different kind of summer

In an earlier post, I wrote about how excited I was to live with three other girls and the hopeful fellowship and work full time at the daycare for the summer. Shortly after that post, a lot changed. And in one day I had to learn that despite people's stupidity and my reliance upon said people and cars, I have no control and should not try to have control over my circumstances or life. Instead, the control is all His.

{Here's the story. I also still don't find it funny like folks say when they look back at the then not-so-funny stories}

While a friend and I were preparing to leave Canton Flea Market, my car wouldn't start. The gear shift was disabled forcing the car to be stuck in neutral. While all of these went on, I got a message saying that a roommate backed out. This would force rent to go up. And in true domino effect, the higher rent forced another gal to drop out of summer leasing, which made the rent even higher. Needless to say, that day wasn't good. But as a mechanic temporarily fixed the car to be in Drive, I was blessed by my friend and her prayers, strangers' willingness to help, and family doing every thing in their might to get me home. 

So I didn't get the fellowship I initially thought I would find this summer. Instead the Lord provided fellowship through a co-worker and her daughters. It wasn't something I was looking for but was a gift that the Lord provided and boy did He know I needed it.

This summer also gave me the opportunity to have quality time with my brother and roomie. Lauren and I spontaneously decided to join my brother in Omaha to cheer on MSU for the College World Series Championship games. I am more thankful for those two days especially with Nicholas than I am for all the years since he moved off to college. Those two days gave me the chance to hang out with my brother in a different setting than we have ever had before and have quality brother/sister bonding time.

Do we even look related?

Why not go to Omaha?!

Moreover, this summer I had to grow up and get a big girl J-O-B and obtain more adult responsibilities. The next post will be about my job. :) I will go ahead and share that within the three weeks of turning in my job application and interviewing and waiting to hear back, He provided housing and dear friends who fervently prayed for the Lord's will over my life. These are my new roommates. Granted, I'm taking the place

of the lady {EB} to the far left and the gal in the middle back {Tera} is in France for the semester and as of yesterday the lady to the far right {Jenelle} is engaged! I've dearly loved the past three weeks filled with family time despite our crazy schedules, laughter at the expense of myself, memorable life events, and looked forward to the next year with them! 

EB, myself, Tera, Sara, Jenelle, and Meg in front center.

Obviously, this summer has been much different than my past three summers but still rewarding. No, I didn't work a camp or live in Europe for two months, but I did have great fellowship with new friends, made solid memories with old friends, and saw and am still seeing the Lord lead and provide each step.

One City, Two Continents

With the current events in Central Asia, it has dawned on me that I have not given a recap of my Spring Break. I am sincerely apologetic for a nearly three month delay on what all I got to do. Aside from being in a city full of thousands years of history, walking amongst where some of the greatest Emperors walked, seeing infamous tourist sites, and tasting some of the most delicious foods--I was given an opportunity to learn more about what it truly means to walk in the Spirit. 

Three others and myself were given "objectives" or "tasks" to accomplish two of the days. They were kinda like Amazing Race tasks. However, the goal was not to check them off necessarily. The point was to not rely on ourselves for help but be bold enough to ask the locals for assistance. While asking the locals for help, we would in exchange offer to them a gift that contained materials about the early chruch and Chr1st. The majority of the people who helped us were extremely thankful for the gift. Other days we got to meet with other workers who focus on different people groups. It was such a great opportunity to hear their heart for their people group and pary with them. One day was spent cleaning up space that will be used to provide a safe environment to learn English, build relationships, and ultimately be Light in the darkness. Two nights we got to participate in English clubs. One night it was much more open and co-ed; the other night it was gender separated due to the conservative neighborhood. That night I got to know numerous girls whose faith is considered hostile and violent. Yet, these girls were not hostile. They were, in fact, very open and sweet but bound to their religion's tradition and strongholds. 

