Putting God in His Place

“Sit down, God!  I’ll get to you when I want to worship.”

It was a chilly day. Not the miserable kind that made you want to move just south of the equator, but the kind of day that you put on a huge sweatshirt and stumble to class wishing you could stay in your warm blankets. I poured myself a cup of coffee – not because I needed the caffeine, but because I wanted the warm cup in my hands.

Class started as usual with our professor calling us “saints.” This professor spoke like a poet and crafted his words to make stories that had lessons wound in their seams.

I’ll admit, paying attention in class is not my strong suit. My mind wandered momentarily. I snapped back to attention when my professor shouted in his deep voice,

Sit down, God!  I’ll get to you when I want to worship.

I was immediately convicted and understood his point.  He was talking about a common mentality that people in the Church have; that I have.

Intentionally or not, that is how I act.  I kneel at the Father’s feet on Sunday morning and other select times in my week.  Even at those scheduled appointments with God, am I truly ready to listen and obey? Or is it just part of my weekly routine: Bible studies, Church, etc?

A morning not long ago, I was getting ready for the day. I was praying and reluctantly told God (with as much hesitation and reluctance as I could have while still following through) that “I will listen to your Spirit today.”

It was so hard to pray that prayer. What if God told me to do something ridiculous? What if He asked me to do something hard?

I want to do what I want to do when I want to do it.

That is my sin nature though; sinful nature is rooted in me. Though I am a new creation in Christ, I still struggle against that nature that trickled down from generations of rebellion starting with Adam.

I am not just called to worship God on Sunday or talk about Him at Bible study on Tuesday. That small fraction of my week should not be the only time I am ready to listen.   To be a Christian is to be a Christ follower, and Christ followers don’t get to choose which designated parts of their week belong to God. If you are a Christ follower, you give your life to him. Your life isn’t Sunday morning and the most convenient evening in your week to have Bible study. Your life is Sunday through Saturday.

That doesn’t mean your every waking moment must be spent in a soup kitchen, your nose in the Bible, or fasting; however, it does mean being ready to listen to do what God tells you to do and being willing to do it.

Am I even ready to listen today? This moment?

There isn’t really middle ground between obedience and telling God to mind his place.  God’s “place” is king, creator, and ruler of all – including my life.

The Beauty of Study Abroad

I was away for two and a half months. That doesn’t sound like much, but it was enough to grow me, build friendships, and miss home a little.

The day I left to study aboad – July 31, 2015.

As I flew home from Turkey, I noted that the screen in front of me said I would land in my beloved Chicago in seven hours. I looked forward to time with family, cheap peanut butter by the jar, being in my church, cheeseburgers, cultivating friendships, Netflix, and everything that comes with fall.

The screen also said that I had departed Turkey 6 hours ago. My heart felt a little sad. A few hours before, our group split up for our separate flights. Most of us are on my flight. But never again in this life will our group all be together at once. We had spent months together, and now we were parting ways for the next stage life had for each of us. It was a little sad and frightening, but also exciting.

This is our group on Patmos Island.

This crazy, loving, and godly group of people had taught me a lot about life, love, friendships, God, and even myself. I did life with them in two continents and three countries. We laughed, prayed, cried, worshiped God, and studied together.

I will miss them, but fortunately, I will have opportunities to see some of them by this spring.

So what is study abroad?

It is making memories worth sharing, worth remembering, and worth having. It is building friendships that last longer than a couple months. It is meeting yourself face-to-face and having to address who you meet.

Sara, “Kelley”, and I at the hostel on Mt Olympus. (Kelley was waiting at the bus because of a toe injury that made the hike impossible but she was supposed to be up there with us so this photo was for her.)

It is standing on Mt Olympus, shopping in Rome, helping Refugees in Athens, having a campfire on the beach in Leptokaria, paddleboarding in Marathon, crashing a wedding in Turkey, dancing in our tour bus in Istanbul, and reading Bible passages at the places the Bible stories happened.

