July 22, 2005
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last night i arrived in america…no longer am i in europe
i had a very blessed trip…incredibly thankful that i was able to visit the countries that i did and meet the people that i met and see the things that i saw. i spent a day in paris (and saw the eiffel tower from the sky)
then, for about three weeks i stayed in germany with a sister in Christ and her family. the last week i was able to stay in holland (the netherlands) with a great brother in Christ and his precious family. with the time i had on my hands, i was able to spend much time with the Lord, praying, studying, and reading…which in itself, was wonderful.
now that i am back in the states, i’m finding that i really miss europe and its simpler way of living. america seems to be very blessed to the point that it seems lazy, indolent, and ungrateful. my eyes were opened to the fact that we take very much for granted here in america…oh, may i always have a thankful heart…
here are just a few pictures from the trip…be blessed
part of the bückeburg castle in
a garden on a castle permises
a smaller castle in petershagen,
…another small castle door
one week in
some of the youth group and i (far right)
lovely flowers in a german garden
ah, giethoorn in holland…beautiful canals and lakes (thank you paul)
such cute cottage-like homes…i think i will be moving into one of these soon
a church in the well-known city of
awaiting the flight to
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oh, all that I can do
is hold onto You
and follow where You lead
where Your leading me
all that i can do
is hold onto You
and let You bring me through
its all that i can do…
~b.d.
“lead me, oh Lord in Your righteousness…make straight Your way before me..” psalm 5:8
Comments (18)
Ahhh…..man, I love Europe. Welcome home.
“lead me, oh Lord in Your righteousness…make straight Your way before me..” psalm 5:8
Amen.
Welcome Back.
It’s good to have you home! I loved all your pictures. It’s wonderful that you are letting the Lord write your life story -surrendered and given up to Him.
“They made an exchange. An exchange so pronounced that all heaven stood and cheered as these simple men and women took the very first step up the impossible slopes of God’s Everest. They exchanged life as they knew it for life as God knew it should be. They exchanged the right to do with their bodies however they saw fit for the life of a servant who only does what the Master requests. They exchanged their dreams and ambitions for God’s great and dramatic plan for their lives. Such is the secret of every great man and woman of God.” – When God Writes Your Life Story (Eric and Leslie Ludy)
Thanks for bringing all that chocolate home too!
Love you, M.
I have just come back from portugal!!
I would like to here every detail fo yours!!
those are some amazing pictures…i’m so glad you had such an awesome and refreshing time
you’re faith is such an encouragement to me…especially now, so thank you. thank you that you are only holding on to Him…because sometimes i think we just need to see other people doing that…so that we can have hope to keep going on ourselves. God bless you 
oh, and a question…where do you get your music for your site? you always have great music on here
Welcome back!!! I am glad you like Europe. I have to say if you thing people are not so spoilt in Europe then you have to live in Africa. I think that we in the Western world have too much material things for our own good. Oh, I love the beauty in countries like Austria, Germany and France… But the comfort of life has blinded many as well, especially in the city. There’s so much ungodliness!
Anyway, glad you loved the trip. It is true that there are wonderful things to see. Next time you should plan a trip to Austria….
Sof
Woww!…wonderful to know for certain that you’re home safe and sound! I couldn’t access the internet all day, so I’m just reading this post for the first time right now.
I’m reminded of a verse from 2 Corinthians 5:9:
Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him.
May this always be the aim of our life: “be pleasing to Him!”
Hey, by the way, those last few pictures seem kind of familiar to me…it’s just as if I have seen those houses, that water, the Church and the house of Anne Frank as well. Or maybe it’s no imagination but reality after all
YEP, I believe it is! 
I tried to catch up on my reading schedule again today and had to read Jeremiah 15-17. The verses from Jeremiah couldn’t have been more timely and true:
“Blessed is the man (or: woman!) who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him. He (or: she!) will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” (Jeremiah 17:7-8)
…keep pursuing Him! He makes everything beautiful in His time…
Trusting the God of the impossible, Paul
Hi Arielle!!
Welcome home!! Great pics! I like to hear about different places and I love that about xanga. People who love the Lord are connecting from all over the world, and He is seen, known and heard. Blessings to you!! Much love, Lois 
(Glad you liked the new q&a! & thanks for stopping by!)
Glad you ahd a great trip…the pictures are great! It is a gift, I believe, to be able to travel and see….really see…the state of our country…and the American church. There is an apathy…there is so much abundance that the very things that the Lord has blessed us with…we have built as idols. Whew…
and to quote the famous..madame blueberry…’ a thankful heart is a happy heart”.
wow. it looks like you had an awesome trip. i’m glad you are back, and i’m looking forward to more excellent posts here.
Gorgeous pictures! Thanks for sharing. You have a wonderful site, a reflection I’m certain of your beautiful heart. I agree, the music is awesome!
How blessed. It would be so amazing to retain everthing learned. I wish I could.
Always remember the poor. A chalenge for me.
Peace and Grace,
-Weston
aww those are beautiful pictures!!
My summer is awesome!!!!! im loving it!
What about you?
Im glad you had fun!
Hopefully we will have classes together this year.
God Bless
<3 Katie
No, those aren’t my daughters. They’re my nieces. And yes, they are the cutest, most precious little girls in the history of Western civilization. Not that I’m biased, of course.
Great pictures Arielle, glad to hear you had a good time! be blessed.
thank you, arielle
Thanks Arielle, I added you to the protected list (I haven’t blogged much privately lately)…but if I ever need to it’s good to have a list already. The family I just did the wedding for lives in Germany. The daughter has coem back to the states to live.