A month has passed already?!

So I bet you all think that I've been back in Melun for a week now... Ha! Tricked you! I just got back on Saturday evening! What started out being a 2, maaayyyybbeeee 3 week, stay in Toulouse turned into a 4 week stay, and I must say that I enjoyed it. I already miss my little family there but I know that it was not the last time I will see them or be in Toulouse. As I had mentioned in previous posts, I was suppose to ride back to Melun with the group from Canada 2 Saturdays ago... but alas, there were some complications with that (they were given a smaller rental van than what they had requested and then there were some lodging issues for my return, etc) so I stayed in Toulouse for another week and took the train back Saturday. We still went to Bordeaux that Saturday for the youth service and to spend some time with the group from Canada. It was a great night and I absolutely loved Bordeaux! It is an incredibly beautiful city and the drive there was breathtaking! Vineyards on both sides of the road and rolling hills, with a random old castle/fortress thing on the side of one of the hills... pretty much everything you dream of when you think of Southern France and wine country. I didn't get any pics of the trip there but here's a few of Bordeaux:

Oh yes and then there was me with the reenactment soldiers ;) lol!!! 

I got my first taste of translating that night and let me tell you it was terrifying! The youth leader asked me to translate from French to English for the Canadians. I agreed to do it if I could stay in my seat and just turn around and translate for them. That was fine and dandy and going well until the 2nd row said that they couldn't hear me..... soooo alas I had to use a microphone. 2 people sitting by me agreed to help me if I got stuck. Everything went well for the first 4 or 5 translations and then I got stuck halfway through a sentence, so Dina and Tim helped me out... well after that every time the youth leader would say something Dina and Tim would automatically start translating it for me, so I was trying to listen to Jeremie, translate it myself and then hear what they were both saying and it was too confusing and distracting so we ended up having Toky take over and translate the rest of it. I was proud of myself for even doing it though. It was really intimidating because there were a lot of people in the room that knew English and French so if I messed up they would know! Translating is hard, especially when you weren't expecting to have to do it and aren't 100% fluent! I am completely comfortable translating one on one or like when I was turning around and saying it to the 2 rows behind me because not every one can hear you and so if you mess up or skip something no one will be the wiser lol!

Saturday I started the journey back to Melun. I took the train and in order to get a cheap price I took the train that stopped in like 5 different cities, therefore taking 7 hours to get to Paris....but I was in first class soooo it was a sleeper car with "beds". I was in an upper berth and was able to sleep off and on the whole way there and be nice and comfortable. It was an uneventful ride (thank goodness) and when I got to Paris I took a nice 10 minute walk from one train station to another, and from there caught the direct train to Melun (look at me just knowing how to navigate my way around lol!). I hadn't realized how much I missed Paris until I took that little walk. It was soooo good to be back! Something about Paris just makes me feel alive and completely happy. I never get scared of getting lost because for whatever reason I find the city easy to navigate and am totally comfortable wandering around whether it's by myself or with friends. Anyways, so I left Toulouse at 10:45 am and pulled into Melun at 6:45 pm. The next morning, Sunday, was of course church. It was great to be back and see all those familiar, smiling faces. They were short on praise singers so Justin asked me to fill in, so I did. Praise singing in French is probably one of my new favorite things :) I ended up singing that night as well...which was fine with me. I'm here to work/help, so let's work! After the evening service I went out with some of the young people and watched the final game in the World Cup...sadly Germany won, but I have to hand it to them, they were the better team. So as much as I hate to say it, congrats Germany.

Now the new and latest adventure is Copenhagen! I fly out tomorrow afternoon and will be attending my first ever Because of The Times conference! I love how I have never gone to one in the USA but they hold the very first one ever in Europe and I go lol! I just finished checking in for my flight online and just need to pack my bag today and then I will be all set! I am a little nervous (traveling by myself always makes me a little anxious....there's just so many things that could go wrong lol!) but am also very excited! It's going to be 3 days of amazing sessions and services and can't wait to see what God is going to do! I'm flying completely solo on this trip (literally... the flight, the hotel... everything lol! I'm staying at a diff hotel from everyone else I know) so I'm thanking the Lord above that most people in Copenhagen speak English! Not that anyone I know would speak Danish anyways...but it's better to be lost and confused with someone else than by yourself lol! No, I don't plan on being lost or confused. My hotel is a 10 minute walk from the convention center and I am sure it will be full of other Pentecostal people going back and forth. Know what I am SUPER excited about?! Starbucks. I've only had it twice since I've been here. There weren't any in Toulouse and there isn't one in Melun and other than my short 10 minute walk in Paris I haven't been in Paris since the beginning of my trip with Amber. I have a layover in the Amsterdam airport and I know they have Starbucks from the last time I was there. And they have them in Copenhagen as well... I googled it. :D Be prepared to see pictures of my delicious Starbucks because I will be that excited about it.

