Living Lithuania : The Most Wonderful Time of the Year.

Happy 2015!

This holiday season was just as crazy, exciting, and celebratory as any other. Now that I am back from my Christmas, and New Years travels, things are finally starting to slow down, just in time to start up again. But unlike in the past I have approach this last month with a method of Sabbath, of slowing down even in the busiest moments of life. I have found time to spend with God, by myself, and with good friends. I have made time for the things, and people the give me life, and joy. I have thanked God for another year of life and spent time praying and dreaming of the year to come.

There are so many pictures and moments to share from the last month. Here at LCC we finished up finals week, threw several Christmas parties, closed down the residence halls, and then reopened them for Christmas housing, and managed student storage. I gave and received end of the semester work evaluations, had my final student meetings of the year, finished up some office work, and then was officially on Christmas break, starting Christmas Eve! One of my best friends from college who is now living in England came to visit me for a few days and together we traveled to Dortmund, Germany for Christmas, and Amsterdam for New Years where we met two other friends from California!

The trip was a beautiful mix of rest, discovery, growth, and reunion. It was an amazing privilege to see good friends, to catch up, and observe how we have all grown in these six short months apart. Dortmund had an incredible Christmas Market, and the "Largest Christmas Tree in the World." Amsterdam was the best place to be for New Years, I have never experienced such an intense celebration.

The past few months God has been revealing His power to me in different ways. I started reading a book called "Ex-Muslim" during my travels and stumbled upon a section that perfectly phrased what I have been learning.

"God's heart is set on pursing us- people from every nation on earth. It always has been and always will be. And He will use whatever is necessary to seek and find us. "

There are people, and circumstances in my life that worry me because they are not in line with the will of Jesus. My own actions and decisions fall into this category as well, more than I would like to admit. When I find myself troubled or unsure I am reminded by God's gentle voice that He is COMPLETELY POWERFUL. When He wants us to follow Him, do His work, step out in faith for Him, run back to Him, He will make it happen. I am learning to give all the responsibility to Him and take it off of my shoulders. He has a plan that I do not need to see right now. I just need to increase my trust and remember that He is in control, He is our SOVEREIGN GOD.

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday, and that we can enter this new year even more in tune with the calls the Lord has on our lives.

The RA Christmas party was at my house this year, we decorated cookies and reminisced about our favorite Christmas memories.