Well, I’ve done it. I’ve completed the first semester. What’s that mean? I’ve been here for 121 days.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE DAYS.
So, you know, just a third of a year. Surely I’ve had some exciting things occur since my last post.
YUP.
THANKSGIVING. Don’t you worry your little heart, dear reader. I, as a strong and patriotic American, made sure to have an American Thanksgiving celebration. I wanted this so badly that I arranged the first guys and girls household event together! So, it was myself, my two American housemates, Martha Gornik, another American, Javier, our brother American, two Belgians and a Lebanese for Thanksgiving. We had everything thing that a traditional Thanksgiving should have, for the most part. We had your turkey, your gravy (or in our case multiple kinds of gravy), your cranberry sauce, your mashed potatoes, your stuffing, your green bean casserole, and your pumpkin and apple pie. DELICIOUS. Also, since I wanted to be festive and authentic, I made some hand turkeys and hung those up on the wall. You know those outlines of your hand that you make when you’re roughly 5 years old? Yeah, those.
On Thanksgiving Day, I went to a conference in London. (We had to celebrate Thanksgiving two days early to make sure we could fit it in, but I KNEW that it would be worth it.) It was the second part of the SWOT conference… For those of you who have been following this fairly faithfully, you’ll know that this is the same type of conference that I attended at the beginning of my Gap year in Scotland. The emphasis of this conference was on teamwork. And so, as you can imagine, lots of teamwork topics and exercises were talked about and done during my time in London. It’s a bit of a shame that I was busy the entire length of my stay in London, but I figure it was worth it. Actually, I know so. I was able to stay at the women’s household in London with my friend, Camille. She’s fabulous. I’ve probably said this before, but I’ll say that roughly 2,598,347,596,846,945 more times as well. We had quite the time, and definitely grew in our friendship in ways I can safely say that she and I were not anticipating.
The next most exciting event was Pharos Weekend! WOO! Our outreach had a retreat at the beginning of December and the focus was on worship. Well, seeing as that was the emphasis, and I am the worship team leader, you can bet your bottom dollar that I had my work cut out for me. But, in the end, all worked out. We, the Pharos team, had been praying since the beginning of the semester for 20 people to be able to attend the retreat. The headcount: 21! It was really great. The Lord really worked in people throughout the retreat. We also had a little bit of fun as well. ;) My highlight was probably playing Sardines. For those who are not familiar with this, it’s essentially like hide-and-go-seek. However, one person hides. The rest search for the person hiding. Once you have found the person hiding, the goal is to hide with them and not be the last person to find the “hide-ee.” This late night activity, I’m pretty sure, helped to strengthen some of the friendships within Pharos.
Another great event that has happened was our Pharos Bingo Night! As the head of the Social Events Team, I knew that I had a little bit of power in deciding what the next event was. At the time, I really just had the urge to dress up like an elderly person. So, I decided to combine these together. Thus, Pharos Bingo Night was created. I tried to figure out how to spice up the old age factor, and what instantly popped into my mind was the idea of a bingo hall in America. So, for the event, we played Christmas Bingo, and we asked all those who were to attend to dress as if they were 65 years or older. I was a bit cautious that the Belgian people wouldn’t quite be as thrilled for dressing up, but, fortunately, they were just as enthusiastic as I. Needless to say, it was quite a fun event.
The final Pharos event of the semester was a Joint Prayer Meeting. Pharos, along with two other Christian student groups, joined together to have one heck of a night. The event started off with a prayer meeting, mainly run by Pharos, where I participated as the music team leader. With the three groups, we were able to form a team of musicians, including a flute and a saxophone which gave a great feel to the music. After the prayer meeting, there was a dinner. It was essentially a potluck dinner where people from all the groups brought food to share. Following this, the event team had hired a folk dancing group to come and teach us folk dances. So, we danced the night away. The event was over 5 hours long, but it went very well.
I’ll end with this. I’m sure there will be plenty for me to write soon, seeing as my best friend from Lansing, Ellen Schaefer, and her family are currently here in Belgium. There have been many adventures in the past two days that they’ve been here, and I’m quite positive there will be more to come during their stay.
Oh, but quick check out a video we made in December too!
Friday, December 30
Thursday, November 17
Right Time, Right Place
Alright. What time is it?
There are two appropriate answers to this.
It's the right time (in reference to this post's title)
It's story time!
If you thought of one of these, then I give you credit for being a mind reader. Well, maybe just my mind reader.
1:
This is a story that was suggested to be put on my blog a fair while ago. But now, I'm just getting around to it. It all begins at the beginning of October. The weather was still quite warm and pleasant, sunny and just a bit of a breeze. So, I took the opportunity to do some work outside. For me, that work was selecting the songs for the prayer meeting that night. And so, I began to look through and play different songs for the prayer meeting that night. After about 3 songs, a guy I'd never seen before asked me if he could sit nearby and listen. He had heard me from his room since he had his window open. I said certainly. Really, I didn't think anything of it. I play music. The point of music is to be heard. So, I continued my work, singing and playing the guitar. After a while, I needed to go inside seeing as I had completed my task of selecting the songs. As I was packing up, this guy complimented me. I responded with a thank you. After that, he had said that he recognized one of the songs. And so, we conversed a little bit. During the chit chat, I mentioned that I was leading the music for the prayer meeting that night and I invited him to come. I doubt he would show up. Surprisingly, he came. But wait, there's more. That night, I made an announcement saying that I was assembling a music team and that I was looking for volunteers. This Sunny Afternoon Worship Song Listener came up and volunteered! He explained to me that he was looking for a Christian group to join here since he's from Italy. He also had played guitar for 10 years. He now is one of the most active participants of Pharos this year. Talk about God's timing and placement!
2:
As I have mentioned previously, the Pharos team does a bit of campus evangelism, and that we mainly do this through our Coffee Stall event. Needless to say, walking up to a random stranger, offering free coffee of a free waffle, knowing that your goal is to steer the conversation towards the topics of God and faith can seem daunting. Since we do it every week, it gets a bit easier. Having a point of similar interest helps to break the ice. One Wednesday, Marisa had walked up to a girl and offered her free coffee, and the stranger accepted. They began to talk, and the Coffee Drinker explained that one of her interests was Kdrama. For those of you who don't know, Kdrama, or Korean Drama, refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. And also, for those of you who don't know, I love Kdrama. Either way, Marisa was aware of this and invited me into the conversation. the Coffee Drinker and I geeked out for quite awhile. Between the 3 of us, we talked for nearly 1.5 hours. For a conversation with someone you've never met before, that quite a long time. During that time, one of us Gappers invited her to the Pharos event that night which happened to be a women's event at the women's household. We figured it was a long shot that she would come since she had just met us that day. That night, that Coffee Drinker came! She ended up coming late after she was given bad directions and got lost for over 45 minutes, part of which was in a different city. However, that didn't deter her! We were majorly impressed. I can say that now, I definitely consider her a friend of mine, and I love watching Kdrama with her. Who knew that a step of faith at Coffee Stall would have provided me with not only an evangelistic opportunity, but also a friend with similar interests!
