It's that time again...

So, this coming Wednesday our summer interns arrive. Very exciting! But this also means that in just a few days we start the JV Intern Race. For those of you who don't know, it's basically our own version of that show, the Amazing Race, where we have each JV intern team travel across Czech doing different challenges and what not until they reach the final destination, Malenovice, where intern training is. That was probably a run on sentence.

Anyhow, I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with the Intern Race. You see, 2 years ago, when I was an intern, I had to go through this, and lets just say I was the only one of all 50 or so people that cried during the race. Yep, I was that girl. The tears culminated after one unreadable astronomical clock, a twisted foot, us getting extremely lost, more walking than should be humane (on my twisted foot), a meal of grotesque cheese and onions, and me slipping down a muddy bank. Falling down in the mud is what pushed me over the edge... I was just done after that. And what is amazing is that I have my little breakdown caught in photos, thanks to the paparazzi, also known as Gavin Desnoyers.

Pre-Fall: Laughing it up with Amy


The Fall: Just before I had literally said, "I'm probably going to fall down this, and when that happens, I'm probably going to cry..."


Post-Fall: We had to raft down this river. If you look, you can totally see that I'm crying. Classic.



Earlier I wrote that I had a love/hate relationship because although I desperately hated being lost, and my feet felt like they should be amputated, I arguably laughed more during these 3 days than any other time in my life. So, I'm really hoping that this year I have all the laughs, minus the throbbing pain in my feet and the lame tears.

Oh, and just so you know, 2 years ago my team came in dead last by hours. Impressed? You should be.

Timing...

As I continue to live over here in SK, I'm becoming more and more aware of the fact that God really does have perfect timing.

Many of you know that these past 15 months have fallen very far from what my expectations of this life would be. For example, the day I moved to SK my closest friend here, Amy, told me that she would be moving back to the States in just 6 weeks. Shocker to say the least. And since then the hits have just kept coming. The most recent being the departure of Paige. Paige was not only a dear friend for me, but she was my support system, my family here in Slovakia.

Anyhow, I'm not trying to get into a sob story here. I actually want to communicate how amazing God has been throughout it all. I have been broken over here, broken and left to get completely real with God. And it has been phenomenal. I wouldn't change any of it. I've learned that no matter what happens, God will always fill what my true needs are, and that is something I pray that I never forget.

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A couple weeks ago we had the Josiah Venture Spring Conference. It was a week after Paige had left, and it proved to be exactly what I needed. At the conference I was able to connect with the other single females serving throughout Eastern Europe, which was such a great reminder that I am in no way alone on this journey. I have an amazing community that God has given me, and even if it isn't in my city or country, it is there. And it is very good.

My JV Family


Some of my girls: (L to R)
Leah (Czech), Brittney (Ukraine), Jaycee (Latvia), Katka (Czech), Me, DU (Romania)

It's a must...

Well, it's safe to say that somebody - me - has been a little slack on their blog. Actually, I'll be surprised to know if anyone is still reading this thing. BUT, for those of you who are, you'll be glad to know that I am determined to revive this thing! I must bring new life to LT in SK!!! So, here we go...