andreainfrance: Joy is a Choice!

I just looked at the last post on this blog and realized that it's been one month since my last update! I passed my exams at the Sorbonne. Thanks for your prayers for me as I finished up school at the end of May. The hard work is paying off in being able to communicate better with people here.

In June I also had several great visits from friends and family in the states. Laurance and Celine Boag (pictured with me above) were in Paris with some French students from Yuba City. Laurance was my very first French teacher so it was special to see her here. We had dinner together with the students in a French restaurant by Notre Dame. It was great to see them!

My sister Anne was able to take the train from where she was visiting friends in Europe to spend the day with me in Paris. We had a great day together hanging out and doing “daily life” things together. A few days later, my sister Karen and niece Courtney arrived and stayed with me for a few nights. We were able to do some things in Paris together, the highlight being our visit of the Chateau at Versaille on my 26^th birthday!

Vintage prepared a meal at the American Cathedral this month. Jeff made Jeff’s creamy pasta and we peeled and chopped hundreds of carrots for the 65 guests. Many of the guests at the Cathedral are homeless, all live on fixed incomes and count on this free meal each week. I talked with two women over lunch about learning French, learning English, la fête de la musique, their children. I truly see God through the people who’ve I’ve met at the American Cathedral.

Another highlight of the month was getting to visit some good family friends in the South of France. My friend Alice and I helped her mom open an art show in their village in the South. It was a good time of refreshment after finishing my exams at the end of May. We visited a French church together, went to the beach, and helped Alice’s mom distribute posters in local shops advertising the show.

Although there have been many good things that have happened this month, there are also moments where I am homesick. June has been full of hanging out with people, but it’s also been a month of transition. The Wilder family is transitioning down to the South of France before returning to the States for a time to support raise. I am making the transition from being a student now that my class is over, and transitioning into a busy month ahead of traveling to Spain, Aix-en Provence, Vienna and Hungry.

The Wilder girls and I talked about joy this month during our last time of hanging out. I asked them if joy is something that we feel just when things are going well. They said "no!" and we talked about why we can be joyful even in difficult circumstances. This is something that I've been learning this month, during the harder days, when I would love to be wading through Bidwell Park in water shoes. Joy in Christ is because He loves us, He always moves towards us first (I got that from Steve's sermon a few weeks ago. Listen to the Father's Day sermon online if you haven't already). We celebrated our time together by eating homemade chocolate chip cookies together at the end. (Thank you Reale family for the baking goods!)

Prayer Requests

Please pray for the upcoming kids camp in Aix-en Provence, France (July 7-11). There are 51 kids ages 6-11 signed up right now.

Please pray for the upcoming staff conference in Sopron, Hungry. Pray for unity in the Body of Christ, for encouragement for Christian Associates Staff, for God to reveal His heart for Europe to us.

Please pray for the churches in Paris who were represented at the Passion Conference this month. Please pray for healthy churches that preach the message of Grace, the Gospel. Please pray for strong leadership in the churches and for the many house churches that are meeting here. I know of at least 3 housechurches filled with young adults 22-32 years old.