heaven & earth

“I know The Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for He is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.” (Psalm 16:8-11 NLT)


Perhaps it's a mixture of talking with my elderly grandparents over skype, spending time with 13 year-old Giulia who has cancer, watching Daisy Merrick's memorial live at 1am, my cousin hearing someone scream as his NY subway ran over them, and the hopelessness of voting in my first Italian presidential election---I'm thinking about Heaven. One day soon. We will not have to choose the lesser of evils. We will not suffer. We will not want.

And until that day--God only knows how weak I am!!--until THAT DAY. I want to be faithful. This earth is such a fleeting glimpse washed up in Eternity. Despite how tired I am, I want to be hopeful and live with the Eternity of Heaven in my heart. I pray we can all strive better after this, with the Holy Spirit, to share this Hope with our friends and family.

Prayer Updates:

CHURCH

We really want a location! The house was packed yesterday and we are eager to move out of the house church-phase. Pastor Robert has drafted a letter to the county to possibly receive a public space to be used as non-profit. We know a Christian lady who works there and are praying for the Lord's favor. Ultimately, we hope that one location helps to foster unity among the different 'groups' in our church and calls each to serve and participate in a deeper way.

Slow progress with Lorenza...maybe this weekend?

Our youth group is growing! 2 other kids have returned to the group making 5 (Lorenza's neice and nephew). We are also praying that Giulia's brother (16) decides to come. Currently, Tania has stepped back from Kids Min for personal reasons and it has put me in a rough spot with language etc. (2 kids are half American so they can help me, but I'd much rather assist Tania because she is really gifted with them). Anyway, pray for growth and wisdom.

PERSONAL

I've been praying a lot for my friends and for more friends in general. Process is slow, but I am feeling encouraged:

Andreas & Brenda remain hard to get together with, but communicate now and then.

Fation & Roberto are coming to see Mumford & Sons with me in 2 weeks (friends gave me 2 extra tix to be used 'missionally')!

Alberto has invited us to dinner at his place.

In the mean time, two of my precious college friends are coming to visit in March!

I am using the local stores more and trying to be known on my street however shy I am.

Still need lots of wisdom in the situation with Tania--how to challenge and support and counsel her.

We hosted a Bible Study with the church in Rome last Saturday. Matteo (pictured @right)came and continues to open his heart to Jesus! Keep praying.

Marco, Michi, Tania & I just had our 2nd of our monthly meetings and it went SO well in the sense that there was a lot of vulnerability and productive, honest discussion. PRAY SO HARD with me for these 3 precious people. They are the only young adult Christians in our church/city and carry a lot of responsibility in their influence. Pray for hope, vision, conviction, courage, comfort, wisdom.... The last picture is Michi and friends playing an acoustic set at the opening of their youth association--proud of how they bridge the 'gap.'


Lots of love to all.
A.
(I love this song!)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yc8x33lAnAk&list=PLM4MVfz1v3LVOY2S1ORgU53Pc92xJQ46_

learning to love

If I came here to do anything it certainly had to do with loving people. I love because He first loved me. And yet ironically God brought me here when I was most empty on love. And he brought me to a people that fight and complain like it's their favorite sport. Through a series of events and things I've been writing and reading, God is really renewing my heart to love people. He's renewing my heart to love as He loves. That is a grand and impossible task, but it can always be my compass. "By day the Lord commands His steadfast love, and at night His song is with me" (Ps. 42.8).

The requests from last week still stand, but here are some snippets to fuel your prayers specifically regarding this them of love. Wow!! It is thundering like craaaaazy as I write! Lots of love from inside my cozy apartment on this gorgeous stormy day!

*Fation and Roberto (26). I love these guys. Fation has been my friend for 5 years and I know Roberto through him. Fation came here as an Albanian refugee (age 11) during the war. His parents are currently divorcing. Roberto is from Napoli and has been disappointed a lot in life--he continues to struggle through the Italian university system though it is discouraging. They were over for dinner Saturday and Fation initiated, "If you want to do that prayer thing before we eat go ahead--even if we don't believe in that stuff..." He is so hard but at the same time he feels "peace" at our home. I hang out with these guys all the time. Please pray I can love them well and that they open their hearts to the love of Christ.

