in 40 hours, i will get on a plane and begin my journey to Budapest
in 40 hours, I will begin the journey I've been praying for, raising funds for, working for, hoping for, rejoicing for, crying for, waiting for...
in 40 hours, I will be leaving my home that i have grown to love and live in comfortably
in 40 hours, I will say goodbye to my family and my closest friends through tears and heartbreak and breakdowns, trusting that God is in control and will be watching over them every day
in 40 hours, everything that i have not packed will be left behind and be outside of my control (for the most part).
in 40 hours, I will take another step on the path that God has laid out for me from the beginning.
Hallelujah!
ps - i'm scared.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Prayer Request
Dear friends,
I have an urgent-ish prayer request. Yesterday began a 7-day process of Typhoid vaccine and I'm not a very good sick person.
Without going into too much detail, it's quite literally kicking my butt.
It's a live vaccine and there are some side effects that are quite normal, but I never thought they'd be this serious.
I haven't been able to keep much food down and I feel like I'm about die. I'm afraid to leave my beautiful bathroom and it's been quite a struggle to find motivation to clean/pack/sort/be productive with all this going on.
Please pray that the side effects subside or the next week is going to be extremely difficult. Thank you!
Love,
Trazy
I have an urgent-ish prayer request. Yesterday began a 7-day process of Typhoid vaccine and I'm not a very good sick person.
Without going into too much detail, it's quite literally kicking my butt.
It's a live vaccine and there are some side effects that are quite normal, but I never thought they'd be this serious.
I haven't been able to keep much food down and I feel like I'm about die. I'm afraid to leave my beautiful bathroom and it's been quite a struggle to find motivation to clean/pack/sort/be productive with all this going on.
Please pray that the side effects subside or the next week is going to be extremely difficult. Thank you!
Love,
Trazy
Monday, August 17, 2009
What It's About
Father of all, you sent your Son to carry out your mission of redeeming the world.
Today, many still have not heard his message of truth and love. Our world is torn by war and conflict, by poverty and injustice.
Let the light of your Gospel of love so shine in the world that it may be transformed into a worthy home for all your children of every race and country.
Bless all missionaries throughout the world that their work may bear fruit.
Together with them, may we too share in the missionary work of the whole Church that your Kingdom of justice, love and peace may come in all hearts and in all nations.
Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes,
all my own desires and hopes,
and accept Your will for my life.
I give myself, my time, my all,
to You to be Yours forever.
Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit.
Use me as You will,
send me where You will,
work out Your whole will in my life at any cost,
now and forever.
Amen
This isn’t about me.
This isn’t about easy.
This isn’t about who I am
Or what I’ve done.
This isn’t about running to or from
Anything
Or anyone.
This isn’t about what I leave behind
This isn’t about what I know
Or what I don’t know.
This isn’t about duty
Or dreams
Or goals of any kind.
This isn’t about Hungary
This isn’t about Vorosmarty School
This isn’t about St. Columba’s Church
This isn’t about me.
This is about peace
This is about justice
This is about love
This is about equality and rights
This is about God’s people.
This is about God.
This is about a call
A deaf ear that listened
And obeyed.
This is about the God that saved
Even me from the lion pit
Pulled me up
And out of it
This is about the God that walked
Through the fires of the furnace
Holding my hand
Guiding me
Showing me the way
This is about the God that spoke
Separating light from darkness
Providing for my future
And my past
This is about the God that brought us
All to this place
At this very moment in time
To share, to laugh, to smile
To cry, to mourn
To walk forward together in faith
This is about the God that sent His Son
His only Son
Who was greater than me
Greater than you
And allowed His light to shine
God’s missionary
Chosen, sent, died
Rose again!
And it’s for His life, I go.
This is about a God
That created the world in 6 days
Took a day to break and enjoy
Then went back to work
This is about a God whose heart
Was broken for me and my sin
Whose heart was broken for you
Whose heart still breaks for the Roma
Whose heart remains
Here in Home Acres
This is about a God who’s got your back
He knows your plans
They’re His perfect will
He knows your grief
He knows your sorrow
But He also knows the great plans
That are in store for my life
And your life, too.
This is about God.
Don’t forget this.
Today, many still have not heard his message of truth and love. Our world is torn by war and conflict, by poverty and injustice.
Let the light of your Gospel of love so shine in the world that it may be transformed into a worthy home for all your children of every race and country.
Bless all missionaries throughout the world that their work may bear fruit.
Together with them, may we too share in the missionary work of the whole Church that your Kingdom of justice, love and peace may come in all hearts and in all nations.
Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes,
all my own desires and hopes,
and accept Your will for my life.
I give myself, my time, my all,
to You to be Yours forever.
Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit.
Use me as You will,
send me where You will,
work out Your whole will in my life at any cost,
now and forever.
Amen
This isn’t about me.
This isn’t about easy.
This isn’t about who I am
Or what I’ve done.
This isn’t about running to or from
Anything
Or anyone.
This isn’t about what I leave behind
This isn’t about what I know
Or what I don’t know.
This isn’t about duty
Or dreams
Or goals of any kind.
This isn’t about Hungary
This isn’t about Vorosmarty School
This isn’t about St. Columba’s Church
This isn’t about me.
This is about peace
This is about justice
This is about love
This is about equality and rights
This is about God’s people.
This is about God.
This is about a call
A deaf ear that listened
And obeyed.
