Mondays Can be More.

We've all heard of it. And felt it. 

"Monday blues."

When did it become normal to expect this day of the week to be dark and crabby and horrid? Why do we feel as though going back to work and school should be the pits?

Let's give "Monday blues" the boot! Mondays can be more. 

They can be an exciting start to a fresh week. Whether you are back to your desk, or class, or taking care of your home, this is a day that the LORD has made. Let's be glad in it!

Love this encouraging verse? Send notecards with this image at this link.

Need some ideas to push the rain clouds away? I've got a few below. Use hashtag #mondayscanbemore when you do one of these uplifting things, or if you think of something else. Share how your Monday is more with us!


#1 - Try out a new gym class.

I joined a gym near my home recently, because the weather is too cold and rainy to run outside very comfortably. Gym classes are fun because you just show up and follow along! Plus, on a cold winter day, they really get your blood pumping and will make you feel warmer for the rest of your Monday. 

#2 - Send a faraway friend a card to say "hi."

Sometimes it is really easy to forget to stay in contact with friends. And, let's be honest, everyone likes snail mail. So, choose today to be intentional. Send a cute card, or write a letter about how much you appreciate their friendship. Let them know how you've been, and show that you wish to stay in-touch. Don't know their address? Facebook, DM, or text them and ask! I do this all the time, no one ever thinks it's weird, they are just excited at the prospect of a handwritten note showing up in their mailbox. 

Don't have a faraway friend? Sign up to send a postcard to someone around the world at postcrossing.com. An added benefit is that for each card you send, you will receive one back! Yay for mail!
(Want to get a postcard from me? Check out this post and follow the instructions). 

#3 - Check out a new book from your local library.

Sometimes, it can become draining to just watch TV or scroll Instagram before bed. A good book can make your evening more relaxing, while expanding your mind and imagination. Pick up a new book, put it by your bed, and choose to read it a bit each night and finish it by the end of this month. If you aren't sure where to start, ask the first librarian you see. That's what they are there for. 
Share your favorite reads with #mondayscanbemore to give us ideas!

My favorites (click images to take a peek on Amazon). 


#4 - Take 30 minutes to soak up nature.

Walk outside or to a local park, and sit down with a piece of paper and a pen. Give yourself some minutes in silence. Then, completely fill the paper with observations of the sounds, smells, and feeling of the world around you. Every tiny detail. Use all the descriptive words you can think of to capture the moment. Many times, we forget to actually experience the world around us. Let this Monday be the day you start off the week seeing God's Creation with open eyes. 

#5 - Choose a day this week to meet a friend for coffee. 

Often, we wait for our friends to keep our relationships afloat. Be the one to be intentional today. Text and schedule a coffee date. Put it on your calendar, and look forward to that quality time together. 
Meeting at Starbucks? Check out how to drink vegan there. 

#6 - Memorize a verse of encouragement. 

This past week I read Psalm 34 with a friend. It is chock-full of verses confirming that GOD is there for us in all our times of need as well as times of plenty. Finding a verse to use as you praise GOD and give HIM glory this week will not only bring you closer to HIM, but will also give you HIS eyes on the situations and challenges you face this week. 

Use #mondayscanbemore to encourage your friends and family to turn around the bad rap of Mondays and instead let them be more. Share in the comments below, or on Instagram (@faithful_nomad) what you are choosing today.

"How we spend our days is how we spend our lives."

We Welcome Them With Love

You've heard of the refugee crisis. It may seem very far away. It may be something that you notice every day, as you see new people join your community.

Watch this video to see what being a refugee might be like.

Providing refuge and love to others is definitely something that God has a lot to say about.

Isaiah 1:17 - Learn to do good. Seek justice.
                      Help the oppressed. Defend the cause of orphans.
                      Fight for the rights of widows.

Psalm 34:14 - Turn away from evil and do good.
                          Search for peace, and work to maintain it.

Hosea 6:6 - I don't want your sacrifices - I want your love.
                     I don't want your offerings - I want you to know me.

As we end a crucial week in American history, you are needed. You need to stand up for love. You need to stand up to help the oppressed. You need to stand up to maintain peace. 

Here's a message from World Relief. They are an organization who works to welcome refugees into our country. Please take 1 or all 3 steps to let our elected officials know what God has to say about refugees, and how we wish to welcome them with love.

Greetings, Your voice is needed now more than ever. President Trump is planning to issue an executive order that would suspend the refugee resettlement program for 120 days, halve our current commitment to refugee arrivals, and ban Syrian refugee arrivals for an indefinite period of time (with potentially other nationalities on the line). We need an outpouring of signatures, calls, and emails to your elected officials to say that this is not OK. Would you do the following 3 things? 1. Sign a petition Sign and share this petition expressing solidarity with refugees.

2. Contact elected officials Email your elected officials here and call your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives by dialing 1-866-940-2439. Once connected, you can share: Your name, city, and state Your support for the U.S. Refugee Resettlement Program One or two reasons why you personally believe in welcoming refugees Another great way to make your voice heard is by commenting on White House Facebook posts or submitting a message at whitehouse.gov/contact.

