Language Learning Experience

It has been awhile since I have placed anything on the blog, so yesterday when this funny language experience took place I thought it was a perfect story to share. Yesterday, was amazing! The sky was blue, bright, and beautiful. So as soon as we could get ready we went into town to shop for some Christmas stuff and enjoy the blue skies. Well I needed some batteries for my camera, because I knew I wanted to take a bunch of pictures. So I asked Stephen how to say batteries and went in search while he waited on the tram. I went into one store and did not see them, so I then ventured to the next. As I did a walk through, I did not see any. So I decided to ask “Gdzie jest batteria?” Which loosely translates “Where is the battery?” Then the babcia (grandmother or elderly lady) answered “Jakie batterie?” Well I have no idea what jaki means so I stand there, smile, and say “Tak” which is yes. She looks at me very strangely; she probably thinks I am not that smart. Then she says very slowly and very clearly, “Jakie batterie?” Again I smile, because I have no idea what she is asking me. And again I answer “Tak” (Yes). Well she then pulls out some double A batteries and some triple A batteries and I point to the double A. Then she asks “jedno?” Thankfully I know this means one. Well I thought she meant one pack which would have been plenty, so I answer “Tak”. What she meant was one battery. So she pops one battery out of the pack and then I have to say “Przepraszam dwa” which means “sorry two.” Thankfully she pops out one more battery and I have the two I need to make my camera work. Well then I realize I have no money. So I have to ask her to wait because I have no money and I will be right back. Except I do not know how to say any of that! So I say “Oh, nie mam. Un momento.” Well saying this I am pointing to my money (I do not have) and then using my fingers to illustrate wait a minute and walking away and coming back. I run outside get money from Stephen come back in, pay, get my batteries, and make it just as the tram comes. When I get on the tram I am telling Stephen what happened and asking him what “Jaki” means. You might have already guessed it but jaki means what kind. So she was asking me what kind of batteries and I would look at her, smile, and answer yes. Once I found out, I just laughed and laughed. I am not sure exactly what she thought but I am glad that God blessed me with such beautiful skies so in that situation all I could do was laugh. My spirits were high; it was a great day, and a funny story. Here is a little language level comparison for you. This morning we get to church and are talking with a few of the Americans there. One of our colleagues was preaching today, which I was thrilled about because it meant the services would be in English. Stephen was praying for our colleague on the ride to church and the translator who would be presenting the sermon in polish.  Well out of the people that usually translate, none of them were there, so the speaker came to Stephen and asked if he would translate. He had no idea what the sermon was going to be about, and he didn’t trust his abilities to take on such a task. But he agreed as the last resort and did an amazing job, only struggled with words like melanoma, pimples, and acne. Not words in the Polish language he was super familiar with!  God has been very gracious to bless him with so many abilities like being able to speak the language. I know that God was with Stephen during that trying time giving him the words he needed. And I am so blessed to see all the ways Stephen is going to be able to reach people. For all of us that have to learn the language, we tend to be a little bit jealous as we realize no matter how much we study we are probably never going to be at that level.  Oh well, we will make up for the jealousy with all the funny stories we will have instead!

Church Adventures

Today we were blessed with the opportunity to experience a different aspect of city life. This morning we woke up, got ready, and rushed to the tram stop. On Sunday mornings we have to be at the tram stop before 9:59 or we will not be able to make it to church on time. Being late does not mean we will just walk in a little late. Being late means we will miss the transportation we have to get to church. Being late means we will have to find another tram that will take us to another stop where we will either have to get on another bus or tram to get to our final destination. This morning we were walking fast and hoping that our watches were set ahead so we would not be late. We got to the tram stop and we waited. Stephen said we had three minutes to spare. Three minutes passed and then a few more and still no tram. We started to realize that no one is waiting at the tram stop; they all just kept walking by. This was extremely interesting to us so we decided to see if the times had changed. Then we noticed the sign that let us know no trams were coming by our stop at all this day. At this point we were dumbfounded as to what we were supposed to do. We did not know how to get to the church any other way; we didn’t even know where the church was exactly. We just knew which tram would take us there and which stop we got off at. We walked back home, searched for buses, searched for alternative routes, and then finally realized, as it is time for the service to start, that we are not going to be able to make it to church. Going to church has been different here than in the states. Here we go to church to support the local believers, to meet people, and create relationships. Due to language barriers, church is not a time of growth or even understanding. This morning not being able to go caused mixed feelings. I was sad that we were not leaving the house, confused on how hard we needed to work to get there, and then kind of relieved because I do not have to go for show. We decided to have church on our computer. We watched a great American sermon on Job from Newspring. This was so comfortable and comforting to have church the way I remembered it. We sang songs I knew, I understood everything the pastor said, and it had some similarities to Marathon. I know we will still need to go to church here every chance we get so we can support the believers and build those relationships, but I also know it was great to feel like my hungry soul was being fed. I am so thankful that even across an ocean, in a foreign land; God still speaks to me, cares for me, and feeds me. I just hope I do not grow proud like the people in Hosea I read about today, but remain humble.  

Another Interesting Week

This week has been another interesting week of new experiences. I started this week by going with a friend to a Polish preschool to observe her teaching English. We had originally planned to use this preschool as an outlet of ministry for me. One day a week I would teach the students English, and as a result of teaching I would be able to build relationships with students, parents, and teachers. It was an early morning but a great day. I was able to spend some time with some wonderful kids, practice a little bit of Polish, and use a lot of English. I really enjoyed this experience, but I think I am going to wait a semester before trying to take on another commitment.

Tuesday was originally going to be our day off but a change in schedule moved Bible study to Tuesday night instead of Wednesday. So we have to change our mindset. Instead of a whole day off we will have the majority of Tuesday off and then Wednesday evening off. God is expanding our outlook on life. We are no longer given a Monday to Friday work week. Now Friday and Saturday are our busiest days, but even in these experiences He is blessing us and teaching us. Tuesday we enjoyed being around the house then we ventured out on a big grocery shopping expedition all by ourselves. We took two different trams and forty minutes later arrived at the grocery store. Of course the grocery store did not have everything we needed, so we went shopping again on Thursday, but it was good to try to get out on our own. After shopping, we had dinner with another family, and while Stephen was in Bible study, I looked at recipes and enjoyed some girl time. It was a very nice night.

Wednesday was filled with new experiences. We had our first Polish lesson. It was long, exhausting, and very difficult, but it was good to start. I have started to learn the names of food items and how to dialogue in a grocery store. I am also working on colors, numbers, and days of the week. It reminds me of working with my kids in Hendersonville. Colors, numbers, days of the week, and the alphabet were some of the first lessons we had. After Polish, I was able to go out with my first Polish friend. It was fantastic! I was able to teach her some English, and she was able to teach me some Polish. Her English was a lot better than my Polish. We went to a bakery to have some cake, and it was so good! Later that evening her friends, Stephen and I, all went out on the town. It was a great way to meet new people and start new relationships. I am so glad we had the chance to get together. I really hope to get to know this girl and spend some more time with her.

Thursday was a great day! We went to the mall to shop for a birthday present. Then when Stephen went to practice I had an opportunity to go to town to meet some girls for coffee. A girl from Mosaic had a birthday and she invited me to come along. I was so honored! And had a fabulous time! It was so great to sit, talk, and get to know so many interesting people. These girls are so smart. Most of them speak at least three languages, and a few of them even spoke up to five languages! It was so humbling and amazing to see what these girls were capable of. They are talented, pretty, and very smart. I hope I am able to spend more time getting to know them.