A ceiling in the Vatican.

It’s studying on a rooftop in Pikermi, dislocating my shoulder in Patmos, getting sea sick on a small boat, getting in a prank war (and winning), crying on a good friend’s shoulder, and trying food and being shocked by how awful it is or by how much you love it.

 

 

I had dreamed about studying abroad in high school. Now, it has finally happened. I don’t regret any of it. It was worth every penny and more.

This trip was once in a lifetime and will affect the course of my life going forward.

While I feel like I’ve finally seen the world, I know I still only saw a small fraction of a vast world of landscapes, history, architecture, culture, and food.  History – did I mention that I realized I really like learning about history?  And I will definitely be traveling more in the future.

I feel changed. I don’t know the extent of that change, but I’m not the same person who left America a couple months ago. I’m different, and I think that’s a good thing.

It’s a pretty chilly on the mountain, but it’s awesome being in a cloud and watching it move.  I only hiked part of Mt Olympus and didn’t go all the way to the top.  I think I might just have to add climbing to the top of a mountain to my bucket list.     (Photo Cred: Sara Thomas)

 

On Top of the Mountain Side

It’s pretty chilly on the mountain, but it’s awesome being in a cloud and watching it move.

This past Monday, I did not take a three-day journey to summit Mt Olympus, but I did day-hike to a hostel on the mountain side.  It was about an eight mile hike total, and according to my Fitbit, I went up over 300 flights of stairs.  It was a tough, but fun, hike.

Sara, “Kelley”, and I at the hostel on Mt Olympus. My arm is around “Kelley”.  She was actually waiting at the bus because of a foot injury that made the hike impossible.  She was supposed to be up there with us and even attempted the hike, so we took this awkward photo for her.

The top of Mt Olympus is the highest point in Greece (2919 m).  According to Greek mythology, the gods reside at the top of Mt Olympus; it makes sense that the gods would be unreachable to the ordinary human.

Hiking up was difficult.  I kept pace at the back-end of the fast-paced group.  I probably belonged in the middle group or with the slower hikers, but I figured if I stopped or slowed down, I wouldn’t keep going.  So I pushed through.

We reached the hostel, and we hung out there for over an hour.  Some people hiked further up with our guides.  I stayed at the hostel; it looked like a cabin, had an incredible view, smelled like a wood stove, and was surrounded by trees.  Outside, there was stacked wood by an axe and chickens roaming the mountain side by their coop.

Sara drinking tea brewed with herbs from Mt Olympus.

I ordered tea made from herbs picked from the mountain side.  It tasted good and was warm in my hands.  It was chilly, but there were warm blankets in a cozy room.  No cards, no phone, no book … I didn’t know what to do with my spare time.  So I took a nap on the couch in the hostel on Mt Olympus: it was probably the coolest nap I’ve ever taken.

On the way down the mountain, I tried to keep pace with the fast group, but fell behind.  So I slowed to my preferred hiking pace and hiked the trail alone.  It was nice and peaceful.  After a while, I realized there was no one in sight.  I decided it’s better to be safe than sorry and lost in the Greek wilderness, so I stopped to wait for others.  Once people were in sight again, I kept going.  We walked spread apart and in silence.

There is something beautiful about a silent hike: hearing the steady beat of your steps – smelling, feeling, and hearing nature only broken by an occasional hiker’s joke or hello.

Hiking allows reflection and is conducive to moments of intimacy with God.  Fortunately to get to my God, I do not have to go on a three-day mountain hike.  I can pray to Him at the top of the mountain, at the base of the mountain, on the bus ride there, and at home.

 

 

Photo Cred:  Sara Thomas

From Rome to Philippi and the Adventures in Between

A ceiling in the Vatican.

Rome is the one place on the trip that I must go back to.

