Five months ago, I graduated college with the intention of being in France in March.  As I am still here Stateside, it's obvious that things didn't go as I had planned.  This isn't really anything new though; my timing is not always God's timing, and His timing is perfect.  Every moment that I have spent here has been a blessing, even if I haven't seen it.  I'll be honest, I have been frustrated, but those frustrations don't last long, all thanks to God's timing.

Every time that I have been discouraged, God has shown Himself in so many clear ways.  For the most part, I've been a pretty hopeful person in my life.  I mean, yes, high school was rather dramatic, but that's the teenage way, right?  A few weeks ago, I started thinking more in reality than in hope.  What does that mean?  Let me tell you.  According to my plan, I was going to be in St. Etienne from the spring of 2012 through the summer of 2013.  I told my supporters that I will be there through August of 2013, and they agreed to support me through that month.  My plan looked great on paper, but it wasn't coming to reality.  Since my plan wasn't working, I started thinking "Maybe this isn't what God wants me to do.  Maybe I've been wrong this whole time."  I e-mailed my contact at CrossWorld and asked if I need to have an end date to fundraising and if the money isn't in, then that's that.  I won't go to France.  The next day, when I checked my account, $300 more came in.  In my weekly e-mails last week and this week, I explained that 37% of the monthly support had been pledged (so, no more between the two Tuesdays) and not much had come in for the outgoing expenses either.  Well, that night when I checked my account, the numbers had jumped up by about $1,100.  A number of people made contributions and one family alone had given $1,000! 

One of the things that I love about the French is how relational they are.  A friend whom I had met in France explained to me "If you say you're going to hang out with someone, that means you clear your whole day for them."  Here in the States, "hanging out" means getting coffee or talking for about an hour at most.  I've never been that great at being in a group of people.  Talking with more than two people at any given time makes me uncomfortable and I just don't know what to say or do.  Not to mention, talking for half an hour-as great as that can be-often does not allow for actually talking about struggles, plans, or at least, more than just the highlights.  Over there though, if you go out for coffee, you sit for hours, discuss ideas, and just spend legitimate time with each other.  That is one of my favorite things.  Another little nudge from God telling me "Don't worry.  This is right."