With Autumn Comes Changes....

Well, it's the end of September.... Wait, what? It's the end of September already? Tomorrow's October? What?!? The time has just FLOWN by! I can't believe it's already almost October! Soon I'll be boarding a plane to head back to the States, and that's just too crazy to think about.... So here's some reflections on this month.

The beginning of this month was my birthday (yay 24!) which was celebrated alongside Christine, who's birthday was the day after mine, along with some very dear and lovely friends! A big thanks to Claire and Sarah who organized everything, it was such a wonderful time spent with those dear to our hearts! (As a side note, you should also check out the blog that I wrote on my birthday about the persecuted church in Iraq in case you missed it.)

As the month has progressed I have been able to take on some more responsibilities within the church, Evolution 13. I am so excited for what God is doing! We have started having weekly church services, and I, along with Jenny (An amazing woman who has come to work with us here in France!) have been placed over the young children's ministry. Jenny has already taught me so much, and I'm so excited to be able to work alongside her, and be used by God in this area! Along with that I'm helping to start up a weekly prayer small group, something I'm just as excited about! The Lord has really put prayer on my heart, and it is definitely something that I truly feel is important at all times, but especially in this time of breaking ground here in Marseille, especially in Cours Julien. The Lord is really wanting to move in mighty ways here, and I know that prayer and worship is a huge part of that.

Mom and I in Cours Julien After Church

This past week was a bit busy for me as well because, mom came to visit! It was so great having her here, where she was able to see what I'm doing, and see the city and the people that I love so much! I'm so glad I was able to share this with her, and of course to just have my mommy here! I missed her lots! We were able to explore a bit, and I was a bit of a tour guide for a day, which was fun, but it also put a lot into perspective for me as well. I was able to see how, in subtle ways, I've changed, and adapted to the culture. It was a very interesting and wonderful experience!

And now, just a little bit that's on my heart to share. This past month has been a time where the Lord has just been reminding me about love. He's been growing my heart so much, and urging me to love beyond myself. By that I mean, loving even when it seems impossible. I'm a pretty loving person in general, but in my humanity there are limits, and the Lord has been pushing past those limits, showing me how crucial love it is, and how important it is for me to let His love take me beyond my own capacity to love. So in learning this I also want to urge you to open your hearts to His love. I ask you to press in, to ask Him to reveal His love to you, and in doing so give you a greater capacity to love others. It's not always easy to love others, it's easy to get angry, to mock, to ignore others, but it is our call to love. I think that in this day and age it can be so incredibly easy to be selfish, everything in our society, literally EVERYTHING, is pushing us towards isolation and selfishness. But this is completely opposite of what God intended for humanity, and especially for Christians. We need to be loving each other, helping each other, and not out of selfish gain either, but out of a love born from knowing Him who loved first. I struggle, I'm not perfect, I can be extremely selfish, but I am learning, and I am growing, and I urge you to do the same. Push through the struggle, let it be something that grows you, not something that pushes you back or holds you down. Ask God for help, He will bring you through these struggles, because without Him it just won't happen.

Now for my closing: It's been a quick, and challenging month for me, full of changes and excitement! Here are some things that I'm looking forward to in the next few weeks: Grayling and Sandra arrive! (If I have not mentioned them before, they are a couple who served in France for about 25 years, went back the States for a few years, and are now coming back to serve here in Marseille. They are amazing people, and have been such an encouragement to me throughout my time at Bethany, and I'm very excited for them to be here!) The new interns are coming! My time here is ending, but their's is just beginning, so please be keeping them in your prayers as well! And finally, the end of this month I'll be heading to Ireland on a survey trip. Basically I'll be helping out with a church plant in Belfast for a week, to see what church planting looks like from an English speaking perspective. i'm super excited about this trip and to see what God does during my time there! So that's it! Keep an eye out for next month's blog, please keep me and our intern and Evolution 13 team in your prayers, and remember I am also praying for all of you! Feel free to send any prayer requests to me through facebook or e-mail!

Blessings and Love,

Chrissy

La Reverie, at Musee des Beaux-Arts here in Marseille. She's my favorite piece of art there, probably because I'm a bit of a daydreamer myself....