I’ve never seen so much beautiful art and architecture in one place.  We toured ancient Rome and Papal Rome.  The Colosseum was huge, and I had no idea the Vatican was that stunning.  I went to Rome with no expectations, but now I couldn’t possibly sum up Rome in mere words, you simply must go there.

The last day we were there, my friend Cristy and I had a shopping spree in downtown Rome.  After lunch, we stumbled across the Trevi fountain famously known from movies such as The Lizzie McGuire Movie. I bought new leather shoes, and she bought a dress.  It felt like a fairytale, a movie, and a dream.

Italy is just stunning everywhere you go: the landscape is pretty, there are big trees, the art is amazing, and the architecture looks like art.  According to our tour guide, you need to visit the Vatican three times to appreciate it the way it’s intended to be viewed.  I wouldn’t mind testing that theory.

A courtyard in the Vatican.

Before I knew it, we were back in Athens for one last week. There we stayed at the Oscar Hotel in downtown Athens.  The hotel creepily reminded me of The Phantom of the Opera, but it was good because it was walking distance from a lot of ministries.

My favorite ministry opportunities were an outreach to drug addicts and a ministry for women working in prostitution.

With the drug outreach ministry, we went to a historical monument in a park in Athens.  We brought a big van with cold tea and cookies in the back and mounted a stereo to the roof and blasted Christian rap music.  While some of us handed out flyers for an AA type meeting, others served tea and cookies.  Some of the people in the hangout spot flocked to the food, we went up to others who didn’t .  I gave a guy a flyer which led to me telling him my whole testimony, and he told me his life story.  I found out that he went to the meeting a couple days later.

I also got to do a prayer walk with Nea Zoi, a ministry for girls who work in prostitution.  We went on a prayer walk that was in the red light district.  The next day, I got to speak with the woman in charge of their partnering ministry, Threads of Hope.  Threads of Hope employs women in Athens who used to work in prostitution.  It provides them with a dignified job sewing, and they start their work day with prayer, worship, and Bible devotions.  I was honored to stay and work with two of the women to see what Threads of Hope is like.

My words can’t do the photo justice; the photo can’t do the real thing justice.

Near Meteora, there are giant hill slabs of rock.  The legend is that the hills fell from the sky.  It sounds ridiculous … until you see them.

Kelley and I were glad to be off the bus and smelling the outdoors. I’m pretty sure I even made a comment about the mossy dirt smelling good.

They are beautiful, tall, intricate, and green.  It was a perfectly gloomy, misting, overcast day.  The longer you’re there, the more the legend make’s  sense.  Seeing a wood elf would maybe be normal; Eragon on his dragon’s back landing on a nearby hill top doesn’t seem far-fetched.  But no Lord of the Ring elves reside here; dragons do not fly through the misting clouds.  Less mystical, but still very foreign to us, several communities of monks call this place home.

After driving our bus up a winding road, we parked near a monastery at the top of the rock.  Then we walked up winding steps carved into the rock.  Reaching the “front door”, we were met with nice wood floors and large open windows like a villa; it felt like a peaceful home.   And of course, the view was stunning.  What amazes me is the handiwork of the dedicated monks – I would argue that you can’t find a cleaner home.

Baily, Becca, and I in Meteora.

We went to the Church of Lydia which is located in Philippi along the river where Paul baptized Lydia in Acts 16.  My friend on the trip hadn’t been baptized yet, so after singing a couple worship songs, our professor Baptized her “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”  It was incredible to be a part of her moment declaring to the church that she has decided to follow Jesus.  Here is something my friend Rebecca said about her baptism:

I have only been baptized as an infant and lots of people would say that’s enough but I felt it necessary to symbolize my commitment to God as an adult. Actually, I never felt the need to get re-baptized until the night before.  While night swimming, I thought to myself “man, I have never been baptized.” And the next morning the Lord opened up the perfect opportunity.  I needed to make a change in my life spiritually and behaviorally and baptism was the testimony to that change.  I got into the water in my skinny jeans, which I hate getting wet, but I didn’t care that I was wet or cold because at that moment- it didn’t matter. The only thing that mattered was Jesus and my walk with Him. 