3. Use social media Tweet this message to @realDonaldTrump, @WhiteHouse, and your Senators/Representatives: "[Insert @TwitterHandle], my community stands w/ ALL refugees! The US should continue to resettle #refugees! #WeWelcomeRefugees" Have you had the experience of getting to know refugees who are being resettled into your community? Please comment below and let us know!  One of my stories:  I had the opportunity 2 years ago to go visit a refugee family in their home. I had gotten to know them through a program I was volunteering at. They lived in an attic apartment, and the stairs were hard to climb. Once we arrived, they welcomed us with open arms and lots of cheek-kissing. They brought us in, and we sat on their floor with them. Even though I knew that they were struggling to provide for their large family, they made a delicious meal for us and shared everything they had with us. My heart overflowed during that meal; I had gone into the situation feeling like I was giving and helping them. They ended up blessing me more than I could ever bless them. Their hospitality and love, generosity and selflessness overwhelmed me. They showed me love. I will never forget it.

2017. You Will Be Hopeful.

Hope.

John 16:33 ~ "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I (Jesus) have overcome the world."

2017 started out with both joy and grief. 

Grief. As the new year dawned in Istanbul and I got dressed for a New Year's party in the States, I got news of the shooting in Turkey that took 39 lives. 

Joy. That evening, I celebrated the turning of 2016 to 2017 with my family and close friends. We danced. We ate. We were joyful.

At New Year's, I love the freshness of starting over and looking forward to doing things that are new. Of re-focusing on what is really important to me, and setting my sights on God as the focal point of my life.

I started last year with choosing a word for my year. Last year, my word was joy. 

This year, I am focusing on hope. 

In this world where we are faced with both times of intense grief and times of extreme joy, it is important to remember where our hope lies. It doesn't lie in our money or material possessions. It doesn't lie in our security. It lies in Christ. 

"But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; HIS mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is YOUR faithfulness."  Lamentations 3:21-23 (ESV)

I want to focus on spreading this hope in 2017. Hope of love from GOD. Hope for a future with HIM. 

As I organize and record my life this year, I am using some tools to help me. In the past, I have shared about how much I love K&CompanySmash Folio for recording my adventures, both big and everyday. This year, I am adding a new tool: a Passion Planner .  I am very excited to use my planner to be intentional about living out my focus points/goals, and my Smashbook to record all the amazing things GOD writes into my story. 

What are you focusing on this year?

2016. You Were Joyful.

I'm sitting in a Starbucks in Istanbul on this cold day, just a few days before Christmas and under 48 hours from when I get to hug my family tight.

I've been sipping on my Earl Grey tea in a quintessential Red Cup (I actually had to look quintessential up in a dictionary to make sure I was using it right. Score!). I've been reading An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, and trying to stay quiet while I laughed and tears streamed down my face. I've never read a tale about hog hunting that made me tickled quite that much before.

It's nice to have a relaxing day to read and think. And I've been thinking about 2016.

At the start of the year, I made a little 'brochure'-style leaflet for myself. I wrote in it many of the hopes and dreams that I had for this year, and things that I felt that I wanted to accomplish. I made places to record my favorite memories. And I chose my word for this year.

Joy. 

Although I hadn't experienced personally many hardships leading up to January 2016, I had a lot of friends who had. I had met a lot of people who had been forced to flee their homes in Syria, and I knew that life was more about surviving and healing for them than it was about being "happy." Because, sometimes "happy" just isn't possible.

And sometimes, that is okay,

I've found myself in the past always searching for ways to be happy, and trying to plan my life accordingly. Because, let's be honest, my life has been very privileged. I haven't lived among a world crisis, I haven't faced starvation and poverty, and the only thing that has really kept me up at night before has been studying for exams at a university that many people would love to be able to attend.

In all of this privilege, I put "happy" up on a pedestal in my life, something to strive for. "Do what makes you happy," so many people say.

But then I realized that many people in the world don't and will never have that option. They may have tiny moments of happiness, but most of life is going to be filled with grief and fighting to exist. Is that truly life? I can't say to them, "Do what makes you happy." That isn't possible. That isn't a choice for them. Then why is it something I am told to strive for in our privileged society? Why is that the epicenter of existence?

So, at the beginning of 2016, I chose instead to focus on having joy. Because in my reading of the Bible, I found that God didn't tell me that HE was going to give me happiness. Instead, God tells me that HE will give me joy. And that is much greater.

Joy is having a heart full of love, no matter what is going on around you. It isn't circumstantial. It is a state of existing in the Truth. In trusting that the God Who holds the world in HIS hands is also holding you in HIS hands, and HE's not about to let go. That the One Who matters the most loves you with a love that can never be quantified.

Joy is something that anyone can have. It doesn't matter if you don't have access to wealth, education, and extra things like Starbucks and going to Disneyland or traveling the world. Happiness can be bought. Joy can't.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while."  1 Peter 1:6

I wrote this verse in my little leaflet, and stuck this reminder of my dreams for 2016 into my planner. I've been looking over it the past few days, checking off the boxes that I did accomplish, and writing down memories for how I did them.

