Congratulations Fayetteville Lady Dawgs on winning the 5A State Fast Pitch Softball Championship this past Saturday!!
As some of you know, I have been an assistant coach with these girls for the past 3 years. I could not be prouder of them for all their hard work this year to get all the way to holding up this trophy! We have won the conference 3 consecutive years now, had 2 semi-final appearances the past two years, and now a STATE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Last week the team and I spent a lovely 6 night, 7 day vacation at The Cranbury Inn& Suites in the lovely destination of Jacksonville, Arkansas. Our stay was lengthy due to multiple rain delays. What an experience...one of those where memories are forever made. One of my favorite things...memories.
I am so grateful for my time invested in this team of unique, hilarious, and spirited girls who have enriched my life immensely. Coach Shirey, our head coach, has taught me lessons in leadership, discipline, and expecting excellence. The impact he has made on me cannot be measured. I am thankful. Girls who call me "Brinktizzle", who knock on my hotel room constantly wanting to play Samaurai, who incessantly try to mess me up as I count heads over and over in the bus... I will miss it all. What a great ending to my time coaching! Go Dawgs!

The beauty of technology. One can spend above an hour attempting cleverness and literary sharpness for readers to enjoy, scratch their heads, and praise the author for her insight, and then the computer can choose to disconnect and erase all contents of said scribe's composition. Ironic, I think it, as some of my topic from my first compilation of words dealt with my pride issue. : ) Yes. Perfect.



The prayer laid upon my heart since my journey to Londontown has begun has been that the Lord would provide open doors to assure me that this path is indeed His. A thought occurred to me today as I was surfing the net for pictures of cool old doors in London. I googled "open doors in London". I found a few, but I found more that look like this weathered one here. Is it locked? Is it unlocked? We, as the audience looking at this two dimensional entryway know not the answer to these questions. We would have to be physically present to touch the handle and turn it to reveal this mystery.
New perspective on my prayer about doors...The Lord is not a puppeteer. He will lead me, but what is my life quote? "Faith is in our feet." I must step up to the doors, open them, and walk through for Him to show me his continuing, active, tailor- made living plan. He has continued to answer my prayer of doors. At times I let my pride, self-sufficient nature, and stubborness become giants standing in front of those doors. I am transported back to the question..."What am I convinced of?" "What, or rather Who, is my center?" Always easy for me to get those commandments one and two out of order. How beautiful, intimate, and intentional the Lord is with me, to give me a couple instructions for life that I so desperately desire with my personality of wanting to have directions to follow. I love reading directions on anything...shampoo, recipes, rules to games. I know, I know. Love me or leave me...just a dorky insight into me. Thanks be to God for Sarah Harmeyer, my ambassador of pointing me to the order of one and two!

John Piper writes, "God is most glorified when we are most satisfied in Him". My trek takes my mind to this significant quote often. Funny, it does not say that we should be satisfied, gratified to the full (Webster), in Him, my friends, my family, my finances, my home... Nope, "in Him"...first. "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6.33) Hmmm...so if I keep number one in its place, number two will be taken care of? Right. Thanks again for the reminder. Seems like Piper has some wisdom here.
Lord, may my full gratification come from your Well.

"And the weight of glory, if you held it in your hand, it would pass right through you, so now's your chance..." --Caedmon's Call
(Amazing album!)

Just a recommendation for a great read, in my opinion. Our community group has been working our way through the pages of this book. I find myself underlining like crazy.

