short.. but the sweetest.

Being back in the States has been so wonderful, and so many people have blessed me and encouraged me since returning.  One thing that has been somewhat burdening though has been the fact that many people I'm able to share small stories with, or talk about experiences with never truly understand what my time there meant to me.. some just don't get it.

Today, however, God blessed me and showed His great love through my little buddy Isaac Birschbach.  Isaac made my day today when he gave me this heart magnet he made for me. On it are the colors of the Hungarian flag. And without saying a word this amazing boy communicated an understanding of my heart and the impact this last year in Hungary had on my life that many people never will. Thanks Isaac! You're the best ♥

wrapping things up.. finding meaning.

so it's been another 3 months, and they have been a whirlwind.  we've been traveling almost every weekend for the last 2 months, and spending as much time as I can with students and the orphanage kids during the weeks before I leave.

this last friday, Abby and I threw a party for our foreign exchange student friend Madison, and all of our students.  about 30 minutes before we were expecting guests we receieved some really terrible news that one of the girls at the orphanage took her life.  she was a beautiful, energetic, always smiling and joking around 16 year old girl, and the news came as a total shock to us.  Abby and I got to hold each other and cry for about a minute before having to pull ourselves together to host 50 students at our flat.  the distractions made us able to pull off a great night for our students, but the next day we made our way to the orpahange to comfort the children.  it's been a really hard couple of days, probably the hardest since arriving in Miskolc, and I haven't had the chance to really grieve yet, but God has been giving me strength to get through these last few days, encourage the kids, and still smile and love His people.  Please pray for the orpahange.. for God's peace and healing in their hearts.. and for His protection over their minds during this time of vulnerability.

today there will be a memorial service.  we'll share memories, show pictures/videos, and I'll be singing a song that I wrote last year about God's healing.  below is a recording of the song that God blessed me with the opportunity to make here in Hungary with a good friend.  The song is called Healing Hands.

On a more positive note, I received this encouraging message from a student on Sunday:

"Hey Alyssa! :D Thank you so much for the lyrics,it is very meaningful and deep.Awesome song,one day it will be famous. (:
Today in church the worship was about teachers who form the lifes of students by teaching them about the love of God,and it was like that the pastor was talking about You.
Because I think the love of God is reflected in You,and You taught me to trust more in God and to be more tolerant to people and to love them like God loves us despite of all the faliures what we have.
I am also very grateful that You chose Hungary because you had an impact on lots of people's life,and all the people of Miskolc will miss you.:(
I hope You will have an awesome life and i hope that God bless You and give you back multiple of all the good things and love that You gave us.
Can't wait to see You in May!God bless You.We will never forget You.
P.S Oh yeah,and before I forget,in class, Dany and myself promised to play You something in guitar,but that sadly didn't happen.So we will compose a song for You,maybe I will write lyrics,but probably it will be just an instrumental version,cause I can't sing,Dany can't but You can pretty well so.. (:
Please Write if you have some good stories or whatever."

This was encouraging to me because, although I had never had an intentionally spiritual conversation with him, God was using my life, my smile, my words and my actions to minister to the hearts of others this year, even when I wasn't stepping out to vocalize my faith.

Thank you to everyone who has been praying for me this year, encouraging me, and supporting my ministry financially.  I can't express how blessed I am to have such a strong network of support.  I love you all.  See you back in the States soon!

Alyssa

way over due update...

Hey everyone! I'm posting my most recent newsletter for those of you who aren't on the mailing list, as well as two videos that I recently made.  One is a video that I made for the AWANA kids talking about what it's like to be a missionary, and the other is a little picture slideshow of the kids at the orphanage with their names.  Many of my friends and family have been wanting to put some names to faces so I thought it would be an efficient way of going about it.

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In reflecting on the past year, I am amazed at how blessed I have been. Around this time last year, I was starting to inquire about TeachOverseas and fill out my application to be a part of the Hungary team. In the beginning stages of this journey, it was more of a dream-like opportunity than it was a reality, and looking back, I can see God’s hand in all parts of the process and how He has grown, shaped, and changed my heart in the last year. I couldn’t have imagined the many ways that God would bless me this year: bringing in all my support, giving me the confidence to trust and rely on Him in times of loneliness and trial, placing people in my life and using them to love me, teach me, and convict me, opening doors for ministry in the orphanage and with my students, and showering me with His grace and mercy every single day. And those examples are just a small percentage of the many blessings I’ve seen in my life this year. I am in awe of the amazing God we serve.

