Cinco de Mayo

We just celebrated Cinco de Mayo at the Hannah home last night with about 30 students. Thank you so much for your prayers for this event! We had some great conversations. I have learned many, many lessons this year...but one thing continues to resurface. I am humbled over and over again by God's sovereignty. In the states, it's just too easy to operate under the illusion of control that I think I have over my life and plans. Yes, we do make choices. But, ultimately, God has the final say in those choices. We can make all the plans we want...but it's God who determines whether or not those plans actually take place in the form of action. God has plans for Bologna, for the people I've met, for me...and they might not be the plans I would have anticipated, but they are still the plans He has. 

The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord. Proverbs 16:9

And He's a God of the unexpected. He's radically different. And that's what draws us to Him, right? Because grace just doesn't make sense. 

But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.      1 Samuel 16:7 

Jenny and I at the Cinco de Mayo Party

Food for Cinco de Mayo

Sopapillas

Tomorrow, our team is leaving for Trieste where Matt, Emily and I will be running in a half marathon. And as I'm writing this, I'm thinking it may not be a bad idea to ask for some of your prayer support in that : ) I'm joking, but, really, 13 miles is kind of a big deal. At least for me.

Please continue to pray for...

• The students we have met and are building relationships with this year. That those who know Christ would grow stronger and that those who don't know Him would come to know Him.
• Transitions into next year as team changes take place. Please pray that God would begin to prepare Italian students to take ownership of what's started in Bologna for next year. Pray for those of us moving into another year here in Bologna and new team members joining the team--that God would guide and provide. Pray also for those of us transitioning back to the states.
• For the summer project. Thirteen people (students and staff) will be joining us here in Bologna on May 22 for 5 weeks. Pray for God to work in big ways--in the lives of students we meet and in the lives of students on project.