3:
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to serve the Jerusalem Community here by aiding in the Visitation. That is a check-up done by community leaders from different communities in the region that occurs roughly every 5 years. I had been asked to aid in the Lord's Day Celebration, which was quite a production. All in all, the evening, the socializing, and the meal went well. But what I want to mention was the actual celebration of the Lord's Day Prayer. During this time, all the leaders from the different communities were gathered together and I had the opportunity to join in as we all prayed and sang together. Paul Jordan, one of the community coordinators, led this time. In the middle, he urged us to give each other a sign of peace to one another. The way he explained it implied that it was not just an utterance of the words, but also a time to show physically what we meant. And so, everyone began to hug one another and declare "Peace be with you" to each other as well. Everyone did this to everyone. So, I received right around 20 hugs in a row. Now, this may not seem like a big deal. For me, however, it was. I had been having an extremely difficult week, most definitely the hardest week of my time here by far. I was an emotional wreck, and I had no idea where I was going to receive comfort. One thing that my mother has said in a conversation earlier in the week was that I was probably going through hug withdrawal. Why? Well, that's just how I greet all of my friends and family back home. Here, well, that's not how they do it. But so, after this awful week, God provided me with not just one really good hug, but 20 hugs.
4:
For now, this will be the last story. It has to do with what happened tonight. Not too long ago, Pharos was emailed with an opportunity. There was to be a big Adoration event in Sint-Pieterskerk (Saint Peter's church) right in the middle of Leuven.
Here's a picture of the church.
We were asked if we would take an hour and provide the music for the Adoration. And so, that's what we did. Tonight, I got to lead music in a HUGE 15th century Gothic style church for a city-wide all night Adoration event. It's very difficult for me to explain the feeling. In this gigantic, cold stone church, warmth was felt through the company of other's coming into the Lord's presence. The silence was only interrupted by songs that echoed through the building. I felt as if it was one of the coolest music opportunities that I've ever had.
Yep. This is my life. This is where God wants me. There's nothing like being in the right place at the right time.
There are two appropriate answers to this.
It's the right time (in reference to this post's title)
It's story time!
If you thought of one of these, then I give you credit for being a mind reader. Well, maybe just my mind reader.
1:
This is a story that was suggested to be put on my blog a fair while ago. But now, I'm just getting around to it. It all begins at the beginning of October. The weather was still quite warm and pleasant, sunny and just a bit of a breeze. So, I took the opportunity to do some work outside. For me, that work was selecting the songs for the prayer meeting that night. And so, I began to look through and play different songs for the prayer meeting that night. After about 3 songs, a guy I'd never seen before asked me if he could sit nearby and listen. He had heard me from his room since he had his window open. I said certainly. Really, I didn't think anything of it. I play music. The point of music is to be heard. So, I continued my work, singing and playing the guitar. After a while, I needed to go inside seeing as I had completed my task of selecting the songs. As I was packing up, this guy complimented me. I responded with a thank you. After that, he had said that he recognized one of the songs. And so, we conversed a little bit. During the chit chat, I mentioned that I was leading the music for the prayer meeting that night and I invited him to come. I doubt he would show up. Surprisingly, he came. But wait, there's more. That night, I made an announcement saying that I was assembling a music team and that I was looking for volunteers. This Sunny Afternoon Worship Song Listener came up and volunteered! He explained to me that he was looking for a Christian group to join here since he's from Italy. He also had played guitar for 10 years. He now is one of the most active participants of Pharos this year. Talk about God's timing and placement!
2:
As I have mentioned previously, the Pharos team does a bit of campus evangelism, and that we mainly do this through our Coffee Stall event. Needless to say, walking up to a random stranger, offering free coffee of a free waffle, knowing that your goal is to steer the conversation towards the topics of God and faith can seem daunting. Since we do it every week, it gets a bit easier. Having a point of similar interest helps to break the ice. One Wednesday, Marisa had walked up to a girl and offered her free coffee, and the stranger accepted. They began to talk, and the Coffee Drinker explained that one of her interests was Kdrama. For those of you who don't know, Kdrama, or Korean Drama, refers to televised dramas, in a miniseries format, produced in the Korean language. And also, for those of you who don't know, I love Kdrama. Either way, Marisa was aware of this and invited me into the conversation. the Coffee Drinker and I geeked out for quite awhile. Between the 3 of us, we talked for nearly 1.5 hours. For a conversation with someone you've never met before, that quite a long time. During that time, one of us Gappers invited her to the Pharos event that night which happened to be a women's event at the women's household. We figured it was a long shot that she would come since she had just met us that day. That night, that Coffee Drinker came! She ended up coming late after she was given bad directions and got lost for over 45 minutes, part of which was in a different city. However, that didn't deter her! We were majorly impressed. I can say that now, I definitely consider her a friend of mine, and I love watching Kdrama with her. Who knew that a step of faith at Coffee Stall would have provided me with not only an evangelistic opportunity, but also a friend with similar interests!
3:
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to serve the Jerusalem Community here by aiding in the Visitation. That is a check-up done by community leaders from different communities in the region that occurs roughly every 5 years. I had been asked to aid in the Lord's Day Celebration, which was quite a production. All in all, the evening, the socializing, and the meal went well. But what I want to mention was the actual celebration of the Lord's Day Prayer. During this time, all the leaders from the different communities were gathered together and I had the opportunity to join in as we all prayed and sang together. Paul Jordan, one of the community coordinators, led this time. In the middle, he urged us to give each other a sign of peace to one another. The way he explained it implied that it was not just an utterance of the words, but also a time to show physically what we meant. And so, everyone began to hug one another and declare "Peace be with you" to each other as well. Everyone did this to everyone. So, I received right around 20 hugs in a row. Now, this may not seem like a big deal. For me, however, it was. I had been having an extremely difficult week, most definitely the hardest week of my time here by far. I was an emotional wreck, and I had no idea where I was going to receive comfort. One thing that my mother has said in a conversation earlier in the week was that I was probably going through hug withdrawal. Why? Well, that's just how I greet all of my friends and family back home. Here, well, that's not how they do it. But so, after this awful week, God provided me with not just one really good hug, but 20 hugs.
4:
For now, this will be the last story. It has to do with what happened tonight. Not too long ago, Pharos was emailed with an opportunity. There was to be a big Adoration event in Sint-Pieterskerk (Saint Peter's church) right in the middle of Leuven.
Here's a picture of the church.
We were asked if we would take an hour and provide the music for the Adoration. And so, that's what we did. Tonight, I got to lead music in a HUGE 15th century Gothic style church for a city-wide all night Adoration event. It's very difficult for me to explain the feeling. In this gigantic, cold stone church, warmth was felt through the company of other's coming into the Lord's presence. The silence was only interrupted by songs that echoed through the building. I felt as if it was one of the coolest music opportunities that I've ever had.
Yep. This is my life. This is where God wants me. There's nothing like being in the right place at the right time.
Thursday, October 13
Babe of Beer River Road
Substance. Finally, some substance!