2016 did contain a lot of happy moments. Like walking across the Tower Bridge in London with my family on a chilly June morning. And singing Robert Burns poems together with friends at a late-night party. And playing board games with my roommates after dinner.

But it also contained a lot of sad moments. Like when one of my very close friends, a woman who has been like a grandmother to my family, died this past August. Like when I stood by her hospital bed on the same day that I was flying back to Istanbul, watching her experience pain and knowing that I wasn't going to see her again in this world. And the moments when I experienced conflict with friends, and had to live in that sorrow until we experienced reconciliation through Jesus' grace. Or when I grieved with both my home nation and my resident nation as tragedy and horrors occurred to innocents in our land.

I was reminded that I won't always be happy. And in these moments of experiencing death and strife and tragedy, it wouldn't be right to be happy. Instead, I was reminded that in all of these moments, I do have joy. Joy in Christ. Joy that HE is working in all and through all. Joy that HE loves me more than I will ever know. Joy that HE walks with me through the happy moments and through the dark valleys.

May 2017 be filled with true joy for you. Here's to living in truth and love together.

- Your Faithful Nomad

I did it.

I actually did it.

I've been saying for a long time, "Oh, I wish I could be vegan, but...cheese is so good...yogurt goes well with everything...but I love scrambled eggs..."

Sure, I've been vegetarian for over a year now, and that's something that I also said I never thought I could completely do. Pretty much because of bacon.

God seems to have a way of showing me that I can do what I say I can't. 

I read this book called Green Illusions: The Dirty Secrets of Clean Energy and the Future of Environmentalism (Our Sustainable Future) in June 2015 that started my life as a vegetarian. I had never read before that animal agriculture (the raising of animals to eat and to use their products) produces MORE greenhouse gases than the ENTIRE transportation industry.

That's trains, buses, cars, segways, airplanes...combined. Globally.


Click image to check it out!

Green Illusions encouraged eating no or less meat to better the environment.

So I decided to put my mouth where my words were. I'm very passionate about being a good steward of God's beautiful creation. So, I stopped eating meat that day.

And yes, I've had some cheat days, and days where I went to people's houses and they cooked meat without knowing I was a vegetarian, so I ate it. I'm not that legalistic. And I know it tastes good, don't get me wrong.

But with my knowledge now of what it does to the environment, I'm choosing God's creation over my appetite. And...it tastes good.

Fast-forward to November 2016. I decided to watch a documentary instead of a film one Sunday, and turned on Cowspiracy (available on Netflix). That did it. No going back.

I hadn't realized that all dairy cows, and all dairy cow's babies, turn into hamburger. No exceptions.

And that the raising of cows accounts for 1 soccer field-worth of the rainforest being cut down. EVERY SECOND.

That blows my mind. That is 1 whole soccer field-worth of the most diverse organisms that God has created being killed every second. How can I stand by and say that that doesn't matter to me? As a believer in the Bible and what it says about our role as stewards of the Earth, I can't stand by.

"You can't be an environmentalist and eat animal products. Period."

That's what one guy said on Cowspiracy. And it hit me hard.

That did it. I started researching ways to eat vegan. I started sharing with my friends so they would understand my food choices. I started reading labels. Man, the dairy industry has tip-toed their way into absolutely every part of our lives. You don't realize it until you go vegan. So, I started buying plant-based milk (thank you, Alpro, for providing almond, rice, coconut, hazelnut, oat, and soy milk to Turkey!).

@faithful_nomad

I started looking up vegan recipes, and figuring out ways to change some of my favorites to vegan-friendly. And, I've learned that eating vegan is actually really tasty. It's also better for my body, according to another documentary, Forks over Knives (also available on Netflix).


Click image to watch on Amazon.

Yes, it can be hard sometimes. Living in a world that is so consumed by animal agriculture can feel very stifling. It makes me realize how little these companies care about our health, and how much they care about their wallet. But, it is do-able.

I'm going to be posting a series of blog posts with my favorite recipes that I have found.

Vegan Eats {Breakfast} 
Vegan Drinks {Starbucks}
Make Your Veggie Broth, and Eat it Too
The Best Vegan Cookies EVAH!

I'm a really simple cook, I don't like complicated at all. So these recipes I have found are bare-minimum, easy peasy. I hope that you will try them, vegan you or non-vegan you. And that you will realize that by choosing to eat without animal products, you are indeed caring for the Earth and everyone that lives on it.

Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies. @faithful_nomad

Cheers.

- K

Seeking to Know HIM

Sometimes, I feel as though I have been in a relationship with GOD for so long, that I couldn't possibly learn something brand-new about HIM.

Wrong.

Very, very wrong.

GOD has used this book to open up my eyes about something very deep in our relationship that needs to change.

                                               
                                                  Read on Kindle:

                   


Here's the thing:

I need to be seeking GOD with the goal of getting to know HIM more. Period. 

