"Christmas time is here"

          The last time I wrote I was in the middle of a very busy week. I was travelling everyday about 35 minutes to a nearby town named Aszód. For the whole week I was asked to put together music for a week of evangelism in a reformed church. What a privilege and what a challenge! I chose the music, put different groups together to join me, and made more sandwiches than I ever have before. God is faithful and brought me through that week just like He has before and will continue to in the future. 

fake smiles but real good times :)

          I also got the opportunity to travel to Magyaralmás with the Sing Team one last time before break. The local TV was there and even the mayor of the town! The students went on their break at the end of that week, the 29th. My roommate went off to Poland. Me? I tried resting but I find it doesn't suit me just yet. I went on ministry to a reformed elementary school in Újszilvás. I sang, shared about what Christmas is like in the States, and reconnected with a wonderful young lady that I met in spring.           

          So now I am here in this big apartment all alone, relishing times when the sun shows its face, loving the beautiful sunsets that fade too fast, and enjoying the times I get to spend with the Lord. I have work to do still, of course. I am working on the music for the upcoming mission's conference in January. The theme is "His Last Command, Our First Concern" which comes from the Great Commission in Matthew 28. The speaker that we have this year is John Barnett, a real treat and honor for us here. 

I have my own bedroom for the first time ever!

           Crafts and sewing, podcasts, running, laying low, choosing music–this is my life right now. It seems simple, but I really should me making decisions about what is next. If you feel so compelled, I really need prayer in this area. I would like to know by February exactly what I will be doing in the summer and fall, preparing for the next step the Lord has for me. 

Újszilvás ministry

          I think it's something like three weeks before the students get back to school. The time couldn't go 

fast enough! I'm ready to be serving in full
capacity again, making the trek to campus everyday. But first there is Christmas and New Year's and all that jazz. It goes fast, right?!
          Many blessings to you all this season. I hope there are opportunities to share the meaning of Christmas and what Jesus came into this world to do for mankind–save us from our sin and
redeem us back to the Father.

Psalm 130:5-6

"I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

    and in his word I hope;

 My soul waits for the Lord            

     more than watchmen for the morning,

     more than watchmen for the morning."

Szent István Basilica

Holly Berries ;)

Let me share quickly...

I'm missing my [baby] brother right now.
Oh how he could be of great use here!!

           Woo-Hoo!! I finished what I needed to do like 30 minutes before I go for another night of ministry. This week has been crazy and it won't stop. But I love it! This has been challenging and a test, but God is carrying me through day by day, moment by moment. And I am thankful. More on that later...

Psalm 150

1 Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty firmament!

2 Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness!

3 Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet;

Praise Him with the lute and harp!

4 Praise Him with the timbrel and dance;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flutes!

5 Praise Him with loud cymbals;

Praise Him with clashing cymbals!

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD!

"Where feet may fail"

        This song is one that I've been listening to a lot this past week or two. It's really an encouragement to me as I strive to draw close to the Lord. My feet fail when I walk out onto the waters but our Lord is there. In the deep water is where my faith is tested. When waves crash and roll, I call look to Him and He is mine if I only call upon His name. 

        The long and most repetitive part of the song is a call, a prayer to let the Holy Spirit lead into places with no borders and wherever He calls. My faith is made stronger only in the presence of my Savior, Jesus Christ. 

        So...I ought to keep my eyes above the waves because He is there. I can call on His name. I can rest in His embrace. After all, it is the most secure place to be. 

For now I've been called to this place where I can serve, learn,
and trust the Lord in all that I do. 

My feet may fail, I may be gasping for breathe at times, but I know He is near, waiting for me to come back to Him. It's not Him that's moved, but me. 

Psalm 121

        The Lord is good, faithful, enduring, loving, caring, comforting, patient, full of grace. There is no need for anxiety, discomfort, pain when I know that the Lord is here by my side. Just as He has protected in the past, so He will continue to do in the future.

PSALM 121

working on curtains in the Gold Room of the castle for the studio

1 I will lift up my eyes to the mountains;
   From where shall my help come?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
   Who made heaven and earth.
3 He will not allow your foot to slip;
   He who keeps you will not slumber.
4 Behold, He who keeps Israel
   Will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord is your keeper;
   The Lord is your shade on your right hand.
6 The sun will not smite you by day,
   Nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will protect you from all evil;
   He will keep your soul.
8 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in
   From this time forth and forever.

well it's really just a blouse made from curtains...

