After 5 days at 'home', we decided to get out for the weekend and visit the western area of France - the only 'corner' that isn't scheduled into our lives for ministry.
So we drove toward Toulouse, where we had a room reserved for 2 nights, but made a stop at Carcassonne. The upper area of Carcassonne is preserved from medieval times and is still a functioning city - shops, homes, restaurants, etc. We loved seeing this part of the city and enjoyed an AMAZING dinner at a restaurant there. It looked like how a medieval inn is portrayed on TV and had live music. The meats were grilled over an open fire right near our table! Excellent time!
When we arrived at our hotel (which was labled as an 'apart-hotel' online), we were very impressed. For the same price (or less) than a 'normal' hotel room, we had a 3 story apartment - two-bedroom, two-bathroom, kitchenette and dining area and a huge living area. Awesome! We loved our 2 nights and were sad to leave on Monday.
Monday, on our way home, we stopped in Narbonne and walked around the downtown area. Beautiful city!
Today we are doing laundry and packing, preparing to leave for a week in Strasbourg. We travel by train tomorrow and minister there on Thursday evening. Then Mitch will minister in Germany over the weekend, while the kids and I stay in Strasbourg. We will take the train back to Istres next Tuesday.
We have just 28 days before we fly home and it's a bittersweet feeling. We are loving our time here, as God's heart for this nation continues to grow in our own lives. Yet, we are missing family and friends and our life in the States as well.
We know God has our time and seasons in His hand. And we are excited for each step!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
daily living back in our French 'home'
We arrive back in Istres on Sunday evening after our week up north. Ministry in Normandy was great! And we loved getting to know the pastor of the churches in Dieppe and in Eu - God has something great for them and their ministry!
Now we are back to the land of laundry, cooking meals, grocery shopping, schoolwork... It's all good! I made sloppy joes yesterday - a very American meal in the heart of France. :)
This weekend we have decided to go to the western part of France for a couple days. Mitch will get to watch the football game and we will visit the area of France that is not yet on the ministry agenda. Because of this weekend, we will have been to all 'four corners' of France at the end of our trip. We feel that's very significant and God-planned!
Next week, we head to the eastern part of the country - Strasbourg. And then Mitch will minister in Germany that weekend while we are in that vicinity. After that is a recently scheduled church in Nice. We are thankful for the Lord directing our steps over this 3 month time!
Right now we are sitting in a coffee shop in the downtown area of Istres. Laundry has finished up at the laundry mat down the street and it's probably time to head 'home'.
Continue to pray for us - we need grace to finish well and not kill each other in the process. 91 days in consistent company of each other takes an abundant grace for sure! :)
Now we are back to the land of laundry, cooking meals, grocery shopping, schoolwork... It's all good! I made sloppy joes yesterday - a very American meal in the heart of France. :)
This weekend we have decided to go to the western part of France for a couple days. Mitch will get to watch the football game and we will visit the area of France that is not yet on the ministry agenda. Because of this weekend, we will have been to all 'four corners' of France at the end of our trip. We feel that's very significant and God-planned!
Next week, we head to the eastern part of the country - Strasbourg. And then Mitch will minister in Germany that weekend while we are in that vicinity. After that is a recently scheduled church in Nice. We are thankful for the Lord directing our steps over this 3 month time!
Right now we are sitting in a coffee shop in the downtown area of Istres. Laundry has finished up at the laundry mat down the street and it's probably time to head 'home'.
Continue to pray for us - we need grace to finish well and not kill each other in the process. 91 days in consistent company of each other takes an abundant grace for sure! :)
Saturday, October 16, 2010
speeding by like the TGV
This month seems to be rolling by pretty quickly... the girls are thankful. They are doing well and are having fun but definitely missing life in America with their friends and family.
We arrived home from the Cevennes on Monday and have been doing school and taking care of normal life stuff all week.
On Thursday, we visited Nimes - the arena and an amazing garden in the city. Beautiful place but a little sobering, thinking of the early Christians who were martyred there so many years ago. May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!
Mitch is ministering here in Istres (at the church where our apartment is) in the morning. Monday, we leave bright and early for Normandy. It will be an adventure of all day getting on and off trains until we arrive in Dieppe, Normandy in the evening. We have services Tuesday through Thursday evenings, then will spend a couple days in Paris before coming back to Istres next Sunday.
Mitch has been foiled at every turn, trying to get access to internet while in Istres. So we continue at MacDough... and the BIG GAME tonight is iffy since the time difference makes the game later than even McDonalds is open. Oh, the suffering of living for Jesus. :)
The kids are getting antsy so my time here is up. Au revior for now!
We arrived home from the Cevennes on Monday and have been doing school and taking care of normal life stuff all week.
On Thursday, we visited Nimes - the arena and an amazing garden in the city. Beautiful place but a little sobering, thinking of the early Christians who were martyred there so many years ago. May the Lamb that was slain receive the reward of His suffering!
Mitch is ministering here in Istres (at the church where our apartment is) in the morning. Monday, we leave bright and early for Normandy. It will be an adventure of all day getting on and off trains until we arrive in Dieppe, Normandy in the evening. We have services Tuesday through Thursday evenings, then will spend a couple days in Paris before coming back to Istres next Sunday.
Mitch has been foiled at every turn, trying to get access to internet while in Istres. So we continue at MacDough... and the BIG GAME tonight is iffy since the time difference makes the game later than even McDonalds is open. Oh, the suffering of living for Jesus. :)
The kids are getting antsy so my time here is up. Au revior for now!