Most certainly, this post is long overdue. I believe this without a doubt! Hopefully, I'll be able to catch you all up significantly.
I'm choosing to begin at September 15th, 2011. Why? Well, I don't really think I need to expound upon anything earlier than this since I've already mentioned it. I can't say nothing happened between my trip to Scotland on the 2nd of September and the 15th. However, I'm sure many details need not to be said about being sick for roughly two weeks in a foreign country. Simply it was miserable. And that's that.
Now, to the good stuff! The 15th of September marked the beginning of my Gap Year! What happened? Well, we moved. The women's household from the previous year had a house until that day. You would think that moving wouldn't be that big of a deal. Well, that's not true. The catch was we didn't really have a place. The house for this year's household (where I'm living currently) wasn't available until October 1st. Generously, a family from the Jerusalem community here allowed us to keep all of our furniture and everything at their home. Truly, it was a blessing!
So, then, let me answer the question of where I stayed during this two week section where the women's household was minus a house. I guess that just made us a hold. Hahahah. ANYWAY, us three girls living in household were provided with different places to stay with members of the community here in Leuven. I mainly ended up staying with Martha, a lovely lady from Michigan. For those who don't know her, she's fantastic. For those who do know her, you know I'm not lying! She had just moved to Leuven from Spain only a week before I had arrived in Belgium. She selflessly opened up her flat for me to stay in for 2 weeks. Much fun was had, much laughter caused, and much Korean Television watched. All in all, it was grand. I suppose the only thing out of the ordinary was her landlord.
I'm trying to find the best way to say this. I'm feeling that this might just be a lost cause. However, I must attempt. Don't get me wrong, Martha's landlord, Wajih, has been decent at his job. There is, though, one slight issue: He jumps to conclusions. Because of this, I became her boyfriend. Then, I became her girlfriend. One of the mornings that I was in her flat, Wajih came to fix something with the heating. I wasn't really awake at the moment, so she had me move to her bed so I wouldn't be in the way on the floor. I quickly moved to her bed which was out of sight of her landlord. Whatever is was that required the adjustment was adjusted, and her landlord left. We thought we had averted a crisis. Wajih had previously voiced that he "didn't understand why she didn't have a boyfriend!" He had even thought this so much that he had told people that he needed stuff from Martha's apartment for, "a 26-year old woman who's about to be engaged!" He just really wanted her to be involved with someone. Unfortunately, I had become that someone in his mind! The next time she had contact with Wajih he apologized for interrupting her and her boyfriend. I HAD BEEN NOTICED. Martha thought about fighting against this, but ended up just rolling with the punches. Thus, I became the boyfriend. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for Martha, I ended up coming back to her flat the same time he was right outside her door. So, Wajih and I properly met. I was introduced as Martha's friend. Innocent? Yes, by American standards. In Belgium, friend means more than that. And so, Wajih made the assumption that I was her "friend." So, I at least became regarded in the correct gender. As for what it meant for the "relationship" between Martha and me, it was blown even more out of proportion. Honestly, I found the entire situation absolutely hilarious!
October 1st marks the date of my first night at "home." The moving process occurred again! The new women's household was moved into, rather easily. And so, I became a Babe of Beer River Road. I rather enjoy the title. It stems from the fact that we live on Bierbeekstraat. Translated you get beer river road/street. So, naturally, we, the babes, became the newest residents on the street. We live in Beer River Basilica. Or at least, that is what I want to call the house. That's still up for debate.
Ok, Kate. That's great. You've been a boyfriend, girlfriend, and a babe. What about this "Gap" business that you're supposed to be there for? What's going on in that realm?
I AM GLAD YOU ASKED.
Well, let's see. Let me tell you my roles as a Gapper.
I am on the leadership team for Campus Evangelism!
- Daniel and I are the team for this event. What we do is what we call Coffee Stall. We had out free coffee and waffles to students for a 2 hour period of time once a week. While doing so, our aim is to engage the students, steer our conversations towards faith and God, and hopefully get contact information so as to invite people to Pharos events. It's challenging. It's good. It really helps me to remember that we're called to evangelism at all times. As uncomfortable as it may be, the more you do it, the more experienced you get. The extrovert in me loves being able to meet so many different people a week!
I am also in charge of the leadership team for Social Events!
- You may call me the Master Party Person. I'm on the team with Javier and with Maarten, a native Belgian. Really, we get to plan the fun events for Pharos. Last night, we had a Photo-Scavenger Hunt. Roaming around Leuven at night searching for random parks, statues, and flags? Finding interesting door handles and taking pictures with a blind dog? Doing so without it raining? Yes, please!
Lastly, but certainly not least, actually my most favorite:
MUSICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
I am working music for Pharos. What does this mean? Well, I'm in charge of the music team. Oh wait, first, let me just say that I had no existing team with which to work. And then, God just threw one at me. It was so fantastic! In the matter of hours, the team went from just me to 4 guitarists, 2 pianists, 3 vocalists, and a drummer. Sure, some of that might overlap within a person, BUT STILL. Certainly a blessing! Now, I'm in the process of working on the song list. Also, I shall soon be starting to work with 3 to 4 people on guitar so that I can hopefully plug them into the music team as well! God is so good!
So, I think you're up to speed. Well, as up to speed as necessary at the moment. I wouldn't say any of the above post is typical. But, such is the life of a Gapper.
Tot ziens!
[goodbye in Dutch. I'm in Dutch class currently. I promise I know more than this. I'll just leave you with my favorite word and it's definition. Winkel = shop/store. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE FUN SAYING THIS!? hahah.]
Most certainly, this post is long overdue. I believe this without a doubt! Hopefully, I'll be able to catch you all up significantly.
I'm choosing to begin at September 15th, 2011. Why? Well, I don't really think I need to expound upon anything earlier than this since I've already mentioned it. I can't say nothing happened between my trip to Scotland on the 2nd of September and the 15th. However, I'm sure many details need not to be said about being sick for roughly two weeks in a foreign country. Simply it was miserable. And that's that.
Now, to the good stuff! The 15th of September marked the beginning of my Gap Year! What happened? Well, we moved. The women's household from the previous year had a house until that day. You would think that moving wouldn't be that big of a deal. Well, that's not true. The catch was we didn't really have a place. The house for this year's household (where I'm living currently) wasn't available until October 1st. Generously, a family from the Jerusalem community here allowed us to keep all of our furniture and everything at their home. Truly, it was a blessing!
So, then, let me answer the question of where I stayed during this two week section where the women's household was minus a house. I guess that just made us a hold. Hahahah. ANYWAY, us three girls living in household were provided with different places to stay with members of the community here in Leuven. I mainly ended up staying with Martha, a lovely lady from Michigan. For those who don't know her, she's fantastic. For those who do know her, you know I'm not lying! She had just moved to Leuven from Spain only a week before I had arrived in Belgium. She selflessly opened up her flat for me to stay in for 2 weeks. Much fun was had, much laughter caused, and much Korean Television watched. All in all, it was grand. I suppose the only thing out of the ordinary was her landlord.
