Two Weeks From Friday.

Another countdown.

I turn 21 in just over two weeks.

In theory, that's awesome. I'm finally old enough to do anything legal except hold certain political offices.
I will never again be the one holding a group back from being seated in the bar area of a restaurant. Not that I'm often with a group of people who want to be seated in the bar.
I can just say "no, thank you" when offered a taste of wine at a restaurant instead of "I'm not 21 yet."

But, the thing is, I signed a piece of paper a couple years ago saying that I wouldn't drink until I graduate.
And, because I know what happens when the right people find out that you broke that contract, I plan to hold to it.

However, I'm still excited about my birthday.
I'll be home for the first time since high school, so I get to hang out with my parents and friends.
It's on Good Friday, so I get to be reminded of God's sacrifice on my behalf.

I could be "that girl" who buys a guy a drink. I'm pretty sure I'm allowed to do that.
But I probably won't.

The biggest thing is that I'll be home for a few days.
I'll be done with all of the things that I need to do before then (papers, audition, reading, etc.).
I'll have a chance to breathe.
And, ideally, I won't be sick like I was the last time I was home.

I'm ready for my birthday.
Really, really ready.

119 Days.

Unless something crazy happens, in 119 days I will be boarding a plane to Czech Republic.
Holy cow.
That's less than four months.
It's coming like a freight train and I'm starting to freak out.

In a good way.

Grace Church is partnering with Josiah Venture in this trip. JV is an organization with missionaries in 11 countries in Central and Eastern Europe. This region was directly affected by Soviet rule. We are hardly a generation removed from the Berlin Wall and these kids are being raised by parents who are highly suspicious, speak little English (if any), and are not religious. Less than one-third of 1% of the population of the Czech claims to be evangelical Christian, and various cults are prevalent.

It is ineffective in a culture of mistrust to go in and proclaim the Gospel forcefully. JV's approach is focused on incarnational and relational missions. English camps have proven to be effective in building relationships, and that's what we're going to be doing while we're there. We will also partner with a local youth group to encourage them and do ministry with them.

Why I'm doing this trip:
1. Incarnational missions is the one call that I know God has place on my life (other than Biblical commands). I'm not a pushy person, but I'm a relational person. I want to see lost people come to Jesus, but I want to show them what that means rather than just telling them about it.
2. I admit that it's a bit selfish, but I am asking God to use this trip to either confirm or deny my call to overseas missions. I am open to it, but I am not sure whether it's what He wants.
3. I feel a sense of what you might call "holy obligation" to go to the Czech. I believe it would be disobedient of me to not go.

What you can do to help:
1. Pray.
-Pray for us as we prepare our hearts. We are studying a chapter of Romans each week.
-Pray that our team would grow closer together in the next four months.
-Pray for the people we will meet in our travels. We have plane rides, train rides, time in Prague, more travel time, and, of course, the week of camp. Pray that God would be preparing their hearts even now for the message that we will bring. Pray for divine appointments.

2. Give. Yes, this is a shameless request for funds. The trip will cost about $2000 for each of us. And we want to buy our plane tickets soon. Please prayerfully consider supporting us financially.
If you would like to donate, you can send a check (made out to Grace Church) to
Grace Church
Attn. Business Office
52025 Gumwood Rd.
Granger, IN 46530

IF YOU WANT THIS TO BE TAX-DEDUCTABLE, DO NOT PUT A NAME ON THE CHECK! (other than your own signature, of course)

3. Tell me what you know about Czech Republic. Or any useful words you know in the Czech language.

So, that's what's happening July 17-August 1, and in the next 119 days.
If you have any questions, you can email me at hope.swanson@bethelcollege.edu or leave a comment on this post.

Not the Spring Break I expected.

I was supposed to get my wisdom teeth taken out on February 25 at 8:15am.
I would then spend a few days swollen and on painkillers.
I had planned to hang out with my BFF eating ice cream and watching Disney movies.

That's what I thought was going to happen.

And then Thursday night happened.

The Thursday before break was a whirlwind day of classes and getting ready for an evening of theatre in Chicago.
My Shakespeare class was traveling to Navy Pier to see A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre.
It was a chilly, rainy evening. In the Windy City. On the lake.
I didn't expect to be outside much, so most of us left our coats in the van.
We ended up outside walking the length of the pier.
In a cold drizzle. With boots that are NOT water-tight.
It was great fun, but ruined my hair and left my socks damp until I got back to my house.

So the play started and about halfway through the first half I noticed a pain in my throat.
Not a normal sore throat pain, but a dull ache when I swallow.
I tried not to think about it.

By the end of the performance I was on my way to miserable.
I went to bed with a headache and woke up with a migraine.
And a midterm to take before finishing packing to spend a week at home.
It was a terrible day.

I was pretty shot when we got home, so I climbed in bed.
I woke up around seven to a text from Elyzabeth, with whom I had planned to hang out that night.
We made arrangements.
Then I took my temperature, because that's what I do when I feel sick.

101.3.

That with the achy body, the cough, the headache, and the sore throat pointed to the flu.
I would not be leaving the house that night.
Or the next day.

I would also not be having any teeth removed the next morning.

So, I didn't leave the house until Sunday, and that was just a quick run to Target.
I spent all but a couple hours of Monday sleeping.
And Tuesday was spent doing housework.
By Wednesday I was feeling pretty good, and my friend Abigail was the featured chef at a cafe at Ivy Tech.
That was fantastic!
I think I went grocery shopping with Mom on Thursday, and then had a Chinese food and Disney movie night with Lyz and Taylor.
Friday and Saturday were spent in Chicagoland celebrating my cousin's 10th birthday and hanging out with Andrew and Allie.
Sunday I went to church and then the girls brought me back to school.

We went to Urban Swirl, they dropped me off at church, I had a Czech training meeting and youth group, came home with a migraine, and went to bed at 9:00.

I really didn't enjoy my break.
I got almost nothing done, spent WAY less time with friends and family than I wanted to, and was just plain miserable for most of the week.
But, hey, it happened.
And I can't change it now.