A beautiful month in Colorado Springs.

Let me just say, it has been forever since I last posted on here!  I do have a good reason though, and that is what I'll be talking about in this post. :)

My family and I just got done with five intense weeks of missionary training in Colorado Springs.  The training was at MTI (Missionary Training International) in a little mountain town just outside of the Springs.  The location of MTI is absolutely breathtaking, the teaching there was phenomenal and the people who were training with us were amazing.  It was an encouraging, challenging and over all beautiful experience.

Seeing as I can't sum all of my personal experience at MTI up in one blog post, let me share with you some of the highlights.  

One thing that made MTI so good was the fact that every person/family/couple who was there was also training to go on the mission field and going through the same transitions that we have been going through.  Even though everyone was going to different countries (literally all over the map.... Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, etc.), we could relate on a whole different level than we could with people who weren't going through this transition.  Even things that might seem little like "We just had a garage sale and literally got rid of 80% of what we own.... Oh really?!  Us too!".  Everybody there, whether they were single or married was experiencing similar transitions.  I can't tell you how encouraging it was to find out that I'm not the only one who is leaving everything and everyone I've ever known.

Something you should know about MTI is that you are in class from 8:45 in the morning to 4:00 in the afternoon Monday - Friday.  And the times that you're not in class, you are hanging out with the MTI community.  As a result of being with the MTI community all day long, you become like family!  

One of my favorite things to do when I wasn't in class, was hanging out with all of the kids of the families who were being trained.  They were each SO amazing!  Even though none of us had been on the mission field yet, we felt so bonded because we were all soon to be MKs (missionary kids).  I was able to build solid relationships with each of the kids and truly treasured spending time with them.  One of our favorite things to do was smashing pennies on the train tracks right up the hill from the training center.  Another favorite was playing long games of tag on the playground together, or "What time is it Mr. Fox?".  My heart aches right now as I remember the memories that were made with those kids.  I miss them a lot.  I am so thankful that God brought each of them into my life and that we were able to encourage each other through this rough transition time.  He really used those kids to bless me!

Here is a picture of me with two of my dear friends from MTI...

Besides loving on and being loved on from the kids, another great thing about MTI was all that I learned and have taken away.  

One important thing that I learned, is that it is okay and healthy to grieve.  It is easy for me to think that this move to Slovakia should be completely positive and all smiles.  Really though, there is a lot of hurt and sadness that goes into it.  Leaving friends that are so near and dear to my heart is a huge loss in my life, and it is easy for me to run away from actually experiencing the pain.  I found out that fleeing from the pain doesn't help anything.  I need to go to those painful places in my heart and identify what the losses are in my life as I move to Slovakia.  If I don't choose to grieve, I won't be released of the burdens that come with painful losses.  I've discovered that grieving doesn't have to be a negative and wrong thing, but that it can be a positive and healthy thing.  If I grieve over leaving my friends and family in the States, that means that I've loved well and have been loved on well.   I'm thankful to know that grieving over the losses that I'm experiencing in my life is okay.

Speaking of grieving, I experienced major grieving on Friday as we waved goodbye to our dear MTI family.  I can't begin to explain what that picture was like as people were saying goodbye to each other. Nearly everyone, including the kids, was weeping uncontrollably.  I think it was because everyone had loved each other well and had been loved on well.  It showed me what the bonds of the body of Christ look like.

Not only did I experience grieving last Friday, but I will be experiencing major grieving in this next week and a  half as our family officially closes out our lives in Fort Collins.  God used that time to prepare me for the next "grieving session".

I could go on and on talking about how MTI impacted me, but I just wanted to give you a little picture of what life was like there and some of what I learned.

I know MTI is not perfect and the people there aren't perfect, but God truly used those five weeks to bless me, renew me, teach me, prepare me and humble me.  He reminded me of the beauty of the body of Christ.  He showed me what love really is.  I praise Him for my experience there!

I miss all of my MTI family so much right now, but my heart is so full knowing that we are forever family.  And if we don't see each other again on earth, we will see each other in Heaven and be able to see the fruit of  God using us in each of our countries!  What a day that will be.

The song "Blessed Be Your Name" has really resonated with what has been going on in my heart lately.  This song kept on coming back into my head all through out training.  I hope it blesses you just as much as it has blessed me.

"You give and take away.... but my heart will choose to say, Lord blessed be Your name!"