*Alberto (mid-twenties?). I don't really know him but he lives near us and went to university with Tania. Occasionally when we are out we run in to him. Yesterday was SO pretty and cold and sunny--and it was Carnevale here in Frascati!! So Tania and I went out for a morning walk before church. Literally, Tania had just said a prayer out-loud as we were walking, for God to have mercy on Frascati and to pour out His Spirit and to use us--and we run into Alberto. He was near tears. He just vomited how his whole life is falling apart (lots of curses interspersed)--let down in love, lost his job, complications at university. I wanted to cry! Ask God to give us more opportunity to love Alberto.

*Youth kids at church-Moira (16), Elijah (13) and Giulia (13). On Sunday I was teaching about prayer and the Persistent Widow parable. I started asking some personal questions about each one's prayer life and was SO blessed by their vulnerability. But I wanted to cry!! I got responses like: "I don't really pray"--"My prayers are too superficial"--"I don't know how"--"I don't want to talk to Him".... These are kids raised in the church. They are each so precious. Please pray we can love them well, and that they learn to talk with God who loves them so much!

*Raffa, my coworker (40). I love her!! She is so fun and has such a compassionate heart. But she often seeks love in the wrong places. And she is filled with anxiety. Please pray I can love her and speak truth into her life. Pray she finds complete satisfaction in the love of God.

*Lorenza (32). Again, I've been trying to get together with her one on one. She responds to my texts but we still haven't met together and I know she is really struggling personally, spiritually, as a single mom.... I am hoping to go over Thursday, which ironically is Valentine's Day. Pray that she is overwhelmed with the love of God.

*Tania (24). Growth happening, some walls being broken...still lots of miracles needed in her situation.

I could go on but this is already super long! Thanks so much for your love and support!

Top- when we try to make Fation have fun haha

Middle- with colleagues at beginning of year, Raffa @middle

Bottom- sweet kids Giulia (Ital-columbian)& Mo & Eli (Ital-Korean)

6 months and counting...

TIME

So yes. I realized last week that I passed the 6-month mark. That really doesn't even penetrate. I've always had goals and boundaries where time was concerned, and now I'm just...here. Living. Time has really flown. I was talking with Tania and realized it's true that my Italian has improved even though it seems really discouraging. And yes, I do walk through the town many days and run into people I 'know'--kisskiss--that sense of being a local :) I've discovered an organic foodstore and a vegetarian restaurant, and am finally able to see Les Mis since it opened yesterday! Haha...God is sweet to give me these little comforts. It does feel like a kind of home. I thought today about how I live a city life in a small town. That will continue to be a bit difficult. I am so busybusybusy that I don't really get out in the town, I don't know my neighbors very well, I don't know what's going on in Frascati (though you can be sure people know about me haha). That will be something to figure out now that I'm past my 'settling' time. How to be more present in the community. Frequenting the same shops. Making more friends. Anyway, I'd like to thank God for sustaining me--above all emotionally--in this beginning. It has felt fairly 'natural' and I know that is supernatural :)

UPDATES

• The first (of what are for now monthly) of our meetings with just me-Tania-Marco-Michi went really well. We are all leaders and the only young adults in our church. It was nice to just check in spiritually with everyone and pray together. I pray for God to move to unite us more to Himself and to each other!
• Lorenza, my single mom friend, and I have been texting trying to get together and we had a nice chat on Sunday. She really wants me to teach her English. Scheduling has been rough, but continue to pray we can work something out as she is opening up.
• Work has been soooo draining this week, and on top of it I'm sick. There is a lot of chaos at work and I have just been joyless which feels yucky. I want to love my students and colleagues well. Today was better. Please pray I can always be full of love even when things aren't fun.
• Book. Making some progress, praise God.
• Tania. Still need LOTS of wisdom to be led by the Holy Spirit in this time. Not quite sure how to help her with what she's going through.
• Giulia. My sweet little 13 year old friend came over Wednesday to go over English homework. I just lover her SOOO much. I noticed her hair is thinning. Her mom was teary-eyed on Sunday. They've upped her medication...it's just so hard. We've written this on our church blog: http://servingicastelliromani.wordpress.com/ Please pray for her healing from cancer.

 

Sorry---couldn't resist sneaking this picture of 2 of my favorite students

during our morning Circle Time! Ahh I love them.