Smoker voices, new mattresses, boomer sooner, and YOUR HELP

 In my last blog, I wrote "I am planning on continuing this blog past this post. So... if you feel so inclined, please continue to check it out!" Well, that was nearly two complete MONTHS ago. OUCH. I do want to apologize for my delay! Since being back from my trip, I have done a masterful job of overcommitting myself. Which has not only limited my blogging time, it also encouraged a lack of rest and a truckload of incomplete thoughts, none of which I felt were coherent enough to post on this blog!

So, where am I now? Still harboring some incomplete thoughts, but with more time on my hands after cutting some major commitments out of my schedule. I have also found myself without a "phone" or "coffee date friendly voice" for 4 days. Which I believe was the Lord's doing to force me to rest and spend more time talking to HIM than friends and family.  I'm thankful for it, even if I have to endure the weird looks for my inconsistent, lack of volume control, man-ish smoker voice.

To bring you up to speed, I have been back from my trip for almost 2 months now. It was a GREAT trip. There were many things that blew me away: how much better fruit tastes when it doesn't contain weird contaminates, how much a culture effects the way a person thinks and behaves, that redheads really are a dying breed, that Dallas is a small town, and that the world is a much bigger and smaller place than I thought is was. I'm incredibly grateful for my trip around the world and impact it continues to have on me! 

Many of you may know that one of the main purposes behind my round-the-world trip was to investigate possibilities of moving overseas long term. As of where I am now, I'm going to once again be humblingly (I know I made that word up) honest to the blogging world. As I've been praying about where the Lord would have me go (or stay) next, my heart has been focused on the things I would be leaving behind if I did move- students and a job that I absolutely love, a growing closeness with my perpetually- multiplying family (above is a picture of my niece, Karlie, during her 1st birthday party), fantastically loving and godly friends, and my dreamy new mattress. :)

Recently I have been convicted that my considerations for this big decision have been severely lacking. Is loving my job, my family, and my friends things I should consider when making a major life decision? Sure. But, should it be the focus? Of course not! Not even close! First of all, I had forgotten what an incredible honor it is to live a life wholly devoted to sharing the love of Christ with others, regardless of where your time zone or what your job is.  The gospel does more good for people than any Red Cross, FEMA, Peace Corps, democracy, or military aid can ever do. It WILL (from Isaiah 61):

• Bring good news to the poor
• Bind up the brokenhearted
• Proclaim liberty to the captives
• Comfort all who mourn
• Repair ruined cities and the devastations of many generations

So, what should my focus be during this decision? Should it be how my God-given gifts will be best used? Where I can actually find clothes that fit me? Who has the best ice-cream? Who will broadcast OU football games? (BOOMER SOONER!!!)  No- my only focus should be on where the Lord would have me go (or stay.).  My focus should be BEYOND MY PLANS AND NEEDS AND DESIRES. My focus should be on how I fit into the Lord's good, acceptable, and PERFECT will. (Romans 12)  "Teach me to do your will, for you are my God! Let your good Spirit lead me on level ground!" (Psalm 143:10) May the Lord teach me to put my eyes on HIM first and my own needs second. 

So... there are my incomplete thoughts right now. As always, I appreciate you checking out this blog. Till next time...

-Kat

23,161 Air Miles Later....

On Sunday afternoon, I arrived back to Dallas seriously needing a hair cut, averaging 3-4 cups of coffee a day, thinking Dallas was suddenly a small city, and desiring to stay in the same time zone for a while! I'm looking forward to getting some much needed rest and talking with friends and family before the school year hits.

As usual, I’ve struggled to figure out what to write about! Where do I start? It has been one incredible trip- full of unbelievable sights, incredible people, beautiful cultures, and an overwhelming thankfulness for people like YOU who have helped to make this trip possible. While I know I probably won’t see the effect this trip has had on me for years to come, I did want to take a short moment to share one thing that has really stuck out to me the last couple of weeks. Due partly to my hangover of over 2 continual weeks of jet lag, it may not be the most well-thought blog, but it may be one of the most honest! :)

(And for those of you that are wondering, I am planning on continuing this blog past this post! So.. if you so feel inclined, please continue to check it out!)