I'm trying to find the best way to say this. I'm feeling that this might just be a lost cause. However, I must attempt. Don't get me wrong, Martha's landlord, Wajih, has been decent at his job. There is, though, one slight issue: He jumps to conclusions. Because of this, I became her boyfriend. Then, I became her girlfriend. One of the mornings that I was in her flat, Wajih came to fix something with the heating. I wasn't really awake at the moment, so she had me move to her bed so I wouldn't be in the way on the floor. I quickly moved to her bed which was out of sight of her landlord. Whatever is was that required the adjustment was adjusted, and her landlord left. We thought we had averted a crisis. Wajih had previously voiced that he "didn't understand why she didn't have a boyfriend!" He had even thought this so much that he had told people that he needed stuff from Martha's apartment for, "a 26-year old woman who's about to be engaged!" He just really wanted her to be involved with someone. Unfortunately, I had become that someone in his mind! The next time she had contact with Wajih he apologized for interrupting her and her boyfriend. I HAD BEEN NOTICED. Martha thought about fighting against this, but ended up just rolling with the punches. Thus, I became the boyfriend. Fortunately for me, and unfortunately for Martha, I ended up coming back to her flat the same time he was right outside her door. So, Wajih and I properly met. I was introduced as Martha's friend. Innocent? Yes, by American standards. In Belgium, friend means more than that. And so, Wajih made the assumption that I was her "friend." So, I at least became regarded in the correct gender. As for what it meant for the "relationship" between Martha and me, it was blown even more out of proportion. Honestly, I found the entire situation absolutely hilarious!
October 1st marks the date of my first night at "home." The moving process occurred again! The new women's household was moved into, rather easily. And so, I became a Babe of Beer River Road. I rather enjoy the title. It stems from the fact that we live on Bierbeekstraat. Translated you get beer river road/street. So, naturally, we, the babes, became the newest residents on the street. We live in Beer River Basilica. Or at least, that is what I want to call the house. That's still up for debate.
Ok, Kate. That's great. You've been a boyfriend, girlfriend, and a babe. What about this "Gap" business that you're supposed to be there for? What's going on in that realm?
I AM GLAD YOU ASKED.
Well, let's see. Let me tell you my roles as a Gapper.
I am on the leadership team for Campus Evangelism!
- Daniel and I are the team for this event. What we do is what we call Coffee Stall. We had out free coffee and waffles to students for a 2 hour period of time once a week. While doing so, our aim is to engage the students, steer our conversations towards faith and God, and hopefully get contact information so as to invite people to Pharos events. It's challenging. It's good. It really helps me to remember that we're called to evangelism at all times. As uncomfortable as it may be, the more you do it, the more experienced you get. The extrovert in me loves being able to meet so many different people a week!
I am also in charge of the leadership team for Social Events!
- You may call me the Master Party Person. I'm on the team with Javier and with Maarten, a native Belgian. Really, we get to plan the fun events for Pharos. Last night, we had a Photo-Scavenger Hunt. Roaming around Leuven at night searching for random parks, statues, and flags? Finding interesting door handles and taking pictures with a blind dog? Doing so without it raining? Yes, please!
Lastly, but certainly not least, actually my most favorite:
MUSICCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCC.
I am working music for Pharos. What does this mean? Well, I'm in charge of the music team. Oh wait, first, let me just say that I had no existing team with which to work. And then, God just threw one at me. It was so fantastic! In the matter of hours, the team went from just me to 4 guitarists, 2 pianists, 3 vocalists, and a drummer. Sure, some of that might overlap within a person, BUT STILL. Certainly a blessing! Now, I'm in the process of working on the song list. Also, I shall soon be starting to work with 3 to 4 people on guitar so that I can hopefully plug them into the music team as well! God is so good!
So, I think you're up to speed. Well, as up to speed as necessary at the moment. I wouldn't say any of the above post is typical. But, such is the life of a Gapper.
Tot ziens!
[goodbye in Dutch. I'm in Dutch class currently. I promise I know more than this. I'll just leave you with my favorite word and it's definition. Winkel = shop/store. HOW CAN YOU NOT HAVE FUN SAYING THIS!? hahah.]
Friday, September 30
Let's Face It!
Alright. I know. It's LONG OVERDUE that I post again about my Gap Year. As for content about my time here thus far, this post shall be lacking. However, I hope to make up for that by posting some pictures! I know, I'm getting real high tech here.
As I was thinking about my blog the other day, I realized that I'll be throwing names all over the place. So, in order for less confusion for you, my dear reader, I have decided to put some names to faces. Those featured shall be appearing probably most often on my blog. Now, when you imagine my friendly foreign encounters, you will be able to picture my experiences more accurately! I know, I'm really so kind for doing this. Hahah.
Well, here I go.
Also, for those of you who share my love and enthusiasm for puns, please appreciate that I went this far without a comparison to FACEbook for this post. Thank you. :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Geleyn - Gap Director, Otherwise Known as Understanding Dictator ;)
Clare Darnell - Assistant Gap Leader, House Leader, Gap Leuven Survivor! (Goodness, I like the sound of the last title! Hahah.)
Risa Peine - Fellow Gapper, Housemate, Minnesotan, Coffee Enthusiast
Javier Sastre - Fellow Gapper, Fellow Michigander, Avid Longboarder
Daniel Kallassi - Fellow Gapper, Lebanese, Loves birds - at least, shooting them.
Javier to the left, Daniel to the right!
And there you have it. Leuven's Finest. I'll top it all off with a picture where it looks like we all might actually get along!
As I was thinking about my blog the other day, I realized that I'll be throwing names all over the place. So, in order for less confusion for you, my dear reader, I have decided to put some names to faces. Those featured shall be appearing probably most often on my blog. Now, when you imagine my friendly foreign encounters, you will be able to picture my experiences more accurately! I know, I'm really so kind for doing this. Hahah.
Well, here I go.
Also, for those of you who share my love and enthusiasm for puns, please appreciate that I went this far without a comparison to FACEbook for this post. Thank you. :)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sam Geleyn - Gap Director, Otherwise Known as Understanding Dictator ;)
Clare Darnell - Assistant Gap Leader, House Leader, Gap Leuven Survivor! (Goodness, I like the sound of the last title! Hahah.)
Risa Peine - Fellow Gapper, Housemate, Minnesotan, Coffee Enthusiast
Javier Sastre - Fellow Gapper, Fellow Michigander, Avid Longboarder
Daniel Kallassi - Fellow Gapper, Lebanese, Loves birds - at least, shooting them.
Javier to the left, Daniel to the right!
And there you have it. Leuven's Finest. I'll top it all off with a picture where it looks like we all might actually get along!
Thursday, September 8
First and Foremost
Well, I decided that I have a proper Intro to Europe post! A little less self reflection, and a little more environmental/situational description. And so, in the form, or perhaps the art of a "Myspace Quiz/Bulletin," I plan on explaining a few of my firsts in Belgium/Scotland.
First Use of Public Transportation: My train ride from the Brussels airport to Leuven.
- This is a big step for me! I never had to use this at home. I'm pretty certain that I'll have to get comfortable with the idea of trains/buses. This ties into the first thing I miss about home...