Sunday, October 10, 2010
the house of bread
We've had a powerful and beautiful weekend here at "The House of Bread". The Lord released His Spirit in a 'breakthrough' way yesterday and we and the pastor's believe that a new season began for them this weekend. Very exciting! The Lord has plans for France!
The pastor's hosted us in their home all week and they have beautiful hearts of hospitality, making us feel welcome and comfortable. We are blessed!
Tomorrow morning, we will head back to our apartment for a week 'off'. I think we're ready for it - 10 meetings in 8 days is a little wearing. :) The Lord is faithful to maintain His grace though!
We won't travel again until a week from tomorrow, when we take the train up to Normandy(actually a region), to the city of Dieppe. We're very excited, for not only the opportunities of ministry but to be able to see an area so significant in our history. It will be a field trip week! (Maybe ending with a trip to Disney Paris...)
For those that are praying for us, here's our schedule for the next few weeks...
Sun. Oct 17 - Istres (our 'host church') we are in need of a translator at this point - please pray!
Oct. 19-21 - Normandy
Nov. 6 - Strasbourg, France
Nov. 5-7 - Mannheim, Germany
The pastor's hosted us in their home all week and they have beautiful hearts of hospitality, making us feel welcome and comfortable. We are blessed!
Tomorrow morning, we will head back to our apartment for a week 'off'. I think we're ready for it - 10 meetings in 8 days is a little wearing. :) The Lord is faithful to maintain His grace though!
We won't travel again until a week from tomorrow, when we take the train up to Normandy(actually a region), to the city of Dieppe. We're very excited, for not only the opportunities of ministry but to be able to see an area so significant in our history. It will be a field trip week! (Maybe ending with a trip to Disney Paris...)
For those that are praying for us, here's our schedule for the next few weeks...
Sun. Oct 17 - Istres (our 'host church') we are in need of a translator at this point - please pray!
Oct. 19-21 - Normandy
Nov. 6 - Strasbourg, France
Nov. 5-7 - Mannheim, Germany
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
new experiences...
So our time out started by leaving Saturday morning and arriving in Perpignan, where we attended our very first French wedding. It was quite the celebration!
They started at the courthouse at 1pm - which we didn't go to. Then on to the church at 3pm, where we joined. The ceremony was a little longer than the tradition US 20 or 30 minutes and included some worship. Which was really sweet ringing out in a old Catholic cathedral! I see revival in the old denominations!
Around 5:30 we headed over to a beautiful vineyard where the reception was to be held. The beginning hors d'oeuvre/mingling time last for about 3 hours before we headed inside for the dinner around 8:30.
First course served around 9ish, main dish about 10ish, lots of dancing, finally cheese about 12:30am and we left. I was told things would go til 5am - after talking with a few others, I'm certain that's for real. And it's not just 'the partiers' who stay - most do, including the elderly grandparents and families. My only disappointment was dessert wasn't served before we left. I saw the table set up (sans the desserts) and am sure that it would have been AMAZING!
Thankfully, Sunday's meeting wasn't until 2:30 - it was at a church and included people from several congregations, including 5 pastors. Wonderful time!
We drove into the mountains that night - fun times in the dark, in a foreign land, in the mountains. Mitch is a brilliant navigator and we had no problems. (I have yet to drive...)
Now that we're here in the Cevennes, we have nightly meetings in different homes (small groups of the church mostly). Another cultural difference is that often services begin at 8pm or later so that makes for late nights.
Jesus has been meeting with us each night and Mitch has been releasing a fresh passion, encouragement and a new hope, as well as releasing healing into each group. We believe we are here to release what God has given us - so that's what we're doing. And the Lord is so faithful!
I've probably lost most of you, so so long. We continue our week here in the mountains for the next 5 days before we head 'home' for a few days before heading north to Normandy.
They started at the courthouse at 1pm - which we didn't go to. Then on to the church at 3pm, where we joined. The ceremony was a little longer than the tradition US 20 or 30 minutes and included some worship. Which was really sweet ringing out in a old Catholic cathedral! I see revival in the old denominations!
Around 5:30 we headed over to a beautiful vineyard where the reception was to be held. The beginning hors d'oeuvre/mingling time last for about 3 hours before we headed inside for the dinner around 8:30.
First course served around 9ish, main dish about 10ish, lots of dancing, finally cheese about 12:30am and we left. I was told things would go til 5am - after talking with a few others, I'm certain that's for real. And it's not just 'the partiers' who stay - most do, including the elderly grandparents and families. My only disappointment was dessert wasn't served before we left. I saw the table set up (sans the desserts) and am sure that it would have been AMAZING!
Thankfully, Sunday's meeting wasn't until 2:30 - it was at a church and included people from several congregations, including 5 pastors. Wonderful time!
We drove into the mountains that night - fun times in the dark, in a foreign land, in the mountains. Mitch is a brilliant navigator and we had no problems. (I have yet to drive...)
Now that we're here in the Cevennes, we have nightly meetings in different homes (small groups of the church mostly). Another cultural difference is that often services begin at 8pm or later so that makes for late nights.
Jesus has been meeting with us each night and Mitch has been releasing a fresh passion, encouragement and a new hope, as well as releasing healing into each group. We believe we are here to release what God has given us - so that's what we're doing. And the Lord is so faithful!
I've probably lost most of you, so so long. We continue our week here in the mountains for the next 5 days before we head 'home' for a few days before heading north to Normandy.
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