During the past 6 weeks, I’ve been immersed in different cultural extremes: the laid-back, relationship driven Europe, the mysterious (at least to me) Arab culture, and the ever polite and friendly Asian culture. One thing that has amazed me is to see how much a person’s culture effects the way they behave, dress, think, and most importantly to me, believe.  For example, the majority of the Montenegrins are Orthodox, most of Qatar is Islamic, Thailand is mostly Buddhist, and Hong Kong is a combination of Buddhist and Taoist. During much of the summer, I was in areas where the Christian population was under .01%. That's one in 10,000 for those that didn't pass 7th grade math. :)

One of the most challenging and refreshing processes I have gone through this summer has been thinking about whether I believe Jesus to be the “way, the truth, and the life” because I grew up in the buckle of the bible belt or because I truly believe He is the ONLY WAY to eternal life.  Is it prideful and/or close-minded of me to think that my religion is "right" and everyone else’s is wrong? How can I be sure? Is Christianity the same as all the other religions?

Here's a pop quiz: What is the one thing that distinguishes the Christian faith from all other religions in the world? Well, besides the fabulously trendy t-shirts. The answer is GRACE.  Every other major religion in the world (stop me if I'm wrong) tells us that in order to get to heaven or a better afterlife, we are to follow a set of rules and/or be a good person. The bible tells us that we are saved through the gift of God, and all we are to do to inherit eternal life is to accept that gift (Eph 2:8). It isn't based on us going to church, reading our bible, staying away from R rated movies, never dropping the F bomb, and refraining from spaghetti strapped shirts (gasp!). Its all about accepting the fact that we can't do it on our own, and believing in the ONE who can give eternal life.

While I know this may shock some of you (okay, not really), I don't have all the answers to life's difficult questions. Heck, I don't even have answers to life's most basic questions. (My ACT scores will prove this.)  But one thing I do know is that there is no way that I could ever EARN my way to heaven. If heaven is a perfect paradise inhabited by a perfect and holy God, how wrong would it be to think that I, a person who sins daily, could come into that place on my own? That would be like me dousing myself with liquid food coloring for 25 years, jumping into a clear pool, and expecting the food coloring not to spread. There would have to be something that would be able to make me completely clean to not contaminate the cleanliness of the pool. That is what the gospel is all about- Christ's blood cleansing us in order that we may enter into the kingdom of God. (Not to make this sound like a southern baptist sermon, but if anyone has any questions about any of this, I would love to chat with you.)

Let's be honest here- this is not what I was planning on writing a blog about. Shouldn't I have something more "profound" to say after a trip around the world? But really, what is more profound than the simple truth of the gospel? I thank the Lord for showing me first hand the uniqueness of the gospel. I also thank him for showing me how it can not be held back by cultural, language, and geographical borders. But that's a whole other blog in itself. :)

As I mentioned before, I do plan on continuing this blog for a while, and hope to post more thoughts from the trip once I have some time to reflect more on it. Thanks for checking in once again. Enjoy your last few weeks of summer!

Till next time...

-Kat

A Diversity of Cultures

Hello devoted blog watchers, thankful procrastinators, bored summer-ites, and everyone in between!

Well, I have had a very eventful few days! I definitely expected some craziness in Athens and a few “aha!” moments in Thailand, but I wasn’t expecting what happened in the middle! First things first…

My time in Athens started out pretty rough with sad goodbyes in Montenegro, delayed flights, and lost luggage (found 2 days later). But, I am thankful to report that I had a great time in Athens. I was able to meet up with another single female traveler (a specific prayer request of mine) that could stomach hanging out with me for 3 straight days. Plus, through the awesomeness of facebook, I was able to meet up with a college friend also traveling in the area. The picture above is the three of us doing what they did best at the Parthenon. Not posed at all, of course!

While I did love all the sites in Athens, I would have to say that my time in Ancient Corinth was my favorite. It lacked the tourists feel of Athens and contained more authentic Greek culture. It also got me out of the busy city and included a pretty sweet hike, which is always a plus for me.  (for you facebook-ites, this is where my new profile pic comes from)

From Athens, I flew from Greece to Qatar, and Qatar to Thailand. This was an unexpected cultural experience. For those of you that don’t know where Qatar is (I didn’t), it is next to Saudi Arabia in the Arab world. Talk about being in the minority!  When I checked in for my flight, I was the only caucasion and one of only 2 girls. 

