August 30, 2011

August 30^th, 2011

Today was the first day of our trip. My mom, Ansley, and I went to the airport around 130 which was kind of early, seeing as my flight didn’t depart till 530 haha. It worked out well though, because Daddy didn’t get there until about 3. He had lunch with Grandmama. Checking in went well, although my bag weighed 66 pounds! Mom wasn’t very happy that it was overweight, but there’s not much you can do about a whopping 16 pounds! She let it slide and then we hung out until some of the other girls started to trickle in.

Everything went really smoothly! Our flight from RDU went to JFK and was really quick. On that flight I sat beside a man who was born in Paris! Quelle surprise! He was very kind and talked to me the whole time about places I should go, churches I should see, and markets that had the freshest food. His parents still live there, BUT here is the kicker, his dad was born in Tennessee! That is crazy to me. He said once his parents got married they just decided to move to Europe and start a family. How adventurous is that?

Our layover in New York was just the right amount of time. We kind of scurried to our next gate (believe me, it was on the other side of creation) but once we got there we had about 30 minutes to grab something to eat and rest for a few before we got back on the airplane. I really started to feel as though the adventure had begun once I got on the plane. I’m typing some of this while I am on the plane. Almost everyone is asleep. I was able to sleep for about two hours which was nice, but even with Benadryl I’m not so sure I can go back to sleep (I’m also not so sure how good two hours of sleep is going to feel tomorrow….we’ll see) .

My biggest fear going into this trip went hand in hand with the summer ending. I was scared about losing my community. In Raleigh, as YL leaders, we not only have great friends to love and be loved by, but we have a great community of believers to be encouraged and challenged by. It was so amazing this summer being in Raleigh and still having that. Usually during the summer I fall slightly out of that because I don’t have as strong of a church family as I do in Raleigh. God provides though! Even in the midst of our fears and doubts. My church in Raleigh is called Vintage21, and it is incredible. I recently figured out that they post all of the Sunday sermons on iTunes on a podcast! So God found a way for me to be a part of the Raleigh family even when I am across the Atlantic.

That is just one more way he has shown his faithfulness to me this summer and early fall. It is incredible how visible he is in our daily lives if we stop and look around us. The verse that kind of “sung” that in my heart these past few months for me is Psalm 3:3-4

“Behold, O Lord! You are a shield around me

You bestow glory, and lift up my head.

I called out to the Lord and he answered me

From his holy hill.”

That to me speaks volumes about God’s character. If you have any doubts that he will answer you, start memorizing that verse and he will show up! Trust me! I am so excited to see where he takes me and teaches me these next few months. I know they aren’t going to be easy. In fact, they are going to be very hard, but if I lean on him, and go to him before I go to myself or others I know he will sustain me better and more rightly than I could ever see fit to sustain myself. He is an incredible provider and father and lover of his children.

A bientot!

Gigi