Today officially marks one month of living in Greece! It’s hard to believe that I’ve already been here for a month. The weeks are starting to blend together, and I can’t always remember exactly which day certain things happened. Still, I’ve learned and grown so much during my time here, and I know I will forever be grateful to God for this season in Greece, even through the struggles and moments when I haven’t fully understood what He is doing.

Last Saturday night, as I was getting ready for bed, I decided that I wanted to approach the upcoming week differently. For the rest of my time in Greece, and really for the remainder of the Race, I want to focus on praising God, thanking Him continually, and glorifying Him in everything I do.

I knew this would be a challenge. As humans, it’s so easy to become focused on ourselves, our circumstances, and the things that aren't going the way we want them to. We can quickly lose sight of the Lord and forget all that He has done for us. I wanted to be more intentional about taking time throughout my day to reflect on His goodness, seek His face, and praise Him for who He is rather than allowing my circumstances to dictate my attitude.

Now, as this week comes to an end, I can honestly say that this challenge is much easier said than done! There were moments when I truly worshipped the Lord, spent intentional time with Him, and recognized His goodness throughout my day. But there were also moments when I completely lost sight of Him and went about my own selfish desires. When I forgot to focus on gratitude and praise, I found myself becoming more discouraged, fixating on what wasn't going well, and viewing everything through a negative lens.

Thankfully, there were also moments when I was able to recognize what was happening in my heart and redirect my focus back to the Lord.

One example of this happened on Friday. For the past two weeks, our ministry has focused on handing out flyers for a free pizza party and board games night at a local coffee shop while continuing to evangelize on the streets. We had made so many connections with people and handed out so many flyers that we were really hopeful and excited to see a lot of people show up for the event!

So, when only four people came that night, I immediately felt disappointed. I started thinking about all the people we had invited and wondering why more hadn't shown up. It would have been so easy for me to become discouraged and feel like our efforts hadn't accomplished much.

But in that moment, the Lord reminded me of the challenge I had given myself just a few days earlier. Instead of focusing on the people who didn't come, I chose to thank Him for the four people who did. I praised Him for the opportunity we had to spend time with them, share more of the Gospel, and show them the love of Jesus. I thanked Him for another week of productive ministry because even if the event hadn't turned out the way we expected, we had still made connections, built relationships, and shared His truth with people throughout the week. And that wasn't even the end of it! The Lord provided a coffee meetup for me the very next day.

I had to take the disappointment and hopelessness I was feeling and choose to praise God for what He had already done, what He was doing right in front of me, and the fact that His faithfulness and love had never depended on my circumstances.

Looking back over this past week, and even this entire month in Greece, I'm beginning to see just how much I have to praise Him for.

God has been faithful ever since training camp, and I know He has never left me. I can honestly say that the only reason I've been able to do this trip is because of His faithfulness. He has met me in my weakest moments, carried me through difficult days, and given me a peace that I will never be able to fully comprehend.

Before coming on the World Race, I thought being away from home, living in unfamiliar places, and constantly adjusting to new circumstances would make my anxiety incredibly difficult to manage. Yet God has continually reminded me that He is greater than every fear and anxious thought I could ever have. He has given me peace in moments when I expected to be overwhelmed, and He has shown me that I can run to Him whenever I need help.

My devotional this morning said, “God often calls people into things they could never accomplish without dependence on Him.”

That is so true.

I wouldn't be able to live and serve in another country if I couldn't run to the Lord every day, every hour, every minute, and every second. This trip has taught me what it means to rely on Him rather than constantly searching for comfort, security, and answers in the things of this world. I'm learning that I don't have to be independent from God. In fact, anything He calls me to do should draw me into a deeper relationship with Him and teach me to depend on Him even more. He has become my rock, my strength, and my counselor. He has helped me navigate abrupt changes to our schedule, treasury responsibilities that can sometimes feel overwhelming, and moments when I desperately need direction. Through His Word and the leading of the Holy Spirit, He continues to remind me of His truth and show me how to move forward.

And He has also shown me what a wonderful provider He is. Nothing in this world can prevent Him from caring for His children and providing exactly what He knows they need.

I recently got to experience this in a very tangible way as my team began looking for lodging for our time in the Czech Republic.

We received our lodging budget and started looking at hostels in Prague. Pretty quickly, we realized that everything was far beyond what we could afford. So, we turned to Airbnb, hoping we might find something more reasonable. Unfortunately, those options were also too expensive.

We then started looking at whether any hosts might be willing to accommodate six people in places listed for only four. Even with that possibility, we had very few options that fit our budget. Eventually, we decided to move our entire local transportation budget into our lodging budget to give ourselves more options. This meant we would have to walk everywhere in Prague, without even knowing how far away our ministry locations or the city center would be!

