Hey friends!
We’re headed into our last week of normal ministry here in Albania. At the end of this week we are heading to Durres, Albania for our debrief for about a week and then we are headed to South Africa!
When I think about recapping Albania for all of you I get really excited and a little overwhelmed with where to even begin. This month has been GOOD. It’s fun to be able to confidently answer when people ask how I’m doing, that I’m really doing well. I decided to chop this blog up into a couple of different categories to kinda highlight what’s been going on in my life over this past month so here ya go!
My team – TKG.
About half way through Romania we got new teams, which was our 3rd and final team change of the race. To be completely honest, when I first got put on this team I was a little confused. It kinda felt like a really random team to me, with a few people that I wouldn’t of necessarily ever put together and there was some frustration in that. I thought FOR SURE that I’d get put on a co-ed team considering I’ve been joking around and practically begging leadership for the majority of the year to get me off of an all girls team (LOL). But here I was, headed into my 3rd all girls team and I was like excuse me ?????. BUT this team has truly proven to me how sovereign and faithful the Lord is in knowing what’s best for me. Wow. This team has genuinely been a breath of fresh air for my heart and mind. I can’t get myself to say that this is my “favorite team” because in so many different ways I’ve loved all 3 of my teams, but this is absolutely my dream team for this season of the race. If I could use 3 words to describe our team it would be: easy, easy & easy. hahahaha. They allow me to rest in the “not so deep” part of myself. They’re fun. They allow space for depth but equally as much space for rest, altogether creating a light atmosphere and dynamic that I’ve needed. I’m really thankful and I’m really excited to continue to grow with this group.
COFFEE.
If you read my last blog, you know that this month I made it my goal to go to 40 different coffee shops throughout the month. ANNDDDD as of last night I am done. Praise the LORD. Haha this was so much fun. It gave a little adventure aspect to the month that I don’t naturally step into. I feel like out of all the cities and countries I’ve been at this year, this one is most definitely the most explored for me. I drank a lotttt of coffee and walked around a lotttt but it was worth it. I’ve for sure developed a little bit of a caffeine addiction (whoops) so good luck to me weening off of that. If you wanna listen to the next podcast about the coffee adventure link is below!
MINISTRY.
Our ministry these past couple of weeks has been helping out with The Johnathan Center – a center that works with children who have down syndrome. We have been helping spruce up the center a little by painting a couple of their walls right at the entrance. Luckily we have a few girls on our team who are super artistic and they’ve taken over the project and ran with it. It’s been so fun to see the mural come to life and it looks sooo so good. We also have loved getting to know and form friendships that with some of the staff. We’ve had several different karaoke nights with them and other opportunities to hang out with them outside of the center and it’s genuinely been a lot of fun. They are a FUN bunch.
The Lord has been teaching me a lot of what it looks like to allow myself to experience joy. To allow myself to accept the fact and bask in the reality that this season has been/is fun.
Anddddd just to keep it real up in here, while yes this season has been really sweet, I am still a human whose fun life at the moment still isn’t and never will be perfect. So, a way you can pray for me in this season is in the topic of comparison. I’ve found myself wrestling some in this area lately which has been challenging me this month. But wowza even in this the Lord has been refining my heart and mind & I’ve been finding an even further confidence in who I am begin to spring up from within me. So prayers that I can continue to choose the truth over the lies of comparison would be appreciated 🙂
Crazy how I have less that 2 more months on this crazy race journey. I booked my flight home the other day and it was BITTERSWEET!! Nov 22. Prayers also that we can finish out this thing well would be huge.
Alright, that’s all for now. Don’t forget to check out the podcast! Love y’all
Heather
Comparison, like a scale for weighing yourself, are tools of the evil one. And, as always, my mantra: BKTY Be Kind To Yourself. Psalm 139:17-18 TPT
EnJOY these last two months. You are so loved!
Heather, it will be SO GOOD to have you back in Etna Green, Indiana…..and to learn to know you in the ways God has been working in your life…..and His future plans for you. Love you from the depths of my heart….grandma