I’m embarrassed to admit that due to my stereotypes, I was more anxious about these 2 flights than any before it. The majority of those on the plane were dressed in traditional Muslim attire and many of the women wore full black hijabs that wouldn’t allow you to see their EYES. As I’m sure you can imagine, this part of the trip got me thinking. Is it really fair for me to be extra-anxious on this plane ride because most are wearing Islamic dress? I REALLY don’t think it is. But is there a way for me to not think those things if I'm ever in a similar situation? How is it right to judge an entire culture on the extremists? I really don't know enough about this culture. Maybe I can add that “learning more about the Arab world” to my growing list of things to do once I get back.  

I will also add that out of all the airlines that I have flown on, Qatar Airways had the best customer service and facilities on the plane... just a note...

I guess I will talk more about my experiences in Asia once I arrive back on home soil. I will hopefully have more time to put together some complete thoughts then. :)

As always, thanks for all the support, interest, and encouragement! 

Till next time..

-Kat

Leaving Montenegro

Greetings Friends, Families, and Random bloggers!

Well, time has definitely flown by! I am sad to report that I will be leaving Montenegro tomorrow afternoon. The next 13 days will be filled with plane rides, jet lag, and different culture extremes. First, I will be landing in Athens, Greece for some days of reflection and relaxation. After that, I will be spending time in Thailand and Hong Kong. The plan is to land back in Dallas on July 20th. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in Montenegro. While I am excited to see what lies next in this unreal summer, I am sad to be leaving here. In addition to enjoying the beautiful countryside, I have had some incredibly hospitable hosts. This would include the native Montenegrins and especially the non-native workers I have met in the area. I have been humbled by their selfless dedication to make me feel at home. I hope and pray that I'll have the ability to show the same hospitality to someone else in the future.

The last 2 weeks have been filled with teaching English classes, spending time with believers and non-believers, and traveling about the area. My passport has been getting some "love" going to various cities in Montenegro, Croatia, and Bosnia. It has been an eye-opening experience to visit these areas. It is embarrassing to admit (but I guess I'm going to admit it anyway) that I was expecting this area of the world to look war-torn and deserted after the unrest the last 20 years. Well, my expectations were completely blown out of the water. I'm convinced that Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro contain some of the most beautiful sights and people in the world. My two favorite cities (besides Herceg Novi) would have to be Dubrovnik, Croatia (where the above picture is from) and Sarajevo, Bosnia.  Both were filled with beautiful country sides and wonderful cultural and historical roots. I'm so thankful to have had the opportunity to see parts of these countries and would love to visit them again another time.

To close out my time in Montenegro, I'd like to share just a few of the cultural differences I've noticed. I thought it would best do to a comparison between the way I think and the way most Montenegrins think. So... I hope this gives you a good idea of some of the cultural differences! 

Me: I should never see 60 year old men and women wearing speedo's and bikinis.

Montenegrins: You should wear as little wet material as possible when swimming. One pieces will make you sick, giving you kidney disease.

Me: If the sign says you're open from 8-5, you're going to open from 8-5.

Montenegrins: Sure, we're open from 8-5, but I want a coffee break. So, too bad, we're closed for the next 30 minutes. 

Me: Its rude to tell someone they are overweight upon meeting them.

Montenegrins: What if they don't know? I'm only helping them.

Me: I need to have 10 things accomplished to have a productive day.

Montenegrins: The most productive thing I will do today is spend time talking with friends and family over coffee.

Me: Air conditioners are God's gift to mankind.

Montenegrins: Stay away!!! Air conditioners will make you sick!!!!

Me: Redheads are God's gift to mankind.

Montenegrins: Redheads are tourists. Therefore, I will stare at them continually.

Me: Walking around with wet hair during the summer feels good.

Montenegrins: Do it and your face might get paralyzed! 

Me: You should walk on sidewalks and drive on streets.

Montenegrins: You should drive on sidewalks and walk on streets.

Me: When driving in a car, there should be at least 5 feet or at a guard rail between you and huge cliffs. 