Do you have friends that make you more clever? Friends that you feel smarter and funnier around? Have you found music that holds unpredictable, profound lyrics that challenges your prior notion of how a song is normally composed? I hope you do. I do. A handful of persons in my life make my wit sharper, my smile broader, and my heart richer. My friend, Lauren (pictured above with her boy Patrick) sharpens my humor because she challenges me to retort in a similar way as she has just spoken, with smart, sometimes random, word choices. A handful of musicians fill my heart with joy and make me sing at the top of my lungs. I love it!
Do you have people who you feel like are "your people"? You feel a level of ease, depth, unspoken understanding, care, and kindredness of mind. I hope you do. If you don't, find them. I believe everyone has at least a couple of kindreds to immerse themselves in. I have been struck lately by the definition of friendship. Not all look the same, nor should they appear identical...tis impossible and improbable. At times that notion is difficult for me. My longing for connection with people often can supercede my knowledge that "my people" my not number in large quantities, and that is ok. Expectations are huge, as well as, parameters. Once I know the framework and expectations of a friendship, my heart and head live in such freedom. Most times my heart runs way ahead of my brain, and the reins have to be pulled back to assess how to balance connection rather than going to extremes.
So, my word is this, I guess...treasure "your people". Treasure those that you don't consider "your people". After all #2 tells us to love our neighbor. We should treasure everyone. But do so for who they are, not for who you think they ought to be or who you would want them to be. The key is to remember how I want to be treasured...just how I am with all my junk, unconditionally. The word treasure, as my pal Webster sees it, means to hold or keep as precious. Who doesn't want to be treasured? Noone, I dare say. Expect that though all friendships will not look alike, they all enrich our lives. No man is an island, as Merton says. Thanks for being my friends, my favored companions who I think precious.
Music feeds my soul. What a poweful medium that can uplift, challenge, help us turn off our brains, inspire... The other day, I was driving to work listening to my ipod on shuffle, my favourite feature these days. I love to listen to David Gray. I love to listen to Jason Mraz. I love to listen to several other artists, of course, but I was struck by these two specifically that morning. You know how sometimes you listen to music because everyone else does or because you want to sound like you are cool because this artist is the one that everyone is talking about? I do this, yes, I am admitting that, I fall to peer pressure and always want to be in the loop of "coolness". However, I happened upon both of these gifted gents on my own, and I love them both...musically, of course. (I know them not.) People sometimes laugh at me about my intense liking of both artists. (I think this laughter comes mostly from them only knowing their radio-played songs, which as per usual most times does not reflect true depth from an artist, only what the masses will tap their toe to and sing over and over.) Tis ok. I am secure in appreciating their talent. Richness, poetry, originality, depth.
A bit of a random monologue, but my point is embrace music you love, treasure friends, and be passionate. Life is so rich and full of passionate pursuits. I believe we all have something we hold passion for and our hearts know joy when we find it.

today: thirty march oh six...
How cool is London? I found this picture on a website on St. Patrick's Day. They dye the water in the fountain at Trafalgar Square green. I just thought that was rather fun and worth a post. : )

Last Sunday I was introduced to all three services at my church as a missionary that is being sent out to London. What a blessing that time was for me! I got to see many friends at my booth I was assigned to out in the foyer, as well as getting to meet some new folks who have interest in what I am going to be doing when I move. I even had a guy, who I believe was a high schooler or maybe a college kid, come by to tell me about a great band that he loves that is based in London. This interchange with the afore mentioned nameless fellow makes me smile as I remember it. What a picture to me of why I love kids. He was hanging around waiting to chat for a little while as I was occupied with others. I saw him leave, and then when the crowd thinned, he reappeared.
"What's up?", he asked enthusiastically.
"It's been so long since I've seen you!" he continued.
"I know...seriously!", I said, playing along with him.
"Like at least five minutes", he quipped.
I loved it! He went on to tell me about this band that he loves, as well as mentioning a girl he knows who is in London who needs Jesus. The Lord continues to amaze me in his attention to detail. "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father..." (James 1.17) I see this as a truth. The Lord can and does use anything to affirm, encourage, and inspire. Chatting with this mystery kid affirmed yet again why I love working with young people!
I am spending today indoors working on organizing my world as much as possible, doing follow up with potential donors and assessing where I am in my goal to move. From the looks of things, I am at about the halfway mark of having my money committed. The goal I have set currently for being ready to leave sits at the end of May. I know I had mentioned possibly moving in with some friends to cut down on costs in this lean time, but it appears that I will be staying put until the middle of May thanks to a sweet friend who is helping with some expenses.