We reached out to several hosts, including one woman whose listing was over our budget and said she could accommodate only four people. We didn't have much hope that anything would come of it, but we figured it couldn't hurt to ask. After sending her a message, we took a break, and I prayed that God would somehow provide a place for us to stay through His incredible generosity.

Later, she responded and said she would gladly accommodate all six of us! We were so excited, but there was still one problem: the price. We explained that we wouldn't be able to afford her original rate, and she kindly asked us what our actual budget was. We decided to be completely honest and tell her the exact amount we had available. In our minds, we were thinking there was no way this was going to work out. But she responded that she could offer us that price!

We were already praising God, and then she messaged us again to say that she could make it another $40 cheaper!

We were absolutely amazed. Not only did we have a place that could accommodate all six of us within our budget, but we also got to keep our entire local transportation budget. We now have a lovely place to stay and a host who has been so welcoming and kind to us.

Praise God for providing in a way we couldn't have arranged ourselves!

This experience reminded me that God already knew what we needed before we even started looking. He knew our budget, our limitations, and the challenges we would face. He wasn't surprised by the expensive listings or the lack of options, and He wasn't limited by any of it.

I don't always know how God will provide, and sometimes I can become anxious when I can't see a clear solution. But I'm learning that I don't have to know how everything will work out. I can bring my concerns to Him, do what I can with what He has given me, and trust Him with the rest. He has been faithful to us throughout this trip, and I know He will continue to be faithful as we prepare for the next country.

Another moment that gave me so much reason to praise God happened on Thursday.

I was walking around with my group, evangelizing on the streets and handing out flyers, when I noticed a girl sitting alone on a bench. She was writing in a journal and listening to music. For some reason, I felt drawn to go talk to her. So, with a boldness and confidence that I know could only come from God, I walked over and started a conversation.

She told me that she was from Germany and was traveling after recently graduating from high school. She had been in Greece for about a month but had only been in Thessaloniki for a couple of days.

We talked for a little while, sharing parts of our lives, and I invited her to come to the pizza party or meet up for coffee sometime. She explained that she would be leaving for Istanbul, Turkey, in a couple of days, but she would keep it in mind. Before we parted ways, she asked if we could exchange Instagram accounts, which we did. Then she asked me if I would write some advice in her journal.

She explained that as she traveled to different places, she had been asking people she met to write down advice about life. I immediately recognized this as an opportunity the Lord had given me to share a little bit of His truth with her.

So, I wrote:

“Seek the Lord. He loves, cares for, and knows you so well. He wants a relationship with you. Remember Jesus loves you!”

It was a pretty short interaction, and I left without knowing whether anything would come of it. I had no idea if I would ever see her again or if the words I had written would mean anything to her.

But that evening, God was already working in ways I hadn't expected. She reached out to me and asked if we could meet for coffee on Friday or Saturday. I told her that Saturday would work best for me, and we made plans to meet!

I was so excited. I began praising and thanking God for the opportunity to meet her, encourage her through her journal, and see another example of His hand at work.

Then Saturday came, and our coffee meetup went so well that we ended up inviting her to spend the rest of the day shopping with us!

We spent almost four hours together, getting to know her better and talking about her life, family, and beliefs. She shared that she was a Christian, and we had the opportunity to encourage her in her faith and show her that there are other girls her age around the world who are also seeking the Lord and choosing to serve Him.

It was such a beautiful experience, and I'm so thankful the Lord gave me the opportunity to meet her! I could have easily walked past that bench without saying anything. I could have let my nervousness keep me from starting a conversation with a complete stranger. And if I hadn't stepped out in obedience, I would have missed out on the blessing of getting to know her and spending those hours together.

I'm learning that I don't always have to know what will come from an act of obedience. Sometimes, I might never see the fruit of a conversation or know how God uses a few simple words to impact someone. But other times, He allows me to see a little more of what He is doing, and those moments remind me why I want to keep saying yes to Him.

God is the great Planner, and He works in ways we could never imagine or ask for. He knew that girl would be sitting on that bench. He knew that I would feel prompted to approach her. He knew she would ask me to write in her journal, and He knew that a simple conversation would turn into an opportunity to spend several more hours together.

What a privilege it is to participate in the things God is already doing!

As I look back on these experiences, I'm realizing that my circumstances don't have to determine whether I praise the Lord. Whether four people show up to an event instead of the many we expected, whether finding lodging feels impossible, or whether I have no idea what will come from a conversation, God remains the same. He is faithful. He is good. He is loving. He is worthy of praise in every circumstance.

And that brings me to the Scripture I want to focus on as I finish my time in Greece and reflect on everything the Lord has done here.

Psalm 150 says:

“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequal greatness! Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

What a beautiful psalm and such a wonderful reminder of how worthy our God is of our praise!