Although the orphanage has been where my heart longs to be most of the time, the majority of my time spent here is with my students at their school. This part of my ministry has been more difficult to dive into and develop, and as a result has caused me to feel insecure about my role in the classroom. However, with the New Year and the new semester, many of my students have started opening up to me in new ways, inviting me to coffee or to get pizza or visit some of the amazing sights in Miskolc. A couple of them have even asked me to start looking at my schedule for a weekend that I have free to spend with their family in their small villages! This is really exciting for me, and I’m hoping that it will allow me to develop deeper relationships them and open doors for God to use me to love them in deep and personal ways. Please pray that He will continue to present opportunities such as these and that He will use me in their lives for His glory. As many of you know, the orphanage in Diosgyor has become a huge part of my ministry here, and the kids there and the relationships I’ve developed with them have been some of the most wonderful ways that God has blessed me this year. One weekend, in particular that I really felt God moving was the weekend that we celebrated Christmas at the orphanage (December 17-19). This was probably the most blessed weekend of my life. On Friday afternoon, started the celebration off with a few Christmas crafts followed by a movie to end the night. Saturday was when most of the action took place. We arrived early for breakfast, made salt dough tree ornaments, set up the Christmas trees in each house, decorated gingerbread houses for a competition, made hot chocolate, sang and danced to music, and just had an amazing day of enjoying timeless fun together.

Just before dinner, we all gathered into one of the houses for a Christmas program that the kids had organized for us. Smiles were drawn, tears rolled down cheeks, and laughter roared as the kids performed a Christmas rap and a couple other songs and dances. Watching them all dressed up, having fun together, not thinking or worrying about the fact that their families abandoned them or that they’re treated poorly on a daily basis, and so proud of their efforts to impress us filled me with so much joy. It’s amazing to me to think back to when I first met them all and how their demeanor and mood has changed since then. I can especially see it in Vali’s face… her eyes are brighter, her burden seems lighter, and she smiles in place of what used to be sadness and hopelessness. They are such beautiful creations.

After the performance, was the gift opening. It was incredible to watch their animation… their contentment. They tore through boxes full of wonderful gifts from their wish lists, smiles plastered across their faces and eyes lit with excitement. I handed out the cards that families from Winneconne Christian Fellowship sent for each child and got to watch as some pulled out pieces of jewelry and immediately put it on to show off to everyone in the room, some found the nearest translator to have handwritten letters meant specifically for them, and the smaller children eagerly ripped through the paper to get to their stack of football cards, stickers, or small toy waiting inside. After the initial chaos of gift opening started to die down, I looked over to see Laci (Lazlo) sitting on a small couch by himself. He was reading his personal letter, which happened to be from my mom. His cheeks were wet, and when he got to the bottom of the page and finished sifting through photos of my family, his eyes met mine and he immediately rose to his feet to come give me a hug. I asked him what else he got for Christmas and he held up his letter and family photos and said, "This one is best… my favorite." This boy had a box filled with things that your average teenage boy would idolize and his favorite was a handwritten letter and some pictures of a family he’s never met… my family. Love goes such a long way. It was such a precious moment for me when he later pulled me into his room to show me how he put up the pictures by his bed. He pointed to them and said, "Your family." I said to him, "YOUR family." And with a satisfied nod, he pointed to me and replied, "My family… testver (sister)."

The next morning a mission’s organization called Word of Life put on a puppet show that presented the Christmas story and Gospel for all the kids. Afterwards, during a time of prayer, Vali and Adam prayed to accept Christ as their Lord and Savior!! She was crying… I was crying, and with the help of a translator I got to explain to her how excited I was because this meant that we would never have to say a final goodbye to each other because one day we will be reunited in Heaven where we will spend eternity together with Jesus. Hallelujah!!! There was a party happening in Heaven that morning.

Bible studies at the orphanage are going really well also. We have about 10 kids that come regularly, and they have been asking a lot of questions lately.


I received many, many beautiful personal Christmas gifts and financial offerings to help with activities at the orphanage. Thank you so much for loving me and caring about the orphans that I've come to love. Your gifts are a beautiful expression of the Love of Jesus Christ. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

"For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Matthew 16:25

Prayer Requests:

Some of the kids from the orphanage have been coming to our church and seem to really enjoy it. Please pray that they will continue to come and really hear God speak to them.. and develop relationships with a community of believers that are Hungarian!