Trust..."assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something", Webster says. Ok, yes. I agree with the definition. A bit harder to put into practice, yeah? Yet another essential entity that must take root in one's heart in addition to one's head. Trust...a daily decision I continue to discover, just as love is.
All is on track as far as I can see. I continue to keep my headlamp on.
"Remain in me, and I will remain in you." (John 15.4)

I have returned home to Fayetteville from my two week stay in Little Rock with the family. My niece, Isabel (Izzy) arrived on schedule on 28 Feb bright and early. Izzy's older sister of almost two years is completely in love with this new addition to the Chad Brinkley household. (See pics below...Izzy and me, Chad and Ella.)
SNL, Jamba Juice sketch...funny. Random, but important. I do Young Life, remember? Random funny is the key to my heart.
I feel good about my trip to Ouachita, my college alma mater, where I got to see some of my favorite people. As I drove around Arkadelphia, reminiscing about my four and a half years there, thankfulness overwhelmed. The experience of a small college campus is priceless. Almost every square inch of the OBU campus, not to mention a bit of the Henderson State campus across the street (where I spent my junior year) holds a memory about which I could tell a (very detailed) story. I told my parents one afternoon after returning from Arkadoo that I have turned into them...spending my time driving around town looking at all the places I resided. I did not take pictures, as they have, but I confess I did think about it. I am sentimental and proud of it! A small college (about 1700 total on campus) holds such charm. Family...it sounds cliche', but it is true.
The next couple of weeks bring a distinct call for faith. In the mean time between jobs, my prayer for immediate provision moves to the top of the list.
My dear friends, the Addingtons, have opened their home to me for the next few months as I finish raising my money to move. I plan to move in at the end of the month which excites me mucho!
As the days get crossed off the calendar, my heart feels more and more displaced and ready to be in Londontown. The Lord continues to do intentional work on my person to prepare me...showing me areas that need to be healthier, revealing my need for more dependence on Him first, and challenging me to trust without limits.
Comfortable? No. Predictable? No. Beneficial? Yes.

My definition of "love" is being expanded and deepened to go beyond previous notion. The first commandment calls me to "Love the Lord with all [my] heart, with all [my] soul, with all [my] strength, and with all [my] mind" (Mark 12.30). The word "all" can be defined as meaning "completely taken up with, given to, or absorbed by". Webster gives us one meaning of the word "love" as "an unselfish love and benevolent concern for the good of another". I love the dictionary. I love understanding meaning. As a Christian, I equate God with love. If I were to diagram the sentence, "God is love", it would be rather elementary. As much as I adore the predictable structure of the English language, His character is beyond predictablity and structure.
For this deeper discovery, I am beyond thankful.
Soon...
kb

This evening I sit composing at my desk looking up at my life scripture verse hanging on my wall..."Remain in me, and I will remain in you." (John 15.4) The Lord is intimate and detail focused. I have come to realise, recognise, and relish this character trait of the Creator. I am also clinging to this intentionality that He has shown me throughout my walk with Him and even more so in the months as of late.
I officially finish my tenure teaching preschoolers how to exercise at the end of this week. My boss has hired a fellow to take my place teaching my some 150 kiddos every week. I know he will be great, and I feel good about leaving them in his care. I will miss that reckless love that those sweet friends lavished upon me beyond the shadow of a doubt. I am fairly convinced that among those little ones is the closest I will be to experiencing fame. What a beautiful picture of how we are supposed to love the Lord, without pretense, condition, or self-consciousness. I pray I never forget the blessing this job of squashing balls with my abdominals doing push-ups or giving myself a hug, saying "You're the best kid ever!" to do sit-ups has been to my soul. (See pic of my little pals.)
And, on my feet of faith tred...
Strange. Unpredictable. Scary. Exciting. Real.
All these words come to mind as the next page in this journey across the pond turns. The balance between faith and practicality. To those of you who have known a window into my life post-college, you will recognise this life question of mine that again comes to the forefront of my life these days. I need to work to live, and I also need to continue my pace of meeting with people, making phone calls, and sending letters to keep moving toward my goal of raising my funding and moving to London. Details that seem to float this way and that on the waves of the sea of uncertainty that I know the Lord can walk across...steady the boat and smooth the path that I have little or no control over. Is the Lord not amazing in his vastness, his Word that is so active, alive, and applicable without fail? For someone such as myself who loves and aspires to write...who else could write truisms so original and lasting? Noone.
I will spend next week in Little Rock and Arkadelphia meeting with friends, staying with the parentals. I will get to go to Ouachita to see some great pals from college life that I have missed and hopefully will become my Londontown teammates. I will also get to see my new niece, Isabel Lorin. She is expected to enter our world on February 28th in Hot Springs. (Lorin is my middle name, so Chad and Heather have named her partially after me. I am blessed beyond words! Precious.)
Transitions are beginning...looking at moving in with some friends soon, doing temp work to pay the bills, moving home at some point before I make my big move...it is going to really start to feel more real in the very near future.
Trust. Remain. Walk.

