So this blog becomes a place to post pictures to share the fun adventures of the places I travel, but in reading other people's blogs I sense this desire to also share more personal things going on. In reading other people's blogs who share some hard things going on in their life, I am reminded of how God is constantly working in us shaping us to be more like Him.
This past week I completed my first round of grade cards at ICSB, and marked the end of the first quarter. Thankful that God has sustained me through the changes that came with uprooting my life to serve God in Hungary. I love the school and in reflecting on my students, am really thankful for each one of them. I love how each kid has been uniquely made by our Father in Heaven.
I have all of these thoughts running around my head and really don't take time to stop and journal because I feel as if I constantly running. It's so different being a missionary and being a teacher full time, at times I forget that I am a missionary. This week I received an e-mail from a mom thanking me for teaching their kid and how if it weren't for ICSB and their kids having good teachers, they probably wouldn't come to the mission field. So meaningful and encouraging!
Being a 'first' year teacher again is different, and living with teachers makes my life seem somewhat 'normal.' In the evenings we talk about school or use that time to try and stay in touch with people back home. I try and make time to work out 2 or 3 nights a week, which lately has been hard. The other days I use to work late, except the afternoon we have Hungarian lessons for an hour. We try and get out on the weekends to go do things in the city. Saturday's we find ourselves enjoying the peace and quiet school and usually work for at least 4 hours. The past 2 years I haven't gone in on the weekends, and so this is an adjustment. When your community is teachers then this seems 'normal.' With all of this I feel like my life is a whirlwind. I have been through transitions before, thankfully God knew that I needed some practice. In reading a friends blog about how her and her husband's life as houseparents/family teacher in a ministry for children in the foster system in Arkansas. As I read her blog every time I am touched by her honesty, and am encouraged by reading through parts of the journey that comes with ministering in a ever changing environment.
Change comes with transition. I am just so thankful that God is with me during this transition. This transition is different for me because I am living with 3 other people,in a foreign country, don't have a car, and am far away from friends and family. In the chaos of it all I see God working, and I guess in that I am learning about His grace. I keep thinking I have to have it all together, which is such a lie. I think I know what I need to be more in tune with God, but He keeps telling me to give it up. I struggle in comparing my life to others, and then focusing on the areas I struggle with. Yesterday another good friend of mine was right on when she told me, it's satan attacking me. I miss having friends like that, who know me well enough and from the outside can see what I cannot. She is so right. Hello..I am a missionary and striving to do God's work, of course Satan is trying to bring me down. I have started to see that I need to be ok with mot being included with other things going on, and need to revamp by spending alone time in my room with God. I think I seek my identity in other people, but at the same time, I need alone time. Living alone the past few years I enjoyed having my alone time after work. My goal 2nd quarter is to do this more. Which means staying home over Thanksgiving. This will be hard as my whole family is getting together. Please pray that this time would be restful, and not lonely.
This morning at church I was reminded that in order to follow Christ we must be willing to sacrifice our comforts and even our family. This just is a good reminder for me as Thanksgiving approaches.
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