The greatest lesson I learned throughout the week was about the Spirit: how to be attentive to Him, how to walk in Him, and how the Spirit urges others. As we walked and traveled throughout the city, I had to be attentive to how He was speaking to me and the people and places He was pointing out to me. It might have been our bookbags or lost Bambi look that gave away the fact we needed help. But I believe it was the Spirit who led us to others, them to us, and made them open to give us help. Needless to say, many of these people are culturally bound to a religious thought and many identify their ultimate citizenship with their country but these materials passed out clearly explain how Life can only be found in Chr1st. 

This lesson was not easily forgotten--throughout the day I was reminded to walk in the Spirit as the Call of Paryer went off. This was my first time to hear it in person---and boy nothing can prepare you for the first time you hear it. The deafening eeriness of the chanting and the people's dedication to its purpose was sombering but allowed me to see, even more, their need for Thee.

The Blue Mosque

Here are people I got to interact with and places/districts that we meaningfully walked around. 

Leila (L) and Sheyda (R)

Hussein

These sweet girls helped us track down Domino's at 11:00pm--Aygun (L) and Duygu (R)

Sariyer District

Bird Mosque

Hopeful English club to open doors

Kadikoy

patience

This weekend was slightly historic for me. It marked the official end of my undergraduate degree. It was a day of sweet reunions and "see you laters." I never imagined myself getting teary-eyed at my own graduation, but I found myself gazing from family and friends during the prayer (he had just mentioned thanksgivings to those who helped us) and getting emotional. Nonetheless, it was a day of pure joy. I was surrounded by those who have prayed over and with me, those who kept me sane, and those who unrelentingly loved on me during my collegiate journey.

Looky looky at my family

Roomies4lyfe

Got to graduate with these beauties

After graduation I was finally able to cross off another bucket item. I have always admired tattoos and wanted some of my own. As a teenager, I kept threatening my parents that I would get them when I turned 18 since I would not need their consent. However, my dad made the stipulation that I was to wait until I was out from his roof before I could get tattoos. Naively I assumed he literally meant out from his roof. Thus I hoped to get them when I went off to college. But he made it clear that he meant out from all financial support. Luckily, last Christmas break, he slipped up and said I could get them when I graduated college. Thus, I wasted no time getting between graduation and a wedding. You're probably thinking, them?! Yes, I got more than one. And patience paid off because I like them a whole bushel and a peck.

And here's the story behind the two.

 This is actually a snip-it from my very first blog post ----{James 4:14 "You don't even know what tomorrow will bring-what your life will be! For you are a bit of smoke that appears for a little while, then vanishes."  While a stranger to the Good News might think that verse is insane, I find complete comfort in it. My 20 years of life has had some rough and smooth parts but compared to eternity, it is nothing! My life that I sometimes consider boring or hard or joyful is like snapping your fingers. The 'bit of smoke' in the verse is translated as a 'mist'..hence the title of the blog..a mist of a life.  When considering the two months that I will be gone--who knows what I'll be doing, who(m) I'll be coming into contact with, or when this body of mine flies Home? My God knows the answer to each of these questions. Each of them have troubled me in this process since I loveeee to plan everything out. However, I must daily deny and carry the cross and forget about these meaningless issues.}------Thus, MIST has been an influential part of my life for the past three years. The word is not only how I began this blog but gave me a new look on life. It's on my dominant hand because it will be something that I'll see each time I open a door, write notes, or use utensils. I will not be able to one day without knowing that my life but a bit of smoke. 

The second one also derives from James 1:2-4 "Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials,  knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing."  How on earth can I consider trials with joy? Why on earth should I? Because without trials [big or small], our faith will not grow. There must be maturation of the faith. Moreover, joy doesn't come from circumstances or people like happiness. Happiness is fleeting. JOY only comes from God and does not leave when the troubles occur; thus I should have infinite joy. It should be a joy to face these trials, tribulations, and persecutions because we do not face these alone but our God stands with us.