful. It helps so much that I have good friends here. And God keeps reminding me to take it one step at a time and make time for Him. Isn't it funny how easily we forget the value of time with Him, being still, partaking of the Word. It centers me, strengthens me, fills me...

Christie and Andy's wedding was beautiful, moving and meaningful. It was a joy to be able to spend time with her preparing for the day and then being a part of it. I am so grateful for having been able to be there for such a special time in her life. **above is a picture of the happy couple and one of me with the bride.

I was also able to spend a couple days with my dear friends Ruth and Ralph Somerville on my way to France. They are the dear people who housed me for 9 months years ago when I lived in England. I can't imagine what life would be like if they hadn't agreed to let me stay with them while I was on DNA. They are a wonderful life relationship and a valuable connection to Europe. God bless them generously for all they've given to so many who have found respite in their home!

I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. Hopefully, I will get into a routine now and be back to a weekly basis. Thanks as always to those of you who take your time to read this and keep up with me. It is encouraging to know you are thinking of and praying for me.

Please pray for:

~encouragement daily from the Holy Spirit. I must have the presence of God with me and in me! (Don't we all need this?)

~guidance on what to do after school in June. -where I am to go in France -what I am to do there -who I am to do it with

~grace to handle the work load and not burn out physically and mentally.

~provision. I am ok for living expenses from monthly giving, but it is going to be a challenge to get tuition and housing paid off by June.

February 10

T minus two weeks and counting....

My two France sharing nights went really well. Thanks to everyone who made it and made it special. I was really encouraged by the support and the prayer times. It has helped to prepare me to return full and full of faith to France.

It's crunch time. I am still keeping up with my studies while getting last minute things done to return (like taxes, oh joy) as well as last minute prep for the wedding. It's busy.

I am so thankful for the time I have had at home. God has been good. And now I begin to turn toward France once again while keeping my head in the game here.

I am reading a couple books that are inspiring and challenging me. "Living as a People of Hope" by Jeff Fountain. It's a look at the people of God getting a vision and hope for Europe in the new millennium. I was moved to tears by the realization that the church, the people of God, are irrelevant to those looking to shape the future of Europe. This must change!

The other book is "The Irresistible Revolution" by Shane Claibourne. He issues a challenge by the life he lives to be followers of Jesus on a daily, real, and gut level. Good stuff. I recommend both books.

Please pray that God will raise up His people in Europe/France and give them a strategy to reach the lost and help shape society.

And pray that God will add to the people of God by sending believers who will go but especially by multiplying those that are becoming believers and being discipled in France and Europe.

Please pray for me that God will keep me healthy and help me get prepared to return to France in two weeks.

Please pray for continued provision, especially with tuition and housing costs coming due this spring.

Thanks so much for your support and prayers!!

**The picture above is Mme. Freeman, my wonderful tutor.

January 27

I can't believe it's just 4 short weeks until I get to return to Paris. As always the time is just flying by.

This past weekend I spent time with my dear friends as we celebrated with my friend Christie who is soon to be wed. I have known these young women since they were 16 and now there is a baby on the way and an upcoming marriage. It is good to see how God grows and matures us. They are beautiful and faithful women of God.

This Saturday, January 31st and the following Saturday, February 7 at 6:30 at FOC we will be having times for people to come and hear about what God has been doing with me in France and what is coming up. I hope those of you who are in the area and available will come. I will share pictures as well as stories and we will have refreshments. I am looking forward to seeing those who can make it and sharing my heart. We will also have a time of worship led by Allie and CJ. I am really looking forward to that. We want God to show up and be with us. Come ready!

My studies are coming along. I think with some work I will be able to catch up with my class when I get back to Les Cèdres. The biggest draw back to being here is being surrounded by English all the time. But Mme. Freeman and I seem to be keeping up with my class assignments from France.

God is filling me up and stretching me out. It is a good season. I ask you, like I am asking myself, how big do we dare to dream...

All things are possible with God.

