2nd Semester so far...

I'm sorry I have neglected to update ya'll on the new semester so far! Well, in case you were wondering, I am once again in a four room as opposed to being in a 10 room. I have 3 amazing roommates. One's name is Janina and she's from Canada, but fluent in German. Another is Rachel and she's from California and she's really sweet! Then, there's Valya and she's from Russia! I absolutely love my room and we all get along so well. Since being back, I've been really busy. We've had a few social events like a video competition where we were given a genre for a movie and then a topic is has to be about and then we had an hour to film and edit it. It was a lot of fun. After, we were able to watch all the groups videos and that was a lot of fun. My group won for best movie and we got a free ice cream from the HoneyComb (snack bar where you buy snacks). We also had a bingo night where everyone dressed up like old people and we played bingo. We also had an open mic night where it's kind of like a talent show, but there are a lot of goofy acts as well. It's a lot of fun! It was cute, one of the guys on staff wrote a song for his 2 year old son and sang it to him. It was such a great night. Also, last weekend my sing team had outreach. Instead of leaving and going somewhere else, some Konfi kids came to visit us. My sing team was the only team from Bodenseehof that was working with them. Right before they came, one of the guys on our team, who's a big part of the team, said that he wasn't going to help much with outreach since his mom was here to visit him. That made me nervous, but also, two of the girls on my team were sick and I was the only other girl singer which put a lot of pressure on me. However, everything worked out okay and I know that God was in control through it all! I'm not sure why I got all nervous and worked up about the whole thing because God is always in control, no matter how stressed we might be, He will never be stressed and He will never be overwhelmed. That's such a comfort to me! Also, I felt a little discouraged because the whole week I didn't feel like I was connecting with the kids much or really being able to relate to them. However, before they left, I walked into the room to say goodbye and all these little boys came up and gave me hugs and shook my hand goodbye. They told me thank you and it was the sweetest thing ever! Yeah, I know some of them liked me, but the others that were softer spoken and more shy were thanking me and it really encouraged me to see. Also, the leaders of the group talked to the guy who was in charge of my sing team at school that they would talk to the kids at night and have a reflection time on the day and asked them what they liked most about it and a lot of them said that they enjoyed hanging out with the sing team and really enjoyed it when we sang. I really appreciated that and it really encouraged me. It made me realize that it doesn't matter how I feel, or what I do, it's all God and He will work through me for His glory. I think all in all it was a good weekend. It was weird having them at school while school was still in session and all my friends were doing other things, but it humbled me a lot and God really showed me who was most important and how important He is and how important His work is.

Coming up soon is something called "The Crossing." It's an event that a group of students organize and put together and then we invite people from the outreaches we went on, people we met on trains or around the area, family, friends, and other people to come. This time, I'm part of the group planning the event and it's been going pretty well so far. On Friday we'll be decorating and getting everything ready for that. Also, a couple of the guys from my sing team will be singing "Dive" by Stephen Curtis Chapman and I might have an opportunity to sing with them! I'm really excited and hope that it will work out. I will have a meeting later with the guys from my sing team and we'll find out if I will be able to do it or if they've found other people. If ya'll wouldn't mind praying for the kids who were here last weekend and also for the upcoming Crossing event, that would be great! I've invited a couple that I met on a train, a guy and his girlfriend who are friends of my relatives, and some friends of mine who are coming and bringing a guy who isn't a christian. If you wouldn't mind praying that things would run smoothly and that God would open up their hearts to hear His message and just that everything we do would be for God's glory. Also, that God would speak through us and speak to those who need Him. God works in amazing and mysterious ways. At the last crossing event, a few people became christians. God is definitely working through these and I just want everyone working this thing to have a servant's heart and to be willing to help out, be there for people, and if they're supposed to talk to someone, I just want them to be willing to talk to that person and be used by God to tell them the Gospel.

Coming up soon is another travel weekend. However, I think I'm just going to stay here at Bodenseehof. A lot of people are staying here as well. It will be a lot of fun and it's free!!! lol!

We've had some really good lecturers since being back. We had Heinz (a guy on staff), Peter (the principal), and now a guy from England named Derek Burnside. I've really enjoyed all their lectures and have really learned a lot. Right now we're learning about the Holy Spirit and it's taught by Derek Burnside. I really like the perspectives he brings to everything and his teaching style. I'm really getting a lot out of it and it's all really interesting!!

Also, if ya'll could just keep me in your prayers as well. I guess, just for time management stuff. I try to set aside some time for God everyday and then I have all this homework hanging over my head and then friends asking me if I want to hang out with them. I just need to find a time for everything. I'm not sure, but I think it could be a bad thing that homework at Bible school keeps you from spending time with God...? I am learning a lot from every assignment, so, I'm not sure. I should just spend less time with friends and more time with God and on homework...it's just really hard because I know I won't get to see them much after Bible school. Yeah, please just pray for me in that area.

Sorry it had been so long since I'd updated you last. I will try to be better about that!!! Thanks for reading and I hope ya'll are doing well. I miss you and love you sooo much!!

Love in Christ,
Jill<><