I'm back!

I arrived safely and on time to the Gulfport airport Sunday night! I was happy to be greeted by my Momma, Daddy, Mark, Mrs. Diane, Whit, Amanda O'Bannon, and Caryn Hyatt. All of my luggage was even there! We were very excited to see that it was there seeing that my luggage caused problems everywhere I went. I have already gotten right back in the swing of things. I took care of important business yesterday! Went to see Mama Mia with the usual movie group (Mom, Mrs. Diane, Whit, Steph, and me), saw my Aunt Betty Carol (the most important), and got to see our favorite girl Kameron Lavender and the new baby Kylie! Don't tell Mr. Tim Burnett that's why we went to his house though, I told him I had to come see him! Haha!
Well I guess you probably want to hear about my last week in the Balkans. It was an interesting week to say the least! At the beginning of the week our air conditioner quit! It was SO hot in our apartment. It did make us feel as if we were really roughing it! :) We got to visit with all of our friends and then say good-bye, the hardest part of the summer. We had a taco night Tuesday night for three of our friends. They were so funny! Our American dinner was so different than what they are used to. When you eat at their homes, the plates are fixed for you, you never get asked if you like peas or not, and it is fixed FULL! When we sat down with all the food on the table, they were quite confused. We told them that they could fix their own plate and eat whatever they wanted and if they didn't like it, they didn't have to eat it! They thought the funniest part was the passing around of things, at first they just watched us fix our plates and then asked "Do I just ask someone to pass something I want?". I think everybody had a good time. We got to do some food distribution with our bosses' apprentices Wednesday. I think that was my favorite thing we did all summer. We brought sunflower oil, tea, flour, noodles, and milk to two different families. It was so neat to be a part of that. We delivered the groceries and then sat with the families to drink Turkish coffee and chai. It is always humbling to be invited into someones home who has so little, but is so proud of what they do have. Thursday was the big good-bye night for our closest friend. We got to go to her home to spend the evening. We ate sarma for supper (sarma is rice and beef wrapped in grape leaves). Eight hours later we said our good-byes. I think this friend was our most successful relationship of the summer. We got to talk to her the most about our Father and salvation. I don't think she will ever be able to be a good Muslim again, she knows too much about what we know is true and very real.
This summer was a very eye opening summer. He used several circumstances to teach me. I learned more about who He is and who I am. I will never be the same, there is no going back. I am so thankful for my relationship with Him, I don't know where I would be without Him.
Thank you so much for ALL of you who helped me get there and then those of you who helped me throughout the summer. Thank you again to my Aunt Patty and Uncle Chris who got me the plane ticket, and all of you who once again were willing to buy a gourmet apple, and then for those of you who wrote me cards for the summer. I am telling y'all, your cards got me through some days! I am blessed to have the family I have!
This is my last blog for the summer. I am moving on to a new chapter...called seminary! Please pray for me as I start next week in New Orleans. Thanks again!

Alright last pre-typed blog! Hopefully you have stuck with me through these last few days! Tomorrow should be a real live blog from Bulgaria! We will be leaving our country tomorrow and heading down so we can be close to the Bulgaria airport. Hopefully I will be able to give you good news tomorrow! I can't wait to tell you! I wanted you to know that I have been praying for you all summer. I have been praying for those of you who have been there all along interceding for me all the way and understanding the importance of me coming. I also have been praying for those of you who are still looking for that peace. I pray that through this blog this summer He has opened your eyes and heart to Him and His good and perfect will for your life. You have to want it and you have to ask for it. Your life will NEVER be the same. The walk is not easy and He never promised it to be, but is a joyous road, one that will never fail you or let you down. He will never disappoint you and will never turn His back on you no matter how bad you mess up. I am telling you, you won't be disappointed! :)
I love y'all and thank you for your support!

Day 5:
At this point I only have 3 days left until I am home. That means panic has set in to get everything accomplished! This verse that I am putting up today came from my friend Sara Jane. It has been a favorite of mine ever since she showed it to me. It it such an encouraging verse to know as we live our daily lives. Hopefully glorifying Him in every thing we do, failing sometimes and accomplishing sometimes. It is so good to know that He is everywhere we go, leading the way and going before us. I hope you know that His promise is very real and that He wants so very badly to give it to those of you who have not let Him give it to you yet.

Remember that I have commanded you to be strong and brave.

Don't be afraid, because the Lord your God

will be with you everywhere you go.

Joshua 1:9

Day 4:
I wanted to thank all of you that are sharing my blog with other people. Thank you for sharing it with people in your offices, work places, and your friends. I do appreciate your efforts in getting other people to intercede for us. So today's verse, here we go!

He has not punished us as our sins should be punished;
He has not repaid us for the evil we have done.
As high as the sky is above the earth, so great is His love

for those who respect Him.
He has taken our sins away from us as far
as the east is from the west.
The Lord has mercy on those who respect Him,
as a father has mercy on His children.
He knows how we were made;
He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 103: 10-14

I think that these verses may have already made a run on here, but I figure even if they have He can show us different things every time. I pray that you are reading these thoughts everyday and that they are taking there proper place in your life. Whether you are still searching for peace or you are one of His children. I am praying for you!

Day three! Today we only have five days left in our city. I know that you are interceding and we are so thankful for it! I hope that the GRACE trip is going successful. Hopefully my Momma, Mrs. Carolyn Ciak, and Adriana were able to find a quinceanera dress for Adriana. I can't wait to go in October to see everybody at Casa! I miss them so extremely much!
Alright thought for the day...

15. Nations will fear the name of the Lord,
and all the kings on earth will honor You.
17. He will answer the prayers of the needy;
He will not reject their prayers.
18. Write these things for the future so that
the people who are not yet born
will praise the Lord.
22. People will come together,
and kingdoms will serve the Lord.
Psalm 102: 15, 17, 18, 22

Well hopefully yesterday was successful! This is so cool that it is doing it for me! This is a verse I found a few weeks ago thanks to Beth Moore's The Patriarchs study. I also meant to give my Daddy this verse in a card that I sent him but I sent him the wrong verse. Later when I looked up the verse that I sent my Daddy to make sure it was right, it was a verse about being stupid! Whoops...sorry!

You are my hiding place.
You protect me from my troubles
and fill me with songs of salvation!
Psalm 32:7

I was so comforted when I read this verse for the first time! I don't think I have ever found a better verse for wrapping Him up in two sentences! He is everything His book says He is! How awesome He is! I am praying for you!

So this is day one of the blog spot blogs that it is posting for me. Hopefully it works, I guess we will find out! While I was listening to my iPod on the way to the lake I just happened upon a song by Big Daddy Weave. I haven't listened to this song in probably two years, but He just spoke to me through this song and I wanted to share the chorus with you:

You may think I am sounding all too prideful,
but let me tell you something true.
The very one who lives inside of me right now,
wants to live inside of you.
Instead of searching any longer,
you can have peace today, you can take hold of the answer!

What true and awesome lyrics! They are so very true! I am praying for those of you reading this that don't have a personal relationship with Him. I hope that your eyes are being opened and that you will find peace!