What we've been doing..

[At the beginning of March we partnered with two other ministries to do a Bible distribution on the campuses of the University of Florence. We passed out hundreds of Bibles to students - many of whom have never read the Bible for themselves.]

[On March 8 we celebrated Festa della Donna - a day set aside across Europe to honor women. In Italy this holiday has turned into a night of partying at clubs with male strippers. We had about 25 girls come into our home where we made a nice dinner served on real dishes, showed a video we had made of Italian men answering questions about the value of women, and had small group discussions about who we are as women.]

[At the end of March we had the first of what will be a monthly event called Kaleo. We (Agape) are partnering with our church, another church, and another Christian ministry in Florence to create an evening once a month for all of the believers in Florence to gather as well as bring non-christian friends.]

Those are just a few updates on what has been going on in Florence. Easter is just a week away and most students will be going home for the holiday. On Tuesday evening we will be showing the Jesus film at one of the campuses. Please pray for this event. Easter is one of the few times out of the year that students are more likely to be thinking about spiritual things. Pray that God would use this film to speak to their hearts and show them the truth of who He is.

living life

somewhere in my head i have always thought that as i got older, i would get better.
better in the sense that i would have things more together - be more organized, not procrastinate as much, use my time better, get more sleep, excersize more, sin less...
i am realizing that this is not true.
the more time that passes, the more i see what a mess i am.
i do not have it all together. not even close.
being in italy this year has put me in place where the band-aid that i have covered myself with so well for so long has finally been ripped off and my complete brokenness exposed.
it has been hard. it is hard. but at the same time it is so beautiful.
seeing what is probably just a glimps of how broken and messed up and not at all perfect i am has allowed me to really see and experience the beauty of Christ in my life. the message of his death on the cross for my salvation is so much more affecting when i see how desperately in need of his grace i am.
i am not perfect. and i don't have to be.
i am in need of God's grace every day.
as i realize that more, i love Him more.
as i love him more, i want to know him more.
as i know him more, he changes my heart and makes me more like him.
he is working on this mess that i am, and one day [in eternity] i will be made perfect as he is perfect.
but for now i will rejoice as my father is glorified through my brokenness.
his grace, mercy, and love showing through my cracks far outshines any tarnished image of perfection i could display.