America The Beautiful

It's the 4th of July. And I'm not in America. I don't like that. This is the 2nd time I have spent the 4th of July in France and I don't like it anymore this time than I did last time. It feels wrong being in a different country on Independence Day... As much as I may complain about America, while there may be many things about it that I don't like right now and the direction it is headed as a country is not the way I want it to go, the fact still remains that I am American and America is still the greatest country for so many reasons! I am fiercely proud to be an American! There are times while I've been here in France that I have thought to myself "You should have said you were from Canada..." in order to escape the political conversation that ensued after hearing I was American (the French LOVE to talk politics and get my opinion on Obama...they're always shocked when I automatically answer with "I do not like him at all." Of course they're shocked, he's a socialist and they live in a socialist country so they don't see what's so wrong with him...) but after that thought passes through my mind I always laugh to myself and say "yeah right! I'm American, proud of it, and will claim to be nothing else! Even if that means suffering through pointless political conversations that will end on 'agree-to-disagree' terms". I can't imagine not being American. Even if one day I do move to France for good, I will ALWAYS be an American living in Paris (or somewhere in France lol!). Which also happens to be the name of one of my favorite classical pieces... "American in Paris" go look it up and take a listen :)

In honor of this great and wonderful day I will be as American as possible (as I do every year, even when I'm in the States). I sadly don't have any red, white and blue clothes with me right now (I only have part of my clothing with me since I was only coming down here for 3 weeks). Well I have my France soccer jersey which is red, white and blue and I will be wearing that later when they play their soccer match, but it's not the same, especially since it says France on it lol! I have been listening to country music all morning and when we go out this afternoon to pick snacks up at for tonight's soccer matches I will try to find something American to eat. I will miss the bonfires, flags flying, fireworks, hotdogs, hamburgers, watermelon, ice cream and root beer floats.... So I guess you will all have to enjoy them a little extra for me :) Think of me while watching those fireworks explode over one of our great 10,000 lakes and sing "God Bless America" just a little bit louder to make up for my missing voice! Soak up the Americanness of it all because there is a little blonde American an ocean away wishing it was her. Happy 4th everyone! Let Freedom Ring!!!!!!

A Whole Lotta Bittersweet

I'm coming to realize that perhaps the term used most by me in conversation (whether vocal, text, or email), my own personal writing and then writing here on the blog, is "Bittersweet". So many things on this trip have been bittersweet...and I'm approaching yet another one of those bittersweet moments. But before we get to that let me back track and fill you in on the last week or so of my life.

I have been doing some of the same, just helping out with whatever Mikki needs me to do church-wise and then helping with the kids and around the house to free her up to get her own stuff done. Last week we went to the center of Toulouse on Wed. evening to do a little street evangelism. The 3 guys split off and went to find people to talk to and it was Mikki and I with the 2 kids. We weren't exactly sure how this was all going to work out seeing as how we had a 2 year old and 2 month old in strollers that we had to take care of as well... we saw a fresh orange juice stand in front of us and Mikki asked me if I wanted to get some. I had just been thinking how I was thirsty and forgot to bring a drink, so I readily agreed. We walked over and Mikki asked for 2 orange juices. I was pulling money out to pay and said in English "I've got it Mikki." Which of course caught the man's attention so he started asking where I was from, etc. So we started talking, come to find out he had spent 3 months in...wait for it....Lincoln, Nebraska (of all places in the USA why there?! I have no idea.). He asked if I was working here. I had been giving short answers in French to him but at that point I turned to Mikki and said "How do I explain that?!" So Mikki kindly took over and began explaining why I was here and what I was doing. He happily proclaimed that he too was a Christian and it opened the door for us, well rather Mikki, to talk to him for a while. He said that he had been about to pack his stand up and go home for the day but felt like he should hang around for another 10 minutes and then we walked up, so it must have been God! We left with his name and number and while I don't know what will come of it hopefully something will!! We took the kids to a play area where Mikki was able to connect with another lady there and get her name and number so all in all it was a fairly successful time for us even with the kiddos!