I want to begin my final two weeks in Greece with this psalm in my heart. I want to give God all the glory, honor, praise, and love He deserves. I want my heart posture and attitude to reflect genuine worship, joy, and gratitude toward the Lord, regardless of what happens around me. I don't want to praise Him only when ministry goes well, when I see the fruit of my efforts, or when He answers a prayer in the way I hoped He would. I want to praise Him because of who He is. I want to thank Him for His faithfulness even when I'm discouraged, trust Him when I don't understand His plans, and glorify Him even when my circumstances are difficult.

I'm currently reading a book with my team called Uninvited by Lysa TerKeurst, and on page 39, she writes:

“Fullness comes to us when we remember to be with Him before going out to serve Him. He wants our hearts to be in alignment with Him before our hands set about doing today’s assignment for Him.”

This quote has really stuck with me because I can become so focused on doing ministry, accomplishing tasks, and making sure I'm being productive for the Lord that I forget to simply be with Him. I want to spend more time in His presence before I go out to serve Him. Every morning, before my feet hit the ground, I want to fix my eyes, heart, and mind on God by reading Psalm 150. I want to begin my day praising Him, thanking Him, and reminding myself of who He is before I start thinking about everything I need to accomplish.

I want everything I think, say, and do to reflect Him and help me become more like Christ. And I know that process begins with spending time in His Word and in His presence, allowing Him to shape my heart and transform my perspective.

As I was writing this blog, the Lord gave me one more reminder of what He has been teaching me. The verse of the day on the Bible app was Psalm 68:19, which says:

“Praise the Lord; praise God our Savior! For each day He carries us in his arms.”

How incredible is that? As I'm sitting here writing about praising God and thanking Him for His faithfulness, He gives me another verse reminding me to do exactly that! He is reminding me that He is carrying me throughout this trip. He has never let go of me, and He will never abandon me. He wants me to rest in His presence, sit in His arms, and begin, continue, and finish each day with Him, regardless of what happens. I don't have to carry the weight of this trip on my own. I don't have to figure out every detail, force every conversation, or make everything happen according to my expectations. I can rest in the knowledge that my Heavenly Father is with me, guiding me, providing for me, and working in ways I cannot always see. And I want to obey Him. I want to focus so much on the Lord that His love, goodness, and truth naturally overflow from my life into the lives of others. I want to be so rooted in His presence that my circumstances no longer have the power to steal my joy or keep me from recognizing His faithfulness.

Because He is worth it all.

All glory. All honor. All praise.

Thank you so much for reading this blog and continuing to pray for me throughout the World Race! I'm so grateful for every person back home who has supported, encouraged, and prayed for me during this season. Your prayers mean more to me than you know, and I'm so thankful that I get to share what the Lord is doing in my life with you.

I would love for you to continue praying for these specific things:

• That our final two weeks in Greece would be fruitful for the Lord and that more people would come to know Christ or grow closer to Him.

• That I would become more faithful in praising and thanking God in every circumstance, regardless of how I'm feeling or what is happening around me.

• That I would continue to grow closer to God, be sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and spend more and more intentional time in His presence and Word.

• That our squad would remain faithful and obedient to whatever ministry looks like during our final two weeks in Greece.

• That more missionaries would come to Thessaloniki after we leave and continue the work that has been started here.

• That our squad would be able to process our time in Greece well after leaving and that the Lord would give us the right perspective and heart posture as we reflect on this season.

• That the Lord would reveal which ministries we should partner with when we arrive in Prague.

• That we would have safe travels to our debrief location and onward to the Czech Republic.

I'm so thankful for everything the Lord has done in me during this first month in Greece. Even through the difficult days, the discouragement, and the moments when I haven't understood what He was doing, He has remained faithful. He has taught me to depend on Him more deeply, trust Him with the things I cannot control, and recognize His goodness in places where I might otherwise have overlooked it.

I know I still have so much to learn, and I know there will be days when I struggle to maintain the perspective I'm learning to have. But I want to keep growing. I want to keep seeking Him, spending time in His presence, and allowing His truth to shape my heart. I want to keep stepping out in obedience, loving people well, and trusting Him with the results.

Most importantly, I want to keep praising Him.

Not just when things go well. Not just when I see prayers answered. Not just when I understand what He's doing. I want to praise Him in the waiting, in the uncertainty, in the disappointment, and in the joy. I want to thank Him for what He has done, what He is doing, and what He will continue to do. I want my life to be a reflection of His goodness and a testimony to His faithfulness.

Because God doesn't become less worthy of praise when my circumstances are difficult. He doesn't become less faithful when I can't see what He's doing. And He doesn't stop carrying me when I feel weak or discouraged.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He deserves every bit of praise I can give Him.

So, as I enter these final two weeks in Greece, my prayer is that I would keep my eyes fixed on Him, my heart full of gratitude, and my life surrendered to His will. I want to wake up each morning remembering His goodness and go to bed each night thanking Him for His faithfulness. I want to praise Him with everything I have,