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.