Now onto the bittersweet part: tomorrow is my last full day here in Toulouse. I have very thoroughly enjoyed my 3 weeks here. The bitter part will be leaving these lovely people on Saturday, the sweet part will be getting to see the people in Melun that I've missed these past few weeks! Being around Mikki these past several weeks has been such a blessing to me. She has been such an encouragement to me and someone that I know I can trust and talk to about life. We oddly have very similar, yet different, pasts. Sooooo different in many ways, yet sooooo alike in so many others. When it comes to our love for France and our roads that led us here our stories are very similar. It's just rare to find someone that you can so easily connect with right off the bat. Yet oddly enough she's played a pretty big role in my France dream since 2011 when she prayed over me at the Pentecostal Convention and confirmed my burden and passion for France and this trip has been no different. She is determined that I am never returning to the States and is also determined to get me to move to Toulouse to help out :)  We shall see what the Lord has in store!!! It's been a wild ride so far and shows no signs of stopping so I've stopped trying to figure out and predict what will come next lol! I'm buckled up and along for the ride!

We are fully prepared to enjoy tomorrow though! We already have our list of snacks to buy for during the 2 soccer matches and we have dinner figured out and can't wait to cheer our 2 teams on to victory!!! It's been a weird 2 days without soccer....we've found other ways to amuse ourselves though :) I will be sad to go but I know we will stay in contact and I know that I will be back down, even if only for a visit!

The Love of Soccer

What am I suppose to do with 2 days of no soccer?....why blog about it of course!!!! So as I am sure you are all painfully aware, the USA is indeed out of the World Cup. I however am not. I have been cheering for 3 teams all along: USA, France and Brazil. Obviously the USA held my loyalty, but now that they are out I am first for France and secondly for Brazil and would be happy to see either of them win it all! You still may be thinking that I am some kind of turncoat or traitor, trust me last night was painful. If it hadn't been for Tim Howard (who deserves some kind of national medal/award/statue/holiday/etc for his AMAZING performance) we would have been completely obliterated, instead we were able to avoid a complete walk of shame and leave the match with some dignity and honor left. He's definitely my soccer hero.

Now to convince you all to join me in cheering  for France. Let me just lay out a few good reasons to cheer for France on Friday when they face off against Germany. They are as follows:
- They are obviously a very good soccer team.
- They're from France
- They have a hobbit playing for them. You doubt me?! Go look up Valbeuna... he's totally a hobbit....and a good soccer player as well. How can you NOT cheer for a team that has a hobbit on it!? (Yes I do call him a hobbit while cheering him on)
- At least half of the team is highly attractive. Don't believe me? Let me give you a few examples:
      - Olivier Giroud. He's basically the next David Beckham. Fabulous soccer player with a fabulous face. He already does modeling for Hugo Boss and is one of the stars of the France team. See for yourself:

Ok fine I won't go through the list posting pictures of ALL of them but there's Mathieu Debuchy, Hugo Lloris, Antoine Griezmann, Patrice Evra, Yohan Cabaye, and Morgan Schneiderlin. You can look them up if you don't believe me :) 

And then there's Brazil. I cheer for them because not only are they a very good soccer team it's also home territory for them and I don't like the see the home team lose....at least not right away....if France ends up playing them I probably wouldn't care as much. And then there's Neymar Jr...why yes, like all girls that are keeping up with soccer I have jumped on the Neymar bandwagon...and yes, he's 2 years younger than me. He's just adorable though. And for being only 22 he's quite the soccer star already! Don't know what all they hype is about...well this is what all the hype is about:

Anyways I am very much looking forward to Friday because France plays Germany at 6 pm (my time) and then Brazil plays Columbia at 10 pm. All of the games in this 2nd round of play were SUPER intense! I don't think any of the teams scored in the first half of any of the games. Almost all of the games went into overtime tied at either 0-0 or 1-1. And 3 games for sure ended up going to penalty kicks. Which just makes everything ten times more intense and exciting! SO I can only imagine that this next round of games is going to be out of control! I will be on the edge of my seat, beating the poor couch to death, yelling and eating a LOT of snacky food (when I get stressed out I need to crunch and munch on something). But I am a little sad because Friday will be my last night here in Toulouse and I will miss watching the matches with Mikki and Toky! We've got our little nightly soccer routine down and it'll be weird to have to watch the last several matches somewhere else! But at least our 2 favorite teams are playing on our last day together.. They like Brazil as well. So we shall go out with a bang on our last night of soccer watching together :) 

Oh and here's my new ringtone for my phone :) Have a dance party and enjoy the wonderful music that is played going into and out of every commercial break while watching the matches! I don't know who did the lyrics but a few of them are def wrong lol!

