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. :)