Today marks exactly one week until we leave Greece!

The time here really has gone by so fast, and I’m getting ready to move on to the next chapter the Lord has for us. Here’s everything that’s been going on lately. Our days of ministry still look like connecting with the locals of Thessaloniki, having good conversations over coffee, and overall learning what it’s like to be vessels in this environment. It hasn’t always been the easiest at times; oftentimes, we can get rejected by people, have absolutely no conversations, or feel drained and tired. But every day of ministry is really just an opportunity to grow deeper as the hands and feet of Christ and learn what it’s like to push on, even though some days feel harder than others.

Living with my team in our little house has been such a blast, and it’s given us an opportunity to really get to know each other on all levels. Our typical days after ministry look like one of us cooking dinner while the rest of us are all gathered around the dinner table playing a game of Monopoly Deal or Dutch Blitz. Then, while eating dinner, we debrief about our days, pour into each other, and just laugh and genuinely have a good time. Being in good community after a long day is truly so refreshing and rewarding, and the Lord couldn’t have picked a better group of girls to do life with each other. Over the weekend, we’ve had some adventure days, and one of them was going to Athens and Corinth. That was super awesome, getting to sightsee all of the ancient architecture and explore the old city of Corinth. It’s been such a blessing getting the opportunity to see so many parts of Greece, and I just know I’ll have so many stories to tell.

At times, I’ve been struggling in my relationship with the Lord, wondering where He was and why He wasn’t speaking to me as much as He had been before. But that was because I realized (or rather, the Holy Spirit convicted me) that I had been having expectations of how I wanted God to show up in my time with Him, and even in everyday life. So, of course, I brought that to His feet, and I knew that all I needed to do in that moment was draw near and sit at His side. And wow, God has been showing up SO much lately. Let me tell you!! He has just been showing up faithfully to me in so many ways. Like one day, I was talking with my leader, Mackenzie, about money and being able to afford things throughout this trip. She then stopped and started to pray with me, asking the Lord to bless me and provide for me. The next day, I woke up to a notification on my phone saying that my dear friend had Venmoed me 50 dollars as a “just because” thing. He has just been loving to show up over and over in these little ways, for which I am endlessly grateful.

A big God moment that’s happened recently was when we were all looking for housing in the Czech Republic, since our two weeks there are all ATL (Ask The Lord). All of the other teams had found housing pretty quickly, so we were the only ones left, meaning we really had to buckle down and find somewhere to stay. A few days later, my mom’s high school friend, whom we stay with every time we visit, texted me offering my team an apartment in Czech for free. She said not to even worry about finding a place to stay, as she would be more than happy to give us her apartment to use for two weeks. That was just such a huge blessing in itself, and more proof that He’s such a gracious and loving Father who proves Himself faithful to us. And I am SO excited to see how He shows up in these next seven months!

Also, a big praise… I’M FULLY FUNDED!!! I just want to take a moment to say thank you to everyone who has supported me throughout this journey, whether that’s been financially or through prayer. Because of your support, I’ve been able to experience firsthand the ways God is moving here in Greece. Thank you for being a part of what the Lord is doing, not only in my life, but in the lives of the people we’re getting to reach!

As we wrap up the first of five countries, I would really appreciate prayer for our whole squad to keep our eyes fixed on Him, no matter what we go through, and for protection over us as we navigate these next countries together!