Friday has been a good day. This morning I had Polish again. So we woke up early, bundled up, (because it was 32 degrees Fahrenheit) and headed out. My polish lesson was at a farmers market. I had to find six different fruits or vegetables that were yellow, white, brown, red, green, and orange. Then I had to go and take pictures of twenty-eight different fruits and vegetables. The next activity Stephen and I were competing against each other to try to find the cheapest price. We were given a list of different items. We had to find the item, find how much it was, write it down, add all the items together, and the cheapest total won. Thankfully I won by .50 grosz which is only about 16 cents but it was still fun. During this activity the Lord blessed me with a person of peace. This lady saw that I was struggling, and even though she did not speak English and my Polish was not very good, she was so kind to help me. She spoke very slowly. She repeated herself a thousand times, she smiled, and she did not get frustrated. She helped me finish my activity, and I think it was my favorite because of how great this lady was to me. I was so thankful to have the opportunity to meet her and feel God’s love pour through her. It was awesome! Thank you for all your prayers for language study. Your prayers have helped me to be brave, bold, and blessed me with people like this. Being at the market today was a lot of fun. It was very cold but very fun. I am excited to learn more of the language and have an opportunity to get to know more people. Today I also had the privilege of trying to make pumpkin cookies. It was a rough start, but the end product was quite tasty. Working with canned pumpkin is a lot easier, but it is pretty cool to know what can be done with a pumpkin. I am not sure if I will still make stuff from real pumpkins (I will probably just buy the canned pumpkin), but still it is very cool to know it can be done. Tonight we have our Halloween Mosaic. I wish we could dress up like we do in the States. I am definitely going to miss dressing up, but I am glad people are interested in our holidays and traditions.

Tomorrow I am going to visit another part of town with another girl from Mosaic. Sunday, Stephen is going to a football try-out for another team to offer advice and support.  Then Monday is my first cooking get together. God is blessing us with so many opportunities. Sometimes all the opportunities are overwhelming and scary and other times just exciting. But overwhelming or exciting I am just amazed at all the things God is doing here. I feel so blessed! Thank you for your prayers and encouragement. We can feel you support even being so far away. Thank you for all the recipes and kind words. They have really helped, and I am excited to start trying all these delicious recipes. We really appreciate all the ways you have encouraged us and supported us. Thank you thank you thank you. We miss you guys!

Our Interesting Week

This week has been filled with many ups and downs. In a lot of ways I wonder if the honeymoon stage is over. I wish I could only write to tell you all the happy positive things that happen here. And while I want to spend most of my time writing about those, I know I also want to tell you honestly about the hard times. The challenging times that we see God’s loving hand in the mist of the struggles, tears, and difficulties we are facing. The first struggle for me has been in the change in weather. It feels like the middle of winter in Greenville right now. So there have been no more sunny days and beautiful skies. Instead we have had gray skies, cold breezes, and rainy weather. But even in these struggles I can feel God’s hand and your prayers as I go outside. I can feel guidance in what I should wear. I can feel a hope that I will survive the cold of this winter. And thankfully we still have long days of light.

Another struggle of this week has been trying to create a new schedule and live life here in Krakow. I am really starting to understand that nothing here is similar to the states. From cooking, to transportation, to life, everything is different, everything, is new, and everything is at times scary and overwhelming. The hardest thing for me has been cooking. It takes me three times as long to do anything. First I have to search for a recipe. This is the hardest and longest step. I never know what I want to cook or bake, and I never feel like I can find anything. So I search for what seems like forever. Once I find a recipe that sounds somewhat interesting, I then have to check all the ingredients to make sure I can get whatever it calls for. Then I have to translate words and undoubtedly I have to leave again to walk to the grocery store because I never have everything that the recipe calls for. Then after returning from the store the actually baking is not that difficult. In fact that is the part that I enjoy. And God has been so gracious! He has blessed with good recipes that have turned out very yummy! The way He has blessed me reminds me that God is loving, and He will not give me more than I can bear. I feel so blessed to know that He loves me so much that He is healing and helping me as I transition into the new and unfamiliar. I know that a lot of this new life should be easier. I mean we no longer have full time jobs, we do not have kids, we are living the opportunity of a lifetime. But to be honest I do not know how mothers do this. Every mom here makes everything almost completely from scratch. I am so blown away by their abilities to cook (which takes forever), to care for their family, to have time for their husband, and then to go to all of the ministry activities they have planned. I am still not sure how to do it. I am trying to learn how to cook everything from scratch but it is not an easy process to learn. I got very spoiled in the states being able to make a cake from a box or a dessert from a shelf. I have a new found respect for families and people who always cook from scratch. And any recipes that you have and would like to share I would love to have!

But I think the hardest part of this week was learning how to fight the battles that Satan was waging around us as a team. Stephen this week had a minor car accident that resulted in numerous challenges. While Stephen has been dealing with finding our insurance providers information, trying to understand our company’s policies on car accidents, working with the owner of the other vehicle and doing all this in Polish, I was dealing with the battle of trying to fit in and survive in a new culture. We were fighting two different battles on two different fronts and it was dividing our strength. We were not untied, we were not as strong, and to be honest the world seemed a lot darker, hopeless, and scary. Because of the difficulties he was facing, I did not feel like I could lean on him for support, and I knew I could not support anyone because I was barely standing myself. Well it all came to a head yesterday afternoon. We talked, we listened, I cried, we prayed. And God mended our hurt feelings, He reunited us, and He gave us hope. We still had the same problems and issues, but facing them as a team we no longer felt hopeless but instead felt victorious. Thank you so much for all the prayers you have sent as a support for us. I want you to know that they are important. They are what keep us strong. They are often what keep us from giving up. You are such a vital role in our ministry, and I really wanted you to know the impact of all you do. Your prayers matter and they are answered by God every day! Thank you for your faithfulness and your love we really appreciate you!

After that discussion, we left to go to Mosaic and God was so amazing! We had such a great crowd. There was so much excitement and enthusiasm! It was great that no one wanted to leave. Before Mosaic, I was nervous and unsure if I had the energy or ability to do this. But God is so good. The girls that were there, the conversations we had, and the time we spent together actually energized me, me an introvert who is usually energized by being alone. This just confirmed to me that God is Almighty and can do anything with anyone! And then what a blessing to think He does not even need me here to reach these people, but He has blessed me with an opportunity to come here, live a new and somewhat crazy life, and get to know all these amazing people. He has even blessed me with some possibilities for future friendships and relationships. He is so kind, loving, and gracious. I know I do not deserve the second chance He gives me, or all the opportunities He provides, but I am thankful that because of Jesus I am blessed with the privilege to receive them. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for your support. I know God is working here in Krakow even if it is just in teaching me and Stephen something. He is working. But I also know He is working in deeper ways than that. We really appreciate all you do for us!!

