Do you ever have moments when all you can say is, “Wow, I needed that“? Especially those moments that you didn’t even know you really needed them until after?
Maybe after a long day of work, you run to the grocery store and you run in to someone who just wanted to give you a hug.
OR maybe on a visit to the park one day, a little girl runs up to you and offers you a beautiful handpicked flower.
We all have unique moments like these.
Well my month in Ukraine was definitely a “I needed that” kind of month. I absolutely loved and it and actually miss it more than ever! It was by far probably one of my best months on the World Race. Probably because each day was a “I needed that” kind of day….
Every morning in Ukraine we woke up bright and early in a room full of windows (God knew I absolutely love tons of windows = tons of natural sunlight). I needed that refreshing wake-up call.
Did I mention that I got to check off one of my goals on my bucket list (of course I want to do it again in another city!), but God gave us the awesome opportunity to rent a very affordable apartment in downtown Odessa!!! A beautiful historical city on the coast of the Black Sea. I needed that! :]
fun on the walk home from First Step
We took the same exact 45 minute walk to ministry at the First Step center across town. Along the way, we ran into an older man playing the accordion on the street corner. One day we even stopped and danced along to the tune he was playing. I needed that.
adorably cute accordion man on the street corner. I hope he misses us now ;]
We then passed through “art park” where tons of beautiful artwork was displayed. It added such a beautiful touch to the beautiful park. I needed that.
I definitely needed those moments when Costea, a worker at the First Step center, pulled out his acoustic guitar. God knew how much I missed the sounds of strumming.
First Step center
Or stopping to buy the $0.50 soft-serve ice cream cone from McDonald’s on the way home on a hot afternoon. I needed (or wanted, hehe) that.
But my absolute favorite “I needed that” moment came one afternoon when my original plan was to head back to the apartment. I had been going through a phase of feeling like I had no “God story” to share with you…which was a little bit discouraging. I grew so accustomed to my “normal” life on the World Race and forgot how so not-normal my life really is. But when you are living in the midst of it all, you just become “used to” it.
Jenny wanted to take some bread to an older homeless couple in the park on the way home, so I volunteered to go with her. My original reason for going was honestly out of obligation (to share a key to the gate to our apartment), but as usual, God had other plans for me.
We found the older couple on the other side of the park, sleeping in each others arms. We woke them up and as soon as Jenny handed them the loaves of bread… the woman reached up, grabbed my neck and pulled me down on to her and kissed my cheeks over and over again! I was overwhelmed with emotion as both of them cried and thanked the Lord for the gift.
samantha, me & bethany outside of the opera house
I totally needed that! :]