This is our group taking a photo by the river where people get baptized at the Church of Lydia. A couple minutes later, Becca declared her faith just like Lydia.

I am grateful for the other students on this trip and how God is working in each of their lives.  I am grateful for getting to go to places the Church started.  I am blessed.  God is good.

 

Photo Cred: Bailey Wadsworth

My Night in a Monastery

A couple nights ago, I slept in a monastery, and it wasn’t what I anticipated.

I slept on a bed in a simple room with icons of saints hanging on the walls.  It was very clean and well kept.  The monastery was stunning: fountains, courtyards, a quaint vineyard, and a view of rolling hills and the sea.  Of course, there were chapels, a couple churches, and very old men in black robes with beards … but they also had a painting room, an espresso machine, and a fish farm.

I found myself sitting on my balcony thinking, writing, praying, and reflecting. I sat looking at stars and the silhouettes of hills, listening to crickets, and seeing the lights of a small town in the distance. I looked up at the stars and thought to myself: how lucky and blessed I am to be able to look at the stars and with confidence know who made them. Not only do I have a knowledge of who made them, but I know Him personally.

The trees, hills, nature, and quiet on this balcony made me happy enough to do a cheesy face selfie.

Just last Sunday, I found myself sitting in a taxi with a Muslim boy and another Christian friend.  Earlier, my friend told that curious, Muslim, 19-year-old, refugee boy the gospel.  Following a conversation about church, the boy read John 1 from my ESV Bible.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

We taught him about the Bible. After reading John 1 and Isaiah 53 he said, “I should get one of these!”  So I gave him my Bible.

That boy is now gaining knowledge of who God is, and hopefully, he will soon know God.

But on my balcony, I looked down the valley at that small town in the distance and wondered: how many of those people look at these same stars and wonder who made them? Instead of being in awe of an awesome God, do they feel like they’re lost in a vast universe that has no definite answers?

How many refugees who are crossing seas look at the stars and vast waters and feel like they are alone?

The view from my balcony at the monastery in northern Greece.

I am blessed to look at the stars and smile because my God crafted them to bring him glory. I am blessed to have the Word of God to read in order to gain a knowledge of Him and further my relationship with Him. And despite the temptation to keep God’s word for myself, to keep my Bible for myself, I am blessed to have been given the opportunity to share my Bible with someone who didn’t know God, didn’t know any scripture, and had only that day set foot in church for the first time.

My God is a good God, and He has blessed me greatly.

Because He has saved me by grace, I will bring that good news of salvation to others.  God loves them just as He loves me.  He sent His Son to die for us so we can be saved.  This is something I will always be thankful for and always need to share.

But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

 

 

Photo Cred: Sara Thomas

Pray for the Refugees; They are People

What do you see when you look at this picture?  I see a father, and I see love.  I see a man who left his home because he wanted more for his family than a war-torn, dangerous country.  Were you in his shoes, you would probably become a nomad to keep your family from violence.  This is a man whom Christ loves and someone who I ought to pray for.  This father and his son are refugees from Afghanistan.

Returning home from the National Archeological Museum of Athens, a few of us Moody Abroad students saw hundreds of refugees; we were burdened by the need.  So last week, eighteen students went to Victoria Station in downtown Athens armed with a soccer ball, diapers, sandwiches, water, and sanitation wipes.  Completely student led and organized, we weren’t quite sure what we were doing besides a little advice received from local ministry leaders.

Eighteen students waiting for the bus and excited to do ministry.

It was great doing ministry!  Even though it was a short amount of time, we learned from it and are excited to continue helping.  We debriefed after to answer these questions: What was good? What was bad? What can we do better?

Student playing soccer with refugee teens.

Stemming from those questions, we asked, “How can we get our churches involved?”

