Resfeber (Orientation)
Resfeber: the churn of excitement and anxiety in a traveler's heart before a journey. (Swedish)
With an anxious, excited heart, I said "goodbye" to my family today at 2:13pm and officially launched into the unknown of a year in Belgium. The rest of the day, I've been in orientation sessions run by AFS. Tomorrow, my flight departs JFK airport at 6:15pm.
This year, I expect to grow in three areas: language, culture, and hospitality. Obviously, I seek to achieve fluency in French before I return. In addition, a major aspect of immersion is integrating into the culture, resulting in greater clarity about American culture. Most important, I want to experience what it is to enter a culture as an outsiders, so that when God gives me a home, I can welcome aliens, empathize with their challenges, and make my home a sanctuary for others. On the surface, language and culture are the reasons for my year abroad, but hospitality skills trump them both.
I have already been challenged in the few hours I've been here--challenge expanded by the exhaustion I've incurred by erratic sleep patterns the last few days. Vulnerability is tough. I struggled tonight to know how much of my life to allow acquaintances just hours old to view. Fixing on giving glory to God, I tried to present what He's done in my life in an unobtrusive, winsome way. Did I focus unnecessarily with sharing Christ with strangers? I don't have an answer. However, Daniel, a man honored by God, did live in an unashamed manner, speaking of God when the opportunity presented itself. Maybe I take opportunities too seriously, but I would much rather take them too seriously, than not seriously enough. I hope God use this year to burn away the dross of living religiously with the approval of others and teach me to follow and please Him despite others' approval or disapproval. Challenge is God's catalyst for growth. I welcome it.
The first month, you can expect me to be disconnected from home. I will keep the blog running, but I will even avoid my social media. In this modern world it is easy to have your feet in one place, but your mind in another. I'm disconnecting for a time so that my mind can catch my feet.
I fall asleep with a churning heart. I'm filled with resfeber. I couldn't be more content.
With an anxious, excited heart, I said "goodbye" to my family today at 2:13pm and officially launched into the unknown of a year in Belgium. The rest of the day, I've been in orientation sessions run by AFS. Tomorrow, my flight departs JFK airport at 6:15pm.
This year, I expect to grow in three areas: language, culture, and hospitality. Obviously, I seek to achieve fluency in French before I return. In addition, a major aspect of immersion is integrating into the culture, resulting in greater clarity about American culture. Most important, I want to experience what it is to enter a culture as an outsiders, so that when God gives me a home, I can welcome aliens, empathize with their challenges, and make my home a sanctuary for others. On the surface, language and culture are the reasons for my year abroad, but hospitality skills trump them both.
I have already been challenged in the few hours I've been here--challenge expanded by the exhaustion I've incurred by erratic sleep patterns the last few days. Vulnerability is tough. I struggled tonight to know how much of my life to allow acquaintances just hours old to view. Fixing on giving glory to God, I tried to present what He's done in my life in an unobtrusive, winsome way. Did I focus unnecessarily with sharing Christ with strangers? I don't have an answer. However, Daniel, a man honored by God, did live in an unashamed manner, speaking of God when the opportunity presented itself. Maybe I take opportunities too seriously, but I would much rather take them too seriously, than not seriously enough. I hope God use this year to burn away the dross of living religiously with the approval of others and teach me to follow and please Him despite others' approval or disapproval. Challenge is God's catalyst for growth. I welcome it.
The first month, you can expect me to be disconnected from home. I will keep the blog running, but I will even avoid my social media. In this modern world it is easy to have your feet in one place, but your mind in another. I'm disconnecting for a time so that my mind can catch my feet.
I fall asleep with a churning heart. I'm filled with resfeber. I couldn't be more content.
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