One week exactly

I spent one week at The L'Abri Fellowship. I arrived between 2 and 3 on Monday, and I left between 2 and 3 on the following Monday.  

I walked away from L'Abri with renewed inspiration and hope for the future. There was such an atmosphere of hospitality toward every person who walked through that front door. You're given a thorough tour on your first day so that it's easy to figure out the routine right away. On your first full day you're thrown into that routine by being assigned to work in the kitchen or gardening or laundry help. For basically anything that you enjoy at L'Abri, you know who to thank. You can tell Eve how great the lunch was, or Thomas thanks for delivering new clean sheets, or tell Josue how nice the lawn looks today. When new people arrive after you, you see all the workers and helpers make sure they know where they need to go and that they've been fed. 

Edith Schaeffer had hospitality as one of her priorities. A book of hers that is on my read soon list is The Hidden Art of Home Making. She explains that this art is to be developed, and is an important part of your Christian witness. 

These are the things that inspire me to make where ever I live a home that displays attributes of God through love and hospitality. 

Andrew Fellows, the former director of L'Abri England, spoke twice during my week there. He spoke on the state of Europe currently, which is quite a topic considering he spoke the day after the referendum...

His talk was prepared long before the results were known, but it was a very relevant topic regardless. 

His first talk left me a bit worried about what's going to come next to this world, but the second left me hoping in the good things to come which God has promised us. All is not lost, though it seems like it at times. 

I highly recommend you listen to his talk, which can be found here: http://ipc-liss.com/sermons?podcast=701

I also highly recommend L'Abri to anyone feeling in need of hope or inspiration, or anyone who has questions they've been grappling with. Take time to get out of the busy cycles of life and focus on finding the answers God has blessed us with. He does give answers, sometimes they just take longer to find. 

Life at L'abri

I am writing from a Tea Room at the Gilbert White house in Selborne, England. It's just a quick bus ride from the L'abri Manor House, which is near Greatham. There is no wifi at the manor, so it's been nice to be disconnected from the world.

Many things happen during a typical day at L'abri. Everyone is assigned a job each day, which they do for either the whole morning or the whole afternoon. The time when one isn't working is spent in study. There is a wonderful library at the manor available to everyone. Each student also meets with a tutor while they are visiting, to ask questions or get book recommendations for example.

There are two tea breaks each day, at 11 and 16.30, which gives great opportunity for conversation, and welcome breaks from work and study. I believe I'm drinking at least 3 cups of tea each day, in addition to my regular cup of jo every morning.

I especially like lunch time each day. Everyone is divided into three groups, and three different staff members lead a discussion during the lunch meal. Any student can bring up a topic if they wish, and everyone is able to input during the discussion. It's a great time to learn about other people, and to bring up something you've been reading about and would like another opinion on.

There are lectures twice a week, and last night we watched a movie as a group and had a discussion afterward. All of these discussions remind me of my time at Rivendell Sanctuary. I've very much missed the discussion and casual conversations that naturally arise when you're in a community such as this.

What Have I Done for 3 Months?

I've been in Norway 90 days now, exactly 90 days. What a relief it was when the border agent told me that I had counted correctly and that I'm allowed to come back to Norway in 90 days if I wish. 

During my time in Haugesund, I stayed with in-laws, relatives and friends, all of which are incredibly generous people and I'm so thankful for them. I babysat for a few different families, which helped me contribute a bit to my survival. (Special thanks to the Ødegaards, Vibecke Håkon and Øystein for being my family for some weeks 😊)

In addition to babysitting, volunteering at a cafe and touring/tour guiding took up the majority of my time. The cafe is where my brother and his wife attend church. It's a coffee shop/church ministry doing good things for the community, and I was glad to be a part of it and support it by donating my time. I'm grateful for the experience they allowed me to acquire as well, not to mention some nice hand brewed coffee 👌🏻

Three friends visited me during my visit, and my mom and her good friend also overlapped with my visit and are there still. It was great to be able to show these friends a place that I have come to love. Not only did they get to experience its beauty, but also the people and families and traditions that make up the Norwegian culture. I got to drive through the rugged countryside, and I got to connect American friends with a part of Norway that most visitors don't get to be a part of. That was my experience as a tour guide. 

Spending 90 days in Norway as truly been a blessing from God, and an experience of a lifetime. I realize that very few people have this kind of opportunity, or such a generous brother or dad or friends or distant relatives in a European country. I will always be grateful to these people, and for God's timing and many blessings. 

The UK is where I'll be spending the next 2 weeks (again, thank the Lord for generous friends in cool places). I will spend one week at the L'abri Fellowship in Greatham, England. This is something I've been dreaming of doing ever since I heard about it from Rick and Nancy Pearcey. I pray that God will bless my time there and teach me more about Himself while drawing me yet closer to Him. 

After L'abri, I'll be visiting some Bethel Baptist missionaries and friends of our family, the Whites, in Glasgow Scotland. Lastly, I will be in London with a Bmore friend for the last few days before I return to the good ol' USofA on July 3rd, just in time 😏

Thanks for reading this, and check back for an update about my time at L'abri! Please pray that I will be a blessing to those I encounter on this 2 week adventure in the UK.