Well, the church can (and needs to) send missionaries, serve these people, and sponsor organizations like Samaritan’s Purse.  But what can every individual in the church do? Pray for the Refugees!

Refugees waiting in Victoria Square. Some will be in the square for a night, others a few days; it all depends on their money situation.

So we made a prayer request list to send to the Church.  Our hope is that the Church will come together and pray for these people.  Regarding American Christians, I think sometimes we struggle in our feelings towards the Afghan refugees. Maybe, some think, “You’re telling me I’m supposed to help them? What about the Afghanistan War?”  I do not have the answers, but I do think of what one of our founding fathers, Augustine said:

to love even our enemies in hopes that our enemies might one day become fully our brethren.

These people sin like you and I; they need Christ like you and I.  Christ died for them too.  So I will pray for them, and I hope you, Church, will pray for them with me.

Two female students playing with refugee kids in Victoria Square.

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Prayer Requests:

• The refugees
  • that their hearts will be softened to the Gospel
  • that they will come to know Jesus
  • for safety while traveling
  • for basic needs to be met
  • that they will find a place to call home
• Governments
  • that they will treat the refugees with kindness
  • that they will wisely consider how they can help the refugees
• Christian ministers
  • Euro Relief is about to hand out over 7,000 sleeping bags and other necessities to the refugees on the Island of Mytilene.  We have about ten of our own students leaving today to help hand out the supplies to the refugees.  We became aware of this opportunity two nights ago, and a group will be leaving by ferry this evening.
  • Others of us (like me) are staying behind to do ministry work in Athens all week: this includes prayer walks in the red light district, construction work on a new ministry center in a neighborhood without a church, soup kitchen ministry for refugees, teaching English, street ministry for homeless people and drug addicts, and other opportunities as they come up.  Because it is a very pressing need, a lot of the ministry we do will be with refugees.
  • By the Hand, Euro Relief, and Samaritans Purse are ministries that are doing a lot for the refugees in Greece.  I’m sure there are other ministries working here as well, but those are the ones I’m aware of.
  • The local churches have been very involved. Pray more will get involved helping refugees and that God will provide the resources and volunteers.  Also pray that Christ will be glorified by the Church in this situation.
• Our group
  • the 35 students working in ministry this week
  • safety
  • wisdom and discernment in how to best serve the refugees in a way that leads them toward Christ
  • that God will work through us
  • that God will help us get past cultural and language barriers
  • good team work
  • that above all, God will be glorified

Those are just some things that need prayer.  If you think of more, add it to your prayer list!  These people need our help and our prayers.

 

 

Photo cred: Joseph Siu

All in Favor of Chicago Becoming the New Amsterdam?

A couple nights ago, I was sitting on my bed in Pikermi, Greece trying to get some homework done, checking emails, and chatting on Facebook.  I received an email from CAASE, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation that had a video attached to the email with the caption:

Yesterday, CAASE Executive Director Kaethe Morris Hoffer spoke on WTTW’s Chicago Tonight to discuss the problems with Amnesty International’s recent decision to promote the decriminalization of pimping and buying sex.

Watch video here. 

(I highly recommend watching the video.)

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So what’s going on?

Amnesty International recently decided to support and promote the decriminalization of sex work in an attempt to protect the human rights of sex workers.  They created a draft policy based on their two years of research.  This policy will be presented to lawmakers around the world, including in Chicago.

BASICS OF PROPOSAL

What is it?

If this policy passes, all sex work will be legal extending to the pimps and johns. It will be legal to sell sex (prostitute). It will be legal to buy sex (johns). It will be legal to be a pimp. It will be legal to own and operate a brothel.  In theory, it enables the government to monitor prostitution and provide a better environment for prostitutes seeking legal action for rape and assault crimes.  The goal is to protect the workers from exploitation by providing safe working environments, sanitation laws, and a better avenue for legal action when violent acts are done against sex workers.