This is about the God that saved
Even me from the lion pit
Pulled me up
And out of it
This is about the God that walked
Through the fires of the furnace
Holding my hand
Guiding me
Showing me the way
This is about the God that spoke
Separating light from darkness
Providing for my future
And my past
This is about the God that brought us
All to this place
At this very moment in time
To share, to laugh, to smile
To cry, to mourn
To walk forward together in faith
This is about the God that sent His Son
His only Son
Who was greater than me
Greater than you
And allowed His light to shine
God’s missionary
Chosen, sent, died
Rose again!
And it’s for His life, I go.
This is about a God
That created the world in 6 days
Took a day to break and enjoy
Then went back to work
This is about a God whose heart
Was broken for me and my sin
Whose heart was broken for you
Whose heart still breaks for the Roma
Whose heart remains
Here in Home Acres
This is about a God who’s got your back
He knows your plans
They’re His perfect will
He knows your grief
He knows your sorrow
But He also knows the great plans
That are in store for my life
And your life, too.
This is about God.
Don’t forget this.
I am crucified with Christ, yet I live!
i am tired.
yesterday was a looong day - full of goodbyes, tears, laughter, joy, sorrow...
my last day at Home Acres for the next year is over.
I will miss that place most of all, i think.
They have truly become my second family - always surrounding me with love and enveloping me with their friendship, kindness and peace of mind.
Saying goodbye to the youth group last night was so surreal.
Kevin and Nick planned this amazing reverse mystery trip.
You see, throughout the year, we take high school students on 'mystery trips' and usually I'm the only one that knows where we're going. Well, last night, I was the only one that "didn't" know where we were going. Some people let it slip, but it was amazing and I truly had a BLAST shooting people and getting shot myself. What a way to end such an amazing ride. I can't wait to come back to those kids.
And now it's time to focus on friends. I have given myself the next two week and a half to say goodbye to some of the greatest people i know - my friends. so much of my focus has been on getting ready and whatnot, that I've neglected one of my friends and i feel terribly, but i also know that our friendship will be the hardest one to which I'll say "see you later."
I received an amazing gift from Vriesland Reformed Church in Zeeland - $2,100.
That puts me at about $10,000. I'll have the official numbers later in the week. YAY! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!
yesterday was a looong day - full of goodbyes, tears, laughter, joy, sorrow...
my last day at Home Acres for the next year is over.
I will miss that place most of all, i think.
They have truly become my second family - always surrounding me with love and enveloping me with their friendship, kindness and peace of mind.
Saying goodbye to the youth group last night was so surreal.
Kevin and Nick planned this amazing reverse mystery trip.
You see, throughout the year, we take high school students on 'mystery trips' and usually I'm the only one that knows where we're going. Well, last night, I was the only one that "didn't" know where we were going. Some people let it slip, but it was amazing and I truly had a BLAST shooting people and getting shot myself. What a way to end such an amazing ride. I can't wait to come back to those kids.
And now it's time to focus on friends. I have given myself the next two week and a half to say goodbye to some of the greatest people i know - my friends. so much of my focus has been on getting ready and whatnot, that I've neglected one of my friends and i feel terribly, but i also know that our friendship will be the hardest one to which I'll say "see you later."
I received an amazing gift from Vriesland Reformed Church in Zeeland - $2,100.
That puts me at about $10,000. I'll have the official numbers later in the week. YAY! Praise God from whom ALL blessings flow!
Saturday, August 8, 2009
meditation for the day
*stolen from a blog I read a long time ago - my apologies - i didn't intend to repost it, so i didn't save the info on who wrote it... but i've been meditating on it a lot lately.
indulge in the Word with me, will you?
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:22-27). How often do we ignore this instruction, myself included? So many of us wander through life wondering what God's purpose is for us, wondering what his call is for our lives, and not doing anything while we're waiting, for fear that it may not be God's will for us. If I may be so bold, I'd like to suggest that this is his call specifically for your life. "Do not merely listen to the word.... Do what it says." Just because we don't have that one thing that we feel God is leading us towards doesn't mean we can be active for Christ and for his kingdom until we do find that one thing.
indulge in the Word with me, will you?
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world" (James 1:22-27). How often do we ignore this instruction, myself included? So many of us wander through life wondering what God's purpose is for us, wondering what his call is for our lives, and not doing anything while we're waiting, for fear that it may not be God's will for us. If I may be so bold, I'd like to suggest that this is his call specifically for your life. "Do not merely listen to the word.... Do what it says." Just because we don't have that one thing that we feel God is leading us towards doesn't mean we can be active for Christ and for his kingdom until we do find that one thing.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Arrival date announced!
I will be leaving Grand Rapids on August 31st at 4:30p.
i'm excited/nervous/pumped/worried/ready/not ready/sad/happy... all at the same time.
humans should not be able to feel this many emotions at once - it's so confusing!
...
leaving at 413p on August 31st, arriving at 2p on September 1st
31AUG GRAND RAPIDS MI 413P
CHICAGO-OHARE 407P
CHICAGO-OHARE 715P
ZURICH 1100A (Sept. 1)
ZURICH 1230P
BUDAPEST 200P
i'm excited/nervous/pumped/worried/ready/not ready/sad/happy... all at the same time.
humans should not be able to feel this many emotions at once - it's so confusing!
...
leaving at 413p on August 31st, arriving at 2p on September 1st
31AUG GRAND RAPIDS MI 413P
CHICAGO-OHARE 407P
CHICAGO-OHARE 715P
ZURICH 1100A (Sept. 1)
ZURICH 1230P
BUDAPEST 200P
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