Our First Mosaic

Today was our first day of organized ministry activities. We had our first English Conversational Club, Mosaic. When we woke up, the weather had changed. It was no longer beautiful, blue, sunny skies. This morning the sky was gray, dreary, and raining. And of course the first thing we were supposed to do is handout flyers for Mosaic. We waited a little bit in hopes the rain would stop, but sadly it did not. So we bundled up and headed out. Even with the dreary weather God blessed our efforts. All we had to do is hand people little flyers that tell about our club, and hope they would come. For me this type of assignment is very difficult because I am an introvert that does not want to bother people. However, God is changing me in a lot of ways, including telling me that introvert or not, I am still required to share with people. Even though I was not telling all of these people about Jesus on the spot, I was doing this to hopefully get them to come to the club; so I could create a relationship, and share with them. As I was walking to the place where we were to hand out flyers, I was constantly praying for God to give me strength to ask people if they want to come. I knew the hardest part for me would be the rejection, and I got a lot of rejection. But I started to realize that they are not rejecting me personally. And then I realized that a rejection does not mean I failed. Instead a rejection meant I had a piece of paper for someone else to take. God was amazing at changing my attitude and being with me during this time. But He did not stop there. He went on to bless me by having three girls stop and ask me about it. It was so amazing! I know that God’s hand was completely in that situation. Because it was cold and raining and in Poland most people do not stop to talk to you on the street or anywhere, they mind their own business and get to their destination. God was so good!!

Tonight, we left to prepare and have club. Again I was nervous about how it was going to go. I realized I would have to be super outgoing, of which the mere thought of that was exhausting. So I started to pray. I started to ask God to give me strength, wisdom, and comfort. I kept repeating the verse “’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord.” And reminded myself that nothing I could do would be by my strength or power but it would be by God’s Spirit within me. That was so encouraging because I knew by my own means I would be exhausted, have nothing good to say, and never make it. But with God, the possibilities were endless. We had a great turn out. We had a volunteer team there to help us and add some extra English speakers. Then two of the three girls, that the Lord blessed me with an opportunity to talk to, came!! I was so excited. I was so glad to have them come. I was also able to talk to many other girls and hopefully will be able to see them again. I am very excited to get to know some Polish girls and have friendships form.

I am so thankful that God has blessed me in so many ways. I think it is just amazing that God took someone like me and allowed me to talk to so many people, handout flyers, be rejected, and not take anything personally. If He can do that with me, anything is possible. Thank you so much for all your prayers. We will be doing this every Friday night; so, hopefully, I will be able to make new friends and meet all kinds of people.    

First Things

Today, Monday October 3, 2011, has been a day full of first things for me. Today was my first day to take the tram home all by myself. And then to take the tram back out to meet Stephen. Taking the tram always seems so easy when Stephen or another friend is there. Most of the time I just look out the window, check for landmarks, and enjoy the ride, but today I had to be on guard. I had to be vigilant. I had to watch for landmarks, figure out where the tram was and where I needed to go, and watch for people on the tram to make sure no one would pick my pockets. It was definitely an adventure. At the beginning I could not remember where I was supposed to get on the tram. So instead of getting on and going the wrong way, I just decided to walk to a stop that I was sure of. Eventually I made it back to our apartment safely and somewhat swiftly. I changed because it was so beautiful and warm that I wanted some summer clothes. Then gathered my things and headed back to meet Stephen. I realized going back to the Galleria Krakowska was a lot easier than coming from it. And thanks to my new cell phone was able to locate and eat with Stephen.

Another first for me today was baking. I love to bake. At home, any chance I got I was trying to make sweets or desserts for any reason. I just loved it! Being here has been difficult because up until this morning I did not know how to use my oven. I have felt so lost without being able to make and enjoy sweets. So this morning Stephen read the Polish oven manual and told me what setting I needed to use and how to use it. So this afternoon after all of our running around and meetings, I baked sugar cookies for Stephen to take to the Football Fellowship. Whenever I bake or cook, I always pray over the things I am making. I pray for God to guide and help me. I pray for the food I am preparing to taste and look good. And I pray that nothing bad will happen to the food, like egg shells, loose hairs, or intense burning. Well this particular cooking experience was going to be ten times more challenging because all my ingredients are in Polish, and I am using a new oven with new temperatures in Celsius and settings. I also talked to many other people here who said how hard it was to get used to cooking with the different ingredients, measurement units, heating units, and ovens. I was actually very overwhelmed and thought that I was not going to have enough time, and terrified they were going to taste awful. So as I walked quickly to Alma to pick up extra supplies, in case I had to make extra batches, I started praying for God to help me with the time, the cooking, and for the cookies to be good. God is so amazing! I had a perfect amount of time. I put the last cookies in the container at 6:25 and Stephen was going to leave at 6:30. Nothing was burned. Nothing caught on fire. I only had to make one batch. They tasted different than the US but they were pretty good.  I am starting to realize that nothing here tastes truly like the US. Some things that may be just as good, like lody (which is ice cream) but it is still a little different than the US. All things considered I was amazed at how God demonstrated love, mercy, and grace to me. He allowed me to work with and create a US recipe in a foreign land, and blessed me with a very decent product. I will have to admit that I did not have tons of faith that it would happen. I honestly thought I would have to call and say Stephen was not bringing cookies because they did not turn out. But God showed me a personal miracle and he was able to take some cookies!  

Going into Alma today was a new experience as well. Stephen had to run by the house so I went by myself, and he was going to meet me there hopefully in enough time to pay because they do not speak English. As I was looking in Alma, I realized this was not going to be easy like going to Wal-Mart. In fact this was the first trip I had taken to the grocery store completely by myself. There was no one there to read a package for me, there was no one there to ask a question for me, there was no one there to speak for me when someone asked me a question. Trying to find what I needed in a store where there was no English was very difficult. I had to rely on pictures to try to make sure I was getting the right ingredients. For once I could not ask questions so I had to just guess on my own. And if anyone talked to me I had to say either Nie Dzienkuje (which is no thank you) or Nie Wjem (which is I don’t know). And who knows they could have been asking me what my name is and I could have answered no thank you or I don’t know. It is actually pretty funny if you think about it. But I now have a new found respect for people who are trying to learn English in America, it is overwhelming not being able to read, speak, or understand. I do not think the Polish people should change for me or that America should change for those people, I just understand that it is hard, and I can be a little more compassionate and understanding, just like I hope and pray the people here will be with me.

Today has been full of adventures and first, fresh experiences. While these experiences have not always been comfortable, they have been interesting. God has tested my faith and dependence on Him. He has encouraged me to be brave and bold. And He has demonstrated that even in the tiny, yet important to me, things He is right there with me. Tomorrow is going to be a day full of government dealings as we register for our visas. Thankfully Stephen will be there with me the whole time, and thankfully he will be able to speak Polish because from what I hear the people in the offices will not. I am sure there will be some interesting stories that come from that experience. I guess we will have to see. Thanks for reading and supporting us!

My first BIG shopping day!