Has decriminalizing prostitution benefited other places?

Amsterdam is one example where sex work is legal and monitored by the government.  The Mayor of Amsterdam in 2003 said, “It appeared impossible to create a safe and controllable zone for women that was not open to abuse by organized crime.”

In New South Wales, a police officer noted that although they sought to provide a safe working environment for prostitutes, they actually empowered pimps and brothel operators.

In New Zealand, an organization that originally supported the decriminalization is finding that they still have girls 14 or 15 years old working on the streets as prostitutes.

What Chicago might look like with this policy instated:

Like Amsterdam, Chicago will become an over-sexualized city.  If the Chicago brothels model Amsterdam brothels,  the brothels will be advertised throughout the city, creating Chicago’s first red-light district. This most likely includes explicit ads and signs that anyone of any age can see walking down the street.

The number of prostitutes will increase because prostitution will be normalized.  Chicago will be a center for sex-tourism: people who aren’t from Chicago will come to Chicago for sex. These factors will cause demand for prostitution to increase. With an increase in demand, there will be a need for more prostitutes. Therefore, more girls will be trafficked into Chicago. It will be hard to differ between the “willing” girls and trafficked girls because they will both look like workers. The trafficked girls could testify against injustices, but like trafficked girls in many places, most will be bombarded with countless threats and manipulated into silence.

Like in Amsterdam, sex workers will not be empowered and will still be assaulted, so the prostitutes  will be encouraged to always be in reach of their panic button inside each brothel.  Responding to the video that sparked this article, making prostitution legal will not effectively protect people in the LGBT community.  Hate crimes like assault are often done to transgender prostitutes in Chicago (I know this from conversations I’ve had with some of them on the streets).  Whether prostitution is legal or illegal, these crimes will still be done against them, and in both contexts they can seek social justice for assault.

That draft policy is not the only suggestion put forth.  CAASE, Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation, prefers the city take a different approach to protect human rights:

BASICS OF CAASE’S PROPOSAL (SIMILAR TO THE NORDIC MODEL)

What is it?

Right now, prostitutes in Chicago are often arrested while the Johns are not. CAASE seeks to end the arrest of prostitutes and instead have a state-wide system that helps them transition out of prostitution.  It will still be illegal to buy sex (illegal to be a john), pimp, or traffic persons.  Johns (the buyers of sex) will be considered criminals and will be given steep fines or jail time.  

If less Johns buy sex, the demand will go down. There will be less need for supply, therefore prostitution will decrease.

Has that worked before?

In 1999, Sweden instituted a similar model which is now called the Nordic Model; it has had great success. Some are finding that the young men in Sweden typically don’t even buy sex when they go to other countries where it is legal.  Other countries like Norway, Iceland, Canada, and Northern Ireland have also recently introduced laws inspired by the Nordic model.

Chicago’s potential with their spin off the Nordic Model:

With less demand, prostitution will decrease.  That is a good thing for the prostitutes!  We (the church, Chicago citizens, the state, and others) can help them find other jobs.  Those who want to remain in prostitution could find work in other states if they truly want to be in this line of work.  For the majority of the prostitutes, they didn’t dream of becoming a prostitute as a little girl.  This would be a blessing, especially if they have help finding a different job.  With a decreasing demand for purchasable sex, less girls would be trafficked into Chicago

NOW WHAT?

Study it for yourself. Look to those who have been trying to help these people for years. Put aside your loyalties to CAASE, to Amnesty International, to LGBT, or to me for just a second.  Support the side you believe will best help prostitutes.  Support that cause. Stand up for people.  Use your voice for good!

Keep in mind, this was written from the perspective of someone (me) who supports the Nordic Model.  With the knowledge I have accumulated thus far, I truly believe that the Nordic Model is what is best for Chicago.  That is why I signed this petition appealing to Amnesty International to reconsider their opinion.  It takes less than 5 minutes to sign the petition!