The weather outside yesterday made my friend Becky and I think of England. Though it is January, we have had very little true winter-like weather here in NW Arkansas as of late. Becky spent a year in northern England at a bible college, so she shares my love and helps me with tips...English tips... She called me yesterday and invited my over for a Jane Austen evening to watch classics like Emma and Sense and Sensibility. I love her for thinking of such a theme for such a day. : ) I don't know that I mentioned it, but I have recently become a bit obsessed with Austen novels and movies. I cannot help but think it appropriate at this juncture of my life. I read Pride and Prejudice just prior to the release of the latest version to the big screen. I also made sure to watch the BBC/A&E version before trekking off to the local theater. I must say I ardently adore it. Indeed, I do.
I am back in the routine of life in Arkansas after my visit to gorgeous Colorado. I am three weeks away from being done with my preschool position and then will transition to temp work, odd jobs, and various other asundry vocations until I leave for England. You can pray that all that uncertainty falls in line to enable me to pay all that needs to be taken care of between now and my move. When will I move, you ask? Well, it looks like perhaps sometime between mid-April and early May. My hope resides in this goal.
David Gray music is good for my soul. Honestly, if you have never taken time to listen, take it. (Take it, care for it...!) Soothing, harmonious, poetic.
I feel more and more affirmed that London is soon to be my home. I am excited about the doors that are open, the staff that are already loving on me like crazy, and a new chapter in my story. May the Lord lead and illuminate the way.

The view out my window for the last week has been that of Pike's Peak here in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Not a bad view while learning more about my upcoming cross cultural experience. I sit in the Clarion lobby listening to the wind gust through the trees outside my window. God is majestic. Every time I catch a view of the Rocky Mountains, the word that comes to mind is "majesty". I am in awe of His splendor.
Cross Cultural Orientation has been a wonderful time of insight, challenge, and great fun. Young Life trainings never fail to bless me. I feel encouraged, surrounded by people who are in love with the Lord, and affirmed that I am on the right track.
I have gotten to room with Liz Watkins, who is on staff in London presently. We have become fast friends and are excited to be in the same area very soon. I now have about 20 new friends who will be in all parts of the world...Tanzania, Belgium, Germany, Spain, Africa, Norway, Peru, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Sweden. I love it! God is big, friends...beyond our comprehension.
When I get the privilege of coming to a YL training I always feel like I am with "my people". It is such a sweet connection that the Lord allows us all to have, and we know that He is the glue that binds our hearts. I am convinced the Lord believes friends to be of high importance. After all, in John 15 he calls us his friends. (Sidenote: John 15 is my favorite chapter of the Bible.) I feel at home here, in this community. I am convinced that the Lord knows me so intimately that he understands deeply my need to feel centered as I prepare to embark on such a foreign, challenging journey. Shocking as it may be for those of you who know me well, I find myself stumped as I try to adequately articulate my point at the moment. (I seem to never be in short supply of explanation. :) ) It feels right...doing ministry, going to London, challenging my borders and fears. I am thankful.
He has also used this week to remind me that His timing is always perfect. I am part of the minority of people involved this week that have been out of college for a while. Most here will be interns in the areas in the country in which they will reside. Internships internationally look quite different than those stateside. The job is large of an int'l intern, their job descriptions looking more like that of an area director in some senses. I was not ready for that sort of an internship 5 years ago when I came on YL stateside staff. I am certain of that fact. I am blown away by the maturity and strength of my friends in their early 20's moving toward this big adventure!
As I reread this entry I feel like it's a bit dry and full of facts. I must say that I am processing quite a bit at the moment and being the "internal processer" that I am, I am realising that I am going to need a bit more time to organise my thoughts. I'll be in touch with more London related revelations.
Soon..
kb