So many of my prayers in the recent past have started like this:

Dear God, Please open up your Word to me today. Show me how it applies to me. Tell me what I should do in order to glorify YOU with my life. 

Do you notice how many "me"s there are in that prayer? Before, I thought that I was totally on the right track. I want to glorify God with my life, right?

The problem: I've been wanting to read my Bible and learn more about God in order to know what to do in my life.

What I should be doing: Delving deep into learning more about GOD and HIS character simply to know HIM more. That is the greatest thing I can ever do in life: Get to know my GOD better. Spend time with HIM, over coffee or while lying awake at night, while talking to friends or listening to a sermon.

HE created the world. HE created me. HE has created more then I will ever know actually exists.

WHO is HE? I want to know. And HE is so huge, so complex, so amazing, that even if I spend every minute of every day learning about HIM, I will still not know HIM completely.

And that is exciting.

A side-effect of getting to know GOD more is that I will learn more about who I am. I will start to see why HE created me. How much HE loves me. And that is beautiful.

Have you read this book by Grace Thornton? Let me know what you think and how it has impacted your life. I have read her blog for years and have been so excited to see her share about what GOD has taught her with us through her writing.

He is all that matters.

Today, I donned my coat and sneakers and threw my journal into my bag. I stuffed my hands deep into my pockets and left my apartment, trekking up and down crowded streets, past bus stops, over rocky sidewalks. All the way to a secluded hill-top park bench. I could see the hazy skyline as the sun set, and the air was crisp, cold, and as fresh as it can get in such a busy city.  I needed space to clear my thoughts. I needed time to talk to my Maker. I needed to breath.

I do not have it all together. I like to appear as though I do, but I definitely don't. I myself am a mess. I'm falling apart. There are days that I feel under so much pressure. There are days when I feel as though I'm accomplishing nothing. Days when I wish I could see my purpose drawn with a permanent marker on the plans for my life. There are days when it's all I can do to keep from crying in public. I cried out to God today, I don't even know what I need. I don't even know what I want. There are days when I just wish that life wasn't such a struggle.

I can't hold myself together. I've tried. It doesn't work. But, you see, I'm not a hopeless case. None of us are. Because we aren't made to hold our lives together. We are made to entrust them to someone else. Someone Else.

He is holding me together. I don't know what I would do without Him. Him, being my God, my Jesus, my Savior. You see, even when I know that I'm a mess, that I don't know what's going on, that I feel out of control, HE is in control. There is a purpose for my life written by His hand in permanent marker, and I trust that even though it's not my place to see it, HE does. Some days it's hard to hand it over. To not worry. To trust. But He tells me that I can trust Him. He says that my life is in His hands. He says that my purpose is grounded in bringing Him glory and loving Him. He says that I wasn't made to hold my life together; He made me to be dependent on Him.


Corrie Ten Boom said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God."

It's hard. Because, hello, this sure isn't heaven that we are living in. And until then, life is a struggle, because we live in a world where satan is telling us lies about life and is successfully deceiving so many people. But I hold this truth so close to my heart:

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow - not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love."    Romans 8:38

Nothing. No matter how I feel, no matter what I do, He's never going to leave me. He's never going to stop loving me. He knows my thoughts. I mean, He knows me better than I know myself, because He literally made me and shaped me. It's not like I'm going to have a bad day, and He's going to walk out on me. That would be impossible. I am convinced. I don't need to have it all together, because He does and that's all that matters. I don't need to know my future, because He does and that's all that matters. Nothing can separate us from God's love. He is all that matters.

IDK

This week I joined the YMCA. I went to my first Sandgnats game, along with other college students from the local church I'm attending. I read my book from the public library (currently The Age of Innocence, if anyone is wondering). Overall, I'm hitting that stage that I have in each of my nomadic wanderings where I start to feel like I'm living somewhere. It's like finally being able to hit cruise control on a long car ride. Like that moment on the beach when you're all set up and can finally sit back and close your eyes.

Well, sort of. 

Because, I'm only human. And I'm already trying to figure out the next stop on my journey. I like to have a plan. I really like to have a plan. I thought I had my fall months planned out. I kept reassuring myself with the fact that, until January, I know what I'm doing. But God just smiled down at me, as I know He does when I start to think that I've got a plan. And He told me that my plan was not His plan. So, when people ask me what I'm doing after this internship, my answer is, "I don't know." But He knows. And I keep having to remind myself that that is all that really matters. 

If you wouldn't mind praying for me, this is more of a struggle than it seems. I have a lot of options that I could pursue for this fall, and a lot of them would be glorifying to God, but I just don't know which one is the one I should do! I've made lists. I've thrown away my lists. I've started over on my lists. And I've prayed. A lot. This is bigger than this autumn. I know how small moments, small decisions, can make big changes in a person's life. 

