Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be in a foreign country with hardly a soul who speaks in a tongue you understand? Ever wonder how you will convey your thoughts to those around you with the small bits of vocabulary and grammar you possess of the language in the country you are visiting? Currently, this happens to be my reality as I am in Germany with my brother visiting relatives from my Dad's side of the family for the next 10 days.
So far it has been quite an experience, but difficulties have presented themselves. For one, my German is nicht so gut (not very good). Then, of course, my brother is not only male, but a Muth male, making him a man of few, if any words at times, and those words are most likely in German as well. I love him dearly, but this makes life difficult for me when I tend to enjoy conversation and banter throughout my day. There is a chance he will read this or StumbleUpon this blog, so I apologize to you, Nick, but I am just trying to lay out facts, not criticism.
I'm sure God is greatly amused by my little predicament. It's almost like He is saying, "Hey, Kayla. Stop trying to rely on others or yourself so much and talk to Me." Maybe He is also trying to see if I will drive myself crazy talking to myself over the next 10 days. Anything is certainly possible, but it is a challenge I am willing to meet head on. I refuse to worry about what I might do because that is not how I am meant to spend my time whilst 3000 some odd miles from home. Matthew 6:34 says, "Therefore, don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." I can certainly relate to this because each day boasts its own new, unique challenges. These challenges range from eating what Oma cooks in order to help re-enforce the fact that I do actually like her cooking, navigating the streets of Frankfurt after the Women's World Cup Final, to trying to exchange currency. I also know my future will certainly have plenty because I am currently jobless and practically everybody I know is talking about wanting a change of scenery or location in life and these are just situations God will help guide me through and accept.
As much as I feel I can conquer each challenge, I still feel relatively alone in the matter. As I said earlier, Nick isn't one for socializing currently, and the rest of the family knows maybe 20 English words, tops. Which leaves me myself and God to talk to for the majority of this foreign excursion. Thankfully, I know and trust that God is always there to listen, especially in my frustration. The Holy Spirit is housed within me; even if I don't see it, I know it is there. Hebrews 11:1 states, "Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see." Just because we don't see God on a daily basis doesn't mean He isn't there. He has been with me every step of the way so far, that's for sure. He has kept me from being my usual, overthinking self, which is a blessing because I surely would have gone crazy by now if that wasn't the case.
I have come to realize that it is the times that I am most alone that God is probably the most present and He urges us to talk to Him in prayer. Prayer demands alone time, and I have taken advantage of such opportunities, especially yesterday on my 17 minute ride from Oberursel to Frankfurt on the S5. I prayed for greater understanding of the German language, patience with everybody, and the ability to consume any and all meals my Oma prepared. Thankfully, the words of Luke 11:9-10 (So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.) rang true in my life. I was able to hold a decent conversation with my Aunt Edith later in the evening, and actually received a complement on my improving German (which is a surprise because she is apt to be the most critical at times) and I was able to have my entire bowl of zucchini soup and fried potato pancakes (yes, you read that correctly, SOUP). All in all, a very successful day thanks to answered prayer.
So maybe, just maybe, I won't go crazy by the end of this trip, but we'll have to see what the next 9 days have to offer. The best advice, though, is to pray constantly to the One who can always provide help.
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