First Thing Missed about Home: Seatbelts!
- Yep, I'm different, I know. However, with all the travelling I've done so far on the public transportation, I've missed them! I sit down, and out of habit reach to buckle myself in my seat. Maybe I find them comfortable... or rather more of a comforting idea dealing with safety.
First Kairos Event: Student Workers Outreach Training! (SWOT)
- This conference was in Glasgow, Scotland. I left for the conference the day immediately following my arrival in Leuven. I certainly enjoyed meeting so many people with such a strong vision for their respective university outreaches! Many a friend was made, and many a good time had!
First Of Age Alcoholic Drink: Mango Medley (Super girly, yes. I'm fully aware)
- I pretty much felt crippled the first time we went to the pub in Scotland. Since I'm only nineteen, and a pretty decent law abiding citizen, my knowledge of what I like in regards to these types of beverages is extremely limited. It was decent, I guess. It'll take some getting used to, but it'll certainly happen since it's such a part of the culture here.
First Of Age Alcoholic Drink that I Liked: Koppaberg Cider Strawberry & Lime.
- Yum. That's all. Hahah.
First BELGIAN WAFFLE: Waffle eaten within 3 hours of my arrival!
- This definitely is NOT a curse about being in Leuven. They are really good, and totally not like what a Belgian Waffle is in the States! In looks, they are extremely similar, but the waffle I had here was much more of a dessert, much more sweet (by itself. I mean, the American version needs syrup or some variety of sweetener. This requires none.) Also, it's eaten cold... or at least, this one was.
First European Best Friend: Camille Chippewa.
- What? A fellow Michigander is my first best friend here? MOST CERTAINLY. For as much as we saw each other in the States, we never really had the opportunity to truly talk. Now, both as Gappers in Europe, we definitely are on a level of connection. She was such an extreme blessing to me over the SWOT conference. Also, she appreciates random things as I do, like roasted chicken crisps, teapots as bookends in a Women's household, or even rainbows & unicorns.
That's Seven Firsts. There will be plenty more to come!
First Use of Public Transportation: My train ride from the Brussels airport to Leuven.
- This is a big step for me! I never had to use this at home. I'm pretty certain that I'll have to get comfortable with the idea of trains/buses. This ties into the first thing I miss about home...
First Thing Missed about Home: Seatbelts!
- Yep, I'm different, I know. However, with all the travelling I've done so far on the public transportation, I've missed them! I sit down, and out of habit reach to buckle myself in my seat. Maybe I find them comfortable... or rather more of a comforting idea dealing with safety.
First Kairos Event: Student Workers Outreach Training! (SWOT)
- This conference was in Glasgow, Scotland. I left for the conference the day immediately following my arrival in Leuven. I certainly enjoyed meeting so many people with such a strong vision for their respective university outreaches! Many a friend was made, and many a good time had!
First Of Age Alcoholic Drink: Mango Medley (Super girly, yes. I'm fully aware)
- I pretty much felt crippled the first time we went to the pub in Scotland. Since I'm only nineteen, and a pretty decent law abiding citizen, my knowledge of what I like in regards to these types of beverages is extremely limited. It was decent, I guess. It'll take some getting used to, but it'll certainly happen since it's such a part of the culture here.
First Of Age Alcoholic Drink that I Liked: Koppaberg Cider Strawberry & Lime.
- Yum. That's all. Hahah.
First BELGIAN WAFFLE: Waffle eaten within 3 hours of my arrival!
- This definitely is NOT a curse about being in Leuven. They are really good, and totally not like what a Belgian Waffle is in the States! In looks, they are extremely similar, but the waffle I had here was much more of a dessert, much more sweet (by itself. I mean, the American version needs syrup or some variety of sweetener. This requires none.) Also, it's eaten cold... or at least, this one was.
First European Best Friend: Camille Chippewa.
- What? A fellow Michigander is my first best friend here? MOST CERTAINLY. For as much as we saw each other in the States, we never really had the opportunity to truly talk. Now, both as Gappers in Europe, we definitely are on a level of connection. She was such an extreme blessing to me over the SWOT conference. Also, she appreciates random things as I do, like roasted chicken crisps, teapots as bookends in a Women's household, or even rainbows & unicorns.
That's Seven Firsts. There will be plenty more to come!
Friday, September 2
Walking into Walt Disney World!
Well, I am here!
WHAT!?
It's actually happened. I've arrived. I'm in one piece and none of my luggage was lost! However, I was uncertain of that when my guitar was no where to be found in the Brussels airport. Luckily, it had been placed in an over sized baggage area. For the most part, my flights were uneventful. For that, I am thankful. After I had arrived in Brussels, I got the privilege of standing in the border patrol line for 1.5 hours. After 18 hours of travel, I can certainly tell you that it was close the last thing I wanted. Luckily, when my time came to go through, I had no problems. Clare Darnell greeted me at the airport and helped me with my luggage and surviving my first trip using any public transportation. I'm spoiled, I know.
Now, you're probably wondering why I've titled this post as I have. That's the first thought I had when I hopped off the train in Leuven. As Clare and I struggled to bring along my massive amount of bags, we walked out of the train station, and I got my first view of the city. Silence was all I could manage. My eyes darted back and forth, trying to comprehend all that surrounded me. Clare asked me what I thought. I gathered my scattered brain, and the first two words I thought of were "Disney World." Fortunately, I answered in a little more clarity than that. I then explained how I felt like I had walked into Epcot Center in Disney World. You know, that place where all the countries have their own little presentation, where they give "accurate" descriptions and representations of that particular land/culture.
For a second, I suppose that seems a decent enough thought to have when one has never been to Europe before in their lives. But as I reflected upon it, I came to the conclusion that I hope I lose the mindset quickly. As I am still in a sense of denial about my year here, I feel as if my thought was dangerous. Why? Well, to me, having the thought of walking into Walt Disney World, explains how I could view the year ahead of me. I could see it as this source of entertainment, a place of new and exciting adventures. All in all, that is not bad. What's bad is the idea that you can just "leave." When you go to Disney World, you arrive for a week or so, and then once you're decidedly done, you leave. You just walk away. That's not why I'm here. I'm not here for the change of scenery. I'm here to help Him change hearts, for Him to work through and change me for His glory.
As I am here, I believe I can finally say that I'm excited for my Gap year. Never giving a straight answer to the question, "Are you excited!?" was how I lived my last month in America. There's so much unknown about the year ahead,through which instead of worry, I'm excited to see God carry myself and the rest of the people here in Leuven. One of those situations comes in the form of being homeless in about 2 weeks. I know, it's a weird statement. Currently, when my Gap year starts, there isn't a house or apartment in which myself, the other female Gapper (Risa Piene), and Clare Darnell could live. I helped look at an apartment with Clare and Sam Geleyn (Gap Program Director in Leuven) last night. It was REALLY nice. I certainly hope we can get it. Either way, this is definitely the most important issue that needs to be worked out. God will provide.
