Bonjour

We are here safe and sound and nestled into a cute little apartment in the 14th district. We have a computer but it has a French keyboard, so it is a pain to type on...good for French, not so much for English.
The flight went smoothly and weve kept busy meeting up for various meals with Michelles friends around the city. Saturday was our first encounter with folks from Trinity as they had coffee and pastries for their once a month get together at Genesis...their ministry base. Sunday was of course church in the evening...which felt familiar...as they meet in an old church that is shared by 2 other churches. There was the typical set up and tear down which going to Hope has more than prepared me for :). The service was done in both French and English so it was interesting to hear some familiar praise songs done in both languages and see the same worship happening for both. And the diversity of the body...countries all over the world represented...was awesome to experience. It looks like Im going to be playing with their worship team this week which Im quite excited about.
Sunday night after church a small team of us headed out to hand out bagged lunches to some of the homeless. A couple of them were real characters...couldnt understand what they were saying to other team members, but I'm realizing that there really is a good bit of conversation that is unspoken.
Yes...we are getting to sight see some as well...we spent a blustery 2 hrs at the Eiffel Tower yesterday. Very cool of course and got some great pictures of the city.
Today we're (MB just informed me of where the apostrophe was located on this keyboard) headed to the Crusade office for a day of whatever they need us to do...full day. Then this evening we'll be at the Price's for dinner...a former Nashville based family.
Sorry this is mostly informational, but I'm having to think about almost every word I type. Wanted to let everyone know all is well and we so appreciate your prayers. Love yall.

Renewal

I've been concerned lately b/c I've felt exhausted...pushed beyond myself with responsibilities continuing to fly my direction. I've been wondering how useful I'm really going to be in Paris when I don't have enough energy for myself let alone to pour out in service.
Last night, I had absolutely no energy and was ready to just crash into bed when God was impressing on me to finish up my daily reading plan in 1 Thess. 3. 1 Thess. hasn't really been clicking in with me...fine book, but I haven't been able to sink my teeth into it like other books. So I basically told God I trusted Him to give me something in 1 Thess. 3...b/c I'm running out of fumes to run on. I found myself drifting off to sleep asking "are you working on establishing my heart as blameless in holiness before the Father? would you root me back into the ground by your living water...bring me back to abiding in the vine?"
This morning I woke up with a little better night's sleep under my belt, but I also feel like a fog has lifted. As my alarm came alive this morning with music from a local Christian station, I felt excitement to hear praise music and a hunger for my time with the Father this morning...a realization that something was coming alive again.
And all I can do is trust that God will give me what I need for each day...b/c I can't produce this on my own.

Fumes and hearts

The best of intentions to get in here and post, and life just seems like it's coming at 150 mph right now as I'm living on fumes. Good thing about that I guess is that it's driving me to the cross like no body's business!

Despite the busy, I'm getting more excited about Paris. Please pray that God would continue to develop and grow my heart for this city. I feel like my time to think about it and prepare like I might want to is limited right now with so much going on at work and church.

He's been good to strengthen my friendship with Michelle most recently through teaming up to pull together our church's spring women's retreat on prayer. I'm excited to see how he is going to use us over there.

Hearts...pray for hearts...and Christ to invade hearts...all kinds of hearts...here...there...mine...yours...that's where the intimacy and the good stuff happens!