july

Well I've finished with work!! I can't tell you the sensation I have knowing I will not be leaving early for work tomorrow. I take it as a great gift from God, this month of freedom.  I just ask for wisdom to know how to schedule my time. Also for energy and confidence with Italian language.

I want to take a moment to thank Jesus for bringing me through quite an interesting and difficult year of work, for teaching me a lot, and loving me gently througout.

Some things on my July to-do list:
(please pray for prioritizing and for God to be glorified in all of my friendships here)

• Going to lunch at Monica's (manic-depressant church lady with 20 yr old daughter Erica, not Christian).
• Meeting up with Livia again.
• Going to the beach or rock-climbing with my random group of guy friends (not Christian): Fation, Roberto, Alessandro?
• Having Alberto and room-mates over for dinner.
• Meeting together for our discipleship group Marco, Michelangelo, Tania, Me. We didn't manage in June because of our schedules. I'm up next to share. Pray that God moves and knits us together!
• Sleepover: I want to take Lorenza's kids for the night to give her a break. Pray she accepts the idea!
• Hanging out with Veronica, Sara, Valeria and Claudia--the young girls (16-21) from our Albano Biblestudy. They are so precious and so broken and in need of Jesus and encouragement.
• Meeting up with my American friend Marti who is planting a church in a neighboring town with her husband...just to encourage one another!
• Getting together with my colleagues for dinner.
• Daily study of Italian. Ask God to anoint my tongue, my mind. I need to improve!
• Do my 1st street visit with the prostitute ministry I am hoping to be more involved with in Rome.

Other church and personal requests remain:

• We continue to have TUESDAY NIGHT Bible Study in my home. Pray for more men. Pray for those getting plugged in: Matteo, Melinda, Concetta, Jenny (Hilda is out of town for while), and for our neighbor Zenovia (not a Christian) who joined us for the first time last week!!
• This month we will have a baptism for Laura (sister of Lorenza) and Paolo and Simona and whoever else....
• Please continue to pray for our church leadership (wisdom and grace) and the spiritual maturity of all members. Praise God my sunday school lessons have been going ok!
• Personally I feel a great insecurity about sharing my faith right now. Pray for the Lord to reveal himself to me, and help me to love, believe, live and communicate effectively.
• TOMORROW we will have a basketball match and dinner with Moira, Elijah, Giulia (our youth kids) and Leo (Giulia's unsaved 17 yr old brother). Pray that these kids are ignited with the love and knowledge of God. Pray for healing from Giulia's cancer. Pray for Moira who failed her classes this year and will be held back for the 2nd time. Pray for Elijah who is struggling with not having many friends.

USA TRIP

I will write further detailing my CA-OR-WA itinerary. But since some of you have already asked, I'll write a brief sketch here:

July 26-August 4 Los Angeles
August 4-10 Sunriver
August 10-16 Seattle
August 16-18 Los Angeles

During my first week in LA I have a wedding and an event for my book. I am thrilled to be able to make it to Rhetoric 2013 this year in Long Beach if anyone wants to join! Looking forward to spending time with family and friends. I'll be seeing my parents' new home in Seattle which will be quite a change! Not certain about my car or cell phone situation, but I will update here as soon as these things are hammered-out. It's gonna fly by but I am SOOO looking forward to seeing your faces! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all of your prayers and support.

Love, Allie (sorry I don't have any pics!!)

of prodigals and prayers

Tonight was amazing. It was a combination of:

• Excitement to finally see growth in the Frascati Tuesday night community group!
• Tania re-joined the group after many months...
• God specifically spoke in ways that answered a year of prayers (even prayers of Pastor Robert and I just yesterday!) through a new lady coming, Concetta, and Robert was given the opportunity to elaborate on some really pertinent truth for both Matteo and Tania who were present. The love and grace of God was demonstrated.
• Melinda, a young 30-something single, raised-in-Christian-home but confused etc. woman came again for the second time.

Continue to plead with God with us for the hearts and lives of our church members in all 3 community groups: Colleferro, Albano and Frascati. Pray for 13 yr old Giulia who is sick again with fever. Ask God to heal her cancer. Also 16 year old Moira is sick and will be held back from school a 2nd year. Pray for Monica who needs to trust Jesus with her life and not fear making the right decisions regarding the boyfriend she has. Ask God to guide. Comfort to Laura. More men to come to faith....