I'm certain I could go on for awhile about the newness of it, but I must be off! It's time to pack for Scotland. That's right. I'm here for 24 hours, and I'm off gallivanting to another country! Yay! I'm getting quite the European tour already! I'll be attending a two day conference called Student Worker Outreach Training. I'm pumped! Catch you all later! God bless.
WHAT!?
It's actually happened. I've arrived. I'm in one piece and none of my luggage was lost! However, I was uncertain of that when my guitar was no where to be found in the Brussels airport. Luckily, it had been placed in an over sized baggage area. For the most part, my flights were uneventful. For that, I am thankful. After I had arrived in Brussels, I got the privilege of standing in the border patrol line for 1.5 hours. After 18 hours of travel, I can certainly tell you that it was close the last thing I wanted. Luckily, when my time came to go through, I had no problems. Clare Darnell greeted me at the airport and helped me with my luggage and surviving my first trip using any public transportation. I'm spoiled, I know.
Now, you're probably wondering why I've titled this post as I have. That's the first thought I had when I hopped off the train in Leuven. As Clare and I struggled to bring along my massive amount of bags, we walked out of the train station, and I got my first view of the city. Silence was all I could manage. My eyes darted back and forth, trying to comprehend all that surrounded me. Clare asked me what I thought. I gathered my scattered brain, and the first two words I thought of were "Disney World." Fortunately, I answered in a little more clarity than that. I then explained how I felt like I had walked into Epcot Center in Disney World. You know, that place where all the countries have their own little presentation, where they give "accurate" descriptions and representations of that particular land/culture.
For a second, I suppose that seems a decent enough thought to have when one has never been to Europe before in their lives. But as I reflected upon it, I came to the conclusion that I hope I lose the mindset quickly. As I am still in a sense of denial about my year here, I feel as if my thought was dangerous. Why? Well, to me, having the thought of walking into Walt Disney World, explains how I could view the year ahead of me. I could see it as this source of entertainment, a place of new and exciting adventures. All in all, that is not bad. What's bad is the idea that you can just "leave." When you go to Disney World, you arrive for a week or so, and then once you're decidedly done, you leave. You just walk away. That's not why I'm here. I'm not here for the change of scenery. I'm here to help Him change hearts, for Him to work through and change me for His glory.
As I am here, I believe I can finally say that I'm excited for my Gap year. Never giving a straight answer to the question, "Are you excited!?" was how I lived my last month in America. There's so much unknown about the year ahead,through which instead of worry, I'm excited to see God carry myself and the rest of the people here in Leuven. One of those situations comes in the form of being homeless in about 2 weeks. I know, it's a weird statement. Currently, when my Gap year starts, there isn't a house or apartment in which myself, the other female Gapper (Risa Piene), and Clare Darnell could live. I helped look at an apartment with Clare and Sam Geleyn (Gap Program Director in Leuven) last night. It was REALLY nice. I certainly hope we can get it. Either way, this is definitely the most important issue that needs to be worked out. God will provide.
I'm certain I could go on for awhile about the newness of it, but I must be off! It's time to pack for Scotland. That's right. I'm here for 24 hours, and I'm off gallivanting to another country! Yay! I'm getting quite the European tour already! I'll be attending a two day conference called Student Worker Outreach Training. I'm pumped! Catch you all later! God bless.
Tuesday, July 12
...And He Comes Through Yet Again!
The Lord is so good to me! That is probably the easiest way of putting it!
I can now officially say that my date of departure is August 31st, 2011. It feels so refreshing to be able to know exactly when I am leaving! For a while, it was up in the air. Only two days after purchasing my plane tickets for Leuven, I was informed that my Gap Program had been moved back two weeks. Finding this out caused me to worry. It was going to be a minimum of $200 to switch my flights, if I could find flights for the same price. I really hoped that I would be able to go over early, well rather, at the original time.
In order for this to happen, I would need to find a place to stay. My friend and Belgian brother, Alex Beirlant, had suggested that I might stay with his family so that I would not have to switch my flights. This was more of a back up plan than anything. However, I just received an email today from Clare Darnell, one of the people who'll be helping lead my Gap Year in Leuven. Instead of having to change my flight to a later date, a host family has been found for me to live with for the two weeks prior to my Gap Program beginning. Praise the Lord! Not only that, I'll be able to attend a conference called Student Worker Outreach Training in Glasgow, Scotland before my Gap Year even begins! I am so thrilled!
His Provision is better than I could have imagined!
I can now officially say that my date of departure is August 31st, 2011. It feels so refreshing to be able to know exactly when I am leaving! For a while, it was up in the air. Only two days after purchasing my plane tickets for Leuven, I was informed that my Gap Program had been moved back two weeks. Finding this out caused me to worry. It was going to be a minimum of $200 to switch my flights, if I could find flights for the same price. I really hoped that I would be able to go over early, well rather, at the original time.
In order for this to happen, I would need to find a place to stay. My friend and Belgian brother, Alex Beirlant, had suggested that I might stay with his family so that I would not have to switch my flights. This was more of a back up plan than anything. However, I just received an email today from Clare Darnell, one of the people who'll be helping lead my Gap Year in Leuven. Instead of having to change my flight to a later date, a host family has been found for me to live with for the two weeks prior to my Gap Program beginning. Praise the Lord! Not only that, I'll be able to attend a conference called Student Worker Outreach Training in Glasgow, Scotland before my Gap Year even begins! I am so thrilled!
His Provision is better than I could have imagined!
Wednesday, June 22
Another Step Taken Towards Leuven
As the day draws closer for my departure, the more excited I become for what is in store for me next year. Little "coincidences" occur, and it sets my heart more on fire for living in Leuven, for my service, for the transformation of myself that will happen while I'm away.
One "coincidence" that really got me going happened just last week. I was mailing out my fundraising letter (which will be at the end of this post) at the post office. I had just purchased my stamps and had affixed them to all the envelopes. I began to drop the envelopes down the mail slot. Unfortunately, it took awhile since I couldn't put all of them in the slot at the same time. Fortunately, it gave me an opportunity. For what? Well, as I was taking my sweet time, an older gentleman had walked in with his envelopes to mail. I quickly apologized for how long it was taking me to insert all of my envelopes in the slot. He sharply asked if I was travelling far away based on all of the mail I was sending. I was a little surprised that he would be able to tell, but I answered him with a confident yes. He ask where, and when I answered him with Belgium, he looked a little surprised. "Why there?" was his next response. I explained to him that it was because I felt called to go there. I told him I was going to do service and mission work for the next school year. I was not entirely sure that his response would be positive after I had said that to him.
I felt such a relief after a smile broke out on the old gentleman's face when he responded. He then explained to me that he works for a company here in Michigan (I wish I could remember the name now) that works closely with a Belgian company! He talked for a bit about his connections and friendships with the people there, and then proceeded to say that he was excited for me to go over to live in such a beautiful place as Belgium! It was fantastic.
Little moments like this have helped me to get geared up for the upcoming year. I know it will not be with out it's struggles, but through that, the fruits of the labor done there will be greater. Pruning is necessary for the most fruit to grow.