#NordicModel4Chicago

Photo cred: James Bloedel

Additional resources:

This documentary (nefariousdocumentary.com) will give you a good idea of what prostitution and trafficking looks like in several places around the world, including in Amsterdam.

This organization (www.halftheskymovement.org) has a book and film. The book is about prostitution and trafficking around the world and was written by two journalists.  I’ve yet to see the film, but reading their book is how I first learned about the Nordic Model.

For more information about prostitution in Chicago, go here.

Sources used:

http://caase.org/urge-amnesty-international-to-vote-no-on

http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable-business/2015/jul/28/amnesty-international-prostitution-sex-work-human-trafficking

http://www.equalitynow.org/sites/default/files/Does_Legalizing_Prostitution_Protect_Women_and_Girls_EN.pdf

http://tasmaniantimes.com/images/uploads/Circular_18_Draft_Policy_on_Sex_Work_final.pdf

http://www.equalitynow.org/sites/default/files/Nordic_Model_EN.pdf

http://caase.org/policy-and-advocacy

Eating Greek

First things first, the eating schedule in Greece is not the same as I’m used to at home.  It’s typical in Greece to eat a light, basic breakfast, a big lunch around 2pm as your main meal of the day, and a lighter dinner.

Let’s start with the basics…

You may occasionally find ketchup in Greece, but vinegar and oil are the condiments that are always on the table.  Feta is another staple, it’s Greece’s favorite cheese. When you go to the grocery store, there are a few different kinds of cheese and many different brand options of feta.

If you can throw a tomato on it or put one in it, tomatoes are probably on the menu.

Greek salads are almost everywhere.  You can get them at nice restaurants, the gyro place down the street, or served with a meal at home.  Greek salads contain feta (sometimes a big block of it on top), tomato, cucumber, green pepper, onion, and olives.  That’s it. Usually there is no lettuce, but this one has a little mixed in with the rest.

Lentil soup is very common in Greece, and it is the meal I definitely plan on making once I’m home.  During World War II, Lentil soup became a staple food in Greece to get them through.  The first time I sat down to a bowl of lentil soup, I wasn’t exactly filled with excitement.  I started eating the soup and it wasn’t bad, but it was just lentil soup.  Then a Greek told me that they put  vinegar and feta cheese in theirs.  I tried it that way, and it made the soup go from just okay to really good!

What you’ve all been waiting for… the gyro…

Coming here, I was worried that I wouldn’t be able to handle eating gyros all the time and I would grow tired of them.  I’ve discovered that every time I eat a gyro, I like them a little bit more!  It’s fantastic!  I’m a big fan of the pork gyro, but you can also get them with chicken or lamb.  Besides the meat of your choice, it has tomato, onion, and tzatziki sauce wrapped up in pita.  If you don’t want to eat it like a wrap, you can sometimes get it in a box instead and use a fork like my friend Kelley pictured on the right.  Best part about a gyro: it’s enough to be a whole meal, and it only costs €2.10 at our neighborhood gyro place.

So come on over to Greece.  The basics are great, and there is adventure to be found while eating too…

Photo Cred: Sara Thomas

When You are in Greece and Your Cell Phone is in America

Awkward silence? No problem! Whip out your phone.  Bored?  Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook are in your pocket.  Something cool or crazy just happened? Sweet! Tell your friend, friends, or every friend via text or social media.  Got a little down time?  That’s what a phone is there for!

That pretty accurately described my life on the day to day.  Especially when I lived in Chicago and took public transportation a lot.  I began feeling like it was always on my hip, and maybe, just maybe, it wasn’t healthy.

But I had this crazy idea…

What if there was awkward silence, but I embraced it, filled it with conversation, or just thought about life during that time? What if I learned how to not be bored without Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook entertaining me? What if I enjoyed those crazy and cool moments with the people around me and just laughed about them and soaked it up with them? Or what if I prayed and thanked God for those moments as they were happening? What if He was the first friend I went to when I was excited about things?  What if I prayed, read, or was productive with down time? Or what if I just sat and got lost in my own thoughts?

