What's round on the outside and high in the middle?

That's right, OHIO.

It's so weird being home. It almost doesn't feel like real life. Bible College was real life. I feel like I'm in a foreign country. It's so weird to be able to read all the signs and talk to cashiers and understand conversations I'm not involved in. I did the math, 9 of the past 12 months I have been in Europe. No wonder the midwest feels foreign.

However, I am so happy to be home and catching up with friends and family. My mom and sister and I baked up a storm this morning and we are decorating the tree tomorrow! I am so blessed to have a wonderful family! I am looking forward to the visit here at home, but I can't wait to go back to my second home in Germany.

So until then, I will sleep in my own bed, eat eggs every morning, drive my car and stay up as late as I want...... ohhh the freedom! :)

Wishing you all a joyous day celebrating the incarnation of the Living God!

Whoa, hello end of semester...

As I sit here studying my brains out for New Testament Survey, it hits me that I will be leaving this place soon. Only 13 days left!

I have been asked to share the sermon at my church the Sunday after I get home. I am so excited to share what the Lord has done in my life this semester. I pray it will be an encouragement to the congregation. Pray with me, that God will give me words to say in time, as I currently don't have the time to sit down and properly prepare. The Lord is faithful, and I know that He will not leave me to do this on my own strength. He has something to say to his people, and I'm sure He will show up on behalf of himself!

This semester the Lord has been teaching me about grace, his unfailing, unmeasurable grace. He has shown me who he is and who I am in comparison. There is such joy in relationship to the God of Love. You cannot separate his love from his grace. I wrote a poem about this... enjoy :) It blows my mind how much he loves us and sacrificed just to be with us.

You came to the humble
crawling into skin
loving from the inside.
Fully persuaded
by this we would know.
Compassionate Stranger!
Don't you know the rules?
I am lowly, dark and empty
with no keys to your heart.
Leave me to suffer, I love you too much.
Weeping for the pain I caused you...
How can there be no other way?
Oh, the depth of you
that this is the pinnacle of history!
Soul, receive thy charity!
Grateful.
Unashamed to be redeemed,
bought with the price only perfect love would afford.

Time keeps on ticking...

I cannot believe that there are only two and a half weeks left in the semester! Time has positively flown by and I feel as if I have just gotten here. I have been so blessed to study here in gorgeous Germany. I know this is exactly the place that God has me for this season in my life and there is peace in my heart.

I have made some amazing friends, that I will be sad to part with! It's too bad that Sharon lives so far away, on beautiful little Hawaii. I will miss two of my favorite Oregon ladies too, Lauren and Allison. We have made such good memories. Thankfully there will be many returning next semester.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go into Koln, and visit their Christmas markets. There were five different ones in this city, and it was so beautiful at nighttime, with all the lights and decorations. There was one on the giant boat on the Rhine. It was a floating Christmas market!! The things I have been able to experience here have been such a blessing of God. I truly have been given more that I could've imagined. The Lord is good.

I am really starting to get into the Christmas spirit! I can't wait to come home and see everyone, to celebrate the holidays. I will be home on the 18th and hope to see as many people as I can. Can't wait to reconnect with the church at home. I am so excited for what God is doing at In Faith Ministries!

See you Soon!

4 W's

Who: Alisha Sybert

What: Bible College Student 1st Semester

When: 1 September to 18 December
AND
30 January to 15 May

Where: Siegen, Germany