And that ends my obsessing over soccer for the night. I am sure you will hear more about it on Friday when my Facebook feed starts blowing up at 6 pm and doesn't stop til after midnight lol! Sorry about that by the way. I'm sure you all get sick of seeing me update my status every hour about soccer....can't help it. When I love something I'm passionate about it. Comes with the territory folks.

Still finding me

You know how you think you know yourself?! Yeah I though I knew myself pretty well too...and I did/do, but I have been learning new things about myself non stop on this trip! I started making a list of them on my phone the other day as I realized them. Some of them are just funny little things and others are bigger, more meaningful things. So here's the list that I've come up with so far of new things I've learned about myself in this last month that I've been in France:

     - Hard times create discipline.
     - Nervous habits of mine include: chewing the inside of my bottom lip until it's raw and cracking my knuckles literally non stop. (I've always cracked my knuckles but it gets out. of. control. when I get stressed or nervous apparently...)
     - I am braver/stronger than I give myself credit for and more of a chicken than I thought... (sounds contradictory, but trust me, it's the truth.)
     - I am actually a HUGE soccer fan! I went into this World Cup "liking" soccer and excited, but have become a little bit obsessed...
     - I am not a very good piano and bass player when compared to those around me....but oh wait! I'm not doing that whole comparison thing anymore... I am who I am, and my abilities are what they are, and if that is not good enough for someone else, then that's their loss. And that comparison is mostly based on the fact that I don't really play by ear and everyone over here does....therefore that makes Abby feel like a failure, when the truth is: I can play the bass by ear, the piano is harder for me and I couldn't necessarily do it on the spot in a service, but when I'm at home I can pick chord progressions out to songs and figure them out when I have the patience and time to do so. AND it's an ability that you either have or don't have and you can't beat yourself up about something that you weren't born with.
     - While I enjoy change, and sometimes welcome it, I am not the biggest fan of CONSTANT change.
     - I know more French than I thought I would but am most comfortable speaking it with people I actually know.
     - I over think/analyze everything... oh yeah, I've been doing that for years. And it makes me angry.
     - I am a confusing person....I have the confidence to up and leave my family, home, job, friends, etc and travel half way around the world by myself to someplace where I hardly know anyone and am perfectly fine with that...then I get there and don't have the confidence to just go out and speak the language. I don't get it. Anybody have any great insight on this?! Lol!
     - I am a very self-conscious person.
     - I am slowly, but surely, becoming okay with not knowing what's coming next, where I'm going next, or what I'm doing tomorrow.
     - I can't do anything, but God can do everything.
     - I found out what it means to "miss" someone.... as weird as this may sound, I had never once in my life felt homesick or missed my family. Talking/skyping has always been enough for me. But those first couple weeks here that were really rough for me...yeah I found out what it meant to miss home and your family. And while I may not be "homesick" anymore I can now say that I know what it feels like and it was probably something that I needed to experience/learn.
     - This whole traveling the world by yourself thing gets lonely. I've always been a loner and been ok with that but this trip has been different in SO many ways. While I may have friends here, there is no one here who REALLY knows me, no one who understands me, knows my quirks, no one who I feel like I can fully open up to (yes, I have trust issues....and good reasons for it too....you learn not to touch fire after getting burned a few too many times right?! Just apply that to friendships and there you have it.), no one to vent to when I'm having a bad day or frustrated, no one to talk to about what I'm going through in that moment, etc. For whatever reason that didn't really matter last time, but this time it's been a much bigger deal...I guess 3 years can change a person more than you think! Thank goodness for Skype and apps that let you text people for free but it's still not the same as having someone there to experience everything with you and talk to in person. I guess that means all of my friends need to move to France for the next 2 months ;)
     - I MISS MY DOGS!!!! Ok, that's nothing new, I've missed them all along and knew that I would when I left... I just had to throw it out there though.
 