Hi there all. I have been confined in my house the past few days battling a viscious case of tonsilitus. I don't remember the last time I have slept more. It is a very good thing that this new couch that Janell, my roommate, bought is comfortable. A forced vacation I have been given. I am beginning to surface out of the body aches, the throat swollenness, and the headache. I don't know if you have ever dealt with strep throat, but if you ever hear of someone having it...stay away! It is is not fun, not a bit. I am thankful that it is not the flu, which from what I have been told, not ever having experienced it first hand, feels somewhat similar. Thankfully, strep can be treated with an antibiotic and ousted unlike the flu that just has to be weathered.
My sickness has slowed me a bit since Wednesday, and I plan to stay in through the weekend to rest my ailing self. My fund raising is plugging along, and I am thankful. I am hoping the finish the year strong in that regard. I am truly looking forward to my trip to Colorado the first week of January for further YL training entitled Cross Cultural Orientation. I also look forward to cutting back on my preschool job in the very near future which will give a break from a very full schedule of teaching and will enable me to have more time to raise funds.
Good things are happening, friends. You all are so helpful and supportive, and I continue to be encouraged. Pray for the Lord's timing and provision, if you would.
Happy Holidays!! I love this time of year. We actually got some snow the other day! Lights are up. We got a real Christmas tree! (I have never had a real one, only artificial.) I get to wear boots and scarfs. All is right with the world. I hope to get shopping this week which will really make it feel more like the holidays! I hope this season is shaping up to be a blessed one for all of you, as well!
kb

A friend just wrote to ask me to update and I am obliged to comply to her request. My daily schedule has not changed since I last wrote. I am teaching preschoolers in the a.m., helping coach softball a bit in the p.m, and meeting with friends to share my London vision in the inbetween times and evenings. My meetings and phone calls continue to bless me.
Though my schedule is still fairly consistent, the Lord is using this time to teach me many new, important lessons and insights these days.

2 Corinthians 5.17...
"Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!"

On a walk around the University of Arkansas campus, which is very near my apartment, the other day this verse came to life for me in a very real way. I beg your forgiveness as it may take some lengthy description for you to get into my head and understand my thoughts fully. (Disclaimer...I have just finished reading "Pride and Prejudice" in anticipation of the release of the new movie on the 23rd. So, my writing could hold a bit of formality as I write today.)
I have added a new "life word" to my list...STEP. One of my favourite quotes from Ken Gire is "faith is in our feet". I believe deeply this statement to be true. I was struck on my long walk that day that perhaps I should read/think through this sentence again. I think of walking, which in fact is a bit advanced for me right now... a bit too far along in the process. I have to take a STEP to begin a journey of faith. I saw this revelation brought to life as I thought how infrequently I take walks even though they never cease to refresh my soul. My thoughts soon went to any measure of other events in my life that required risky moves and faith-filled experiences...all beginning with a STEP. It is at this point that the Lord brought 2 Corinthians to mind. I realized that the "old", my tendency toward laziness and playing it safe (my default), "is gone". The "new", the Spirit, has now "come" to live in me, giving courage and prompting to take STEPS toward unknown, enriching, challenging endeavors. I share this to give a window into the Lord's work as he imparts upon me the realization that it is him who allows and enables me to take each STEP. The control lies not with me but with him.
Friends, I continue to be overwhelmed and awestruck by how intimate the Lord knows me if only I will take the time to listen and observe. This time of getting ready to go but not being ready yet is and interesting one. I must say that I am seeing the purpose for this limboesque time. I ask for your prayers when you think of me...for patience, contentment, and obedience.
Soon...
kb

Back in Fayetteville after two weeks of travel...nice. I spent a 4 days in New York City last week upon my arrival back to the States. I was glad I had that time to be home in the U.S. but not actually "home" and back to the real world. Stacy is a fabulous host, and I love walking the city with her, as well as getting a glimpse into the world of FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) where she is in school. I got to spend a couple days in Little Rock with the fam which was refreshing and fun. My niece, Ella, is preciousness personified, and I got a few birthday treats while I was home, as well.
So, back to teaching kiddos how to throw and catch, among other skills, while I continue on my quest to raise money to move "across the pond". I feel like ASL is ready for YL to be there. The parents I spoke to are excited and welcoming. The kids we hung out with are eager. It seems to be an open door into ministry there. I feel as though the Lord is preparing the way. I am excited, scared, and excited...pretty much how I have felt this whole time I have been moving in the direction of YL international staff.
Tate asked me before I left how I was feeling...
My reponse..."I still see no red flags waving. The fears/anxiousness I have are normal new circumstance, fear of the unknown feelings, not uneasiness about calling. So, I feel like I am coming...I want to be here."
He was thrilled to hear that response. I realised several times while I was there that I was a bit quiet. I am most definitely an internal processor, and I am certain at times it was hard for both B&T to read my face or actions. I was overwhelmed and trying to take in all of my surroundings. I have a tendency to be withdrawn in new settings. I need to understand norms and dynamic to know how to interact. It was really fun to hear that they are excited about me!
So, the next step? (Someone asked me this quesition today.) Pray for the Lord's provision. I would like to be there by February, ideally. I have a long way to go to reach my financial goal/requirement, but God is big and always faithful.
I am sure I will think of more stories and have more thoughts on a regular basis. Thanks for your interest and prayers! : )
kb

