day 59

today is the day that i was originally scheduled to go home.

instead, i've got another 3 months stay across the wide atlantic ocean.

really today is just like any other day,

but i guess in some ways it shows the second half of this journey.

it shows a commitment to staying...

and a commitment to trust that i can make it over here on my own.

i've not only got to trust myself, 

but also the people around me and in the big G-O-D 'up there'.

that kind of trust is a difficult thing for me...

but i have a feeling it will be alright.

it's also hard not to wonder what life would have been like if i had returned.

there are people that i was so looking forward to seeing,

and now there's another 90 days before i see their shining faces.

the weather has turned cold here...and rainy...

autumn is definitely here,

and it will definitely be colder when i head back up to the orkney island in two weeks.

so far i've done some really great things-

i've got to see a real, live english football game!

it was the local telford united team and was great fun.

i got to visit warwick castle,

and i got to eat one of the local popular foods: an indian balti!

in addition to doing, i've met some great people.

mark's group that meets at his house on thursday night, safe space,

are an interesting bunch.

they come from all different faith backgrounds:

charismatic, traditional, no faith at all...

the charismatic is the furthest from where i've come in my own journey.

we've had lots of conversations about

the group partners in harvest,

 the toronto airport fellowship, 

the todd bentley scandal in florida,

and what the 'gifts of the spirit' actually are.

they have been fun conversations and some intense conversations.

those topics are ones that were far away from my very baptist university,

and the people who i've met have had some great experiences and stories...

and some really painful ones.

it has been interesting and i am being stretched by the worlds outside of my own.

on sunday i got to visit one of these charismatic churches.

it was...different.

it wasn't nearly as wild as i imagined it would be,

but i'm proud to say i ventured out there.

no one tried to cast a demon out of me,

no one decided i need healing or 'deliverance',

and other than a bit of shaking and yelling out...

it was a fairly normal service.

i'm glad i'm able to touch on these parts of the world and meet these really great people.

i can only imagine what kind of interesting things await me in the next 3 months...

even if i still am still a bit sad to not be on a plane right now headed back to texas.