Hello!
As we round the corner into December, I thought it was high time for an update. Things have been a bit of a calm-before-the-storm. All of the paperwork is filed, travel details are ironed out, and for the most part, all the major things have been taken care of. This has left more personal tasks to take care of, like packing and clearing out stuff. In a way, this is easier than dealing with visas and international travel but the change in my environment has really impressed upon me just how quickly my departure date is coming.
Since my last update, I have been so blessed by those who have decided to partner with me in support and prayer. There still is a ways to go, but I am so incredibly grateful and amazed by what has come in so far.
This last week, we decorated the house for Christmas. Our family, especially my mom and I, love this process and it has become a bit of a tradition. While we were in the process of untangling, hanging, and arranging, I found myself thinking back on all the years we’ve done this and how different things will be going forward. I will admit the thought of this year being the last one like it was a bit saddening, but then I realized that our current traditions didn’t come into existence without major changes in our lives. This led me to think about how change is always present in our lives whether we see it or not. While I don’t know what future Christmases will look like, I decided to enjoy this one to the fullest and at the same time, hold it with an open hand. Instead of clinging to what has been, I want to embrace what the future holds.
Some great friends of mine, are doing a podcast discussing the whole Bible one book at a time. I have been really enjoying following along every week. Recently, they did an episode on the book of Romans. As they were discussing through the 3rd chapter, they hit on something that really struck a chord with me. In the amplified translation, verse 28 it reads, “For we maintain that an individual is justified by faith distinctly apart from works of the Law [the observance of which has nothing to do with justification, that is, being declared free of the guilt of sin and made acceptable to God].” I was really touched by this verse because I was reminded of how we are saved by faith, not by works. I think Paul was really trying to make this clear because of the human tendency to focus so intensely on the external. I find myself pulling towards this tendency quite a bit. I am a fairly pragmatic person who likes to get things done, check off to-do lists, and make progress in quantifiable ways. While there are definitely times and places for this, at least in my experience, it can sometimes crowd out other aspects of life. This verse and the subsequent realizations of areas where I am trying to become righteous by works instead of faith was a great reminder about what really matters at the end of the day.
Also, I have a few prayer requests. The first is for my visa application to be approved. It is all submitted and is now in the hands of the Swiss government but we haven’t heard back from them yet. The second is for the rest of my financial support. I am so thankful for what has already come in, but I am still a ways from what I need to raise. Lastly, for wisdom in how to prepare and wrap up things here in the next month before I go. It is hard to believe it is almost here.