For example, one day in fall 2012, I sat in the lobby of my apartment building. I was waiting for the shuttle to truck me over to campus, and another girl was sitting on another couch across from me. She caught my eye, and I smiled. And then I remembered my mantra for that fall (Meet people!) and I started talking with her. That girl was Pelin. Because of us meeting that day, we started talking when we would see each other on the bus. And then, when she needed to move to another apartment a few weeks later, she asked me if she could move into the suite I was in. Because of that meeting, Pelin and I are now as close as sisters. Literally. Because of that meeting, I moved to Turkey for 4 months. Because of that meeting, my life has been forever changed. This is why I am sometimes really peculiar about making decisions. Because I know that the tiniest one, something that may seem really insignificant to me, could change the direction of my path. What if I hadn't spoken with Pelin that day? What if I had smiled and just minded my own business? 

So when you ask me what my plans are, expect to get a good measure of shoulder-shrugging. And a smile :) Because even though I don't know what's coming my way, I'm sure He's got something pretty amazing in the works.

A Time for Everything

Last week I was at a memorial service for a dear friend. Her brother-in-law read from the book of Ecclesiastes. It's one of my favorite books of the Bible, although before this time I would have had a hard time explaining to you why. "There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the sun: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot,..., a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,..." (Ecclesiastes 3). As I was reading my study Bible this morning about the book of Ecclesiastes, it noted that this book of the Bible reads like a personal journal. And I realized that this may be why I like it so much. It reflects what I feel in my own life. I go through times where I can see God's plan so clearly. Other times, the daily tasks seem monotonous, and I'm left asking God what the point of all this is. Is life meaningless?  My study Bible puts it so well:

"According to the Teacher [author of the book of Ecclesiastes], life doesn't make sense outside of God; it will, in fact, never fully make sense to us because we are not God. But God has also "set eternity in the human heart" (Ecc 3:11). We feel longings for something more; pleasures that will last forever, love that won't sour, fulfillment in our work."

When I think about how I would be surviving this part of my life if I didn't have God, the picture of a drowned rat comes to mind. I don't think I'd make it, at least with any ounce of sanity left. I've lost many close friends and family over the last few months. Saying it has been hard is an extreme understatement. How do you do normal life again when this world is missing vital parts of it? This is where I find comfort in these verses. Life isn't always going to make sense. It will never fully make sense. But I know the Truth that runs this world, and as long as I keep HIM as my focus, it will all be okay. Although happiness can be hard to grasp, joy is plentiful through Christ. I know that HE died for me and felt more pain than I can ever imagine. And I know that HE overcame death because HE is more powerful than death. And I know that HIS kingdom is where I long to be. That is what gives life sense. It's all about HIM, and for HIS glory. 

If you've been wondering about life, get a Bible and sit down to read it. I've heard John is the best place to start, but anywhere will do. Just read it. I pray God shows you the Truth through it and that the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart. If you want to talk about it, let me know. If you would like to comment below with questions that you have had, or things that you have found in the Bible that you would like to share, please do. Everyone wonders about life, its meaning, why we are here. It is your job to make sure that you search for the truth. Your life depends on it.

It's a Good Morning!

The Bible

Psalm 139:3
"YOU see me when I travel and when I rest at home. YOU know everything I do."

Psalm 139: 9-10
"If I ride the wings of the morning, if I dwell by the farthest oceans, even there YOUR hand will guide me, and YOUR strength will support me."

GOD is faithful. It is such a comfort and encouragement to read verses like these while I am far from home. I don't just know that HE is near me from reading the Bible, though. Through taking care of me, providing for me, blessing me with an abundance of friends and people who love me here, HE continually shows me day by day that HE is right by my side every step of the way. GOD is awesome, guys! I hope these verses are an encouragement to you too. No matter where you are or what you are going through, GOD is right there by your side. Here's another one:

Lamentations 3:23
"Great is HIS faithfulness; HIS mercies begin afresh every morning."

Now, the fact that this verse comes up in a book of the Bible called Lamentations is amazing to me. The whole book of Lamentations is about the Israelites lamenting that they are being punished, and yet a whole section of chapter 3 is all about how they know that GOD is still faithful too them. GOD's promises never fail, and we know that HE is faithful to us too, in every situation whether joyful or grief-filled. I love that part of the verse where it says that HIS mercies are new each morning. Isn't that great to know that when you wake up in the morning, HE is right there to get you started on a fresh new day? In the Bible study I am doing from Beth Moore, she made a point a few weeks ago that stuck with me: The Israelites were given manna (bread from heaven) each morning, but they had to go out and gather it right away or it would disappear when the sun rose. In this same way, we are given mercy from GOD each morning, but we must go out and gather it up. We must take hold of the mercy HE gives us instead of trying to make it on our own. I have to remind myself this, and I even wrote in my Bible next to Lamentations 3:23: I must gather what GOD provides; it is partially my responsibility. Don't lay in self-pity! Gather HIS mercy!

