la vita è bella: The Road to Rome

I'm going to be on the road to Rome in twelve hours... It feels so strange to say those words. Thrilling, to be sure, but strange.

The school is going to be spending Speaker's Week in Rome {Tuesday-Saturday}. Usually, Speaker's Week is spent here in Montebelluna so our group is the first from CCBC Italy to have this experience. I'm not quite sure what to expect, as they have not given us much information, but I do know that we will be studying the life of Paul & spending time with a few groups from various Calvary Chapel Bible Colleges. We are going to go to the Colosseum and Forum, Paul's Prison, & the Catacombs. As crazy as it may sound, I am probably the most excited to be able to go to McDonald's {I sound so unhealthy, I know}! I didn't even realize just how deeply I love my "happy meals" until living in a town that doesn't have them. The closest one is probably in Padova, which is about an hour by train from Montebelluna. *All you health conscious readers, please don't judge me -- I promise I've been eating quite healthy meals; besides the few-too-many gelato & pizza stops I have been the picture of nutrition.*

General update:
I have been doing quite well lately. I apologize for not posting more often, but the work load here is very heavy {we are operating on a 12-week semester instead of a 15-week semester} and I have needed to be diligent to keep to my studies.
Those of you who had wanted to correspond with me via "snail mail" or email please please please do so! Though I have made many wonderful friendships with the girls here, I cannot help but feel kind of cut-off from my life in America at times and hearing from you all would brighten my "damper" days. It costs me roughly 2 euro to send a basic, small, light letter so it is not practical on my budget to initiate correspondence. I do know the cost of sending a basic letter to Italy from the states, it's much more affordable for you than it is for me to send mail -- so please do send a little "thinking of you" card every once in a while, if you can/want to. It's easy to feel forgotten when so far away from normalcy. The Lord has been faithful to keep me strong in spirit and away from feelings of loneliness; I certainly am not wanting any pity, just awareness.

How I wish I could communicate clearly all the work that the Lord is doing within me! It would take quite a long time and quite a few words so I will save my words for later and just share a little bit. The primary thing that God is doing, as I mentioned in an earlier post, is a maturing process. In practical ways I am learning independence {i.e. shopping for groceries, budgeting finances, time management, cooking, keeping-house}. I am also learning spiritual maturity, which is even greater and far more precious to me than physical maturity.
I still haven't a clue what my next step is after this semester, as the Lord has not clearly defined it for me yet. He has, however, been faithful to speak to my heart through His word and the girls in the apartment -- I will tell you throughout later posts what about more specifically. I feel overall that His primary purpose right now is to teach me the value & beauty of sitting still in His presence. In Psalm 16 David writes, "You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore" {verse 11}. Colossians 1:19 says of Christ, "For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell..." Colossians 2:9-10 says, "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him..." I have been experiencing this fullness for myself. Truly in Christ, and in Christ alone, I am complete.
There is a charming old church up on a hill about a mile and a half from my house {or a 25 minute walk} that I have been "hiking" up to a few times a week. Perched upon the hill, I have a breathtaking view of all the surrounding region and the perfect spot to spend some time in solitude and contemplation. It is there that I have gotten some of the sweetest times with God this whole semester. I could easily spend hours & hours sitting there in quietness, but I try to limit it to just over an hour each time so that I don't worry any of my sisters here.

I promise that I will post again after Rome and take a whole bunch of pictures {digital & film} for you all to see! Please keep the trip in prayer and pray that it will be warm & preferable sunny this week.
Thank you all for reading along faithfully and keeping me in your prayers.
Te voglio bene,
xo Em

A little something for contemplation:

And the Lord said, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest."

And Moses said to him, "If your presence does not go with us, do not take us up from here."

Exodus 33:14-15