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 

Thursday randoms: Greece edition!

hello and whatever greeting is appropriate for your current time zone (good morning/ good afternoon/ good evening/ why are you awake at such an hour/ etc.)!

Let the randoms commence. 

I am obsessed with feta cheese. Ellen (she is one of my suitemates, they both blog here), go see more of beautiful Greece and beautiful words) and I have been making dinner together and sharing ingredients, and the other night we finally perfected our favorite dinner- fresh bread toasted in the oven with olive oil and baked feta with tomatoes. It's just darn delicious. 

I have only seen a cloud on one short location. Other than that, it has been clear blue skies and high 80s/low 90s every single day. By the time the sun goes down, it's hard to stay indoors. 

I've been keeping sticky notes visible on my computer's desktop so I see them throughout the day. Today, they go something like this... 

"wherever you are, be all there" 

-Jim Eliot

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Ps. 16:11

from the end of the earth I call to you when my heart is faint. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

Ps. 61:2

"for as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Isaiah 55:9

God is teaching me so much. There have been challenges and stresses already, but also SO much encouragement and joy. Last night we had a small group with every girl on the trip. Picture a "small" group of 22 girls hanging out on the roof at night with fresh fig scones and chocolate. It was so great to get on the same page spiritually, encourage each other about the good we've seen going on, and pray for each other. 

God is good. He is my home and my constant. 

Today is a national holiday in Greece called Assumption Day. From what I have gathered, it is a religious memorial holiday for Mary (just about everyone in Greece is Greek Orthodox), so there are services, and it's a day of rest for many people. Our local stores are closed and many people are taking a break. Luckily, the kiosk down the road was open so Bekah and I could each grab an ice cream bar on our walk. Yum. 

Whelp, I have a Philosophy final to study for. Thank you for reading. If you have any questions or want to know more about my Greece trip, leave questions/comments below or on my Facebook page so I can answer them in a future post :)

Wishing you a much less sunburned nose and a much less ridiculous smile... 

Emily 

Delphi Day Trip

This Thursday we spent the entire day in Delphi, as well as the nearby town of Arahova. Three hours of driving ended with windy mountain roads and a heck of a view. We went to the temple of Apollo, a museum, and "the other" Athenian temple.

temple of Apollo

ancient theater

Athenian Treasury

"other" Athenian temple

Next we wandered around Arahova, which is a nearby ski town that has tons of shops full of handmade goodies to look at, and beautiful roads to explore. The neighborhood we found ooked exactly  how I imagined Greece... it was magical.

xoxo
Emily

update from Pikermi! [first week]

WELL HEY GUYS.

I'm in Greece. This is real.

I have an excuse for not updating until now! This hilarious thing happened where my laptop wouldn't charge... super convenient when we are currently cramming 1 week of Philosophy into every four hour class and I need to take notes. Also, the internet cuts out a lot. Also, Blogger is giving me lots and lots of trouble. So I'm really hoping that this post I started a week ago is actually going up today, since I have 2-3 more in the works as well.

I am so happy to be typing away about all the things I have to write home about. See what I did there?

Here's a peek into our first week here!

Ellen, Emily, and I at check-in

Airport selfies

this girl got a window seat... cheesin' 

sittin' on the wing at sunrise

my feet and political statements on marble streets

taking pictures of the locals like a bunch of tourists. 

standing on Mars Hill!

"So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said:“Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription, ‘To the unknown god. ’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for

 “‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

as even some of your own poets have said,

“‘For we are indeed his offspring. ’

 Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” So Paul went out from their midst. But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them" Acts 17:22-34

walking through downtown Athens, we use the Parthenon as a point of reference so we don't get lost.

love from Pikermi,

Emily

a rambly rambling moment on a rainy day.

in 6 days, I will be on a plane to Chicago.

in 7 days and a few hours, I will be on a plane to Greece.

I may cry when we take off... and when we land. flying tends to make me emotional, what can I say? Bekah, if you're reading this, you have permission to laugh at me a little bit.

I haven't even officially started packing yet... I should get on that. though I did spend at least three hours in Target with my mom yesterday, so 95% percent of my shopping is doneso.

speaking of packing, I will be the first to admit that I am the worst procrastinator about it, but I make it happen because I'm actually super good at it.

this post is reminding me of my tumblr days, so I think a list is in order...

Things TUH DO before you leave to study abroad:

• acquire travel essentials-- go to my Grandparents' house to see what travel goodies they are letting me borrow, and get some euros, and my other grandparents' house to get the backpack my aunt and uncle are letting me borrow
• last minute Walmart trip 
• buy the perfect and quintessential travel journal and a glue stick 
• laundry
• figure out when the last time I see everyone will be... try not to miss saying bye to anyone... don't worry about it if that happens? yes. 
• make travel playlist! 
• pack essentials for the plane (hello, 17+ hours on a plane over two days) 
• PACK all the things 
• last hurrah with family and best buds- for me this comes in the form of a Saturday spent exploring in Vermont and a potential nostalgic trip to Water Country, yayuh. 
• blog, Facebook, instagram, and tell everyone about how excited I am 
• order pictures to take and decorate my walls
• finally finish last season of Amazing Race with dad and Ky? please.

this has been a rambling moment. cheers if you made it all the way through!