There are two meanings to the title of this blog. First of all, because I have been a bit MIA the past few months, I'm going to rewind a bit and fill y'all in on all the crazy things I've been up to these past few months. And, secondly, this last November was a month of stepping back from the chaos of my life and reflecting/thanking God for all the different ways (both big and small) that he has been there for me.
One thing I was so thankful for during the month of November, when culture shock was starting to hit me hard, was the great amount of quality time I was able to spend with other American missionaries/teachers/friends here. Not only did they help me power through the realization that winter had only just begun and that the change in culture had become much more apparent, but they were amazing examples of strength and perseverence.
In addition to these personal visits, I also had THREE Thanksgiving dinners! But, it was perfect because I have so much to be thankful for! (One of the things being the fact that God continues to provide homecooked meals for me even though I myself don't have a kitchen to cook in!) The first dinner was with a lovely Czech English teacher who is practically my mentor here, the second was with the wonderful group of Christian English-speakers here that have become my second family, and the third was a full ministry retreat with my organization! On the retreat, we were able to really reflect on what exactly it is we are doing here as teachers/missionaries and, as you can see in the picture, we had to think of the main thing we needed to work on... Unfortunately, I didn't do so well, as is apparent by my lack of contact via blog and newsletters, but I'm learning!
And, to finish off the month strong, Marissa and I were able to go visit our other missionary friends in Berlin, Germany and see how they were handling their new ministry and culture shock! November was an amazing month and definitely a blessing at a time when I was feeling a bit lost. Looking back, I can see so clearly now how each visit, event, or trip happened at precise moments throughout the month just as I was starting to think I could not go on any longer... God knows me so well.
P.S. - I will post more pictures on my Facebook that illustrate more of what happened these past few months!