On a journey...

As I was walking through the city today I was thinking about how it’s so different to live here from when I was visiting last year. I thought it would be a challenge to not get tempted to go out for coffee every day, yet I realise that I so enjoy going out for coffee, but it’s not part of my daily routine, and it doesn’t have to be. When I do meet friends for coffee it’s that much more special and appreciated. This week has been like a rollercoaster. I’ve had ups and downs. But God’s grace is sufficient, always enough for everything I go through. I am feeling the weight of responsibility for Shine. I know that God has put me as leader, and I know that He has equipped me. But I am being stretched and challenged, and pushed into depending on Him. I can’t do it on my own, and I’m not meant to. I’m meant to use my giftings and who He’s made me, but I’m meant to depend not on myself, but on Him. Depend on His wisdom which is perfect, and His strength that never fails, and on His communi...

It’s nearing midnight and I just can’t seem to get to sleep. Maybe (just maybe) it has something to do with several very large cups of tea I’ve had this evening. But maybe not. I don’t know why, but I know I am not sleepy at all. I guess I might as well write a wee update on my blog. Maybe reading my own words will tire me out. And I’ve put on some soaking music which is very soothing also. Well it’s been a good, though also challenging week. Culture shock is starting to hit and I had several moments of feeling really overwhelmed. It’s challenging to be in a new city. And although I have so many lovely people around me, I still feel very new to this place. So many different details I don’t know that I didn’t know I needed to know. And although I’m living right in the middle of the city and don’t ever need to travel very far, everything seems to take so much longer than I anticipate. But I’ll get used to it. Trying to make good buffers as I plan my time and trying to give myself...

Friday I woke up to snow. A thick layer of white snow covered the city and it snowed pretty heavily throughout the day. And the snow is still there, although a lot of it has turned into grey slush where it’s been salted. The photo is the view from my living room window. It was nice to walk outside today. I love the feeling of compacted snow beneath my feet and I love that everything looks so clean when covered in snow. I am slowly getting settled. I think I came wanting to be fully settled in from day one, and I am realising that these things do take time and that I need to allow the time to get to that place. This week started off super-busy, but I think in time I’ll find a good pace. Yesterday evening I went to a Brazilian church and it was so lovely to be somewhere where I understood everything that was said. It was so nice to hear Portuguese spoken and to get a little “taste” of something familiar, reminding me of one of my “homes”. I can’t wait till I get a grasp of Dutch...

Three days in and it’s been a bit of a whirlwind coming back. In many ways it’s been easier than I thought it would be, but I know that culture shock has yet to hit me and that there are going to be tough adapting times ahead. But I’ll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now it’s good that it doesn’t feel so hard. Although I am already feeling “rushed”. Somehow the past days have just gone and I really want to have time to really be aware of life and the people I’m connecting with and Jesus as I go through the days. I’ve been reading John 15 a lot the last months. And one thing that really struck me was the verse where it says to abide in Him but that He also abides in me. And the realisation that He is so close. And that He is always available, which is kind of obvious, but I want to be more aware of the reality of that. That He is actually really present with me at all times and that I can ask Him questions and communicate with Him even when I’m on the go. This morning I read...