if i am being honest i’ve had a really hard time writing lately. i’ve tried and tried but every time i get stuck. i think it’s because i can’t even begin to put into words the things or the ways the Lord has changed me this past month. the encounters, the freedom, the joy i have been feeling. but i am going to try my best.
back at our last debrief (a time where our whole squad and leadership team comes together) i experienced freedom like i never have before. i was able to walk through a lot of healing and through that i received freedom in areas of my life where i was stuck. Walking into this month in Albania i was eager i was ready to be used by God i was ready to be all in.
arriving in Albania i felt an overwhelming sense of home. which is odd because i’m 2000 miles away from my home ? how could i feel at home in a place that’s literally on the other side of the world. but i decided to press into that feeling. and man i’m so glad that i did.
this month has brought me a joy like i’ve never experienced.
we have been serving with Adopt a Child an organization which provides basic necessities for children and widows. we have been able to be part of children’s camps and a youth conference. We have gotten the chance to love on people and truly see people the way that the Lord sees them.
Being away from my family has been the hardest part of this race for me. Not being able to drive to my sisters house when ever i want to be able to hang out with my nieces and nephews has been so hard.
finding that family feeling is something i’ve been longing for the past 7 months. to arrive to a place and not feel the need to be a certain way or to have to prove anything.
this month has so normal to me. i have found family.
This place feels awfully normal to me and finding normal on the race isn’t something that comes easy.
all the kids camps we did made me feel like i was at home serving a camps in my church. all of our car rides with pastor where we couldn’t stop laughing made me feel like i was at home in the car with my bestfriends. volleyball in the village made me feel like i was back in college playing intramural sports (without the yelling) game nights made me feel like i was back at home with my 8 bestfriends playing games until midnight.
this place has felt so normal to me and yet i have felt the Lord in new ways. I have witnessed healings, i have seen a breakthrough within my team. i have seen language barriers be broken. i have seen the enemy be destroyed over and over again. i have seen lies be met with truth. i have seen out a group of strangers who don’t know each others languages become a family in a matter of weeks. This place has changed me. forever.
Albania is really special.
these people are really special.
