Fall Staff Conference & Prayer Requests

Dearest readers--
I am making a commitment to post every Tuesday, rain or shine. Alas, it is *Wednesday* today and I am posting today instead of yesterday. Whoops--- thanks for extending grace to me! :)

Three things for this post:
1) a highlight from this weekend's Fall Staff Conference
2) a prayer request
3) a few pictures :)

1) Our Fall Staff Conference was held last weekend (Oct. 29-Nov. 1), and it was a really encouraging time. I got to meet the three Italian interns who are currently working with Agape Italia. They spend one week every month, being trained and equipped with how to share their faith. One intern, Davide, just graduated from college last spring. He is choosing to work with Agape for one year, and he said something to me at our staff conference that really encouraged me. He said, "I have learned that being a missionary is not something you do, it's something you are." Oh, I praise the LORD for my brother Davide and his dear heart. He is a man of God and being transformed into the likeness of Jesus with each and every day. Would you please join me in praying for him-- as well as the two other interns (another guy, Cristiano; and a girl- Adriana) -- that they would be encouraged, uplifted, and blessed as they walk with the Lord? That they would rest upon His yoke because it is easy and light? And that they would find abundant faith, hope, and love as they walk with Jesus and share Him with their fellow Italian friends? O I pray that the next year will be a sweet one in the lives of our friends: Davide, Cristiano, & Adriana!

2) Would you please pray for me in this season of my life? I feel like I am learning a lot about myself, figuring things out about my life, family, past experiences, etc. and how they have shaped me to be who I am today. Would you please pray for me that I can continue to process WELL, and that I would have ample time with the Lord to think, pray, dive into Scripture, listen to His Spirit, and that I would just be able to wrestle with my past and rejoice in how the Lord has redeemed me--- and is continuing to redeem the brokenness in my life? Thank you so much!

3) Here are just a few pictures of recent-- the first is an ancient city close to Rome. I snapped this picture at our staff retreat and thought it was beautiful! The other pictures are all of pretty yellow flowers.... I just thought they were lovely, and I wanted to share them so you could enjoy them with me, too!

Please email me and let me know how I can be praying for you! I'd love it if you even sent me a recent highlight of your life---- and maybe even a couple pictures! :) It is such a privilige to serve the Lord with you! :) Love, Ella :)

The Colosseum & Bumping My Head

Two updates:
1) Recently some friends and I went on a night tour of the Colosseum. Our tour guide (in English) was Ilaria-- a sweet girl who is actually an archaeologist. We had a lot of fun experiencing the Colosseo at night; it is usually not open at night, so we got to have a really sweet experience that only happens once a year. This time was especially sweet for me because I did not go into the Colosseum at all last year, so it was fun for me to go. Why not-- I live in Rome!? :)

Also, before the Colosseum night-time experience, we got dinner with several people-- including my best friend in Italy, Alessandra (and her boyfriend, Justin, too-- he's Canadian). Below is a picture of me, Alessandra, and one of my roommates, Courtney (who met Alessandra even before I did, on a summer mission trip to Rome in the Summer of 2008- right before I got here).


2) Also recently, we have been settling into our apartment (where 6 women live now!-- Mamma Mia!) :)... and when we were re-arranging our living room furniture, I bent down to move a lamp, stood up, and crashed my head up against a marble shelf that sticks out from one of our living room walls. As one of my roommates said, "When you put Marble vs. Head, the marble wins." :( Ohhhh my goodness it hurt SO BADLY! I sobbed for about a half hour in my bed and iced my head-- and felt like a little girl! However, I learned a lot about what to do for head injuries, as I tried to be an adult and take care of myself. I researched at the Mayo Clinic's online website and read a great article by a nerosurgeon. Click HERE to check it out: it's short, sweet, and very informative!

Above: the marble shelf of DOOM in our living room: that corner is where I cracked my head! Ouch!

Thanks for reading about my life in Rome... I'd LOVE to know about what is happening in your neck of the woods! Email me and let me know if you would like!--- I'd love to hear!

MONDAY!

Hey everybody--
I fly out on Monday, September 14th to ROME for a 2nd year of life and ministry there.

Would you please join me in PRAYING for me and my wonderful teammates:

• that we could say "see ya later" well to family and friends
• that as we pack, that we would do that that *efficiently* and *quickly* and that we would NOT forget anything!
  
• that we each would spend SWEET time sitting at the feet of Jesus each day
• that we could REST well on the flight over? (sometimes I don't sleep well on long overseas flights... and I really would like to, to help me combat jet-lag!)
• PRAISE THE LORD that I am personally *finished* raising financial support! BUT- Please pray for my team, as a whole, that we would FINISH RAISING FINANCIAL SUPPORT so that we could all meet our financial support goal, set for us by our wonderful Sending Team at the Regional Office in Indianapolis

THANK YOU for being in this with me.
I LOVE being on a team with you.
Please email me if I can be praying in a specific way for you in this season of life!

From August 29th--- some of my teammates from last year in Rome at our teammate Sam Leopold's wedding in Knoxville, TN. :)

This is the 2009-2010 team of interns that will be doing life and ministry in Rome, Italy. In this picture, we were hanging out at my teammate Jimmy's house in Vail, Colorado, when we were out West for a big conference with other intern missionaries just like us, who are all going to live life in another country next year. From left to right in the back: Brian, Jimmy, Jenny, Rebecca.. and then I kind of start the front row-- and from R to L it's me, Courtney, and Lauren. :)