Yesterday I wrote (what I thought) was a beautiful blog entry and just as I was able to post it, the entire thing got erased. Uggg! I guess I needed the processing even if it was just for the sake of writing. Or this is a lesson in how important it is to hit the save button as you go along. Speaking metaphorically, I've been hitting the "save" button these past (almost) 2 months that I've been home. I've been hitting the "save" button on my experiences in Paris, taking snapshots and processing them with my community here and learning a lot about myself in the process!
Before I left Paris, I had drinks at my friend Ursula's place with friends and then dinner next door to a Syrian restaurant. Sitting around the table that night at dinner, I was so filled with joy and the relationships that God had brought into my life this year. I felt that my cup had truly been filled to overflowing. Present were friends from Vintage church, from my neighborhood, from school at the Sorbonne, from La Fondarie and from childhood. It was such a fun mix of people. Here is a picture of us at Ursula's house before dinner.
The first few days on the ground after arriving in the USA were spent at my parent's house adjusting and resting. I got to share with some friends informally at Bellachino's coffee shop in Chico about my experiences in France. Then I spent a week in Santa Barbara staying with the Baker family.
Around the beginning of October Jeannie and I had an art show to raise money for Jessica's mission work in Bosnia. I developed several photos from Paris that are meaningful and auctioned them off. We raised over $200 for Jessica.
Mid-October my dad and I hiked Bald Mountain and camped at Sugarloaf campgrounds. We reached summit just in time to cook dinner and watch the sun-set and the moon rise at the same time. God's creation is so amazing. Here's a picture of risotto being cooked on the top of the mountain.
I spent the end of October in Southern California again, in San Diego and in Santa Barbara more specifically. I saw my brother in San Diego and then took the Pacific Surfliner up the coast to Santa Barbara. These past two weeks I've been sharing about Paris with my church in Santa Barbara, with my community group (you guys rock!) and with the mission board that supported me.
flowers at the Santa Barbara mission
I've also been praying and dreaming for what God has next! My most interesting option is to return to France as a missionary, serving this time in the South of France with an awesome church called ICCP. I am currently praying about this option, talking with community here in the States and with ICCP in France to determine if this is a good fit or not. Please join me in praising God for this opportunity to go back so soon and also praying for discernment in knowing if the timing is right. If not, I will be in the States working a job and getting a practical job skill that I can take with me back to France.
I'm excited to see what God does next! This has been quite the journey and it's not over yet. Thanks for being along with me in the process and part of what God is doing among the French.
Bisous (kisses),
Andrea
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