Officially Starting...

I worked out this week that it has been 5 years since I was accepted as a candidate with ECM. As most of you probably know, I applied to come to Slovenia initially for 1 year with a possible extension to 2. Despite that, I actually went through the process for a long term applicant rather than short term. 5 years later I can now say that I am officially working full time, long term in ministry here in Ljubljana. Of course much has changed over the past 5 years and I'm not sure I really knew what I was getting myself into. That being said, God has led and guided me through the whole process and I have been so blessed by it all. Of course there have been challenges but He has upheld me through it all.

I felt like I started my ministry at the beginning of summer when all my studies ended. Of course I managed to get many things done in that time but it's only in the last 2 weeks that I have actually been able to get into any kind of new routine. When I tell people all that I'm doing, it sounds like a lot but I actually find that I have quite a good work/ rest balance. So what does my ministry look like at the moment? 

I currently have 2 one-to-ones each week with some of the teenage girls in the church. One is new and one I used to meet with before. There are a couple of other people I might be meeting with regularly but this hasn't been organised yet. 

Every week we have our youth group. I have made a few slight changes to this including splitting the group into 2 each week, which means that both leaders need to prepare for the Bible study. I'm there every week whilst all the other teachers are on a rota (I've always gone every week so that's nothing new for me). 

Every other week we have a Ladies' Bible Study which I host at my flat. We're now on a rota as to who leads the study each week so I will take my turn in that. I'm also going to be putting my studies into practice and giving a talk (in Slovene) on 1 Timothy every 2 months. 

I haven't completely stopped my language studies either. I'm having lessons once a week with the private teacher I used to meet with a couple of years ago.

I'm in the process of trying to start a new group for children in English each week. We have a venue, I just need to confirm some leaders and then start to advertise. I hope that this will be an outreach opportunity both for expats who want something in English for their kids but also possibly for Slovenes who want their children to improve their English. Please be praying for this that the final things will fall into place and that we actually have children who want to come along each week.

Finally, I'm also getting slightly more involved in ECM and their work in Slovenia as a whole as well as more generally.

I'm really enjoying the varied work and the chance to get to spend time with people in all my different roles. Please keep praying that God would be working in me and through me and that his name would be glorified here in Slovenia.

5 years ago I was only dreaming of what my life would look like in Slovenia. I'm so grateful for all God has done to lead me here now.