Hi all! Ok, here are the long-awaited pics. A few shots of me in some famous places you will recognise...the ASL volleyball game I got to see...a typical game (one of many in the evening of Donut Olympics) at a Wyldlife (YL for middle schoolers) club...oh, and that name tag I mentioned getting when I went to ASL.
kb

Hi. A tidbit about the Americans I met in London. As much as they are worldwide savy, they are still quite American. Allow me to unpack that statement a bit.
The family that Liz lives with, the Davis'...Ernie, the dad, has such a strong Alabama accent, you would think he had just moved overseas the day before. Nope. They have lived abroad 20 plus years. He can speak Chinese fluently among other languages. I found that out later, or I would most definitely asked him to say something in Chinese with his drawl. His wife, Joyce, is from Florida and is the most hospitable lady ever. Her accent has a definite twang.
Ernie sat in his recliner watching the baseball on NASN (North American Sports Network) on tv, as well as, keeping track of Nascar on his computer. So as different as things are from the States, you retain who you are...fun. Susan, the mom we had Starbucks with and went to ASL with, told us that there is a very large American population around the city.

So...Friday, Tate and I went into the city to do some sightseeing and to meet up with some kids who go to ASL. Brooke stayed behind due to some under the weather feelings. (Julie, a mom, set this meet up for us with her son and some other kids.) Fresh off the train, we left Waterloo station and entered the city. Now begins our touristy portion of our time. Did you know The London Eye looks like a huge ferris wheel? I didn't. I thought it was a solo venue...meaning only one group could go up at a time. This is not the case. We did not go in it, but I will post a picture of it. (It is here that I will interject that pictures will most likely not be posted until Friday due to limited resources until I get back into Little Rock. I am truly apologetic about lack of visuals. Thank you for your patience.) And on we go, in no particular order...past Big Ben, many red telepone booths, Trafalgar Square, Harrod's, Covent Garden, Wagamama's...
We rode the tube, rode a double decker bus, took a taxi...ran the gammet really on London transportation options. But, hey, with an all day travel pass having been purchased, why not maximize it, yeah? Most of that transport happened as we were doing our own version of The Amazing Race trying to make it from one side of the city to the other to meet the afore mentioned kids at a pub near the St. John's Wood tube stop. We made it there only about 2 hours late. : ) The parents had gone when we arrived, but we did get to meet Daniel, Julie's son, and Kelly, who are both very excited about YL coming to ASL. They are eager...yes, eager is the right word to describe them. They asked for direction and structure to start things. Hello? How amazing!!! Tate said later describing the events to Brooke, that he felt a Holy Spirit moment while we were sitting with them. I would agree. When we left them, we were practically skipping. It's awesome to see the doors that appear to be open for us to love on kids at ASL!
Saturday was a down day, which was nice. I slept in, read a bit, and took some time to write. In the evening we went into Staines, a few miles away to eat and do a bit of shopping. I ate a great Chiken Pitta (No, that is not a typo. They add a "t" for some reason. I like it, and I liked it.) at a cute local restaurant with a Diet Coke with no ice. I had a funny conversation with a guy about the ice machine being slow to make enough ice on the weekends. I went "easy on the ice" and thought of my pal, Laura, who would have felt right at home as her personal preference @ Sonic was the only option.