Next Monday at my house will be the monthly dinner/accountability prayer time with Marco, Michelangelo and Tania...we are the '20-somethings' of the church. We've started taking turns testifying/confessing of what God is doing in our lives. Tania shared powerfully last time. I will go next. Please pray for me that I hear from the Lord and that each of us continues to be honest before God and each other and seeks to know and live for Him.

Thankful for my American friend Heather who let me crash at her place when I got stuck in Rome Saturday night. Public transport has been SO frustrating these weeks. So uncertain. Thankful.

I had a great time with Livia last week. We are already making plans to see each other again next week. I adore her. She told me of her dreams to move to America in the fall to look for work. I'm bummed to see her go, but also excited at the possibility for her. Anybody looking to sponsor an Italian pastry chef for a visa??

I am wrapping up the school year this week. Then I teach one week of summer school and July welcomes summer! Please ask the Lord to give me grace, humility and love for my boss, colleagues and students. Specifically for Raffaella--I need wisdom, boldness and opportunity to speak more openly with her (& Maison!) about Jesus. PRAISE Jesus for my precious precious students and how much love I have received from them this year. What a year it's been.

xo

watermelon gelato = best thing ever

community

Community. I spoke with Robert about how we can foster deeper community between our home groups spread out among the Castelli. We want to be sharing life together in a Biblical way. We want the believers to make personal applications to what we are studying. Continue to pray this prayer with us. Maturity and filling of the Spirit. Communion with God and Man.

Association: in final paperwork! Huge blessing: this lawayer is a Christian and would not charge us. We plan on using the money we set aside for our new tracts!

Livia. Meeting up with her this Wednesday finally! Praying for a wonderful, intentional, open time with her. May she (and family) hunger for Christ.

Fation. Don't really know how he's doing. Continue to pray for him and family (mom who tried to kill herself etc.). If you look 5 pictures down on the right side of the blog there is an old photo with me, Alessandro, Roberto and Fation...continue to lift these friends up. Salvation!

Tania. Continue to pray for her. For wisdom, diligence, healthy communication, healing. Praise God for growth.

Matteo. He came to our Bible study last week! He has so much to learn but seems very earnest as a new Christian. Pray for his body, mind and heart and that Robert can support him well.

Lorenza. On Friday she asked me again about tutoring her in English. I have NO TIME in June but told her I would love to in July. Pray for this, and that ultimately I can encourage her in her faith. Also, Sunday we had GIULIA'S dedication. It was a joyous event bringing most of our 3 Bible study groups from Frascati/Roma-Albano-Colleferro together! Lorenza gave a testimony to how the Lord transforms and how His love is faithful when ours isn't. She wants to raise her children in the Lord, 'with pride' she said. I cried.

Veronica, Sara, Claudia, Valeria. These are my precious 16-21 year old girls from the Friday night Bible study. V & S have been coming regularly again. Please pray that the love of Jesus becomes real, vibrant and personal to heal and transform! Pray I can get together with them in the coming weeks.

Visitors. It's been SO sweet having Stephanie visit in the beginning of May and Brittany and Marc just recently. Thankful for my amazing friends who catch the vision for what God is doing here and came all this way to spend time with me!

Book. My new book for women, The Wall, is available on Amazon (paperback and Kindle). Feel free to spread the word! Thankful for this project...am already receiving feedback. Need wisdom on how to respond to ministry from this book. http://www.amazon.com/The-Wall-Conversation-Single-Women/dp/1432795120/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1370297499&sr=8-1&keywords=Allison+Raven+The+Wall

Thanks for your love and prayers. God is sustaining in ALL THINGS.

PS, check out this gorgeous hymn I sang at St. Frances' Basilica in Assisi last week! http://www.mljmusic.com/Portals/0/Lyrics/Gather%20us%20In.pdf

'Not in the dark of buildings confining, not in some heaven light years away, but here in this place the new Light is shining, now is the Kingdom, now is the day! Gather us in and hold us forever. Gather us in and make us Your own! Gather us in all peoples together--fire of love in our flesh and our bones.'

Below: Steph & I in  Assisi, 3 pics of Giulia's dedication @ new Christian Paolo's home, Brittany & I at Frascati park.