My school asked me to lead the morning staff devotional a couple times, and I got to share some of how God had led me to Hungary and how He has been working since I arrived..it's cool to see God using me in this way.

More and more students are asking me to talk and hang out outside of school, visit the orphanage, stay the weekend with their family... prayer that God will use those deepening relationships.

Discernment in God’s will for my future.

I’ve started the process of applying for Graduate schools and it’s hard not to get excited about what might be waiting for me when I return to the states. Pray that I wouldn’t lose my present focus and become distracted by future possibilities, but also for just enough focus and motivation to get the applications done without adding much stress to my life.

AWANA video

Diosgyor Orphanage video

Well, it looks as though I’m holding true to my initial prediction about my blogging consistency.  I apologize for it being nearly 2 months since my last blog entry.  For some reason, when life picks up and days get busy, the idea of writing is somewhat daunting.  But as with most things that require any sort of effort, the hardest part is starting… so let’s begin…

Abby and I had our first girls’ night at the orphanage a couple Fridays ago, and it was a blast.  We painted nails, watched a romantic comedy, ate way too much junk food, and laughed A LOT.  It was really great to be spending time with them under such casual circumstances and for no specific purpose.  Most of our visits have a “main event” (either Bible study or English class) but this time was different… we were there simply because we wanted to spend time with them, and they knew that too, which elicited a whole new atmosphere consisting of carefree timelessness.  It’s something that I want to try to experience a little more frequently with them, so I’m going to start going there to hang out on the nights I don’t have much to do.

The next day after the orphanage, some of my students organized an “Advent Tea house,” which isn’t held at an actual tea house, but at a church near the orphanage.  I was able to invite Vali, one of the girls at the orphanage who I have begun to develop a really strong bond with, to come with me.  She was ecstatic that I would want her to be my guest!  The tea house was great… tables were decorated and set up facing a stage area where a skit was performed and four students shared their testimonies.  The first student who shared was one of my 11^th grade students, Zsofi.  Her sister translated for me as she shared about her brokenness and God’s pursuit of her in the midst of her pain.  It was so awesome to hear her, along with the other students, talk about their spiritual journeys and witness them in that sort of atmosphere, outside of school.  Vali had such a good time too.  At one point she even saw someone she knew and got up to go mingle at a different table… that filled me with joy.  On the walk home, through broken English and some Hungarian words she knows that I know, she pointed to the sky and said, “Isten beszel (God speaks) Zsofi (my student) nekem (for me).”  What a blessing!  This was probably my favorite night in Miskolc since arriving.  God made Himself so clearly present in those couple hours, I was in complete awe.

God has been opening a lot of doors for developing relationships with my students as well.  Four of my students expressed a desire to have a Thanksgiving dinner with me at my flat since I wouldn’t be able to spend it with my family, so on Tuesday, since my actual Thanksgiving day was filled and blessed with a few other people inviting me into their homes (one couple even made us a turkey dinner!), I made spaghetti and attempted to bake cookies and garlic bread, but my oven broke!  We had such a fun time regardless.  Zsofi suggested that we try to fry the cookies in a baking sheet on the stove… it almost worked…  We all went around the table and shared what we’re thankful for and had a lot of really great, some deeper, conversation.  I am so thankful that God placed them in my life to make me feel His love on Thanksgiving.

 Our attempt at frying cookies...

 Boroka with the end result: half baked/half burnt cookie dough. yumm..

Thanksgiving dinner :)  (Boroka, Eszter, Zsofi, Dani)

Praises:
1)      Some of the kids from the orphanage have been coming to our church and seem to really enjoy it!
2)      My school asked me to lead the morning staff devotional last Friday, and I got to share some of how God had led me to Hungary and how He has been working since I arrived.
3)      More and more students are asking me to talk and hang out outside of school, and 3 of them have asked to join me in visiting the orphanage sometime.

Prayer Requests:
1)      I’ve started the process of applying for Graduate schools and it’s hard not to get excited about what might be waiting for me when I return to the states, so pray that I wouldn’t lose my present focus and become distracted by future possibilities.
2)      Discernment in God’s will for my future.
3)      Continued guidance in relationships… words to speak in the timing that they are needed.