I am sure that this list will keep growing as the trip continues...but that's already quite the list for only being here a month! So there you have it....you never stop learning about yourself...but then again, we're humans and we never stop changing and growing. Cue "The Circle of Life" from the Lion King... :) Still one of my all time favorite movies and I am not ashamed to admit that...or to admit to loving the soundtrack. And if all of the flies died I would be totally ok with that because I am SO sick of them landing on me right now!!!!!!!!!!! ARGH! Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!! :D

Under Threat of "Man Up"

Yesterday, Sunday, was somewhat of a stressful day for Abby. I had decided that if I had to give a testimony/word of encouragement at church that I would write it out in advance, have Mikki edit it and then do it in French. Didn't sound scary when I decided it was a good idea. But then as Sunday rolled around and the reality that I had to read what I had written out loud, in French, hit and it wasn't such a happy idea after all lol! But I had earlier in the week told my brother that I was planning on doing this and he said "You better! If you don't I'm going to make you go on a Man Up Adventure and learn about facing your fears!!" So under threat of having to hang out with a bunch of stinky guys for 5 days and eat gross food like brats (not that they would actually probably let me come on a trip....) I decided to face my fear and do it. It was a little awkward since I had to just read it off of my iPad so I couldn't really make eye contact with people and since I was nervous I was somewhat speed reading....buuutttt I survived and now that I made it past that milestone hopefully next time won't be as bad and then eventually, someday I won't even need the iPad. I sang and played "Because of Who You Are" in French as well (it was the only song that I could remember ALL of the lyrics to in French off the top of my head). Singing and playing isn't that scary for me...I would MUCH rather do that any day than speak. So not only was it scary that I was speaking in front of people, it was scary because it was in French and I am extremely self conscious about my "American" accent when speaking French. I have struggled with comparing myself to others my whole life and feeling incompetent and thought I had gotten over most of that but on Sunday it definitely reared it's ugly head. I always second guess myself. Me and Jesus had a little talk about it and by the time church started I was feeling a little bit better... it was like the closer it got, the less stressed I got. Regardless I survived, even after Mikki so kindly told me right before church that she was going to video it on her phone lol :P (I haven't seen the video and don't know if I want to....) I did say that I would do whatever was asked of me, whether that meant speaking, singing, etc sooooo I guess God's already putting that to the test lol! He thinks He's funny..... We had church at the house because there was going to be a party afterwards, so here's a couple pics from Sunday! It was great because even though it was a HOT day and we were having church in a house one of the visitors had tears running down her face as we sang "Your Presence Is Heaven To Me"!

After church there was a joint birthday party for Mikki and one of the guys in the church so while everything was getting set up the guys started up a round of karaoke...they finally convinced me to do it, but I made Mikki join with me. We sang "He Wants It All" by Forever Jones. It was my first karaoke experience lol! Look at me just breaking out of my shell/comfort zone...first I spoke in French, then I sang karaoke...what is this world coming to?!

Saturday Toky and Mikki took me into Toulouse to see a few of the sights and walk around. We started the day out at the market and I wandered around there for a while and Toky bought some delicious, fresh cherries that we ate in the car. From there we grabbed lunch at a Chinese buffet and then headed to the city center!

Toulouse is a very pretty city! They call it The Pink City because of the reddish/pink bricks that they used to build with. It was a really hot day (I mean it's Southern France after all....I'm not far from Spain so summer = HOT here!) so we didn't wander far from the center of the city. We stopped into a couple of souvenir stores so I could pick some stuff up and then headed back home.

The update on the World Cup is that we now have our nightly tradition of turning the 6pm (our time) game on via Internet and having that on while we get dinner ready. That game ends right around 8 pm, which is perfect because that is Zoe's bedtime, so she gets put to bed, we grab a snack, get changed, etc and then are ready for the 9 pm game...which is usually the game that we actually care about lol! We happily and loudly (although not TOO loudly since Zoe was sleeping) cheered France on to another victory!!!! I stayed up last night to watch the USA vs Portugal game, which started at midnight here. That was a pretty intense game. Sadly it ended tied 2 - 2, since Portugal got a freak goal with 30 seconds left in the game. Disappointing I must say, but that's ok, we're still in it and next we play Germany...that's gonna be a tough game! And that is the latest and greatest news in the life of Abby! Nothing TOO crazy, but that's probably a good thing...lol!

A girl and her suitcase

I am now writing to you from the city of Toulouse in Southern France. Good thing I never actually unpacked my suitcases at the last place because it looks like I am going to be a traveling girl! I found out last Tuesday that I would be coming to Toulouse for a couple of weeks and alas here I am! There is a small, home missions style church here that I will be helping out at for the next 2 or 3 weeks. But first to catch you all up on my last week in Melun.