If you are waking up right now to start your new day, this is for you! GOD bless your new, mercy-filled day :)

Starting New Things

I'm in the middle of finishing a lab report that is taking me SOOO long to finish, but I think I will take a few moments to give you an update on the new things I have started doing in Turkey. Two weeks ago, I was blessed to find out from a friend about a Beth Moore Bible study going on in her home. I went to the study, and I seriously almost started tearing up whenever they prayed in English...I hadn't prayed with someone else in my language in over 6 weeks (my church is in Turkish). It's an understatement to say that this Bible study has been an amazing gift from God. The study, A Women's Heart, is about the tabernacle and how God wants to meet with us. By reading how He sought out a relationship with the Israelites, how He brought them out of Egypt after 400 years of slavery, how He used Moses's life, I have had so many things hit home with my own personal life. I am amazed that the Creator of the Universe wants to meet with each of us, His creation, that He wants to speak with us, that He wants to show us His glory. It is awesome! Through the women leading the Bible study, I have also made more friends with Christians in my area, and it is really great to get to know them and hang out.

I also found out from another friend that there are beginner Turkish folk dance classes at our school that meet for 6 hours of practice a week. It is so much fun! We are all pinky friends now (most dances involve standing in lines or circles with your pinkies linked with the people on either side of you). I have made even more friends, and Turkish folk dances are really cool. My favorite part of practice is at the end when the whole group (30-40 students + 3 teachers) dances a fast routine together and we are all bouncing, pinkies linked, shoes clicking on the wooden floor and smiles all around. Dancing is so good for my soul :) The classes are mostly in Turkish, so I am getting really good at counting and knowing my lefts and rights in Turkish, as well as picking up some other words and phrases from the other Turkish students.

Well, got to get back to that lab report. I've got Imagine Dragons playing, and I am going to try and finish this report before the album repeats itself. Have a great weekend, everyone!

Growing Roots and Sprouting Wings

^This has been on my mind a lot this week. Roots. Wings. Roots to me means living somewhere where one of the first questions people ask me is not "So, how long are you here for?" or "When do you fly back home?". Roots is making friends that I don't have to worry about missing in a few months. Roots is getting to actually decorate my room. Roots is looking out the window and knowing that I will be able to enjoy this view indefinitely. I have not grown roots. I'm not really sure how to start. Because to grow roots, you have to pick a spot. And picking a place is that much harder when you aren't sure where God is leading you.

But that isn't to say that I don't have the wings part down pretty solid. I know how to find an adventure if I want one. I know how to make friends on a moment's notice. I can find temporary housing, and pack my life into my blue rolling duffle bag (although it still scares me to see my life wrapped up in one large tote).  I know how to look at the view and think, "I'm going to think back on this moment and remember it for the rest of my life." I know that making more friends and having more experiences makes life that much richer, but it also gives you more to miss later on.

This week I met an amazing group of Istanbullus, ex-pats and Turkish natives who love Christ with all of their hearts. They were so loving and opened up their homes to me this week as we had Bible study together and spent time building our friendships. God has really been speaking to me through the story of Moses, which we discussed this week and which I have been studying on my own in our Beth Moore Bible study guide A Women's Heart. Moses had an amazing childhood, I'm sure, as he was raised as a prince of Egypt. He had all the splendor, had all the wealth, had all the comforts, and had a loving family. But God led him into the desert, which was a far cry from the comforts of Pharoah's palace, and used him to rescue the Israelites from the country he had called home. An action, an event, that changed history forever. Moses had roots, but God called him to have wings. God called him to live a life that wasn't comfortable, but that was full of love and purpose. God used Moses.

I want God to use me too. But I don't know if that means growing roots or keeping my wings. Because I have seen this past week how amazing it is for Christians to join together in a permanent community and grow roots in their city. Where they can go through life together and not have to worry about planning good-bye parties every few weeks or months. Where they can reach those around them and really build every-day relationships that will last a lifetime. 

I would really appreciate your prayers as I make plans and try to make sure I am following God's will for my life. I am trying to graduate this spring, but right now that is up in the air because of my courses I have left for my degree. And I need to figure out what I will do after graduating so I can start applying to the right things (roots or wings part). Thanks! 

Miss all of you in the States and hope you are having a wonderful autumn...appreciate the red leaves and fall-decorating for me :) Friends in Turkey - thanks for reading :)

Your faithful nomad, 

Kaelin

Inspiration. Motivation. Discipline.

Here is my wish for your day and your life, written beautifully by the author of todaywasmeaningful.wordpress.com.

`and while you are here, on this earth, i hope you make someone smile.  i hope you forgive someone when it’s the hardest thing to do, and i hope you say you are sorry when you’re wrong.  and with the time you are given, i hope you find the things that you love and spend it with people that help you to become a better person.  i hope you say ‘i love you’ every chance you get, and i hope you wear that expensive perfume you’ve been saving up.  and in the amount of hours.minutes.seconds. you have, i hope you take risks, go on adventures, and eat good food. i hope you laugh until you cry and dance even if you don’t know how to.  i hope you help when you can and that you replace quick judgments with attempts to understand. and with your time, i hope you find yourself trying new things and growing in whatever way that you can. i hope you change someone’s life and find the one thing you are really good at.´

I pray that each of your days is filled with knowing how much God loves you. That you will fully understand His Truth, His Strength, and His plan for your life. I hope you are able to spend each day sharing the joy that fills you with those around you, and that you will be a shining light to all the world. I wish for you a life that is filled with meaningful days, and that you will seize every opportunity, and not just that, but that you will create opportunities to help others and bless their lives. That your life won´t just be about you. That it will be about all of God´s creation, all of His children, all to His glory. 



