Busses and ruins and tissues, oh my!

*note: this update is not in real time... I fell asleep before finishing it last week, whatever day it was... but I will post it anyway, more updates from Patmos, Turkey, and Northern Greece coming soon, I have enough pictures to blog for months!* 

Current location: Kavala, Greece 

Facebook: "we've ridden on 3 busses, 1 boat, crossed one border, all in 2 countries and 2 continents...in one day." 

Recent locations: 

European part of Turkey

Asian Part of Turkey 

Pergamon 

Ephesus

Miletus 

Didyma

Kasadasi 

Island of Patmos

...and more! 

Currently: sick with a cold were all passing around to each other, but still jazzed to be here! Still loving the backpacking thing, it will be weird to go back to semi-normalcy on Monday, settling in to Leptokarya and starting our final class. 

Instagram: 

matching, backpacking, ready for adventure.

library in Ephesus

selfie with a turtle

on a bus, on a boat, going from Asian Turkey to European Turkey

the girl who makes me "the other Emily"

xoxo Emily

γεια σας from downtown Athens!

 γεια σας (ya sas)! We're in Athens! Okay, we've been here since Saturday, but this is the first time I've had a chance to update you. Here's what we've been up to. 

SO much relaxation time. I don't think any of us realized how much we need it. While it is our ministry week, we had Saturday night through Monday to rest at our hotel, and have had most afternoons free as well to... 

-tan by the pool

-swim 

-read for fun 

-eat cheese pies 

-munch on white chocolate bars 

-take naps 

-watch whatever's on in English on MTV 

We've also been doing ministry and focusing on The Lord this week by... 

-praying together 

-worshipping together a Capella 

-prayer walking on streets full of brothels 

-meeting three households of African refugees, praying for them, and being prayed for 

-learning about different ministries and how they are working here in Athens 

-prayer walking through the streets of a neighborhood to help prepare the way for a new ministry and church plant 

-getting our hearts broken for the people of Athens

More updates to come soon, once more processing happens in my heart and mind. Just know that God is at work here in Athens, in me, and that I am still having the time of my life here in Greece. 

The next few days will be more ministry, debrief and rest, and cramming in everything we haven't done yet in Athens! Keep us in your prayers, "if you're the type", my father would say. Hi Dad!

Insta-lately: 

Toilet paper in our hotel room. 

I don't think I can feel at home anymore without a rooftop. 

Every night. 

Bible lately: 

"My soul yearns for you in the night; my spirit within me earnestly seeks you. For when your judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness." Isaiah 26:9

Brownie points if you made it to the end! 

Writing from a rooftop, 

Emily :) 

update!

note- my last post never made it to a Facebook post, so if you missed it...

click here

Lately we've all been a tiny bit sad, since it's our last week in Pikermi. At the same time, we're incredibly excited about what comes next- 10 days living in Athens, getting involved in what God is doing downtown during our ministry week, having 2+ weeks off of class, spending every night hanging out in the city, and the tiny chance that our hotel might have a pool.

After that, we take a ferry to Patmos island, where John wrote Revelation, and then we'll tour around Turkey. This is especially cool because this whole week we've been studying Daniel & Revelation for 5 hours a day every day this week! We learned about the letters to the seven churches in Revelation, and will actually get to visit many of those locations!

Once we're done touring Turkey, we'll do a tour of Northern Greece, then landing in our final home at a camp just outside of Thessaloniki. We're told it's right across the street from the Sea and at the base of Mt. Olympus. Yep. There we will take our final class, Christianity and Western Culture II.

From there, our group will drive to Athens, board a plane to Amsterdam, do the tiniest bit of exploring and stay there overnight, then get on a plane to Chicago. I will be with the large mass of MBI in Greece students descending upon Moody's campus to visit with friends for three days, then making a short trip to Indiana, then getting on my last flight for awhile and landing in NH, the place I call home.

whew.

So that's what I'll be doing in the next 5ish weeks. Here are some snapshots from my phone of what we've been up to lately...

sunrise on Rafina Beach

Frosties are more than good... 

I didn't make every movie, but our group watched every single Harry Potter movie (there are 8 of them) over a week or two. It was great fun.

excited for dinner at an a house

Facetime and Skype with this guy is always the best, even with sketchy internet. 

street in Athens- can you spy the Acropolis?

the day we did SO very much shopping

Greek breakfast- Greek yogurt, just called yogurt, with honey and fresh fruit!

a sweet family made us dinner... there were hamburgers, but I went for an array of wonderful side dishes- Greek salad, fresh veggies and tsaziki sauce, potatoes, Fritos, Cheetos, and a tall glass of cherry Kool-Aid

view from the family's house! sunsets never get old. 

candid moment sitting on the balcony with some of my favorite people here. 

THIS is the view (from the seventh floor ) where I've been attending church

Looking over Rafina port from this little Greek Orthodox church, enjoying the sunshine and happy glow that happens when you have no homework. 

another sunset view on a walk near the college. 

I hope you have enjoyed a little peek into my life here in Greece. I mean what I say when I tell people that I love it here and am having the time of my life. Also, I promise I actually am studying, that wasn't just a cover for a 3 month vacation in this beautiful country.

PSA: I may not much reliable internet in the coming weeks... but look out for updates here and on Instagram! (you can click that link to see it, even if you don't have an account)

Cheers if you made it to the end!

Emily

Friday's Letters

Dear blogger inside my head,
I think you're doing this wrong. Pretty please learn how to organize some thoughts and finish a post now and then. Also, you may want to clean out the snippets in your "drafts" folder... it's getting crowded in there. Too many things to say.