Would that be so bad?
So as I prepared to leave for the lovely country of Greece, I decided this would be the perfect opportunity to go without my phone for 2.5 months.

Well I’ve gone over 25 days without my phone now, AND IT SUCKS!

Just kidding!  I’ll admit: I’ve had some of those moments that I just want to scroll through Instagram or text a friend.  I am here to tell you I lived through those moments, and I’m NOT miserable!

In the past 25 days, I’ve had 3 instances that I truly wished I had my phone with me…

1.  I dislocated my shoulder and really wanted to tell my mom before she saw the Facebook pictures.  Moms don’t usually like hearing their kid got hurt from a secondhand source.  I could have emailed her, but I figured it was one of those things a mom would want to hear their kid’s voice to know they’re okay.  So I borrowed my professors phone and left a voice mail for my mom.

2. A small group of students went shopping in downtown Athens.  I ended up getting left behind with one other girl (my own fault).  I was really wishing for my phone so I could let our group know we’re okay, or even better, ask them where they went.  It was an interesting, adventure-filled night.  Macey and I made it back to campus just fine though.  All is well that ends well. Right?

3. Those awkward moments when everyone else with you is fiddling with their phone, so you just fold your hands in your lap and sit.  I got through all those just fine though.  It builds character.

I’m no where near the end of my time apart from my phone, and I’m very okay with that.  You start to forget about it as your go to.  You don’t have to double-check your phone is in your pocket, and you don’t have to worry about leaving your phone somewhere. It’s kind of freeing.

Embrace yourself.  Find your acceptance and worth in God; not your phone.

Plus, most your friends have phones.  They’ll be there to show you random clips, Facebook posts, and pins.  They might even include you in their selfies!

No pressure, but if someone decides to turn off their phone for 25 days, I would be really impressed and would love to hear about their experience!  I understand that not everyone can do that because of work or whatever.  But if you can, I would strongly encourage it!  May I be so blunt to say that if you don’t have a NEED (work, safety, etc) for your cell phone, but could not stand the idea of being without it that long, that might be a problem in your life.  Some might go as far as to say it’s your addiction or a crutch to get through the day.  That’s not good.

(Photo cred: Sara Thomas)

In Awe

I find myself in place of constant pondering about who God is and how that effects me.

Last week, I got in a van at 5:45 to go watch the sunrise at the beach.  I didn’t bring a swimsuit, but I did bring my Bible.  For a little bit, I sat in awe of a sunrise and read Psalm 8.  One of the verses in that psalm says, “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him?”  That verse pretty accurately describes the sunrise.  Are you an artist?  Do you use canvas?  God’s canvas is the sky, and he paints sunrises, sunsets, and starry nights.  You’re artwork is only a reflection of his original creation.

Can you honestly watch the sun rise and tell me in that moment that you believe there is no God?

Thursday, we went to a beach.  My arm is still in a sling, so I didn’t swim.  Instead, I sat on a rock near the sea, shaded by an overhanging rock.  I took out my Bible and in the back of it, I sketched the tree beside me.  The tree I sketched doesn’t look bad, but it can’t compare to the real thing that was in front of me that God created.  His original is more creative and intricate than my sketch.

Taking a break from drawing for a photo op with Kelley.

My conclusion: I am nothing apart from God, but for some unfathomable reason, he chooses to value me more than I could ever deserve to be valued.  I am a wanderer walking among the population of Greece, one gazer of sunrises that many see, and tiny in a vast universe.  Yet, God, the one who made Greece, sunrises, and the universe, sees me.  God who sustains the universe cares for me. That leaves me in awe and gratitude that he would consider me at all.  I deserve nothing, but He’s given me much and redeemed my life by His blood.  That is a beautiful thing, and I cannot comprehend why the God of the universe would do that for me.