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.

misery loves company

At church Easter Sunday, my pastor asked me what I was doing for the summer. I told him work. Work is nothing out of the ordinary for me. Well during the summer it is. This is my first summer that I'm not working a camp or traveling abroad. It is also my first summer in Mississippi since freshman year (bless it). I also told him that I do not know what will hold for me after summer. In paraphrase, he was commenting how it's my first time that I don't know my next step and how weird this must be for me....especially considering I graduate Saturday. Yikes!

Little does he know how weird it is. I always figured by now I would be engaged or nearing engagement (thank you society for setting that dumb stereotype) or at least say with confidence what my post-graduation plans were. Yet, that's not my case. Here's my case: Come May 13th I'm living with 3 other great gals until July and working my pincushion off to pay the unfortunately acquired student loans looking for how the Lord wants me serve my community. One day at a time prayerfully looking for my next step. Feel free to join me in the prayer of this psalm of guidance and wisdom.

Make Your ways known to me, Lord;
teach me Your paths.

Guide me in Your truth and teach me,
for You are the God of my salvation;
I wait for You all day long.

-psalm 25.4-5 

Along with me on this journey of uncertainty has been some wonderful friends: friends who are my traveling companions on this trek, others who have been in this situation, others who are providing me with words of encouragement and offering prayers for me. Needless to say, these handful of friends have made this blurry journey not so miserable and lonely. Thus, for me, the saying "misery loves company" is true. It has been this company to keep me focused and steadfast in the Lord's sovereignty.