Montenegrins: Guardrails are for wussies, and I'll let you reverse on the cliff until you get to the spot where you'll have "at least" 2 inches from the cliff to let me pass you. 

All kidding aside, I admire the Montenegrins for the priority they put on spending time with family and friends. In their culture, nothing is more important.  I think us busy-body Americans (of whom I'm the worst!) have a lot to learn from them. I'll let them keep the bikini's and speedo's, but I hope I can bring their practice of making time for people back to my world in the states.

Till next time- 

-Kat

The Surprising Nature of Risk Taking

It has been difficult for me to figure out what to write on this blog. I think the main reason is that there are people from all of my different social “zones” that are checking it. I have close friends, acquaintances, family, colleagues, people I’ve met along the way, and even possibly some random blog surfers. What do I talk about? The embarrassing cultural moments? My new ambitions to never let the "guy speedo craze" hit America?

Well, in today's blog, I've decided to share something that I have learned along the way. This will go beyond my newfound appreciation for Walmart and all its convenient monopolized goodness. It’ll even go beyond the freedom I’ve experienced of packing just one backpack of clothes. Here’s the topic for this weeks blog: the surprising nature of taking risks.

Lets face it: traveling around the world alone as a ridiculously good-looking female (name that movie!) on 11 different flights carries an element of risk, regardless of how technologically advanced we are. With my adventurous spirit and, more importantly, a God who promises to take care of me, I’d like to say that I didn’t have any fear. But, that would be a complete lie! But what is a risk without an element of fear?

So, here comes my personal epiphany. The thing that I have found to be most surprising about taking risks in the name of the Lord: after you take one, you will probably be asked to take another one. And another one. And another one.  And while the risks may become even tougher, the rewards become even greater. 

We’ve all heard the story of Peter walking on water (Mark 6).  Don’t loose sight of what was happening before that: Peter was in the boat with the rest of the disciples. They look out and see Jesus walking on water. What does Peter do? He asks Jesus to command him to walk on water towards him. 

Peter didn't have to ask Jesus to command him to come out of the boat. Peter didn't even have to get out of the boat after Jesus commanded him to. He had the choice. But Peter chose to ask AND then chose to get out of the boat. And because he did, he was able to experience that extraordinary moment of walking on water. What an incredible feeling that must have been. I wonder how much of an impact this had on him later on in life? 

Every time I've asked the Lord how I can know him more, he always seems lead me a little more out of my comfort zone and a little more dependent upon him. It has meant taking on a leadership position that I was terrified of (Phi Lamb), become increasingly involved at church, living with less "stuff," confront a loved one, take a job out of state, and go on various short term mission trips. I don't know what my next "boat" will be, but I'm willing to bet it will involved a considerable amount of risk and reward. 

Let me get this clear, I don’t think anyone should do anything in the name of “risk” that is contrary to what the bible says. I also don't think that everything turns out "perfect" because you followed Jesus out of one of your comfort zones (Peter did sink, after all!) But I have found the most significant spiritual growth to be in the times of FOLLOWING Jesus out of my comfort zone. Of taking risks. The more I get out of my comfort zone, the more He asks of me. The more He asks of me, the more I am reminded of His faithfulness. The more I see how faithful He is to His promises, the more prone I am to follow Him wherever He leads me to go. I have no idea what is next. But, I do know that the Lord is faithful to His promises. I know he is worth running towards, even in the midst of stormy waters. If following Jesus out of your comfort zone brings you closer to Him, I'm starting to see it more of a risk not to follow Him out. Do you have a boat He's asking you to get out of? Have you asked him?

“His divine power has granted to us ALL THINGS that pertain to life and godliness…by which he has granted to us his PRECIOUS and very GREAT PROMISES, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.” 2 Peter 1:3-4

I adore you all! More to come...

Cultural Lessons From the Redhead

Welcome to cultural lesson number one. Keep this in mind the next time it is 100 degrees and you are without an air conditioner. Did you know that Montenegrins believe that sickness can be traced to two distinct causes: drafts and not wearing house slippers?  They will not let you keep 2 windows, a door AND a window, etc. open at the same time. For example, if it is 100 degrees outside, you will only be able to roll down one window in your car.  No more. Another example: you can open one window in your room, but only if you close the door first. I badly misinterpreted this belief. I was assuming a closed door meant the same that it did in America: stay out! If I had followed my cultural expectations and “stayed out” every time the door was closed, I would never have had any opportunities to talk with my host family. It has been the little things like that that have been the biggest surprises for me.

