31,536,000 seconds

One year = 365 days, which = 8760 hours, which = 525,600 minutes, which = 31,536,000 seconds (assuming it's not a leap year). No, I'm not giving you a math lesson. I'm simply trying to break down the additional amount of time that I've dedicated to God's work in the Czech Republic. That's right, I've decided to stay in Ostrava, Czech Republic for another year.

Those of you who know me well know that I do not make big decisions lightly. Heck, I have been known to stand in the hair product aisle at Walmart for a ridiculous amount of time just because I can't make the seemingly simple choice of which shampoo and conditioner to purchase. Needless to say, the decision to stay overseas for another year was not a snap decision. I miss my family and friends, my dog, and the numerous comforts and familiarities that I took for granted in the snuggly, warm bubble of home. However, God has made it very apparent that my time here is not up yet. Don't get me wrong. I don't want to make it sound like I feel that I have to stay...I love it here and I want to stay for as long as possible. While my contract with TeachOverseas is only one year at a time, I really don't want to put a time stamp on my life here. I want to be here for as long as God allows.

God is doing some major work in the hearts and minds of the youth I work with in Ostrava, and I'm constantly amazed that He chooses to use someone imperfect like me to help build His kingdom. I am so excited to continue the relationships that I've started this year with my students and the youth at younglife. In regards to the potential of staying here for more than two years, I have no idea what His long-term plans are, but I know that they are perfect. In fact, I found a quote recently that seems quite fitting: "If we can trust God with our eternity, we've gotta trust Him with our now." Perhaps it seems obvious, but I think it's a great daily reminder that God cares about our day to day life, not just where we end up when this life is over.