 With some of my students at their Levay Ball. (Mate, Klaudia, Petra, Erik, Vikki)

 Polett and I on a hike to the Avas Hill lookout tower!

"a little bit of righteousness goes a long way."

Last night I was reminded of an important characteristic of God and a valuable perspective that He has of His people.  I listened to a podcast of Andy Stanley discussing the story of Abraham, Lot, and the city of Sodom (Genesis 18 and 19).  Sodom, in its state of immorality, is deserving of being destroyed.  However, for the sake of a small percentage of righteous people in a population of people living in sin, God is willing to save the city.  We serve a just God, but a God that is not quick to judge or in a rush to punish sin.  And the presence of righteousness, even just a little bit, preserves the unrighteous and stalls Him from giving the people what they deserve.  Where there is righteousness, there is hope for the unrighteous... We are God's hope in this sinful world, and even a little bit of righteousness goes a long way...

One of my biggest prayers going into this journey was that God would provide some sort of orphanage ministry here, and He of course has already begun answering those prayers.  I've had the opportunity to visit and become involved in an orphanage, in a Roma community near the outskirts of Miskolc.  There are
about 40 kids living at the orphanage, ranging from ages 3 to 17.  There are 4 houses that the kids stay in, one being called a "medical house" and is where all of the younger children live.  They call it the medical house because each of the kids has some sort of special need.. Gergo has only one kidney and some specific nutritional needs because of it, Marko has a pace maker, Ricsi has some behavioral problems, and then there's Vikki, who I think is just hyperactive and maybe has some sort of learning disability as well.  All of the small children in the orphanage, and most of the others were abandoned by their parents because of a need that they couldn't meet or weren't willing to take on, so many of them have brothers and sisters that still live with their parents, but were chosen to be sent away to the orphanage.  Living with that knowledge must be very rough on them to begin with, and to amplify their insecurity, they're all Roma, so they're dismissed by society as well. 

The Roma, or Gypsies is the discriminative term, are targets of extreme racism in eastern Europe.  I've noticed that you can't even say "Roma" in the streets without getting a look, they may not be served in a restaurant or grocery store, they will sometimes get on the bus or public transportation and announce that they are Roma, acknowledging that they are aware that everyone there knows it and thinks they're dirty and responsible for crime and disease, and it's very likely that the students from the orphanage aren't spoken to by many at school.

Today while Abby and I were on the bus on our way to the orphanage, we ended up on the same bus as 3 of the children.  At first I didn't see them, but once my eyes met Erno's (one of the teenage boys), his face lit up and he waved enthusiastically, and after getting the attention of Dori and Patricia (14- and 12-year old girls) they excitedly pushed their way over to Abby and I.  Without even thinking twice, we emphatically embraced them all and started chatting the best we could.  It was probably the most elated I have ever seen them, and after a few minutes I realized why... we were acknowledging them, accepting them, SPEAKING TO THEM.. in public!  If there were onlooking bystanders wondering about the two American girls wrapping three Roma kids up in their arms, I didn't notice.. but I secretly hope that every oppressive eye on that crowded bus was watching us intently.. witnessing the love and acceptance that those amazing, sweet, and beautiful Roma children received from us in those 15 minutes.  "A little goes a long way..."

I have already fallen in love with the kids there and our visits are becoming a very regular thing.  About 2 weeks ago, we held a kids event in which the pastor of the church I attend came and gave a little talk, we brought tons of food, I made brownies with some of the kids, Abby choreographed a dance to teach some of the girls, and my friends Philip and Anna played football (soccer) with them.  It was like a huge party for them, and they were all sad to see us leave, but they're starting to learn that we always come back, and their walls are coming down because of it.  Last week we held our first Bible study there with some of the teens.. it was mixed because we didn't have a male translator, but Abby and I are hoping to split genders a couple times a month to really be able to pour into these girls.  We got to hear a lot about their lives and beliefs in God, things they fear, areas they struggle with, and their inevitable hopelessness.  This week we're going to be starting English lessons as well one night per week.

Pray that God will open doors and hearts in this orphanage, especially lifting up Eszter, Dori, Patricia, and Vali, four teenage girls that I am drawn to immensely and can see the searching that is going on inside of them.  Pray for opportunities for me to connect with them, relate to them, show them Christ's abundant love for them, and show an interest and concern for their lives.

