Plans, patterns, and prayers.

So, advance notice, this post might get religious and maybe a little philosophical. It’s up to you if you want to read it (also, I probably won’t translate this one to French because it’s so different). If you don’t want to read it, I’m not offended and I’ll be back to my regular posts soon.

It’s officially been two weeks since I left the United States, and in four months I plan on flying home again. I’ve been honest in the fact that so far I have had a good time here. Paris has been great to me, and something about walking through this city every day makes me really happy. But in the past, two weeks is about how long I’ve generally been out of the country. This is when it’s going to start to hit me that I’m not coming home for a while, and that’s a scary thought. It’s not even that I miss my bed or my house, but it’s that I’m going to miss the culture I’ve grown up with all my life. 4 months is a long time. I’m sure by the end of this experience I’ll say that the time has flown by (I mean, these past 2 weeks have already flown by), but for now, I just go through things day by day.   

Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about why I am here. Sometimes it’s in a panicked, oh my goodness why am I in another continent, I should be in Williamsburg working at basketball games and complaining about the weather, but then sometimes it’s more religious. Is there a reason why God has somehow led me to Paris? What does He want me to see here? Here I am, an American born Chinese in France, trying to find my place in a new city and fitting in has not always been my strong suit. I tend to think back to Jeremiah 29:11, which reads “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” When I graduated from high school, I received numerous cards with this verse, but it never had much meaning for me until now. There’s a reason why I’m here in Paris right now, and He’ll show it to me. In addition, last night when I was reading my Bible, I came across a couple of verses from Jesus’ prayer for his disciples: My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it (John 17:16). In the same regard, Rebekah sent me a verse today that she and Rebuilding Berea (hi guys!) had talked about, and I really connected with it: Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:2). I know I can learn a lot from my time here, not only about France and a new culture, but also about myself. I don’t have to change my personality to fit in with this city, but I don’t have to be alone. 

And with all of this, I want to thank all of you who have been praying for me. Thank you for keeping me in your thoughts and making sure that I’m doing okay. I love emails from people, and hearing how everything is going at home - they always make my day. I have another prayer request to add for you all though – please pray that I begin to find my path here, and that I find what God wants me to do. I miss you all.

Dana