Now, my next challenge is fundraising. It is not cheap to just "go and serve" without any income for a year, in Belgium or anywhere! So, this is where I end this post with my fundraising letter. I hope that this will bring some clarity to the work to be done, but also that it may touch you, and that you will support me, whether financially and or through prayer as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friend,
Hello! I hope that this letter finds you well. I am excited to be able to share with you the powerful way that God has been and is working in my life. For my entire life, I have had the great opportunity to live within a Christian community and attend schools which have helped to deepen and strengthen my relationship with the Lord. Now is my time to implement all that I have learned during those past years, and apply that knowledge and understanding more radically within my daily life.
Over the past year, God has undeniably had His hand upon me, guiding me right where I belong, whether out of state or back home. Now, however, He is guiding me away from home again, all the way to Leuven, Belgium. At the beginning of this past year, I certainly did not have this in mind, but through much prayer and discernment, the Lord revealed that this truly was His plan for me. Definitely, I want to follow His will.
You might be asking yourself, “Why Belgium?” or, “What will she being doing there?” Both of these I can answer for you right now. Honestly, the reason I chose live in Belgium was because I felt the Lord calling me. As for what I will be doing, I will be participating in a program called the Standing in the Gap Program through an international Christian youth organization called Kairos. I’ll be on a GAP year, for short.
Now, again, you may be asking yourself, “What does this all entail?” and “What will she be doing while on this GAP year?” For the next year, September 2011 through June 2012, I will be living in Leuven, Belgium. While I am living there, my focus will be on student evangelism, reaching out to the students of Leuven and building Christian community, like that in which I had the opportunity to live. I shall also be a part of a team who will be leading and organizing events like street evangelism, prayer meetings, life in the spirit seminars, and service projects. I will also be involved helping to administrate international programs and conferences, helping out with the community youth program, and running school retreats. Honestly, I can tell you that I am truly excited for this opportunity placed before me in order to serve God more radically over this next year through these events.
The Standing in the Gap program will include all of my room and board for this year, training fees, and cost for conferences, as well as tuition for me to participate in a Dutch language class to help acclimatize myself to the Belgian culture. The fee for participation within this program is roughly $10,000 dollars. During my time there, I will not get a salary for my work. So in order to pay for this opportunity, I need to raise money.
Would you be in a position to be one of my sponsors for this work? If you are able to contribute, please make out a check to “Sword of the Spirit,” and send the check to me at my home address: 3101 E. State Rd. Lansing, MI 48906. Your donation will be tax deductable. Please attach a note to the check saying that the money goes for “Kate Stevenson – GAP Year.” Any amount of contribution would be appreciated. I also ask that your prayers be with me as well throughout this endeavor. If you are interested in following my journey, I shall be blogging while serving over in Leuven, Belgium at this web address: http://thesignofakingisthecrown.blogspot.com/
(You're already at my blog if you're reading this! Woo!)
I look forward to doing God's work in Belgium and letting you know all about how God has worked through me when I return.
God Bless,
Kate Stevenson
One "coincidence" that really got me going happened just last week. I was mailing out my fundraising letter (which will be at the end of this post) at the post office. I had just purchased my stamps and had affixed them to all the envelopes. I began to drop the envelopes down the mail slot. Unfortunately, it took awhile since I couldn't put all of them in the slot at the same time. Fortunately, it gave me an opportunity. For what? Well, as I was taking my sweet time, an older gentleman had walked in with his envelopes to mail. I quickly apologized for how long it was taking me to insert all of my envelopes in the slot. He sharply asked if I was travelling far away based on all of the mail I was sending. I was a little surprised that he would be able to tell, but I answered him with a confident yes. He ask where, and when I answered him with Belgium, he looked a little surprised. "Why there?" was his next response. I explained to him that it was because I felt called to go there. I told him I was going to do service and mission work for the next school year. I was not entirely sure that his response would be positive after I had said that to him.
I felt such a relief after a smile broke out on the old gentleman's face when he responded. He then explained to me that he works for a company here in Michigan (I wish I could remember the name now) that works closely with a Belgian company! He talked for a bit about his connections and friendships with the people there, and then proceeded to say that he was excited for me to go over to live in such a beautiful place as Belgium! It was fantastic.
Little moments like this have helped me to get geared up for the upcoming year. I know it will not be with out it's struggles, but through that, the fruits of the labor done there will be greater. Pruning is necessary for the most fruit to grow.
Now, my next challenge is fundraising. It is not cheap to just "go and serve" without any income for a year, in Belgium or anywhere! So, this is where I end this post with my fundraising letter. I hope that this will bring some clarity to the work to be done, but also that it may touch you, and that you will support me, whether financially and or through prayer as well.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear friend,
Hello! I hope that this letter finds you well. I am excited to be able to share with you the powerful way that God has been and is working in my life. For my entire life, I have had the great opportunity to live within a Christian community and attend schools which have helped to deepen and strengthen my relationship with the Lord. Now is my time to implement all that I have learned during those past years, and apply that knowledge and understanding more radically within my daily life.
Over the past year, God has undeniably had His hand upon me, guiding me right where I belong, whether out of state or back home. Now, however, He is guiding me away from home again, all the way to Leuven, Belgium. At the beginning of this past year, I certainly did not have this in mind, but through much prayer and discernment, the Lord revealed that this truly was His plan for me. Definitely, I want to follow His will.
You might be asking yourself, “Why Belgium?” or, “What will she being doing there?” Both of these I can answer for you right now. Honestly, the reason I chose live in Belgium was because I felt the Lord calling me. As for what I will be doing, I will be participating in a program called the Standing in the Gap Program through an international Christian youth organization called Kairos. I’ll be on a GAP year, for short.
Now, again, you may be asking yourself, “What does this all entail?” and “What will she be doing while on this GAP year?” For the next year, September 2011 through June 2012, I will be living in Leuven, Belgium. While I am living there, my focus will be on student evangelism, reaching out to the students of Leuven and building Christian community, like that in which I had the opportunity to live. I shall also be a part of a team who will be leading and organizing events like street evangelism, prayer meetings, life in the spirit seminars, and service projects. I will also be involved helping to administrate international programs and conferences, helping out with the community youth program, and running school retreats. Honestly, I can tell you that I am truly excited for this opportunity placed before me in order to serve God more radically over this next year through these events.
The Standing in the Gap program will include all of my room and board for this year, training fees, and cost for conferences, as well as tuition for me to participate in a Dutch language class to help acclimatize myself to the Belgian culture. The fee for participation within this program is roughly $10,000 dollars. During my time there, I will not get a salary for my work. So in order to pay for this opportunity, I need to raise money.
Would you be in a position to be one of my sponsors for this work? If you are able to contribute, please make out a check to “Sword of the Spirit,” and send the check to me at my home address: 3101 E. State Rd. Lansing, MI 48906. Your donation will be tax deductable. Please attach a note to the check saying that the money goes for “Kate Stevenson – GAP Year.” Any amount of contribution would be appreciated. I also ask that your prayers be with me as well throughout this endeavor. If you are interested in following my journey, I shall be blogging while serving over in Leuven, Belgium at this web address: http://thesignofakingisthecrown.blogspot.com/
(You're already at my blog if you're reading this! Woo!)