January 18

Get ready, folks. I usually shield you from my circular thinking by planning out what I'm going to say before I start... Well, not today. So here are my random thoughts. Hope they come out somewhat understandable... :)

Do you play on a team? Work on a team? Have a team in place to help you live life? Well, as for the last one, if you don't have a team in place to help you live life, GET ONE! They may be your family. It may be your friends. It may be your classmates or workmates. Odds are it's a combination of all of these. They are the people who get through daily life with you. They see you at your best and worst...and still love you. They are the encouragement that made everything better. They are the truth that stung but lead to freedom. They teach you, care for you, play with you, pray for you, sharpen you, cheer for you, correct you, and always love you even when they don't necessarily like you at a particular moment. This is the core team. There are always those wonderful people who enter out lives for a season or a particular purpose and move on. They are valuable. God brings them into our lives to accomplish His purpose in our lives. There are always the team members who are the support team or enjoy playing the game with us and we love them. They are valuable. God enriches our lives with them. But it's the core team who shapes us, motivates us, and keeps us going. Who is speaking into your life? Who is helping to knock off the rough edges? Who is there to pick you up when you fall? Who believes in you and helps you believe? Who is it? Who are they? Because that core team doesn't need to be big, but it does need to be more than one person. We are made for community. I am blessed to have a wonderful team. Thank you, God.

Part II:

This past week I went to Danville High School to visit all my former students and friends. It was a wonderful time to see everyone and reconnect. While I was there I got to speak to the Jr. High FCA (a student Christian organization). It is made up of 7th and 8th graders. I issued a call to be available to God like Isaiah was when he said, "Here am I. Send me." I was really encouraged by the response. One student raised their hand to receive salvation for the first time! And all but 2 or 3 raised their hands in response to the call to be available to God for whatever He would ask them to do. So I prayed for them. I was so encouraged by their response and I really could feel the presence of God with us. One of the students has since emailed me and told me how he and his friend had been encouraged and gave me examples of how he had all ready reached out to others to help them! God is so faithful.

In this season I am feeling lead to issue a call, especially to young people, but to all people to understand that God has a plan and a destiny for them. Now the fact that Carl came up with the name "Clarion Call" for me is making even more sense. It is my heart to see people overcome the things that hold them back and be released into freedom. If we can understand how much God loves us and that He chooses to use His people, we will begin to believe He can use us and we will want to make ourselves available to Him for whatever He dreams up.

January 11

Hello from beautiful Arkansas. It is nice to be home. I didn't realize how much I missed the sun and stars! So being home in the "Natural" state has been a treat. Of course the best part is being with family and friends. God has been filling my 'tank' with good fellowship and people pouring into me. I am blessed.

I have been home for three weeks now. I spent most of the first two weeks sleeping! It was much needed and appreciated. My time started out with a bang with my dad having chest pains and going to the emergency room the day after I arrived. He ended up at the Heart Hospital in Little Rock and had a stint put in an artery that was 95% blocked the next day. We had him home in time for Christmas Eve dinner. I am so thankful for God's grace and the medical technology we enjoy. I quickly understood why God changed my plans to have me home for the holidays. And I am happy to report that my dad has been feeling stronger each day since then. Praise God! And thanks to all of you who were praying for him.

I have a lot to process. It was really intense the first two weeks home, especially since I was so exhausted. I have begun a dance between two continents that was prophesied to me ten years ago by my pastor, Wayne Drain. He said he saw me with a foot on each continent and I was dancing back and forth like I had a dual citizenship for a time. Sounds cool, exciting, and romantic, huh? Well, one doesn't anticipate the stretching and tug of war that goes on in one's heart. I now have two places, and even more emotionally attaching, people in both places that I love. And I am confident as I spend more time in France the attachments will grow.

I began French lessons with Mme. Freeman this week. She is so generous with her time. I am so grateful to have such a good teacher available to me as I would fall behind with my studies otherwise. My other 'duty' while in Arkansas is to help and support a dear friend as she prepares to marry a wonderful godly man. I am staying busy between the two.

I will return to school at Les Cèdres in France at the end of February. I plan to attend the final two trimesters and will be there until the end of June. I look forward to returning to France. I am still confident that God has called me to France and I am doing my best to lean into this time of training. After language school I am uncertain of where God will send me and how He wants me to serve. But I am certain that He will make it clear in time.

Please pray for me that:

this time at home will continue to be a time to rest and be restored.

my French studies will be productive.

God will help me process and prepare for what He is calling me to do.

provision for tuition and living costs.

God will make clear the next steps after June.



**The picture above is my lovely family on Christmas Eve.**