Christmas Time Is Here!

Well, like I always start these posts....time is flying fast. And it has hit an all new speed as I am officially done half the year this Saturday. On Saturday we are kicked out the building and can only come back on January 8, 2011! And I think, only a week ago I was back from my outreach. I guess I should start there.

My outreach was so great. I really wasn't looking forward to it, but it was a blast and God just reveals Himself is the craziest ways. We went to schools, had Konfi Kids - which are kids that go through Confirmation mostly just for money (they get a ton of money once they graduate) but not for God. We also had a Childrens afternoon and two open evening. Plus we did the Sunday Morning service. And this was only in three days....so life was crazy busy. We were running basically from 9 am every morning till 9 pm. And the best part: Nuremberg. We went to one of the most famous Christmas Markets in Germany in Nuremberg. I went to Starbucks...TWICE! Plus bought a traveling mug; don't tell my brothers :P And our God is nothing but faithful! Everything we prayed for happened. The Elders of the church realized you can a christian and have fun, and they also saw how important kids and youth are; I am so thankful our church knows that!

And since then, life has been non-stop. Last week we had a guy called Johan Shep in; he loved singing and playing guitar, so all of us obviously loved him! He taught about the life of David, and he was good. And last week was the never-ending singing week. We went Christmas caroling on Monday night, in the rain, for two hours. And the on Wednesday we sang for an hour at the Friedrichshafen Christmas Market. And last Saturday we had something called 'Advent International' where we invite people in the neighbourhood to come and listen to english Christmas music and a message. It was packed and the entire school went on stage, all 108 of us, and sang two songs like a choir. Fun, but enough singing for a lifetime! Ha ha, or for at least December...!

And Peter Reid, the principal here, is doing talking about the Life of Elijah this week, but tomorrow (Tuesday) is out last day of classes. And tonight we have our K-group Christmas Dinners. Tomorrow we have a memory verse test, Wednesday we are at the Stuttgart Christmas Market all day (more Starbucks!) Thursday we have a 'Morning of Silence,' Peter said he just wants us to have pure and content hearts with God before we leave for Christmas. And then Friday we have have 'PACKING DAY!' Which I think is actually pretty sad, because I have come to love my room and my roommates...plus I have a lot to pack :P ha ha. So the long process of packing and figuring out what to pack for three weeks for Christmas, since I am not considered a light packer in my family. Plus packing means more change, and I don't really want things to change. And then Friday evening we have our Christmas Banquet. Get to finally pull out the $12 dress I found in Vernon! It is black and sparkly...I'll try to put up some pictures in the next month. And then on Saturday at 9 am the adventures of Christmas starts!

So everyone is asking about Christmas...so let me tell you all: I will be getting to Dublin, Ireland this Saturday (the 18th) and we, being a group of eight students, (half guys half girls) will be getting all the Irish beer we can drink till the 23rd. Just kidding, I hate beer! Ha ha, and then on the 23rd we will be flying to Paris via England. We have a seven hour lay over in England, so we shall go out and explore for a couple hours. Then we will get to Paris and enjoy a lovely Christmas in a hotel right beside the Notre Dame, which happens to be around 3 or 4 blocks from the Eiffel Tower. It will be tough not to be home, but I guess I will stick with the next best thing: Paris. And then on the 28th the group splits, and then two girls and me will be going to Rome. We shall finish our holidays in Rome and spends New Years there, then back home to good old Bodenseehof. And when we get back we will have new rooms and new roommates! How exciting. :)

And God is just continually showing His faithfulness. Even with planning this trip, I prayed a lot about flights and hotels, and He is just so good. God is helping my just tear down walls of fears and helping me to continually give my life over to Him, step by step. I find that when you pray about little things and see God's faithfulness it is easier to give Him the bigger problems. And Kirsten, my good friend here, and me just really want God to be the complete focus this entire trip. God has everything in control and I know that with God with us nothing will be too big for us to handle.

And as I know that we only have three months left, it is hitting me how much I've been growing and changing. It also makes me realize just how close we have gotten here at Bode. These people here truly are like my family. And I am so happy I am not coming home yet, because I am not ready to come home. I know God still has more to do to me here and I know that I still have so much to experience before I come home and tell all of you guys about it! And as I write, know that I really do miss all of you back home. It is sad knowing that Christmas decorations are up and that your guys are making Christmas cookies and listening to Christmas music...not that I don't have enough sweets and chocolates here! But it will be tough. But as Peter was speaking last Sunday about Elijah, I realized that God is enough. For some reason the longest path is to get stuff from our mind to our hearts. I 'know' God is enough, but last Sunday it dawned on me that if I was a long in the jungle, single, working with a tribe in Africa...it would be okay. Not that that is what I want, but just the idea that God is enough and sufficient. And through Christmas, even though I am not home and I will be missing you all, it is comforting knowing that God is with me and that He truly is all I need, plus I will be with seven other people.

Keep praying that I continually turn to God first, that our trip goes good and that we stay focused on God through out trip. That everything goes smoothly the next three weeks away and that I don't get too home sick.

And I better get to finishing my last paper, and study for my last test this semester. I love you all back home and I continually think and pray for you.

Jessica

Oh, PS: We had snow here but right now, as I look out the windows into our back garden all I see is beautifully green grass. I am hoping for a Christmas with no snow, how exciting would that be!