         Yesterday was my first big grocery shopping day in Krakow. Early that morning, Stephen and I woke up and went to the market. This is a small area that has little vendors who set up with fruits, veggies, cheese, flowers, etc. It is very similar to a famrer’s market. While we were there, we were able to buy three peppers (one green, one yellow, and one red), two Gala apples, two big pears, and a bottle of honey for 20 zl. which is about $6.60. While I was shopping, I started to look through the apples just seeing which ones I wanted. The lady started speaking very fast, very harsh Polish. Thankfully I had Stephen there. I knew she was mad at me, but I did not know why. So after looking at the lady and then back and forth to Stephen, he told me that people do not touch all the fruit here before picking. Apparently the lady had said, “What is wrong with those apples?” I think it would have been a whole lot worse if Stephen had not been there. He has been doing phenominal! It is so much easier having a translator around. After going to the market we walked to the bakery and picked up some breakfast. One apple turnover and one big donut filled with crème, was 3zl. which is about $1.00. It was awesome! I am trying to use the little bit of Polish I have. One time we went to the bakery I practiced what I was going to say: two apple turnovers: “dwa francesco jablko”. I got to the front of the line, said my rehearsed line, and was answered with a lot of Polish I did not recognize. So I looked at Stephen and he was able to translate. It ends up they only had one apple turnover and the rest were cherry.  I am hopefully going to still practice with the Polish I know and end up learning, but it is nice to have Stephen there to fill in the blanks.

After our adventure of shopping together, we met up with some friends who took us to the BIG store here. It is called Tesco and is essentially their version of Wal-Mart. They have groceries, clothes, housewares, etc. I was warned it was going to be overwhelming. So I was trying to prepare myself, but I think in the back of my mind I thought it would be like Wal-Mart. Since I went to Wal-Mart at least once a week if not more, I thought I could handle it without too much trouble. And while I did survive, it was extremely overwhleming. I could not read anything and they did not have familiar brands nor was the store organized in a familiar manner. I did not know where anything was. And the choices, oh my! There were like thirty different kinds of toilet paper. I thought we had a lot of choices in the states but for some reason this store blew me away. Thankfully our friends were able to help us by telling us their favorite brands and types. But before I went on this shopping extravanganza I did not make a detailed list of the types of food things I would need. I did not plan out meals because I was not sure what kinds of meals I could make here or what kind of stuff they had. But with a little bit of patience, a lot of help and prayer, we were able to get a toaster, a fan, a hair dryer, some landry soap, some bath soap, some groceries, some toilet paper, some clorox, a mop, and a few other things. I thought it was going to be very expensive, but it was not that bad. I know in time it will get better and not as overwhleming. In time I will learn how to understand the symbols. I will learn what tastes good and what does not. And I will learn how to plan a little bit better. The funniestafter we did all that shopping (like 2-3 hours worth) that night for dinner I did not have a whole meal to cook. So Stephen and I went to find our local store, Alma. We ended up getting turned around, but found it. We picked up some potatoes and pasta and made our way home.

Some friends here have told me that everything will take longer, be a little harder, and often a lot more stressful. They were right. It takes me longer to cook, plan, and prepare.  Some simple steps that were familiar are not easy here because of small differences. Transportation takes longer because we walk to the bus or tram instead of driving.  Also, the differences in prices here compared to the states is strange.  Some items here are incredibly expensive (mainly electronics, appliances and manufactured items), but other items are cheaper.  There are many difference, but so far I still love it. I love going to market to get fresh fruits and veggies. I love our little bakery. And I love trying to find our way. We have not always been perfect, but we have made it there. I cannot wait to see what other adventures we have. I think I will have to go shopping again on Monday because I only have enough food to cook dinner tonight. Thankfully we are going to a friends on Saturday. I guess Sunday we will get creative.    

Our Journey to Krakow Completed...

       We arrived safely in Krakow exactly when we thought we would. Our long flight over the Atlantic was amazing! We were able to watch some fun and interesting movies, like Fast Five, Midnight in Paris, Water for Elephants, and Kung Fu Panda 2. We were able to eat a great meal. Well Stephen did not eat his, but I ate all of mine and it was good. I had vegetarian pasta, which was noodles with a red sauce that had different veggies in it, salad, bread, and a piece of cake. It was very delicious. We were able to sleep a few hours due to complete exhaustion. When we arrived in Munich, we explored the airport some, had a wonderful breakfast of a muffin and a donut, and then waited for our next flight. This flight was actually more comfortable to me than the previous ones. I was able to sit by the window, which is my favorite, and Stephen was able to sit on the aisle. I slept for thirty amazing minutes and slept better than the Atlantic flight. When we arrived in Krakow, we were blessed to have all of our luggage, six large bags and two carry-ons, arrive as well. We walked through baggage claim and we were met by most of the team here. And it was so great to meet everyone! We then went straight to our apartment. And it is amazing!! We will place a video on our YouTube channel to show you everything. It has been so amazing being here in Krakow. The weather has been gorgeous! It has been sunny with a magnificent breeze and a little bit of warmth! The city is gorgeous! We have been able to take some trips to look around, get some ice cream, and just enjoy where we are.

We have been blessed. I know I am in the honeymoon stage of our adventure, because I love everything! I think everything is amazing!  And I am thrilled to be here!! But I also know that soon winter is coming and the honeymoon stage will probably end.  I am trying to enjoy every minute. Yesterday, we walked to a bakery to buy some bread and some pastries for breakfast. Yesterday, we went into “Old Town” and got some ice cream at a little shop, and Stephen got a Gofry, which is a waffle with whipped cream on top. This morning we had breakfast on our balcony.  Everything here is amazing! I feel so extremely blessed to be here. Our apartment is incredible! Today, we finished organizing and unpacking. We are much closer to feeling settled! I wish you all could be here and we could visit and share this with you. But I hope you enjoy the pictures and videos. Thank you for all of your prayers! Our journey here is just beginning so if you could pray for opportunities for us to meet our neighbors and people in the community that would be great. Thank you and praise God for His providence!!!    

Our Journey So Far..

Last night and early this morning I realized firsthand the impact of spiritual warfare. As Stephen and I prepared to leave, Satan was hitting us with everything he had. He was definitely trying to break us. It all started Friday when we were both stressed beyond measure trying to finish all the last minute items that had to be completed before us leaving: scanning documents, trying to set-up magic jack, emailing, etc. While we worked effortlessly to get everything done, time seemed to be speeding by. Before we knew it, it was 4:30 and we each had somewhere to be at 5:30 and nowhere near ready to leave. I had to mail some packages, and Stephen had to pick up his brother from the bus station. With the help of some loving grandparents and God’s amazing provision, we were able to accomplish both tasks and then meet up for dinner. After dinner is when the battle got really fierce. We were out practicing driving with Stephen’s brother, and while we were in a parking lot, after stalling out, the car would not start. After many attempts, we had to call the grandparents for some assistance. We pushed the car into a spot and left it for the night. After running some errands, we make it home. However, our night was just beginning. For the next five hours we packed, weighed, repacked, and weighed, until at 4:30am when we had all of our bags at the perfect weight. During these five hours, I broke down multiple times. I was so discouraged, so hopeless, so defeated. I was exhausted, but could not sleep. I was overwhelmed, but could not relax. Finally, I had to tell God that I surrendered. I surrendered having it packed just right. I surrendered me having to be the one who packed it. I stepped back, took a forty minute nap, and helped Stephen finish the daunting task. With two hours of sleep, we were awake again. Stephen went to fix the car, and I went to finish packing, cleaning, and getting ready to go. Here is where the story changes, this is where Satan is defeated and God is glorified!

