Bring on Hilary.

I'm back in Oxford! I had a wonderful holiday... I was so refreshed by seeing great friends and family. I went back and forth between mom's and dads.. and got to spend Christmas in Ohio with some wonderful family :) On Dec 30th I flew out to Rome with Carmen, Jordan, Andrew, and Alycia (friends from OCCA) to visit Italy for 10 days. We stayed with a dear friend, Francesco, from OCCA and were able to experience Italian culture! I got to eat pizza for the first time in 6 months! booyah. Our friends Dan and Erin had arrived earlier, so we met up with them and had a great time traveling, going on adventures, and eating lots of Italian Cuisine. Alycia's goal of the trip was "to eat my brains out" and I think she accomplished it. It was a great trip, filled with lots of history, architecture, beauty, laughter, and food. Winner.

We're back in Oxford now, and classes started this week!It's the beginning of Hilary term. We have new lectures.. which I will write about as we get more into them.. new opportunities, and missions! Each year, OCCA goes on various missions, and this year we will be traveling to 4 different Universities: York, Bath, Aberystwyth, and Liverpool. We were divided up into teams and I will be going to York and Liverpool. The goal of mission is to help the Christian Unions during their mission week, engaging with non-Christians, talks during lunch and dinner, and outreach events. I was able to travel to Liverpool twice last term, so it will be a joy to be reunited with the CU there! The York mission leaves January 27th and we will be gone for a week- so keep us in your prayers!!! As a team we are so looking forward to what God has in store for that week. Please pray for our hearts and minds to be renewed and refreshed, for conversations, divine appointments, and for joy. Please pray for the Christian Unions as well- as they prepare for mission week, but also for a partnership to be formed between us as we want to come alongside them during this time!

The first day of classes, there was a tangible joy in the classroom. OCCA has really become a family. I have so much joy and expectation for what God is going to continue to do in and through this community, how He is going to stretch and grow us as individuals, and prepare us for what is to come.

I am hoping to grow in how I know God and his character, how to further engage in conversation and how to respond to others, and to deepen friendships both inside and outside of OCCA.

In addition, I have a new placement this term. Last term I led a Bible study at the NOOC. This term, in  hopes to reach a larger group of people, and engage in much more conversation, we are planning something new. Chad, Dan and I (who all live at the NOOC) will be starting movie discussion nights, Q&A sessions, and Open Forums! We are discussing it this week with the staff at the NOOC so please pray for this ! We are so excited and think that God could do big things through this!!!!

So with prayer, joy, and expectation- bring it on Hilary.