First 6 Days...

How does a person describe the confusion of being thrown into a situation that is completely different than what is normal? Trying to describe what these past few days has been like is a lot harder than I thought it would be. Normally words come easily to me so bear with me as I attempt (about 7th time..) to write what it has been like.

I feel like one giant, ongoing anomaly. I feel like I haven't even left Canada yet at the same time I know that I am across the ocean. Maybe it's the fact that about 50% of the people here are Canadian or that I have been able to talk to my friends who are at home. It seems like I could just hop in a car and drive to church or back to my house... It's so strange to me. 

So far I have successfully completed a 10km walk with no socks in Birkenstock's (blisters!!!!), a church service very different from home, a day full of orientation, and being hungry every time I go to sleep. It has made for an amazing week. Finding a new routine has left me so exhausted that I have been going to bed at 10:30 almost every night (so strange...). I kind of want that to change and it might as I settle in more and more every day. I have to read 44 chapters from the Bible in order to finish it in the time that the school requires, which isn't hard but being told what to read took a bit of fighting the rebellious tendencies that I have. Anyways... the internet is going to shut off soon so I have to wrap this up :) 

I miss home but I love it here and I trust the God has me here for a reason and I am happy to see what He does with me while I am here. 

Missing the Train~The First Few Days

Sovereign by Chris Tomlin is definitely my theme song for the last few days. Flying across the world by myself; missing my train in Stockholm and then running to a bank late at night in a small town on my way to Vetlanda definitely made me thankful that I know a God who is in control.

Through the whole journey I have felt God's hand in everything. From super friendly custom guys in Iceland to the many people helping me with my huge suitcases on and off trains. Even by causing the ticket guy to give me my new ticket for free when they never do that (he made it clear that he normally wouldn't give out free tickets because of missed trains). Also, He has kept me from getting overwhelmed by the language difference and missing my train (which caused me to take a bus late at night...): He has been very faithful.

I was listening to a Francis Chan sermon a few weeks before I left and in it he was talking about how he knew God loved him because the Bible said but also because God would answer even his smallest prayers. Prayers that weren't really even prayers but mutterings of his heart like wanting a better golf club but refusing to buy one because he didn't think a golf club was more valuable than helping someone else. God then chose to bless him with a better golf club at his next speaking engagement. He went on to say that since he has been "seeking the kingdom of God above all else" he has seen how faithful God is. I have always seen His faithfulness but this summer and on this trip, I have seen His hand in more things than ever before.

This doesn't mean that I won't encounter difficulties, because I did, but that when they present themselves I can trust that God will provide a way through them. It has nothing to do with my worthiness but completely because He chose me for Himself. Now I just have to trust that He will provide the friends that I will need to do what He has called me to do while I am here.