When Stephen went to start the car, it started after the second try! Praise the Lord! From this point on God’s grace, love, and mercy just kept pouring on. We were spared from having to pay a tow truck because Stephen was able to drive the car to get a new battery. We were spared from having to send Jacob back to school empty handed. We were blessed with the ability to get him everything he needed to get back to school. God lovingly gave me the strength needed to pack everything else up, clean the apartment, and prepare for the day on two hours of sleep and nothing to eat. (As some of you may know a BIG miracle for me, due to my charming personality and ability with lack of food and sleep;) With God’s grace we were able to pack, clean, and prepare everything with fifteen minutes to spare. The shuttle was on time, and we had a peaceful drive to the airport. When we walked in the airport, we were met with the beautiful satisfaction of no lines at check-in. Then this is where God blows me away with His provisions! All of our luggage was 49.something or 50.0! Talk about a miracle! We paid exactly what we thought we would have to pay for our luggage. And the person helping us was so kind and helpful. Then as we progressed to security again no lines! Praise God! We were not rushed as we had to unpack computers, pockets, and other odds and ends. We were able to nicely pack them all back and walk on through security. Now we are waiting to board our first flight to Washington. I wanted to write to thank you all for praying, and to show you the power and importance of prayer. Because of your faithfulness and diligence in praying God has given us a renewed strength in some of our physically weakest points. He has provided us with some amazing provisions. He has taken care of everything! He is truly an amazing God worthy of all our praise! And He gave us the blessing of sharing with our shuttle driver. He is a loving God that takes care of His children. I am so glad that Jesus Christ has won the battle and those set against us could not stop us, if God is for us NO ONE can be against us!! Thank you for your faithfulness and support. I will continue to write to let you know of the rest of our journey. We miss you and appreciate you so much!!! PRAISE THE LORD!!

Washington DC

Yesterday, we traveled with our team to Washington DC. We were given assignments to observe, pray, help, and engage internationals. While it was a long day filled with many interesting adventures, it was clearly a day that the Lord was working. One of the biggest ways God spoke to my heart was in the form of answered prayers and personal miracles. We had planned to venture into embassies to try to talk to internationals from the countries our team was planning to travel to. As we are walking down embassy lane, we are seeing all these embassies with tall impenetrable iron gates. They are fortresses of protection for their nationals. As we approach closer, we start strategizing how we are going to try to penetrate those fortresses. In my head, I am thinking this is impossible! But then I start praying as I am walking. I tell God I am sorry for my unbelief. I ask Him to not let my lack of faith hinder anyone in my group. I definitely do not want to be one of the guys telling Joshua and Caleb that we cannot get to the Promise Land because the giants walls and people are too scary. So instead of focusing on the impossible, I start asking God for an open door. I ask Him to show us a person to welcome us. I ask Him to show me a personal miracle that those giant gates mean nothing to Him and the Promise Land is within reach. As we approach the embassy, it has a big, black, iron gate surrounding the premise. But as we walk around to the front some service men are leaving and while the gate is open, we walk right in. As we go in the front door, we explain why we are there and the clerk says they are closed but come on in. So we come in and for the next thirty minutes he tells us about his home country, his favorite foods, holidays, and even his religion. We are blessed with an opportunity to tell him about our beliefs as well. While he was not open to us praying for him, he was very glad we were going to his country because he felt there was a need there. As we left, I was personally amazed at the miracle God revealed to me. By His love and power, we were able to freely walk in, find an open person that we could share with, and learn a lot about an amazing country. I am once again amazed at how personal and amazing God is!! I am so glad to have such a loving, personal, amazing God to call Father. While there was a lot of hopelessness and despair in DC, I know that God is not done with that city. And I am going to try to pray once a month for the city, the people, and the government there. What are some ways that God has amazed you?

I tried to add some pictures from the trip but I had the hardest time trying to get them on blogspot. So I added some to our http://edworthyedition.wordpress.com/ Please feel free to check them out there. 

Remembering

There are a lot of things we remember as children and as adults. There are things we have been told to remember. There are things we want to remember because they are happy memories or monumental occasions in our lives. And then sadly there are events in our lives that are horrible, hard, and drastic that through pain and tears we can never forget. Ten years ago for a lot of people one of those events occurred. Our country was hit with the horrific attack of September 11^th. A day that many families would never forget, because it changed their lives, changed their jobs, or changed their homes. Many perished in the planes, many perished in the buildings, and many perished in an attempt to save others. Our country gathered in homes, churches, and schools to watch as our country was shocked speechless by this heinous terrorist attack. Many remembered exactly what they were wearing, doing, eating, or thinking at that moment in history. To this day, some can still recall the little details of that day. They can recall how God saved them or kept them from work. They can recall the last words they spoke to a loved one that perished. They can even recall the smell of fear, the taste of dust, the sounds of death and panic. The people who lived it that day will probably never forget the horror they faced. Sadly, the rest of the country often easily forgets the way that event brought them back to friends, family, or faith. We don’t take the time to continually praise God for the ways He has blessed us, protected us, saved us, or delivered us from horrible events or dark times in our lives.
This morning in church, we took time to remember some of the ways God has shown His loving hand in our lives. We talked about the ways He saved us or helped us. We tried to take time in remembrance and praise for the awesome God we serve. In the Bible, the Israelites would create a memorial or establish a holiday to remind them about how God provided either in food, health, or life. For generations after generations, some even to this day, they would praise and thank God for the love He demonstrated in their lives. What are some memorials or things you have placed in your life to remember the ways God has demonstrated His love and providence for your life? For me, it has been the way He protected our finances from the purchasing of a home; how he provided finances for Stephen to take the CPA and all the courses with it; how he provided me with the opportunity to have surgery and then have some relief from the pain; how He provided Stephen with the opportunity to pass the CPA the first time through; how He enabled us to be here studying, learning, and preparing for the next great chapter in our life. These are just the BIG events in my life. There are small ones every day that He demonstrates the love He has for me and the way He knows my name. It is extraordinary!! The next step is creating a way to remember all the ways God has blessed us.
We don’t want to live like the Israelites. Just after God blessed them with freedom from slavery, escape from death, and miraculous victory from the army pursuing, they are complaining that there is nothing to eat and they are going to die in the dessert. After God has done so much in their lives to save and provide for them and they cannot even remember or think He will provide again. How often do we do the same in our everyday lives?  We have to create ways to remember all the ways God has provided for us and then in the dark days and hard times we can recall the amazing ways God has been there preparing and helping us all along the way. Do you have any ideas on ways that you can recall the promises and provisions of God? I would love to learn from you. As always thank you so much for your support. I appreciate you taking time to read, respond, and teach me. I hope you have a great week and God shows you amazing things!

