A new frame of mind

I took this picture on our retreat this week and it just happened to perfectly fit my title.
Imagine that!

I was so encouraged by our retreat to Ronta.
Beautiful mountains.
Peaceful rain.
Quiet.

It was a great time to process the past few months and start to look ahead.

We are titling our break a "divine disruption."
Scripture is full of them.
Believers confused by the Lord's timing.

David is appointed King and then gets chased around for years.
Jesus tells the disciples that He is leaving and then tells them to wait in Jerusalem.
Don't you think they wondered why?

The Lord's plan often looks different than what we think it should.
And that's okay, because we trust, hold tight to Him, and obey.
And He takes care of the details.

The retreat was also great to cast a new vision.
Well, really the same vision, but it was time for us to get back on board.
We want to see Jesus transform lives here in Florence.
But we have several new ways to go about doing just that.

We have noticed a common thread in the salvation of the four new believers here.
They all were reading the Bible on their own.
They were all exposed to Christian community.
And they all heard the story of life change in someone else.

So that is what we are going to run with.
Getting them the Word.
Getting around them in fellowship.
And sharing our stories, or the stories of other Italians.

We have changed up the teams.
We have changed up the leadership structure.
And we have lifted our eyes up to see that, yes, the Lord is doing a lot in Italy and we will wait for His timing in Florence.

Thank you Lord for this time.
Thank you for holding my troubled heart.
And I thank you for the hope that these three days have brought.