 (Dori, Patricia, me, and Adam)

 (making brownies at the Kids Event)

(Marko and Vikki)

Blessings,
Alyssa

reality setting in.

It's now been two full weeks since I arrived in Hungary, and so much has happened in those weeks that it feels like I've been here for much longer.  I've become familiar with my flat (although I don't think I'll ever determine a cause or pattern for the disappearance of an internet connection that happens now and then), I've been to the immigration office to apply for my visa and residence permit, I've met all of my students and begun the process of learning 265 names and faces, I've been to the Spar (the grocery store near our flat) twice now by myself, my walk to school everyday is becoming more and more routine and natural, I've purchased a bus ticket, a tram ticket, and a train ticket and made it through each transportation experience with minimal mishappenings, I've learned some Hungarian phrases to say as well as some not to say, I've made friends with an English-speaking barista who calls himself Peter Parker (aka: Spiderman) and pampers Abby and I when we visit his cafe, I've been to a Hungarian worship service, I've seen the castle, Lillafured, the look-out tower, the Bukk Mountains, and many other historical buildings and landmarks, and I've encountered and overcome feelings of discomfort, lonliness, discouragement, and insecurity that inevitably creep in after the shock and excitement of being in a new and amzingly beautiful place wear off.  And through all of these adventures (even the small daily tasks are an adventure when you're in a new culture), God has made His presence known in the most clear, direct, and personal ways I've ever experienced.  Everyday He teaches me more about myself, my relationships, His character, and how He speaks to me and answers my prayers.  Through my everyday pursuit of finding His will and purpose for my life and ministry, He teaches me to rely on Him more and trust in His ability to use me in all circumstances and provide for my every need.. even the needs that I am unaware of.  Through trials He has been teaching me how to have a steadfast and genuine faith and how to pray with a heart that is alligned with His own, and He has given me a more eternal perspective of my life and the lives of those I love.  All of these lessons are answers to prayer, and it has made me realize how powerful prayer really is, and that God really does answer our cries to Him.. and I have never been more aware of the instances that God is working to meet the needs of His children.

"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer." -Romans 12:12

A few notes to make mention of...
There are really only 3 words you need to know of a language, aside from greetings and goodbye's, to be able to blend into the culture: "excuse me," "I'm sorry," and "thank you."  It's funny how I've noticed how often I actually use them each day.  If you can learn to communicate these phrases, you can get through most everday interactions unnoticed as a foreigner.

Grocery shopping for the first time in a foreign country is one of the most intimidating, defeating experiences you'll ever have.  Not only ar you unsure of whether or not you're following the culture norms and grocery shopping etiquette, but you also have no idea if and when people are telling you you're doing something wrong.  I felt like an 11 year old on my frist day of middle school after my first grocery run.  Some Hungarian shopping expectations...
1.) Always take a basket or cart.. or they'll think you're trying to steal something.
2.) Produce items may need to be weighed and given a sticker in the produce section before you get to the check-out line.  They'll just guess if you don't have one.
3.) When a new lane opens up it's a mad dash to see who can get there first.. no one cares if you've been standing in line with your 1 or 2 items for ten minutes and hold a place in line that is way ahead of where they just sprinted from, with their overflowing shopping cart, to make sure they beat you to the check out.
4.) You always bag your own groceries, and once you've gotten your change they start sending the next person's food down the belt, basically forcing you to gather what you haven't yet gotten a chance to pack away into your arms and try to pack it neatly into your bag on the way out.
5.) If you think the door opens out, it opens in.. if you think it opens in, it opens out.

Walking into church on Sunday was unlike anything I've ever experienced.  I can't even describe the feelings that overwhellmed me when I walked through the doors of the room in the church (the Miskolc Christian Church rents out a room in a church to hold their Sunday evening service), to the Hungarian worship team singing "You are my all in all" in their native tongue.  There were only about 30 people in the congregation, and it was amazing to feel the Lord's presence in a place where I was unable to understand the words being spoken, yet could feel that they were filled with a love for the same God that I love and serve.

My first few weeks in Hungary have been stretching my faith, testing my patience, and exercising my flexibility, but Miskolc is slowly beginning to feel like home.. which is a weird feeling having been here for a mere two weeks.  God has been revealing to me new things about how He will use me to minister in this place, and I'm excited for Him to continue teaching me how to love, showing me how he will use me to serve, and how He will continue to use my new home to minister to me as well.

beginning the journey.