First of all I can't believe that I forget to say that at least 5 people got the Holy Ghost at the Pentecostal Convention! So Tuesday I went to the church to work and spent the whole day there working away on the text books for IBF and was able to get them all finished by Thursday! In total I put together 300 text books....so I think they're set for a while! Hahaha! So I spent Tuesday through Thursday all day at the church working to try to accomplish as much as possible before I left on Saturday. I had Friday morning off to pack and get ready to leave, worked at the church Friday afternoon and then went out to eat with a bunch of the young people Friday night as a last hurrah before I left. We ate at Buffalo Grill and talked a LOT of soccer with another good theological discussion on women in ministry. It was great to get to spend time with them before I left! The Melun church is my "home church" here in France so being away from it makes me a little sad! But I am excited about what God has in store for me through these times of travel.

Saturday I spent the day working in the kitchen for the Bible School. It was just like old times :) (aka 2011 when I worked in the kitchen for 3 weeks) After the last class was over we loaded my suitcase into the car and headed off for Toulouse...which is a 7 hr drive, so I got a couple little naps in! We left Melun around 6:30/7 pm and arrived at the house at 2 am! Thankfully they have church at 4:30 on Sunday so I was able to sleep in and take it slow the next morning! As I mentioned previously the church here is a small, newer work, which is what I grew up in, so nothing new to me! They are currently looking for a permanent place to hold services so we were in a hotel meeting room. I am so thankful that God isn't limited by OUR circumstances. Regardless of the number of people or the location He still shows up and allows us to feel His presence and speaks to us. They didn't make me do anything yesterday since I had just gotten in the night before but this next Sunday they asked if I would sing a special and give a testimony. If I can sit down and prepare something beforehand I might actually attempt it in French (the testimony that is, the song I'll for sure do in French)! Pray saints!!!! Hahaha! 

I had previously met the pastor and his wife, Toky and Mikki, when I was here in 2011. I absolutely love them. It's so great and refreshing to see a young couple out "in the trenches" so to speak, digging out a new work. I know from growing up in a home missions church that it is far from an easy task and I have so much respect for them! They have 2 adorable children, Zoe and Enzo, who I am more than happy to help out with during the day because (wait for it, it's a shocker I know...) I love kids! :) Zoe and I are already best of buds. 

I am finding that this will be a traveling trip for me, so I guess it's a good thing that I never really did unpack those suitcases.... In July I will be going to Because of the Times in Copenhagen, Denmark (which I am SUPER stoked for!!!!) It's kind of funny to me that I've never been to BOTT in the States, but I come to Europe and end up going! And after that I will be going back up to Arras, where the convention was held, to help at that church for a little bit and there is a chance that I will be spending a week in Monaco as well. While this is somewhat bittersweet, because as I mentioned I LOVE my Melun family, I feel like this is a growing time for me. God is trying to stretch me. After Skyping with my parents today, who said the same exact thing to me, I am feeling ready to face the challenges before me. Whatever God is trying to work out of me, into me or through me during this season of "floating", as my mother called it (where I don't really know what is going to happen next, where I am going next, what's in store for me, etc), I am ready for it to happen and while I know the whole process may not always be entirely enjoyable I am excited to see what will be waiting for me when I come out on the other side of it! I know that this trip is completely ordained of God and that everything is happening for a reason and working out the way it should even though it is far from what I had originally planned on/envisioned. My parents mentioned how me being able to travel in France to the different churches was good exposure and I instantly remembered the words of Bro. Jim Sleeva from IBC, "Exposure breeds burden" and I think I am legitimately experiencing that for the first time. Let's just say that I'm already dreading leaving in August....which means that I have been contemplating extending my trip here, but that will all depend on God's will (which I am earnestly seeking!) My mother, who seems to always be one step ahead of me, said she has already been praying that if it's God's will for me to stay that I will get the money and visa needed and if not that the money won't be there. Such a simple, yet concise prayer, and one that I am joining her in. 

People may not think of France as a missions field because it's not a 3rd world country, but there are not nearly enough churches here. We think of Minnesota as a "small" district because there are only 30-some churches in our state, but France, a whole country, has maybe 20 churches spread out across it. I call that a missions field, ripe and ready for harvest. 

And their soccer team won last night....which was really exciting :) This was my excited face after they won...oh yeah and the World Cup France jersey that I bought!!! 

I'm super into this World Cup! The USA plays tonight at midnight our time but I am going to try to stay up and watch it online or at least keep up with the score for as long as my eyeballs will stay open! I gotta cheer for my homeboys! Sadly I don't have a USA jersey and haven't seen one over here to buy (shocker...). I guess I'll just have to buy one when (if) I get back to the States ;)