What a beautiful thing.

In six short hours, we start the journey to Romania.  Yes, I should probably be sleeping.  But I can never sleep the night before I leave on a trip, so why bother?

I am so excited.  This program encompasses pretty much everything I am passionate about: the Church, international development, Eastern Europe, environmental stewardship, outdoor education, civil society, international political affairs, youth, backpacking... yeah.  And on top of that, the path to the semester in Romania with Northwestern appeared so easily and naturally in my life that I cannot help but believe God opened the door.  Now I am excited--more than excited, actually--to run through it.  I'm trying to leave without expectations, a blank page where God can write, but I also cannot help but have them.  I expect this semester to change me.  I expect it to challenge me.  I expect to fall in love with some parts of life in Romania, to barely suppress my frustration with other parts, and to not understand everything.  I expect to meet God.  I expect to meet people who inspire me; I expect to meet people who counter me.  I expect to miss people from home and to be lonely occasionally and to be frustrated by a four-month language barrier.  I expect to sometimes be so wrapped up in life there that I don't think of Calvin or Iowa or camp at all.  I think those are okay things to expect--but I want to be willing to discard even these assumptions. 

My prayer for this semester is that God would reveal Himself.  My prayer for this semester is that I would not settle.  My prayer for this semester is that my perspective would be shifted and broadened and challenged and adjusted, and that in the process it would become more True.  I hunger to see Glory.  I pray for that this semester.

My prayer is the same for you: that you would see His glory, and that it would amaze you, humble you, and transform you.

Man.  Here we go!