A Very English England

Hello from the good ole UK!

I've decided I may have better luck getting in a bi-weekly blog written and posted as opposed to once a week. So here we go!

The last 2 weeks have been full of fun and rather English; if there can be a week that's more English than the last. One day we went up to Lincoln College because we were told Princess Anne was going to be there. It was quite exciting to go be a part of the crowd, waving UK flags, and fidgeting to get a better view of a member of the royal family. Who knows, maybe I’ll run into William and Kate at the grocery store or even bump into the Queen at a hair salon or someplace :)

In 6 weeks we have managed to spot a royal, visit a number of old churches/cathedrals, watch Vikings fight and see 3 castles. On the surface that's crazy exciting and what someone could expect when they come England. The funny bit is that the royal we saw, I didn't know existed and didn't wear a crown or even a big English hat. The churches are old but have next to no church membership and cost a fortune to maintain. The Vikings were actually really neat and made me wish all towns here had people dressed up like it were still the Middle Ages, just to add a bit of theatrics to a simple walk down the street or a stop for coffee. The castles might have been legit back in the day, but have withered away to next to nothing now. I am very appreciative of the information stands and models that show what the structures looked like once upon a time. It helps you see the bit of history you're standing on.


 

The biggest highlights of the last two weeks have to go to the kids of course. The daughter of a church worker here has been very entertaining. She will probably pop in on this blog more just because she is one of the cutest 4-year olds I know. She has recently discovered photo booth on my iPad and absolutely loves showing everyone in the building her silly photos. If you haven’t heard of this app, I think the photos help explain how it is meant to distort the image, and the kids here get a kick out of it.

Last Monday, during Humpty Dumptys, we had face painting for the kids. The kids loved it, but loved it more when they got to paint the worker's faces of course. After that, the week was rather chill. Since last week was half term, many families went out of town with their kids. Some of our activities were canceled and resulted in a rather empty week. But we ended the week with our first independent trip out of the city- to York.

 
It was an adventure from the start. We thought we should get an early train so we can see as much of the city as possible. This meant catching the train at 7am. So I had to leave my house in time to walk into town and then to the station. In the overcast, dim, early morning I power walked/ ran to the train station terrified of being late. If it was freezing outside I couldn’t tell. We made it on time to the train and then after an hour and a half we were in York. In case anyone was wondering, the trains here are not like the ones in Harry Potter, unfortunately.

Once in the city, we got a map and attempted to figure out where everything was. It only took a few moments to decide we would just wander about. After some time of walking around we met up with some of the other Americans working at churches here. Natalie, Greer, and Andrew. A full day of sightseeing, eating, and fellowship really lifted my spirits. It was such a blessing to hear their stories from their churches and to be able to talk it out from similar perspectives. God blessed me with a taste of home, new friends, and a change of scenery (which is good from time to time.)

 

 

 

 

 

The “American day” was only one of the many encouragements the Lord has provided me of course. I am encouraged to hear from home that people are praying for me and the ministries here. I am encouraged by Sonora Baptist Church; their support has been such a blessing! Scripture has been my daily encouragement.

 

 

 

 

I will end this post with my recent encouragement, found in James 4:13-15

“Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

In this passage I’ve been reminded that my life and my time here is not my own. I have no idea what will happen tomorrow or even next month, but I need to live this moment for Christ and be willing to follow the plan God has set for me. I pray that I do make the most of this wonderful opportunity the Lord has given me and that thru my being here His plan and purpose is fulfilled.

Lincoln Life

So I’ve been in England for a month now!! I am terribly sorry for the lack of posts here but I hope to have something posted every week from now on. I have to add the disclaimer that I had hoped to do just that before getting here and this post is nearly a month late… maybe now that I am settled I can get into a routine.

 

 

Anyway, this post will be rather long because there is so much to share! To answer the first question I usually get- England is great. I have been serving in several activities run by Lincoln Baptist Church here in Lincoln. I’ve seen and lived thru two weeks of legit snow which was a shock in itself since I’m a native Texan. It is cold and wet most of the time, so at least I can confirm what I read online before coming. But beyond the differences in weather, I’ve been learning about this new and yet old world. While everything here is new and exciting to me, it is a country that has a history dated way further back than the U.S.

It is so easy to compare this place to home. I’d say it’s natural even. Other than the climate difference and the different accents, there are both many and few differences here compared to home.

 

 

The food isn’t too different here (a bit greasier here), but there aren’t any options for tex-mex which I didn’t expect to crave. I won’t even bother going into my Chick-fil-a withdrawals. A major difference is the architecture here and the blatant history just sitting on the top of the hill here. I absolutely love the old buildings and the cobblestone bits here and there- but you can’t be in Lincoln and not notice the massive cathedral on top of the only hill in town. Lincoln was a Roman city once upon a time when Rome ruled the world. The ruins are all over the city.

 

 

In the midst of all this newness I’m so thankful that I have God as my constant. He came here with me and is no different than he was when I was home. He has given me the energy I need to play with the young kids during the week, he has given me the wit and wisdom I need to work with the teens, he has given me a great appreciation for where I am and the people who helped me get here and the people who have welcomed me. God blesses me every day through my host family- Neil and Rachel, and through the God-loving people I get to work with at the church.

God has also reviled to me the desperate spiritual need there is in this city. So many people have turned from God and so many are simply uninterested in “religion.” The dislike of “religion” is so strong that evangelism here has to be in baby steps at a sr. adult pace. I’m both amazed and proud to see the dedication of this church, to work on developing relationships with people in this community over a period of years in hopes of that perfect moment to share the Gospel. It’s encouraging to watch them witness through their actions and truly develop a love for these people.

 

Keep this church and city in your prayers please. The awesome song “people need the Lord” comes to mind. The people here need the Lord; they  need to know his love and mercy. Pray that we are able to reach the kids we see each week and that God allows a seed to be planted in their hearts as they grow in a world that doesn’t know God.

 

 

 

 

I was given this bible passage while here and I want to share what has been such an encouragement

Philippians 2:1-18

"Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
 rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place
and gave him the name that is above every name,
 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,
in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord,
to the glory of God the Father.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.
Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me."

 Until next time-

God bless <3