Dear Bekah,
it is so much fun being your roommate. From reading me Bible passages in the morning, to offering a massage for a massage, and making me laugh- you're a good one.

Dear Project Runway,
uh oh. you've got us all addicted. Also, thank you for being such a great distraction for our suite. We can only read about eschatology for so many hours without a break.

Dear Ellen,
you're sitting next to me blogging too, so don't look over here. I am just so glad we're buddies. I love how I could instantly be honest with you about what I'm feeling, and how much we agree on. Also, I love baking with you while listening to Michael Buble or the Cheetah Girls. You have great taste in sweets and tunes.

Dear Emily,
you offer so much wisdom, and hold others so highly. Thank you for pointing me to Jesus.

Dear Zach,
as much as we joke about hating the internet, and as tired as I am when I stay up late to Skype you, I am so thankful we're able to do it. Thanks for putting up with me when I am a crazy person, and reminding me that you expect it from time to time, because I'm a girl and all.

Dear friends back in the states,
I miss you!!!! quality time is needed when I'm back. for real.

Dear Jesus,
I am so thankful that you are constant. It becomes more evident in the moments when everything else is on the move, and I appreciate it more than I can express.

Dear Kylie,
I am so proud every time I talk to you and hear about what you're doing, especially when it's something like serving at Food for Children all morning then working 9 hours at the Gap! What a rockstar. I can't wait for all our adventures when I get home.

Dear Greece,
I really really like you.

Dear Pikermi,
I'll be so sad to leave you.

Dear backpack,
We're going on a really big adventure soon! Get ready.

Dear blog readers,
You're great. Thanks for following along with my life lately.

God is good, all the time. All the time, God is good.

Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders, let me walk upon the waters wherever you would call me. Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior. (link)

This is what we talked about at small group Wednesday night. It is part of a theme that is going around here as God weaves it into our thoughts through the things we're experiencing here in Greece, together with each other and in our own quiet moments. In the together moments when we come together and ask real, raw questions, the thread becomes obvious.

Things that are true all the time... really, all the time: God is good. He is faithful and trustworthy. He is working all things together for the good of those who love him, and has a plan as big as he is- an infinite plan full of finite beings who he loves with a love that can only come from love itself.

Things that are not always true: "I'm good" as an answer to the daily question, "how are you?", and our faith in God. Remember, we are the finite. We are the faithless. We are the vessels through which his glory shines.

Our mantra lately is something along the lines of "and God was faithful"

It is heard in testimonies on the roof or at chapel when the professors share their lives with us. It is heard at the lunch table as we get to know each other better. It is the basis of most of the stories I tell lately, and I find the theme constantly in my mind. I find it a comfort to recognize this attribute as one of many that holds me up and keeps me moving each and every day.

And we find, when we trust Him, that he is faithful. His promises will not fail, and his character will not change. He takes away the borders of our trust, sending us out on the water, farther than we could ever think to go ourselves, plunging us deeper into knowing him.

Mykonos {Video}

This last weekend, 12 of us took a ferry to the Greek island Mykonos! We rented ATVs (and one moped, for a couple brave ones)  and jetted around the island all day Saturday and Sunday morning. I tried to do justice to how amazing this was with this video! Another post with pictures is coming soon. Hope you enjoy :)

PS: I hope this doesn't make anyone wicked dizzy... sorry for shaky filming while climbing a spiral staircase and riding on the back of an ATV.  

Saturday thoughts.

Some thoughts for the day, said the best I can through the blogger app on my phone, as my laptop is having trouble charging again. How charming. Thank goodness I have no homework this weekend, a Kindle to get ahead on reading, and a dose of God-given patience... 

Today I'm loving: 

Saturday mornings 

Planning adventures 

Greece 

Jesus 

Baking 

Time with Ellen 

Reading 

Rest 

We finished up our first class this week! Philosophy is accomplished and we move on to Christianity and Western Culture I. The two profs who have been with us from the beginning left yesterday, and the next two arrived this morning. I am really looking forward to getting to know them, and starting our class! 

For CWC1 we got to pick a book from a list out prof gave us, and I have been reading it bit by bit since my plane ride to Chicago a few weeks ago. It's basically a bunch of quotes by a group of monks called the Desert Fathers on various subjects. Some are confusing, some cause laughter, and others rock your world a little bit. 

"A brother asked him, 'How ought we to live?' Poemen replied, 'we have seen the example of Daniel. They accused him of nothing except that he served his God'"

"He who sits alone and is quiet has escaped from three wars: hearing, speaking, and seeing: but there is one thing against which he must continually fight: that is, his own heart" 

"Do you not realize that you are a woman, and the enemy uses women to attack holy men?" 

"You are freed by your own confession" 

"If we always remember that God dwells in us, we shall never bring ourselves anything that is not his" 

When I have a moment away from the busyness of our life here to stop and think, I'm in awe. I see more each day what God's plan was in bringing me here. Everything from the travel, to the classes, to the friends I'm making is a blessing, teaching me and encouraging me. 

I just want to soak it all in. I follow after him and find myself buried in blessing, humbled, and more and more in love with my Savior every day. 

I’m sailing on a ship that’s bound for life

I wrestle with the wind against the tide

I'd leave it all behind to reach for more

I’m sailing on to Your golden shore, to Your golden shore -Phil Wickham 

Happy Saturday, all! 

Xoxo, 

Emily