I’ve had the opportunity to take pictures of the absolutely beautiful surroundings. Pictures could never do it justice, but I’ll share one anyway. Imagine gorgeous mountains plunging straight into a ridiculously blue sea, decorated by quaint towns made of stone. Above you find my favorite of the bunch. You can’t see Herceg Novi (where I am staying), but you can see the Bay of Kotor and the mountains.  You should be able to find this area on a map if you wanted to.

I have also had the opportunity to begin learning about the culture. Like many cultures, there is usually not a distinction between personal beliefs and cultural expectations/traditions. The dominant religion is Orthodox, but the majority do not attend any sort of weekly worship service . It is a big change from the “church on every corner” found in the bible belt.  Out of an estimated 40,000 natives, there are an estimated 5 believers in the area.

I'm looking forward to spending 2 more weeks here, but am afraid the time will go by too quickly! I hope all is well on your side of the world!

Kat has landed!

Zdravo (hello) from Montenegro! After around 24 hours of travel and over 30 hours without sleep, I have officially landed in Montenegro. By “accident” I had a 9 hour layover in Rome.  What a blessing to run into another American girl traveling on her own with an open afternoon! She let me drop my belongings off in her hotel and we ran around Rome for a few hours. This is a picture of us in front of the Colosseum. It makes the new Dallas Cowboy monstrocity of a football stadium look tiny and insignificant, especially since this was made without machinery. 20th century folks are such wussies. 

I have my own room at a house with a welcoming and hospitable Montenegrin family. And to answer the first 2 questions I always have, yes,  there is running water and working toilets! I was actually welcomed the first night by a rare Texas-sized thunderstorm that reminded me of home. The city I am in was built ON the mountain and next to a coast. It is absolutely breathtaking. I have spent the last few days walking around town, learning some language basics (serbo-croatian), learning more of the history of the region, and basically getting accustomed to the area. Next week I will begin to teach an intermediate and advanced English class. I'm looking forward to getting better plugged into the culture and meeting some of the native Montenegrins! 

More pictures and updates will be coming after I get a chance to take a few more pictures and have more time to get settled. PLEASE let me know if you have anything you'd like to know more about! Thanks for checking in!

Cucemo se! (Keep in touch)

And I'm off!!!

Okay..... I admit it. I used moving day as an opportunity to put a shameless "my-niece-is-cuter-than-your-niece" picture up, but I couldn't help it. Can you seriously blame me? Meet Karlie, born to the Moy family on August 14th, 2007. Although my brother and father did all the heavy lifting, Karlie helped us a lot on moving day by giving us a smiling face to come "home" to!

So... there you have it. On Saturday, I moved all of my belongings into storage until I get back on July 20th. I fly out of Montenegro  TUESDAY afternoon (yes, tomorrow!) at 12:15. Next post will be after I get settled in! 

In preparation of leaving, I want to share with you one of my favorite passages in all of scripture:

"But thanks be to God, who in Christ ALWAYS leads us in triumphal procession and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?" 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Friends, I definitely do not feel sufficient for these things on my own. But, I DO feel sufficient by the work of Jesus in me. I know He has led me to take this trip, and I rejoice that His grace is sufficient for me and that His power is made perfect in my many weaknesses. (2 corinthians 12:9). May his light shine through me thoughout this trip and to Him be all the glory.

Blessings to all...

2 weeks!

Thanks for checking out my blog! I can't believe how long it has been since my last posting! I also can't believe that I leave in LESS THAN 2 WEEKS!

To update- all the needed financial support has been raised!!!! Praise the Lord! A big thank you to those that donated, prayed about donating, or just prayed-you are HUGE blessing! As I mentioned earlier, I hope and pray that you feel like a part of this ministry. Without you, this trip would not be possible!