Promises from God

Thank you so much for all the prayers last week. We survived contingency training and learned a lot. In my quiet times, I have been reading in Romans. And I have not been able to connect, understand, or relate to all the lectures Paul has been giving. As a result of my inability to comprehend, I have felt very dry and not as connected to the Lord. So I was talking with my accountability partner asking for advice about what I should do when I am in the dark, cold winter of Poland and feeling like I am in the dry, hot desserts in my relationship with the Lord. She gave me some books and ideas. But I was praying and desiring for the Lord to speak to me while I was here and encouraging me that I can thrive here as well as there. And then yesterday He did. I read Romans 8. And I felt God speaking promises straight into my heart and life. I thought I would share some of those promises with you. In Romans 8:31b, 35, 38-39- “If God is for us, who can be against us?...Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardships or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord.” This was a battle cry for my heart. As children of God, God is for us and with that promise follows the knowledge that nothing will succeed against us while we are following Him. And then to read further to know that NOTHING can separate us from the love of God that guides us. These promises spoke directly to my dry heart. They reminded me that God was fighting for us and with us. He is preparing us all for a great work. And in that preparation, sometimes surviving the dry desserts makes us stronger for the dark, rough, turbulent storms that may lie ahead. Some of the storms we might be facing are coming up quick. In seventeen days, we will depart for the amazing journey in Krakow Poland. And just as we see storms in Greenville, SC, we will see storms In Krakow, Poland. During those storms, I am hoping that I will recall some of the promises that God has spoken into my heart. What are some of the promises God has spoken to you? What were some of the ways you tried to remember or live by these promises? I am trying to memorize them and apply them, but I would love to learn from you. So if you have any advice, promises, or methods please share. If you are having trouble commenting and would like to send something more personal, please email me at traciedworthy@gmail.com. As a side note, we are getting our webpage set up. Some stuff is already on it but if you are interested in checking it out it is: http://edworthyedition.wordpress.com/. Eventually we will link this blog to that webpage so that all of our communication will be interlinked. Thank you for all of your support, prayers, and love. If you have anyone who you would like to share or pass our information on to, please do. We love you all!  

War!

Lately, I have been feeling an attitude of defeat and hopelessness. I have been exhausted. I have felt discouraged and zapped. On Sunday, I realized that this was spiritual warfare. This was an attack keeping me from deepening my walk with the Lord, keeping me from praying, and keeping me form believing in the power of the Lord. I was encouraged to remember that God is powerful! That He is “the breath of living water; the risen Son of man; the healer and the maker; beginning and the end..” (Words taken from the song “I am”). However, even though I realized my discontent was a spiritual attack, I was still burdened. My joy was being stolen and my sadness overwhelming. Monday, however, my heart was broken by the discussion of persecution. In the United States, we are so privileged and yet hindered by the fact that we are not physically persecuted for our faith. We are not required to stand up and defend our beliefs and our love of the Lord. We continue our lives thinking and becoming consumed by the little things of life thinking that a sacrifice for us is trusting God to keep our children healthy and happy, or even giving some of our money and time for the poor. When there are people all over the world who wake up knowing that they can possibly become a living sacrifice for their love and faith in Jesus. America has become so desensitized to the power, promise, and product of the Lord.

I have realized through this session on persecution that Satan is awful! Hearing his hate for us is overwhelming and intense! It makes me sick how much power he has, how much evil he has placed on this world, and how many ways he has wrecked this world. Satan hates us, and he is doing everything he can to keep us from spreading the gospel. He has one goal, to get us to be quiet. He is persecuting people to quiet them or he is keeping us from sharing by hidden measures. America is in a hidden measure. We are often told to share our testimony, to believe, to make disciples of men is crazy, wrong, pointless, or unimportant. That is a lie we have been willing to believe. We are at war! Are you fighting? Or are you quietly living a quiet, content life keeping to yourself the power of Jesus.

Sadly, I was keeping quiet. I was content living my life in America, going to Wal-Mart, being bogged down by the pressures of my small selfish life. But now I want to fight. I do not always want to fight. Often times Satan defeats me and discourages me and I walk away quiet and fearfully not sharing and creating disciples of all men. My goal now though is to fight! It is to seek the power and presence of the Lord. It is to grow in His love and mercy. It is not to fall silent, but to share and share to all I can and to share boldly. Now I cannot be a clanging cymbal. There is a strategy that needs to take place. That strategy starts with prayer. So first I have to fall to my knees in consistent and persistent prayer.

Lord, please give me wisdom. Show me where You want me to go. Show me how You want me to fight. Give me boldness and courage to share of Your promise, power, and presence. I am sorry for falling silent. I am sorry for not being consumed with a love for the lost and consumed with a boldness of sharing the hope and love You offer. Help me to “be transformed by the renewing of my mind so that I may test and know Your will, Your good, pleasing, and perfect will.” (Romans 12:2)   

Prayer Requests

Yesterday, I was informed that there is a little boy named Josiah who is seven years old and has stage-4 lymphoma. He is going to St. Jude’s for medical attention. After hearing this, I was struck with grief. I cannot imagine how these parents are handling carrying for their ill son while still having two other small ones. I cannot fathom the fear and anxiety they must be experiencing. There is a group on facebook that is pray for Josiah, and I am amazed at how many people are taking up arms to pray for this family and this little boy. I know I have been trying to tell as many people as I know. Seeing the response on facebook, gave me the idea to write a blog about some other prayer requests that have been on my heart and mind. One of them is the famine in the horn of Africa. Another is the economy of the United States right now. I am honored that God has blessed us with the opportunity to unite together all over the world and pray for these needs. I have learned about the power and importance of prayer. So my challenge to you is pray for these requests. Let’s take them to God in persistent prayer. It will not be because of whom we are or what we own or even what we do that He answers, it will be because we are persistent! Also are there any other requests that you may have? I would love to take those to the Lord with you. Thank you for your diligence and persistence before the Lord. Prayer is POWERFUL! The only one that will try to tell you that prayer is not powerful is Satan. God is faithful and He desires to be in communication with us, what a blessing!!!

Evangelism Opportunity

Yesterday, Stephen and I went to town in an attempt to share our testimonies and hopefully invite someone into the family of Christ. This was the first time I had ever gone out to evangelize. I was scared! Scared I was not going to be bold enough and then scared of actually sharing with a complete and random stranger. God provided two opportunities for me to start a conversation with two women, but I was not given the opportunity to share my testimony. And He provided Stephen the opportunity to share with a guy, but the guy was already a Christian. After the experience, I left feeling defeated. I set myself a goal of sharing my testimony with one person, and I did not do it. I felt weak, undeserving, and ashamed. Satan was really pushing defeat my way. After sharing in the mall, we headed over to Wal-Mart to pick up a few items.  While we were there I saw someone I had met earlier that morning when I had gone to get my blood drawn to figure out my blood type. While at the doctor’s office, I met this lady, but I did not have a chance to talk because she had to leave. But as we are walking through Wal-Mart here God shows me the same lady. So I stopped, asked her if she made it to her appointment on time, and then was able to start having a conversation. She was from Malawi and already a believer. But her story inspired me, and she was encouragement straight from God. God is so great, it ends up her best friend is Polish and a speech pathologist. So we exchanged information and she gave me her friend’s information. My hope is to be able to contact this lady and see if she would be willing to give me Polish lessons while I am still in the States. The day did not go as I had envisioned, but God is loving, faithful, and more than we deserve. He provided opportunities, guidance, and boldness. And then He provided hope and encouragement when Satan had knocked me down! I am so thankful to serve such a loving, considerate, and personal God!!

Praises!

This last week we learned a lot about doctrine. Doctrine is basically everything that we believe about the Bible. Surprisingly, it was very interesting and challenging. I was challenged by everything God was teaching me and showing me. But besides being challenged I was reminded of who God is. This reminder served as a great way for me to praise the Lord. So here are some of my praises:

                I am so thankful that we have a God who cannot be stolen!

