It has been a whole month since I left home for this mission. Wow. I honestly can’t believe it. When I came to training camp, I knew no one and missed home more than ever, but this past month has been nothing short of amazing. These people have become home. They have become family. I know them and love them. It’s such a weird thing—a month of 26 people from 26 places becoming each other’s family. Such a beautiful experience.

God’s timing is so divine. It’s perfect. I want to stay here forever in this place with the Lord of constant surrender and peace. He is such a loving God. He pursues His children. I’m living in the prayers I whispered to myself the last 4 years. Truly, I’m amazed. The Lord is everything. Nothing else matters when you have the Lord. He provides. He sees. He loves.

I still have 8 months left, but now that time seems so little. It’s going to fly by. The time may pass, but it will leave a permanent mark on my life. These people. This time. This place. An impact I’ll never forget. Life lessons to take with me. People to love till the end.

Time is so precious. I’ve been learning to soak in every moment because it slips away so fast. The laughter. The exhaustion. The tears. The joy. The stress. Every moment I enjoy and cherish. I would do this month all over again. I miss it. I miss the moments we shared that are now just memories. That’s life. Time passes by. Enjoy what’s around you because if you don’t, you miss so much.

We have been in Thessaloniki, Greece, for a week now. While we are here, our ministry goal is to grow the community of believers, to leave them with a strong foundation, and to help form a community to build each other up and continue to share the gospel. We are also doing a lot of media ministry, like filming sermons to put on Instagram and YouTube. If you would like to see some, go follow Hope Church Romania on Instagram and YouTube. They are not posted yet, but will be soon!

Here in Greece, our hosts are from Romania but are with us here to help evangelize and build a Christian community for the people in Thessaloniki. This past week has been a lot of adjusting to what life will look like here and also learning more about the people here in Greece and the best way to reach them.

We are doing ministry out of a coffee shop named Moses Coffee. So, a couple of days last week, I stayed back at the coffee shop and did some videos for the social media platforms. There are people who are doing more media-focused ministry, and then some of our group is going out in the town and walking around, praying over the city, evangelizing, and getting to know people.

I have been feeling a little defeated because I haven’t really encountered a lot of people, and it’s been a learning curve for me to do ministry this way. It’s taught me to have fresh eyes for every day and really depend on the Lord to reveal and highlight people to me. It has allowed me to learn how I hear the Lord and how the Lord communicates to me.

I’m not going to lie, it’s been hard this week, but also so rewarding. I have learned so much. I have learned about the importance of daily surrender. I have been having to get up every day and surrender myself to the Lord and ask for a fresh mindset and new eyes to see what’s in front of me.

Following Christ is a daily surrender of your flesh. A daily surrender of control. Let the Lord have your life. I have found so much comfort in knowing that the Lord is the author of my days and He knows what’s in front of me, and I can give myself to Him daily.

As I have been here, I have just been praying that the Lord will reveal to me why I am here and what I can do to best build up His kingdom. I’ve definitely been wrestling with that, so I would ask that you guys will walk alongside me in praying that the Lord will reveal to me why I am here and what my mission is in Greece and what people I need to encounter.

Pray that He will put people in my path to evangelize to and encourage! We are here in Greece for 6 more weeks, so there is time to build relationships and get to know people, and I really want to take part in that. I’m excited to be a part of this ministry and continue to experience the Lord in many different ways.

I am also still fundraising, so please help me in praying that the Lord will continue to provide for me financially as I’m on this trip!