I officially fly out of Dallas on June 10th. I will be spending around 3 weeks in Montenegro and 5 days in Thailand. If you are wondering why I am spending more time in Montenegro, it is because they have some specific ministry needs for the summer and an easier housing set up. I arrive back in Dallas on July 20th. 

Because of flight arrangements and the challenge of coordinating transportation/schedules  to the different areas, I will also have an opportunity to take a few "tourist" days in the midst of my stops in Montenegro and Thailand. Basically, I changed 4 hour layovers into 2 day layovers. I will be having extra stops in Rome (not overnight), Athens, Hong Kong, and Los Angeles. No support money will be used for this part of the trip. It added no extra cost to the plane ticket, and I will be paying any additional costs out my own pocket. If you know of anyone in these areas, I would love to meet up with them!

"Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:30-31

 The last few weeks have been very hectic for me, and it doesn't look to slow down any leading up the departure date! I praise the Lord for the way he has given me energy, the ability manage the schedule, and good health.  I truly don't believe there is any other explanation as to how smoothly the last few weeks have gone. As the old saying goes, "If the Lord calls you to it, He'll see you through it."

Thanks for checking in- I appreciate all of you! 

FAQ's!!!

1. Where the heck is Montenegro?

Imagine Italy as a boot. Now, put spurs on the boot and you kick Montenegro.

And for those of you that saw the last James Bond movie Casino Royal (if you haven't, I strongly recommend it!) NO-that is not what Montenegro is really like. But, I wouldn't necessarily mind it if I happened to run into David Craig.... :)  

2. Why would you want to go to Montenegro?

I have always felt the Lord calling me to serve overseas. In the past, I had an interest to go to China, but I was convicted that my main reason for interest in China was because of friends around me who wanted to go there rather than God's specific leading to that country. While I didn't have a specific place or a culture I was interested in, I did have the desire to go overseas to a group of people that have a very little Christian population and no established church (an unreached people group). The Lord had also given me the specific desires to go to a warm mountainous area and use the gifts he's been given me.

This conviction/realization happened when I was at the orientation program at PIONEERS this past January. The next day, the team from Montengro was there, recruiting for "an outdoorsy person who could get involved in a local music school and be involved in athletics." My heart just about beat out of my chest. I spoke with the team leaders afterward and we really hit it off. I plan on spending the majority of my time in Montenegro ministering with the missionaries that are stationed there now.

3. Why Thailand?

Like Montenegro, Thailand is a warm, mountainous area and a need for workers. They also have a very large international school in Chiang Mai for English-speaking families.  I love to teach and I feel that the Lord has gifted me in teaching, and I could be a full time teacher in Chiang Mai. I will be taking a short survey trip (4-5 days) to see the area, look at the school, meet the missionaries stationed there, and experience the culture.

4. How can we get in touch with you this summer?

By emailing me at katmoy@gmail.com, posting on this blog (yay, class participation!!!!!), and/or facebook stalk me.

5. How is support raising going?

This has been an overwhelming process for me, but in a good way!  Thank you to all of you that have given financially and prayerfully. Without you, THIS WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE. I hope and pray that as I send updates that you will be able to fully understand how you are as much a part of the ministry as I am. I am an extension of you.

I am still in the process of raising financial support. It is difficult to know exactly how much as been raised do the the delay in having it sent directly to Florida. Once I get a final word, I will let you all know!!!

6. What is this PI organization you speak so kindly of?

PI is a Christian missions sending organization. They focus on teaming up with the local church to send missionaries to unreached people groups. They do not financially support missionaries, rather, they help you to organize to go, provide accountability, follow up, etc.

7. When will you be gone?

School for me does not get out until June 5th and I have a rehearsal on July 20th. My specific flight plan has not been finalized. I am looking to leave on June 10th or 11th and return on July 20th.

The First landing

Thanks for looking at my blog!!!

For those that are interested in the dates, I am looking at departing to Montenegro around June 10th or 11th, heading to Thailand around July 5th, and returning to Dallas the morning of July 13th. The reason the trip is not longer is due to school responsibilities. Yay.... being a grown up! :)

 I'm still in the midst of setting the specific flight itinerary, but when I do, I'll let you know!

More exciting posts will be up soon, I promise! Give me some time, people!!!