                I am so thankful that we serve a God who hears us when we call!
                I am so glad that we serve a God who does not loose us or gets lost.
                I am so happy that we have a God who acts and fights on our behalf.
                I am blessed to praise a God that sacrificed it all for me.
                I am so encouraged to know that God is going before me and coming after
                me.
                I am appreciative to understand that God is perfect.
                I am speechless to the fact that God seeks me!
                I am in awe that after knowing all the sins of my life, He still wants me and
                loves me.
                I am thankful that my questions are not too much for God.
                I am so glad that I can praise Him.
                I am thankful to finally understand the power of prayer.
                I am filled the praise to know that God is love.
                I am so thankful that we can rest in Him.
                I am so glad to know that He takes care of our worries, fears, and anxieties.

Those were some of my praises to the Lord, but I would love to hear some praises from you. What are you thankful to God for? Tonight I am going to share my testimony with someone, please pray for boldness, guidance, and God’s words to fill me.

Zapped!

I am so zapped! I started with goals of recreating all the amazing things they have been teaching us. Sharing all the ways we have been challenged, but the computer decided to not work. So instead of trying to fix it, I went for a run. We are supposed to exercise three times a week while we are here. Usually I walk. But being so exhausted, I wanted to do something quick. So my goal was to just run the whole mile. While I ran, I just poured all my weariness out to God. I told Him the desires of my heart. I told him about my frustrations and failures. And about half-way through, my legs started getting heavy, my belly started aching and I just said God please do not let me fail one more goal. And you know what happened? This slow and steady breeze started to roll through the trees and glide over my face. It was so amazing. God was meeting me, a horrible sinner, in my weariness. I felt so encouraged! I felt like God was reminding me that He was right there, cheering me on, giving me strength, and telling me that He was not going to forsake me. I am so glad that we have a God that does not grow weary! Tonight, with God’s help, my goal is to be in bed by 8:30. So hopefully tomorrow I will be able to tell you all things we have learned. Where are some places God has met you?

Personal Prayer Application

I know I already posted one thing today, but today has been a big Monday for God demonstrating and teaching me so here I am posting two things! We have an assignment coming up that I have been confused about and honestly stressed about. So one of my new philosophies is when I am stressed I am trying too hard to take control of something and I need to turn it over to the Lord. Once I turn it over to the Lord, He will take care of it. Well that sounds like a great theory, but what does that actually look like in practice? For me it took the form of realizing my anxious thoughts about this assignment and instead of being anxious I need to be in prayer and petition about everything (Philippians 4:6). So I started praying about it, asking God to take control, to work out the whole situation, and to show me the answer. But I am going to be honest I did not really think He would. A big part of the assignment is finding an accountability partner. Well I wanted to go out there, find a partner, and figure it all out myself, but I couldn’t it. So anytime I tried to pick it back up and get stressed about it, I tried to take a breath and pray. Sadly, I still did not believe, but I kept praying for faith and for God to show me that He would take care of this. Well guess what, He did take care of it. Today during a break someone approached me and had talked to everyone else and asked if I would like to be their accountability partner. Since I had put it in God’s hands, I knew that this is what He wanted and I did not have to worry about anything! It was so amazing. I know God being a perfect and almighty God did not have to take time to teach me, reassure me, and show me love by answering my prayer even in the midst of my disbelief, but He did! How amazing is that? What is an awesome thing that God has done for you or showed you today?    

Prayer!

Prayer. Such a powerful yet at times confusing concept or at least it has been for me. I had taken my questions and concerns to my small group and the Lord and interestingly enough today our whole class was about prayer! And it was amazing! We read an amazing section of Luke (Luke 11:1-13) that discussed the elements of prayer, the exercise of prayer, and the expectation of prayer. Some highlights from that section that really inspired me were the expectations of prayer. Our teacher told us a story of a man who found favor in the eyes of a king and the king asked what he wanted. At first the man said nothing and then was informed that asking for nothing was an insult against the king. So the man asked for a golf club, thinking that he would get a driver or a nine-iron. This answer pleased the king and the next day the man was brought papers to the deed of a golf club resort. Our teacher referred this back to us and who are we asking? Are we not seeking the King of the universe? If so, why are we only taking our small, somewhat insignificant requests to Him? Do we think he cannot handle more?

 We also heard a story of a man who went for six years trying to reach a people group. For six years he got no results, so he was only left with desperate prayer. After desperately praying to the Lord, they reported 300 salvations after the following two years! This story touched me because some of my fears and concerns were if we were going to see any results. I know this is self-focused and prideful. I mean it does not matter if WE get the results but rather if GOD gets the results. I do not need to worry about the power of God or the power of prayer, because regardless of me or this mission, God will be praised. I need to worry about if I am preparing so that I can be the most effective I can be for the mission of Christ. I prepare by having my daily quiet time, spending un-interrupted time in prayer, and living and walking a life that is captivated by God’s love and faith.

After every class, they want us to journal. Two of the questions they ask us to address are what is God telling you and what are you going to do about it? God told me about the awesome, overwhelming, completely amazing power of prayer. He told me that nothing is too big or too small for Him to handle, and as long as it aligns with His will He will be faithful to answer it. Now with that knowledge I am going to pray harder. I am going to work on taking everything to the Lord, the big and the little. And I am going to be persistent in my prayer trusting in God to take care of it.

My questions to you are: what has God told you? And what are you going to do about it?

Lets Not Be Sleeping

This morning during my quiet time, I read Mark 13. In this chapter, Jesus discusses the signs of the end age with His disciples. Reading this passage as a child would have caused me anxiety and fear. Now, however, I am pushed towards urgency.  Urgency to keep watch! I am encouraged to reach out to those seeking, to find the lost, to help and save them. I am pressed towards action! I want to change eternity for the lost. One thing I learned last night about sharing the gospel was praying for the words and wisdom from the Holy Spirit. Mark 13:11 tells us this exactly: “do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given to you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.” An example of this passage in my life is the concept of a prayer walk. Last night a friend explained that often times when it comes to sharing the gospel we do not have the time or the opportunity to create a relationship and then share. Sometimes we have to share on the spot. Unfortunately, sharing my testimony is a foreign concept because my old circle consisted mainly of believers, which was a great encouragement but not an opportunity for sharing with the lost. Now I am being pushed to go to Wal-Mart, walk around praying for the Holy Spirit to show me the lost (a prayer walk), and then give me the words of wisdom. I am terrified that I will not be bold enough. But I also know that I do not want to be caught by the Lord of the universe sleeping. I want to be out there sharing, growing, learning, and helping! My prayer is that we can all pray for those opportunities and then be bold enough to take them when we are given them! Mark 13: 35-36: “Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back…If he comes suddenly, do not let Him find you sleeping.”  

The Power of Love!