Sunday we drove into the city to go to church at Hillsong. Some of you might be familiar with this church. Matt Redman leads worship there quite a bit, I understand. The church meets in a theatre, which is a cool environment. I will try to sum up the service in a few words...jumpy, passionate, jumpy, revival, jumpy. I mean jumpy in the sense of enthusiam not paranoia. I felt the need to disclaim, so we were on the same page. Seriously, it was amazing to see that Spirit-filled environment in the middle of the city. Sunday just happened to be B& T's anniversary, so they drove me to Hillingdon to visit Liz and Mark again to see their club.
Later that night, B, T, and I debriefed a bit...
No red flags, friends. The doors still appear to be open. Meaning, I'm going. : )
Soon...
kb

Good grief, friends. I sincerely apologize for leaving you hanging midway through my time in London. I am currently at FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology) in New York City in the cafeteria where I finally have unlimited access to the internet for free and a charged battery on my computer. The luxuries that seem so commonplace have been more sporadic in the last week or so. Welcome to international travel. : ) So, ok. I will most likely break up these postings as not to overwhelm. I will pick up where I left off.

My trip to ASL in the city was definitely a success and felt to me like windows of opportunity opening for loving on kids there. Going back to that time in the gym watching volleyball...I got to meet the Athletic Director, Mr. Lockwood! He is a Brit, and I had to replay many of the things he said in my head a few times to truly understand. He taught me a new word, "que", which means "line". I will use it in a sentence for all you former spelling bee champs..."When I was driving on the M25 (the major highway around London), I sat still for quite some time due to long "queues". The gist is that he thinks it truly could be a possibility for me to help coach softball @ ASL. Huge. Oh! I also found out that ASL has open lunch, meaning that all the kids in the high school may leave campus to eat. Huge! I can just hang out on the high street and be with kids (when I find out where they congregate).

Thursday I sat in on a semi-staff meeting, as previously mentioned, as Tate, Brooke, and Kerry planned for their banquet that is about two weeks away. Fun times! The three of them are most definitely a family! I love it! Tate drove me to Windsor, a 10 min. drive or so, to meet Liz, the intern on staff in Hillingdon. Liz, Paul (her boyfriend that was visiting from NY), and I toured Windsor Castle, walked over a bridge with a beautiful view of the Thames River, and walked over to Eton, trying to catch a glimpse of boys running around the campus in "tails", a tuxedo with tails is the required uniform there. (Harry and William went to school at Eton.) No such luck because it was too late in the day and all were dressed for sport. (They don't pluralize "sports" in England.)
I drove back to Hillingdon with Liz and Paul to check out what Bible study looked like there. We picked up Mark, the British guy that is on Student Staff, and were on our way to The Daly's house. The Daly's have two daughters involved in YL there in Hillingdon. About 20 kids showed up for the meeting. These kids are very sharp and eager to learn. All the kids I met and encountered are well-adjusted, happy, smart...also kids who worry about normal kid things like music, appearance, the opposite sex, etc. Tate picked me up at the Davis' house, where Liz is staying. The Davis' are one of many American families that have lived overseas for many years. The opened their home for Liz to stay at least for a few months while she get accustomed to life in England. We are praying that a similar kind of situation will open up for me when it comes time for me to go, saving a great deal of money and providing a great homebase at least in the beginning of the acclimatization period.
The last few days thoughts coming next...
kb

Hi again! I will see if I have enough time on my computer battery to get in two days worth of info...no promises. : )
Wednesday was a full day here. I got to go to the city, London, for the afternoon! From the Virginia Water train station, which is about 5 min. from Brooke and Tate's house and within walking distance of Kerry (who accompanied me into the city)'s house, it takes approximately 40 minutes to get to the Waterloo tube stop. We got on the tube, which is amazingly clean with upholstered seats even (much nicer than the subways of NYC, I must say), and got off at St. John's Wood where we were met by Susan, a woman who has kids who attend The American School of London (ASL). She directed us a couple of streets overto the High Street where we found, of course, a Starbucks. We sat and chatted about the future potential for YL @ ASL. Her family is American, but they have lived all over the world for many years. And, I do mean all over the world. I cannot remember all the places having spoken with so many people who have lived in so many places since I have arrived. It truly is amazing! "Where are you from?" is not a question that works here. Perhaps, "How long have you lived here?" or "Where did you live prior to moving here?" are better conversation starters.
Susan took us to ASL and checked us in as her guests. I will post a picture of my nametag that I took. (I just thought it was cool that it said my name and ASL on it.) We watched the jv and varsity girls play volleyball. The jv coach, Julie, came over and sat with us during the varsity game. She also wanted to know more info about YL started potentially @ ASL. Julie introduced me to the Athletic Director, a Brit, who feels like there might be a spot for me to help assist with the softball team. This coaching opportunity would be a huge "in" to the school since it is very secure and cautious about who comes on campus. ASL is a wealthy school with lots of government official's kids attending, not to mention celebrity's kids. (Laura and Jro, Christian Slater's kids went to ASL while he was over here filming a movie for a semester.)
I was encouraged by each conversation I had at the school and involving YL coming there. I am thankful those encounters sprang up. Meeting Susan and Julie were both things that came up unexpectedly this week. The Lord is big!
We finished up the evening at The Rose & Crown, a pub just a few minutes from Brooke and Tate's house. I ate fish and chips and drank J2O, this apple raspberry juice drink that was very yummy!
Ok, the battery is dying, and I know you are needing a snack after sitting here reading so long. I'll get more to you soon...
Thanks, friends!
kb