        These past weeks have been filled with the usual–internship/work, chapel music, SingTeam ministry outings. But as I write that word usual I can't help but think that being here, serving as a 20 year old from California in Hungary is not usual. It's a blessing, a privilege that I am so happy to be part of. Some special projects have come around. I made some curtains for the studio/IT department at school thanks to my handy-dandy sewing machine from a dear friend. I have had the opportunity to work in the kitchen doing dishes and making sandwiches (for the glory of God!!!). I even got to make a nice new blouse from some curtains ;) Christmas break is rolling around soon. I could stay here and sew and drink hot chocolate. Doesn't that sound just wonderful? Well for sure that's part of what I'll be doing but serving in various places sounds like a wonderful option, as well!
        Continually I am brought back to the cross and the sufficient sacrifice of Jesus Christ there. It is something that changes lives, not something taken lightly. Such a huge gift salvation is! May you be blessed and brought back to the cross continually as you walk through life. Many blessings!

[most of] Sing Team!! <3

Sarkadkeresztúr to Tóalmás to Tápiószőlős

          I see the Lord really blessing my time here. Sure there are difficulties in every area but it makes the victories that much sweeter all for the glory of God. The past two weekends I have gone out with Sing Team to minister. Here are our journeys thus far in pictures. Enjoy!

Sing Team after the Sunday ministry. Such a blessing! 
(left to right: Adrian, Ádám, Gergő, myself, András, Stella, Tyago, and Rafael)

Practicing for Sunday morning worship. The food is a thanksgiving to the Lord for
all His provision throughout the year. 

A number game before the first meeting in Sarkadkeresztúr.

150 or so people in Tapioszőlős listening to Kádár Laci speaking about 
Christ dwelling in us as believers.

Left to right: Stella from Brazil, two boys from a local youth group, Jakab Ádám, 
myself (short hair!), Tyago Cleber from Brazil, and Adrian from Romania. 
This is part of our group which is a great blessing this year with all the talent and fun we have. 

I couldn't resist the apples that were there!

There's at least a little taste of what Sing Team does. We get to minister, fellowship, eat, and have fun. We drive long distances to meet with churches and it's always rewarding! Please pray with me that the Lord would continue to work through this year's team to impact the lives of others. Blessings to you all!

Glory to God Alone!

11 “Beware that you do not forget the Lord your God by not keeping His commandments and His ordinances and His statutes which I am commanding you today; 12 otherwise, when you have eaten and are satisfied, and have built good houses and lived in them, 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and gold multiply, and all that you have multiplies, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God who brought you out from the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 15 He led you through the great and terrible wilderness, with its fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty ground where there was no water; He brought water for you out of the rock of flint. 16 In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. 17 Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and 

the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’"   Deuteronomy 8:11-17

          Even though the Israelites lived thousands of years ago, there is some great Biblical truth we can grasp from this passage. As they wandered in the wilderness, God commanded them to serve only Him. Many blessings would follow if they did this. If not, there was to be sorrow and consequences. This passage is a good reminder to me this morning of where strength comes from. God fed the Israelites with manna–so shall He provide for me. God brought them out of Egypt and into a land much greater than they could imagine–so He has brought me to Hungary to serve. I am where I am because of the grace of God and His working in my life. I have what I have because of the provision, love, grace, mercy, etc. of Christ!! The application of this passage? To give God the glory and worship because of where I am rather than taking credit for how far I have come. 

A preview of the ministry in Sarkadkeresztúr! Keep following ;)

Psalm 146

A dear friend sent this passage to me this morning:

"3 Do not put your trust in princes, in human beings, who cannot save. 4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground; on that very day their plans come to nothing. 5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God. 6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. 7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets prisoners free, 8 the Lord gives sight to the blind, the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down, the Lord loves the righteous. 9 The Lord watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. 10 The Lord reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the Lord."
Psalm 146:3-10

It's been food for thought all day long. Thank you for sending this my way, precious friend, just when I need a reminder of the Lord's power (vs6), provision(vs7), and wonderful promises that are kept forever (vs10). I needed a reminder of trusting in the LORD GOD rather than man (vs3). Just thinking of the fact that God created the Heaven and earth is an amazing thing!!