This next month is a month of Thanksgiving. Since I am in a country that does not put such seasonal significance on helping others, giving thanks, and sharing what we have been blessed with, I am reminded that this must not just be an activity that we focus on for 2 months out of the year. People need to be shown God´s love 365 days of the year. As you go about your day, keep your eyes open for ways to help everyone; they are each someone that God created with love and purpose. Stop and give your boxed lunch to the homeless guy on the street. Smile at the janitor; ask him how he is doing...be genuinely interested in his life. Hold the door open for the person behind you. Say good morning (or gunaydın) to your neighbors. Strive to be a friend who is always opening your home to others. Share what you have with others. I don´t just say this to motivate you; I say this to myself as well. Many days I fail to take opportunities to make that day meaningful for someone else. I don´t want a single day to go by that I do not take full advantage to love everyone around me. 

In this day and age, we have so many open ways to help people around the world, people we will probably never meet but who can greatly benefit from us sharing our blessings. Keep your eyes open for these opportunities; you may forever change someone´s life forever. You may just be the action that is needed to show them that someone out there cares for them. 

www.gfa.org
www.samaritanspurse.org
www.asourown.org
Scarf project (not too late to sign up!) - http://stayathomedaughter.com/ktil/
libertyinnorthkorea.org

Have a great weekend and make today meaningful!

Reading in Hebrews...

This morning during my quiet time, I have been reading in Hebrews. You know how Chapter 11 is so many times referred to as the Hall of Faith chapter? Well, I was reading it this morning and realized that we as Christians are included in this Hall of Faith as well. Here it is in verse 3:

"By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God's command, that what we see did not come from anything that can be seen."

Now, this verse smacked me in the face because it is about a very important topic for all of us, especially those of us in the science world. The Origin of Life has been debated for so long, and this debate has even seeped into the Christian way of thinking. I have met several Christians who said that they believed God could do anything, that they had complete faith in HIM, that HE did raise Jesus from the dead, that HE promises us eternal life in heaven...and yet, if you asked them about how the world was created, they were still undecided. The scientific facts and theories were still clouding their minds as they tried to believe GOD and prove the origin of life by evolution at the same time. They don't have the faith that is specified in this verse. Now, for me, if GOD decided that faith in HIS creation of the world was so important that HE would inspire Paul to credit us with that faith in the letter to the Hebrews, then I think we should take note. Believing GOD can do anything really means believing GOD can do anything. Even create the entire universe in 6 days from nothing.

Reading my Bible in English this morning, with my new Turkish New Testament by my side. So glad to have found a Chritian congregation in Istanbul who welcomed me in with open arms. Will be practicing my Turkish with a new fervor as I hope to be able to participate more in these Turkish services in the future weeks. 

Then, as I read on in Chapter 11, I found a reference to us being nomads in verses 13-16! So, I just had to share it.

After discussing people who lived by faith... "All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them."

So, we are all faithful nomads together, eagerly awaiting the perfect heavenly homeland that God has created for us!

Well, that's your daily dose of The Faithful Nomad. If you didn't read the post from Saturday, or if you read it and now want to join the challenge to save a person's life, click here. It is never too late to use the blessings God has given you to bless someone else's life. 

Also, if you have an Instagram account, go follow @faithful_nomad and @k_rover_explores_the_world. I have been posting a ton of photos on Instagram as I go about my daily activities in Istanbul, and they will help you get an even better idea of what life is like here. 

Have a great day, or as they say in Turkey, iyi günler!

Bursting the First-World Bubble

You are probably reading this blog post from the comfort of your living room couch, office, bedroom, college lounge...there's most likely a drink or snack resting at your elbow, just in case you get the munchies...the worst part of your day  was probably the traffic on your commute, causing you to have to sit in the comfortable recesses of your enclosed automobile for a little while longer, listening to NPR or your favorite podcast...or, it could have been that your favorite lunch place was out of your regular lunch choice...

Don't worry, I'm not trying to pick on you. I'm describing myself, and in doing so I end up portraying a lot of you too. Because we are all a part of it. We all have been trapped in it at some point or another, and many of you are still trapped in it. Like an epidemic that encompasses entire countries, the symptoms are pleasant and most don't even know that they are infected. It is the First-World Bubble. Ok, don't act surprised. You already know all about it. But when you live in the First-World Bubble, it is a given that you don't like talking about it, except for the occasional joke of 'first-world problems, haha'. But even then, you don't want to think about it. Because the Bubble is so nice, so comfortable, so warm, so easy...