Greetings from England!
I have been here for two days now, I guess, depending on your time zone. It is currently 4:30 a.m. in Arkansas where most of you are fast asleep. Here it is 10:30 a.m. I have had some trouble getting my computer hooked up here, but all is well now. I am back in contact with the world outside of Thorpe Surrey, the borough of London where I am currently residing.
Ok, let's see...
The first day here is a bit of a blur what with the massive amount of jetlag I was battling. But, I will give you a rundown as I remember it...
First of all, I was en route for approximately 18 hours. Good night nurse! All the flights were fine; the planes got progressively bigger from Little Rock to London, so that was excellent!
There was a gentlemen (formality intentional) on my London flight that wore a suit through the length of the flight. I mean, he didn't even take of his jacket or loosen his tie. I just knew he was a Brit. Later when we deplaned, I heard him chatting with his wife...suspicion confirmed. Welcome to England where people can be very "proper".
The plane could not pull up to a gate, so they sent out busses to transport us to the terminal. I was a bit worried about getting hit as we drove on the left side (strong side) of the road. I then proceeded to laugh out loud to myself as I realized we were driving on the correct side. The guy next to me looked at me funny. So, what else is new? Tate, the Area Director here, and I walked into the parking garage at the airport, and I proceeded to get into the "passenger side" of the Honda. "Did you want to drive?" he asked. Yeah, funny. : )
Driving in Europe is crazy...weird signs, left side, yield signs that say "give way"...
(I am now sitting in a staff meeting with Tate, Brooke, and Kerry, who are cracking me up! Oh, so very Young Life.)
We went to Starbucks (there is one on every corner, by the way) and to Steins, the grocery store. We came home and made fajitas. It wasn't long until I went to the shower and to bed.
I'll update later about my day yesterday. I got into the city to The American School of London. It got me excited about the potential there!
Thanks for your prayers, friends! I have definitely felt and am feeling them...I will post some pics later today. I have yet to see many sights, so my pics are limited to ASL kids playing volleyball. Soon...
kb

Hi again, friends! Just a quick update on things moving toward Londontown...
Due to an unforseen holiday week for kids at The American School of London (the school I could possibly be assigned to start Young Life in), I have changed my travel plans a bit. I will fly out of Arkansas on October 10th and stay in London until October 17th. I will fly back to the States on the 17th to stay with a friend in New York City for a few days to vacation and do a bit of fund raising.
I am getting really excited about my first European visit! People keep asking me if I will come back with an accent after I have moved to London and lived there for several months. This question makes me laugh because I can be around a new person for two days, and I pick up on his/her inflections and mannerisms. So, yes, perhaps I will even pick up a bit of British speak when I return from my weeklong stay. : )
More good news about this October trip is that I will come back with many pictures, lots of English pictures...(a bit of a "Say Anything" reference for anyone that might be Cusack knowledgeable). London pics means more excitement on this rather plain webpage as of right now. Keep checking back!
kb

Welcome to my site! My plan is to use this page as I work toward "crossing the pond" and for the next few years as I live abroad to keep you all updated on life with YL London. Bear with me as I learn how to work this world of on-line journaling. I will be posting pictures and stories about my life and encounters in my world of international Young Life staff. I would love to hear from you guys, as well. From what I can tell, you can post comments and interact on this site, as well. More to come very soon...especially after mid-October when I return from my advance trip to what I believe to be my future home abroad...London, England.