I look forward to doing God's work in Belgium and letting you know all about how God has worked through me when I return.
God Bless,
Kate Stevenson
Saturday, May 14
My Call: The Crown and Belgium
Although I am uncomfortable with the idea that "people" might "read" this, I know that this shall be the most practical way of keeping all of my friends up to date on my life. So much has happened in just a few short weeks, and I am absolutely certain this trend shall continue.
For clarity, I'll begin where it all began: the beginning.
Through the love and provision of God, I was able to graduate high school from New Covenant Christian School in 2010. Aside from the regular maturing that occurs during high school, I allowed and asked the Lord to work in my life. He called me to Kingship, a role which I cherish immensely. My Proof: My Crown Tattoo. Nothing can EVER take away this promise, nor my sovereign inheritance in Him.
To say that I wish I could live this promise out without faltering would be an understatement. However, it is just that, a wish. The summer after I graduated, poor decisions ruled who I was, and I forgot who I was, I forgot I was a King. The slope down which I was slipping was dangerous, and I now know that it took losing nearly all that was dear to me in order to pull myself together.
In the fall of 2010, I began attending Huntington University. Little did I know that my life would be radically changed here. Before I went, knowing that I was in a poor place in my life, I remember thinking, "Am I going to continue living out my poor decisions or am I going to shape up? If I've learned anything at this point in my life, it's that a life lived lukewarm leads no where exceptional, whether good or bad. What kind of exception will I be?"
Maybe it was just a habit for me picking the difficult way, but I did. Fortunately, it was the right way as well.
Throughout my one semester at Huntington, I learned who I really was, but rather, remembered who I was called to be. I lost my support, both good and bad, at least by distance. Honestly, I believe this allowed me to place myself willingly into good decisions, not just blindly following that which I believed was right. My "easy" way of describing what happened is that I had lost my personality. I had to regain it back. I was alone among many, and I quickly found my only reliance was the Lord. Then, He called me away.
Singlehandedly, following God's calling for me to move back to Lansing was the most difficult decision I have ever made. However, I did it, and God's grace fell upon me abundantly. If I had not moved back, I would not be living in Belgium next fall.
This brings me to my Gap Year!
During the break between semesters, I had the privilege of participating in Winter Conference 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. There, the Lord told me, "Do a Gap year in Belgium!" I ignored it. A Gap year wasn't in my plans. I wasn't one of "those" people.
For those of you who don't know, a Gap year is a year of service within a Christian organization. It's a year of mission work, with emphasis on outreach and evangelism. It is through an organization called Sword of the Spirit, a worldwide organization. Thus, Belgium is a viable option as a place to serve.
Now, back to my ignorance. I fought the Lord tooth and nail with His call for me to go to Leuven, Belgium and do a Gap year. That is, until within a week's time, 5 different conversation came up about doing or having done a Gap year. I surrendered. I finally decided, "Ok, God. I'll apply, but if you actually want me to do this, I'll know if I get accepted." As I reflect, I see this as an awful attitude. Needless to say, the Lord worked in my heart, and as the date of finding out the results crept up, the more excited I became!
Twelve days ago came the good news! I shall be living in Belgium next year. What service work shall I be doing? I am not certain yet, but I know it's what the Lord has in mind for me, and I am excited to do His Will! Between my departure and now, I'm in the process of a criminal background check, getting a long-term visa, and raising a rather large amount of funds for my journey, as well as attempting to learn a little Dutch along the way. I'm excited to see His work in and through me!
Any prayers you could offer for me would be greatly appreciated!
Also, if you have any questions about any of this, my obsession with crowns and how God work in me through New Covenant, Huntington, or now, Belgium, please let me know!
For clarity, I'll begin where it all began: the beginning.
Through the love and provision of God, I was able to graduate high school from New Covenant Christian School in 2010. Aside from the regular maturing that occurs during high school, I allowed and asked the Lord to work in my life. He called me to Kingship, a role which I cherish immensely. My Proof: My Crown Tattoo. Nothing can EVER take away this promise, nor my sovereign inheritance in Him.
To say that I wish I could live this promise out without faltering would be an understatement. However, it is just that, a wish. The summer after I graduated, poor decisions ruled who I was, and I forgot who I was, I forgot I was a King. The slope down which I was slipping was dangerous, and I now know that it took losing nearly all that was dear to me in order to pull myself together.
In the fall of 2010, I began attending Huntington University. Little did I know that my life would be radically changed here. Before I went, knowing that I was in a poor place in my life, I remember thinking, "Am I going to continue living out my poor decisions or am I going to shape up? If I've learned anything at this point in my life, it's that a life lived lukewarm leads no where exceptional, whether good or bad. What kind of exception will I be?"
Maybe it was just a habit for me picking the difficult way, but I did. Fortunately, it was the right way as well.
Throughout my one semester at Huntington, I learned who I really was, but rather, remembered who I was called to be. I lost my support, both good and bad, at least by distance. Honestly, I believe this allowed me to place myself willingly into good decisions, not just blindly following that which I believed was right. My "easy" way of describing what happened is that I had lost my personality. I had to regain it back. I was alone among many, and I quickly found my only reliance was the Lord. Then, He called me away.
Singlehandedly, following God's calling for me to move back to Lansing was the most difficult decision I have ever made. However, I did it, and God's grace fell upon me abundantly. If I had not moved back, I would not be living in Belgium next fall.
This brings me to my Gap Year!
During the break between semesters, I had the privilege of participating in Winter Conference 2010 in Columbus, Ohio. There, the Lord told me, "Do a Gap year in Belgium!" I ignored it. A Gap year wasn't in my plans. I wasn't one of "those" people.
For those of you who don't know, a Gap year is a year of service within a Christian organization. It's a year of mission work, with emphasis on outreach and evangelism. It is through an organization called Sword of the Spirit, a worldwide organization. Thus, Belgium is a viable option as a place to serve.
Now, back to my ignorance. I fought the Lord tooth and nail with His call for me to go to Leuven, Belgium and do a Gap year. That is, until within a week's time, 5 different conversation came up about doing or having done a Gap year. I surrendered. I finally decided, "Ok, God. I'll apply, but if you actually want me to do this, I'll know if I get accepted." As I reflect, I see this as an awful attitude. Needless to say, the Lord worked in my heart, and as the date of finding out the results crept up, the more excited I became!
Twelve days ago came the good news! I shall be living in Belgium next year. What service work shall I be doing? I am not certain yet, but I know it's what the Lord has in mind for me, and I am excited to do His Will! Between my departure and now, I'm in the process of a criminal background check, getting a long-term visa, and raising a rather large amount of funds for my journey, as well as attempting to learn a little Dutch along the way. I'm excited to see His work in and through me!
Any prayers you could offer for me would be greatly appreciated!
Also, if you have any questions about any of this, my obsession with crowns and how God work in me through New Covenant, Huntington, or now, Belgium, please let me know!
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