We have been in class two days now. Yesterday, God spoke to me in two different situations that I would like to share with you. The first was during my quiet time. God impressed upon my heart Mark 11: 24: “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.”  The verse struck my heart because it reminded me of the power in our prayers. All we have to do is ask and believe that God will answer and it will be given. As we prepare to go to the nations, I am reminded of the importance and power of prayer. I think in my day to day life I forget the power and impact prayer has. To respond to this amazing reminder, I am trying to make my prayers detailed, sincere, and focused. Instead of just passing up a general prayer of please be with the nations. I am trying to think of specific people groups, needs, and opportunities I can pray for. I am also creating a prayer warrior system of friends and family to pray for me one day a week.  Then in class a professor reminded me of the power of unity, not just in a family or marriage, but in every relationship that we have. Whether with coworkers, friends, supervisors, roommates, etc. these relationships require unity. Jesus talks about this type of unity in John 17 when He prays for believers. Jesus talks about the importance of unity for spreading the gospel to the lost. However, unity requires hard work. When we have disagreements with friends, spouses, or colleagues, we have to go to that person in love and explain our feelings and hardships, we have to work at preserving and fostering our relationships so that unity in Christ can be reached and so the gospel can be spread. The lost are going to know we are Christians by how we love one another. Today, I was excited about the opportunity and the possibility to save people. As Christians we have the power to save someone. We can change their life forever! That is amazing! What a blessing and powerful task God has appointed all of us with. And I think the first step in saving the lost is demonstrating Christ’s power in our belief and in our love for one another.   

Our Whirlwind Week

Within a week, everything has changed. Since last Monday, the 18^th, Stephen and I celebrated our two year wedding anniversary with a pyszne (which means delicious in Polish) dinner at Olive Garden. Then Tuesday, I finished working with the one year old little boy. On Wednesday, I had a fantastically fun day with some friends at the water park in Travelers Rest, which unfortunately caused my friend some discomfort later as she got extremely sunburned! Ouch! But she was such a trooper! She stayed Wednesday night to help me pack until 1:30 in the morning! Such a great friend! Thank you so much! Then on Thursday I had some eye appointment adventures, which caused frustration on my part. I mean which doctor agency does not mention that they have two offices? But later that day I was able to spend the day talking and laughing with a great friend from college. Then that night we were able to eat at Red Lobster, which is one of my favorite places ever! Thank you pal for the girls’ dinner out, it meant the world to me! Then on Friday, my husband and I were up around 4am to finish packing everything up and cleaning everything out, unfortunately that morning our air conditioning decided to break! So we were moving and cleaning in 90 degrees, which really makes you appreciate air conditioning! But at 1pm we turned in our keys and by 2pm the cars were loaded and we were out of there for lunch with Stephen’s sister. Saturday we had back-to-back farewell parties. This was an especially emotional day. By 7pm we were both exhausted! We were blessed by so many that it touched our hearts and brought an avalanche of tears. Thank you so much to all of our friends, family, and support team, the way you believe in us and pray for us means more then you can ever know. While we are terrified that we may not succeed or that we will fail, knowing that you believe in us so much and support us so much gives us the strength to continue to try to succeed. We love you guys and cannot imagine taking this journey without your love, prayers, and support. Thank you to all of our friends and family who helped with the parties and to all of our friends, co-workers, and family who sacrificed their time to come and tell us goodbye. We love you will miss you! On Sunday, Stephen and I went to church with my mom, and then left right after church. I thought we were heading to check-in and start the new chapter, but Stephen had other plans! He had booked us a room at a quaint and charming bed-and-breakfast in colonial Williamsburg! It was amazing! And what was even better is that I had no idea until we were pulling in the driveway! It was a wonderful surprise! And it was extremely nice to close one chapter and start another one in a fresh and exciting way. We were able to explore Williamsburg, eat at a local restaurant where they dressed the part, and then enjoy our wonderful air conditioned room. And to wrap up this extremely long post, today, we left Williamsburg and checked in at the Learning Center that will be home for the next 8 weeks. We have unpacked, met some new friends, and have already been overwhelmed at the assignments we have to complete while we are here. Now that I have easier internet access, I will be able to post more frequently, which will lead to shorter posts. Thank you so much for all the prayers you are sending our way. Satan is definitely already trying to attack and discourage us in this journey and your prayers are keeping us diligent and perseverant. Thank you for your faithfulness and obedience to God’s will. We love you guys and look forward to sharing all the things God is doing!

How Do You Say Goodbye?

This weekend was definitely filled with mixed emotions. Both happy times and sad times, it has been a whirlwind weekend. The weekend started with a great time hanging out with wonderful friends. We had delicious Thia food, board games, and lots of laughter! Saturday morning we continued with the good times celebrating the first birthday of a precious baby. We sadly concluded Saturday with moving, packing, and saying good bye. We really appreciate those who were able to help and the support that they provided. I never realized how exhausting emotions can be until now. I think I have spent the whole weekend going from laughter to tears and at the end of each day feeling completely drained! Sunday was not as emotional as Saturday, and not nearly as stressful. We had a wonderful lunch with some friends from church and were able to get some pointers on tuning up the car. Then I was able to have an amazing girls' night out, laughing, shopping, and picture taking! But it seemed to go by so fast. Now here I am Monday morning, on four hours of sleep, and wondering how I can see and spend time with everyone I know and love before leaving Sunday, while trying to pack and finalize the details of moving. I am so grateful for the opportunity to see my friends and family, but in the back of my mind I realize the days are running out. In six days, we will be driving to Richmond and leaving so much of what I have known behind. I do not know how to grasp that concept. I know there is an exciting adventure ahead and I know this is the direction that God is leading. But the challenge still remains: How do you say goodbye?

I have the BEST husband ever!

Yesterday, I worked from 7:45-5:45 watching an energetic one year old. After leaving work, I rushed to the gym to do what I thought would be a fun, some-what easy workout class. I was wrong. I actually walked in to a weightlifting class! Yikes! Since I did not read the description, I was in for a big surprise when I noticed that almost all of our exercise were with a weight bar. One hour later, me and my friend Bethany shakily walked out of the gym. I headed home to what I thought was going to be a night of fixing dinner, making lunches, breaking down the bed in our guest bedroom, and preparing for Friday. I was exhausted thinking of all that I had to do as well as what I have to accomplish in the next 9 days before moving. My body was exhausted form the workout as well as hungry for dinner. So I get home, make dinner and then Stephen and I go out to McDonald's for a wonderful $1.00 caramel sundae and a short car ride. When we get back home he runs upstairs while I stay in the kitchen to finish cleaning up dinner dishes and start on those lunches. As soon as he gets up there, I hear this banging, and wonder what in the world he is doing up there. It turns out that he had almost the whole bed taken apart before I got home from working out and was just finishing up! Five minutes later he carries all the pieces down, and tries to push them out the way for me. I was so amazed. He has been so thoughtful and kind during this process. He has allowed me to go see friends, spend the night with the girls, plan almost every single second we have left here seeing friends and family, and he has also helped by packing, breaking down, and cleaning what he can. I feel so blessed to have such an amazing husband!

My First Post

My name is Traci Edworthy. I am 23 years old, married to Stephen Edworthy, and preparing for a brand new chapter. My husband and I are moving across the ocean to Poland. We have been selected by the International Mission Board to become missionaries in Krakow Poland. In 10 days, we will make the move to Richmond for training and then eight weeks later depart to Poland. I have lived in the same house until college and have not lived more than 45 minutes from my family since. Moving is a foreign concept to say the least, but nonetheless we are embarking on an exciting adventure. This Monday, July 18 we will have been married two years. This process, this move, this lifestyle change has forced us to rely on God in new ways and to learn how to communicate with each other better. We are going to miss our family and friends so much! We love ya’ll! We really appreciate all you have done to help us. All the prayers, encouragement, and support has made this process a lot easier. Hopefully this blog will allow us to keep in touch with you and let you know the work God is doing in Krakow as well as in our lives. I hope you enjoy the blog!