I've Been Thinking

So I was wondering ... what if I changed the name of this blog and used it as my own personal blog? I really enjoy writing, but I've run out of steam with Vienna-related things so I never feel like I can post on here. I'm pretty sure that if I change the name, Wien Chronicles will be redirected to the new address. I'd like to keep this thing going, just in a different direction.

In recent news, I'm pretty sure the reservationist position fell through. Trying to buoy myself up after that MAJOR LET DOWN. Haha, kidding. I think I let myself get too excited after the despair of not working for almost two months though. When I realized that I had to get back into the hullabaloo of job-hunting, resumes and applications, well ... I was pretty discouraged.

I've been trying to constantly meditate on the Lord's faithfulness in my life. Seriously, He is SO good to me but the enemy is trying to tell me otherwise. Last week I had such bad thoughts about myself and my future and I let it paralyze me into inactivity and hopelessness. I'm not telling you this to get your sympathy, but to explain my dire need for a Savior. Friends, I have the most loving, compassionate, true and faithful Savior. He has heaped His blessings on me during these past two months.

When I feel like I'm justified in being depressed or I start to believe the enemy's lies, my Savior gently picks me up by His grace and fills me again with His promises when I deserve them the least. He knows that I'm unemployed. He knows that I'm in a financial crisis. And it's all a part of His plan for me - His sovereign and perfect plan.

It's the same for you. What heartbreaks or problems are you struggling with? The Lord knows. He allows them. Yes, our loving and heavenly Father allows you to experience pain and suffering. He does it to show you your absolute need for Him and the incomprehensible grace that He offers through it. Granted, you understand that pain and suffering is a consequence of a fallen world, but God still works through it. Allow Him to work through your pain. Meditate on His grace in your life and share that grace with others.

"Oh taste and see that the Lord, He is good!" Psalm 34:8

Ramblings: I Really Do Try to Avoid Them, But...

Hello and welcome back to Wien Chronicles! I'm sorry if you've visited and were disappointed by a lack of (nonexistant) updates. Every time I sit down to write, well ... I don't want to. Because if I write that means I have to recap and if I recap that means I have to draw a close and if I draw a close that means this blog will be over.

Insert distraction from the inevitable here.

In other news and musings, here's an article I wrote about Radio 7 in Bratislava. Warning: many things were rearranged in the editing process so it may not read as smoothly as desired. 

I had two lovely encounters with friends from Europe this week. The first was a wedding invitation from my wonderful friend and traveling companion Alenka Tirinda. She's getting married this week to Frank Stephenson, another great TWR worker. They met while working at TWR. Isn't that so sweet and a testimony of God's blessing? They were serving the Lord individually through TWR and He caused them to come together through it. I'm so happy for both of them and I know the Lord will use their marriage to draw others to Him. How exciting it all is!

The other encounter was with my dear Karin Rotter. Just a little thing - a Facebook friend request confirmation and wall post - but it brought a smile to my heart and soul.

Completely unrelated to Vienna, Europe or global missions, will you please pray that I find a job? I'm approaching the 8th week of unemployment. I'm also approaching the threshold of insanity, despair and depression. It was completely retarded of me to put off looking for job until I got back to the States. I should have been hunting early in the summer while I was in Austria. So unfortunately when I got back to Lynchburg most of the "good" jobs were taken.

I did have a mini-interview today and I'm looking forward to a full interview on Friday for a part-time position as a reservationist, so that was a great encouragement to me. I was hoping for a full-time position, but I'm still definitely thankful for this!

Well, even if I did have more to say, I should save it so I have an excuse for another post. This blog is a good thing for me for many reasons, but mostly because it forces me to think about all of the good God has caused in my life. I'm ashamed to admit that I'm too sensitive to the cares of the world and that they often weigh me down which is why I need to be redirected back toward the Lord's goodness and love a lot. It reminds me of the line in Come Thou Fount: "Let Thy goodness like a fetter bind my wandering heart to Thee..."

Here's my second attempt at bringing this post to a close. Thanks for reading friends. I truly pray that the Lord is blessing you by revealing his sovereignty and grace to you this week. What an overwhelmingly good God we have! Rest in that this week!