Well today finally came, the day that I’ve been preparing for and anticipating since I started training back in July, my first day of teaching at Levay Josef Gimnasium in Miskolc.  I woke this morning to a beautifully thoughtful note from my roommate wishing me luck… and she also set her alarm for 7:15am (even though she had nothing to be up for) just to be able to pray with me before I left for work.  I was feeling quite nervous about the day because I had received very little information about school procedures and didn’t get a tour of the school, so I had to guess where my classrooms were located.  Upon arriving at the school and heading into the staff room to get my things organized, I walked into and interrupted the mandatory staff devotional/prayer session that I was never informed of, but instead of getting angry the headmaster graciously took it as an opportunity to introduce me to the rest of the staff and welcome me.

My first class of the day was an 8^th grade class with a pretty beginner level of English.  In Hungary, the students are assigned a classroom and the teachers move around from room to room, just as the students do in American high schools.  When I got to my classroom the door was locked and my students were nowhere to be found, so I had to hunt them down.  Since the door had been locked, they decided they would just find a random open room to occupy, so I had to ask another English teacher to help me find them.  After a short introduction, I began my first class as an English teacher.  I could tell the students could understand more English than they were willing to try speaking, but eventually got them to write down their names and a few other bits of information and collected their papers to take roll call.  Because of the Hungarian students’ accents, it’s much easier to figure out names by reading them; however, the way they write some of their letters is slightly different as well, so I had to ask a student to help me call each name.  I made it through the class, but with minimal English usage from the students…

After a 3- hour break to go home and recharge, my next class was a combination class, a few students from different 11^th grade classes.  I had a total of 4 students today, all of which spoke very good English.  I ended up ditching my entire lesson plan, and just sat down and chatted with them for 45 minutes, and we all shared about ourselves and learned about each other.  One of the girls noticed my WWJD bracelet and asked if I was a Christian.  I was excited because I didn’t know if Hungarians would know what it meant, so it was cool that she inquired. It was really great to get real with the students and hear about their lives and their interests, and of course, they were also practicing their English simultaneously and working on fluency… my favorite class of the day by far!

My 3^rd period I ended up sitting in my classroom alone for quite a while until another teacher informed me that my students’ class master had gone home ill and told the students that they could leave as well…

The last 2 classes of my day were 10^th graders, and I can tell already that they will be my hardest classes in the area of behavior management.  It’s not that they are naughty or act out, but I felt the least respected by them of all my students today, and I remember from coaching softball that the sophomores were the hardest to handle when it came to attitude.  I think that my mom could verify that it was probably around that time in my own life that I was the hardest to deal with as well. 

It’s amazing that with all the differences I have had to learn to adapt to in Hungary, I’ve failed to realize how many similarities there are among the different cultures, but I’m beginning to become acquainted with the many parts of culture that are universal throughout the world.  Things like the invincible attitudes displayed by 16-year-olds in the presence of adults, flirting that goes on between teenage girls and boys as they mingle in the city center, having to take a number and wait for hours in the tax office the same way we would in the DMV, men holding doors for women, and the way that children play… my first morning in Budapest I awoke to the voice of a child outside the window of the room I was sleeping in, and based purely on the tone in the child’s shouts I learned that the Hungarian word for ‘mom’ is ‘anya.’  Some things never change…

During our closing ceremony at ESI training in Pasadena, the president of TeachOverseas pointed out that, “When God is about to do a major work in us He will take us on a journey.”  This is just the beginning of my journey with God, and though I don’t know the exact path that He will lead me, or the precise destination that will result, God does, and His desire for me is that I will run His race at the pace that He gives.  Please pray that I will stay focused on Him and His direction and purpose for my time in Miskolc… that I will remember in the times when I feel like the Lord isn’t speaking that the real problem is that I’m not listening… and that I will be able to love my students abundantly and teach them with all my heart. 

So for now I won't worry about the small details that my school fails to inform me of, or how I will possibly learn the names of my 100+ students before Christmas, the whereabouts of my security guard at the times when I feel like I need his help and he is nowhere to be found, or why the internet has such a bad connection during certain times of the day, or even what exactly is waiting for me at the finish line of this journey.  Instead, I want to be content in waiting on the Lord and resting in Him, taking each day a step at a time, living in the moment, and learning to rely on God in the times when I feel restless, anxious, or lonely.  This is my prayer...