Over the past few weeks, the Bubble has started to burst for me. And it hasn't  been a pleasant experience. But it's been necessary, because I don't want to live in the Kaelin Show any longer...I want to live in reality, the land of knowing and seeing, experiencing and believing. The bursting of the Bubble has probably had a lot to do with the fact that I walk by homeless people every day, no matter where I go. That I wonder to myself why they are there on the curb, and I'm walking back to a home with everything I need. And the fact that I went to the Holocaust Museum recently and was reminded that people are being murdered each day in the Sudan and North Korea, at the same time that I am walking around enjoying my ultra-comfortable life. And, most importantly, because I have come to the realization that I have always said I believe that everyone is equal, but I don't think I have really understood what it means to believe that until now. It means that the person on the curb has the same right to the happiness that I am enjoying. We are both the same, but I have been given the responsibility of blessings that I must share, not hog for myself. Because we are all family in God's eyes.

It used to be able to walk into a Starbuck's and order whatever I wanted, just because I knew that the drink would add some joy to my day and that's all that mattered. Now, I have this crazy conversation in my head every time I attempt to take part in one of the comforts of the First-World:

Oh, I'd really like a mocha frappuccino, that would nice...it's $4.59 for a tall...that could buy over 900 Gospel Tracts for missionaries to use in Asia...or a few bottles of water for the homeless guy outside on the curb in this crazy heat...or probably feed a starving child for a whole day...

And this happens everywhere, not just Starbuck's, and about everything I do, every bus ride I take, every meal I buy, every pair of shoes that I contemplate purchasing...it just won't stop. When I've tried to express this battle inside myself, the battle between what I know to be true and the world that I live in, I've been told to just try and 'give it up.' But I can't. It's just too real. And the First-World is just too artificial, all plastic and advertisements, make-up and cover-up, short-term joys and long-term heartache.

I once heard someone relate an illustration he had read in a book. If you were walking along in your best dress or suit ( you know the one that cost quite a few days' pay) and you saw a child fall into a body of water and nobody else was there to save them, would you jump in, clothes and all, to save them, even if you knew it would completely ruin that suit or dress? You would hope that you would, right? This situation is happening each day, except that child is just not right beside you. There are millions of them, each dying of common circumstances that could have been halted by us, if only we cared to jump in with the dress on.This hit me hard. What was I doing? Was I going to jump? Was I going to walk on by, enjoying the swish of the dress around my ankles? Would I block out their screams or would I run to their aid?

I'm still struggling with bursting the Bubble, but I think I can see the light. I still don't know when it is okay to treat myself to something, or when I should be writing checks to overseas missions instead of signing bills at restaurants. But I do know one thing. God said to build up our treasures in heaven, not here on earth where they will be destroyed. I want to be a good investor with what God has given me. It's just going to take some time, but I will get there in the end. I always did enjoy bursting bubbles.

The Eve of a New Day...

As I just turned on my computer, the clock showed that it was 12:00AM, 6/8/2013. The eve of a new day. I'm sitting on a window seat in our kitchen and I just finished making a cup of tea. It's Yogi Bedtime tea, and my tag has one of my favorite sayings: "Travel Light. Live Light. Spread the Light. Be the Light." I'm really tired, but it's one of those times when I really don't want to get ready for bed. I just want to keep talking, keep walking, keep living moments...Four of my house-mates and I just got back from a walk around Capitol Hill. Yes, and it's midnight. We left the house at 11PM, after watching Pitch Perfect and getting stir-crazy. And we kept breaking out in song on our DC walk. My life feels so surreal. I know I keep rambling on (pun totally intended), but a stream of consciousness blog post will keep it interesting, right? Well, no matter, that's what you're getting. I guess I should say something really stunning right about now, just to reward you for reading this far. Got nothing, though...remember, I'm really tired! I could go on and tell you the details of my day, but that wouldn't be that interesting to you. I'd much rather just share my thoughts. You  know why I named this blog The Faithful Nomad? Because I realized a few months ago that I am just that: a nomad. I will be living in 4 different homes this year. I lived at WestMar until May, then I moved home for 2 weeks. Then, I moved to DC. In August, I will move back home. Then, in September I'll be moving to Istanbul for 4 months. It's so hard to know that you want to put down roots, but that you will just have to pull those roots up again in a few months. I try not to think about it, but moving out of my apartment at WestMar really showed me how hard it is going to be. I laid in bed my last night there and realized that I was going to go through that same process, that same pain of leaving my roommates, and the heart-wrenching drive away from the place I had called home, another 3 times in the next year. It wasn't a pleasant thought. Then, I had to remind myself that God wanted me to do this. Nomad life will just be a season. At least, that's what I'm thinking, but God may add more adventure into the mix like last time, I really don't know. I really shouldn't plan too far out...God's definitely shown me that it's a waste of time. I just have to go and live each day with no regrets. Live life like He wants me to. It's the best way, that's for sure.
Well, I'll stop now. I'm pretty sure you're at the end of wanting to read my thoughts. Because that's what this is, really. You getting a peek into my life. Crazy how we do that voluntarily. Open up, and wait for others to look inside. Because we all just want to be understood in the end. That's all.