Ahhh!!! 2 Days to go!!!!

Wow! I can't believe it! I have been waiting for it to hit me and yep, it finally did this morning! I woke up and was like ahhhhh I leave for the Czech Republic in two days!!!! It was a very Yay God moment!!!

I know this is going to be a different journey for me. I try my best to go into each Missions Service without expectations from previous experiences, but still using the knowledge I have learned and do my best to apply that to my life in the right here and now. Of course it's only human that some disappointments will occur, but more than anything I try my best to keep an open mind and recall the phrase embedded into my brain when I had my first Missions experience: BE FLEXIBLE!!! It's quite a useful phrase. :-D It applies for everything. It helps me to realize that I am a servant of God this time, not of myself. And, yes although I will be a guest in another country, my pleasure as a person, as a representative of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board, of my church, of The Montrief Family, of what I stand for, is to not arrive at my destination with the mind set of I am their guest, but that they are the guests in their own country, and I am here to serve and love them!!!

As much as I say I try not to compare or set expectations, I do know that one theme is always sure to surface every trip: You go to help others, but God shows you things about yourself you never knew existed. I set my mind on service so much that sometimes I forget this amazing aspect of the experience. Every time God has taught me something different about myself, my faith, my doubts, my questions. It's always a growing time. And this year, I feel like for the first time I am more aware and more anticipating this portion of my trip than ever before. Please pray for that aspect for me. There is a lot, especially since my last trip last summer to Jamaica, that I have been working through and am still working through. I am really hoping this will not only be a great way to serve, but also a great healing experience for myself. Because if I have learned anything, I have learned how life gives you so many second and third and fourth chances. And just when you think your heart can't mend, it does. And the Lord knows I am ready for that.

Alrighty, now for a day filled with packing and errands and appointments!!!

Much love,
Dreama


God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
1 John 2