BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT!

Today I turned 30 years old or in Italiano Trent'anni!  And it was a fabulous birthday!  Why?  Because I got all my paperwork gathered together for the second time and headed back to San Fransisco to the Italian Consulate Visa Office and THIS TIME GOT TO TURN IN MY PAPERWORK!  But to tell you that is to tell you only a portion of the story...

If you have been to San Fran you know that parking is ALWAYS a challenge, but not today, today we made it in time to stop at Safeway and purchase a Bridal Magazine (not for me, for Krista) since we knew we would be standing outside the consulate for 2 hours, we figured we had time to kill.  We got a spot to park at Safeway, and then we got another great FREE spot to park at the Consulate, and we did make it and ended up being the first in line, which in the end did not make us first, but did get us into the line of the Kind Man at the Consulate rather than the other one, with the lady who is well, lets just say, not the Kind Man. BIG GOD THING, because she handles all the Student Visa's and he handles the rest, so we should have been in her line, but God used her need for speed to get us into the Kind Man's line.


All this to say that God heard our prayers, and my paperwork is finally being looked at!  I have faith that it will all be approved, and the Kind Man seemed hopeful that I would get it back in time to get on a plane the 7th of July!  Did you realize that is ONLY 2 WEEKS from today!  I did not until last night, and now I can not think of much else!  2 Weeks, crazy how something that always seemed forever in the future, is now just 2 weeks from happening! 

Since it is once again evident that God is working all things out for His glory and His good and perfect will, please continue to pray with me for the following things:

1. The remaining $398 a month to come in before July 7th!
2. Thanking God for the opportunity I have to share at Faith Community on Sunday!  Asking Him to bless my time there, and to use it for His glory, and to help me get the remainder of the support and supporters I need!
3. That I will indeed get my Student Visa Approved and my Passport back before I need it to leave on the 7th!
4. That God will be preparing my heart and mind and protecting my heart and mind and those of my family and friends as we say our farewells.
5. That God will prepare and direct me as I get to Rome, that I will find the right apartment at the right price, in the right time, and that I will make new friends with my neighbors quickly!
6. That all the little details will fall into place like they did today!
7. That Brian and Sarah and I will bond  together quickly once again, and that we will be effective in ministering to the people in Rome and to each other.

Thank you all!  For your prayers, support, and friendship!