Chicago for Thanksgiving

Diane, Paul's sister, Uncle Pete, and Paul.

Ah, chilly Lake Michigan!

Paul and his sis, Diane.

Paul and sister Beth.

It was a chilly Thanksgiving in Chicago-land, but Paul and I had a great time as I got to meet his family and some of his friends!

Big news!

I remember years ago when I was in my mid 20s, sitting in a kitchen in Cobham, VA with some friends, talking with a single missionary woman who was in her late 40s or early 50s at that time. My friend asked her point-blank:

"Do you ever wish you were married?"

I've never forgotten her response:

"EVERYDAY! But today I am single and and the Lord has given me His grace for today!"

I can't tell you how many times I've recalled that conversation in that kitchen and pressed into the grace of God during my 46+ years of singleness, counting every day joy, even amidst the struggles that accompany being single, recognizing the AMAZING life I've been graced to live as a single missionary, able to serve in ways and places that only a single person could!

That season is coming to an end...again, by the grace of God...as HE has brought a mighty man of God into my life and heart and this past Saturday night, Paul Czaszewicz (pronounced Chazwick in English) asked me to be his wife, his Mrs. Chaz!

I probably should have clued in when Paul arrived at the airport to pick me up after my 17-hour journey from Hungary home to Kansas City presenting me with a dozen red roses, but somehow, I remained clueless! Another clue should have been the tablecloth, cloth napkins and wine goblets on his table and sweet music playing in the background while he served me a wonderful dinner he had cooked. It wasn't until he had me read a letter he had written to my parents that I began to awaken to the reality that he was about to pop the question! Of course I said YES, and then we made our way to downtown Kansas City, to Brush Creek where he had arranged for a romantic boat ride, complete with a long-stemmed red rose, sparkling cider, chocolates and a message in a bottle which he plucked out of the water, I opened, read and was brought to tears.

There's so much I could say about my Chaz...but for now, I'm simply relishing the moment and thanking God for bringing this mighty man of God into my life to walk out the rest of our days together, loving Him, each other, and all those whom He brings into our lives!

Oh, the single missionary woman I met in the kitchen years ago? I heard a number of years ago that she too met a wonderful man when she was about 55 and happily married! Ladies, it's never too late, and well worth the wait!

Quick recap of trip to central europe

Bea, Arden, Bela, Dori, Regina and Eszter in the Szoreg "Tent of Meeting"!


Pizza party with former English teacher colleagues in Szeged, Hungary!




Worshipping together in the Budapest, Hungary Prayer Room!

This blog entry will be very quick...mainly because I am sooooooooo tired and am heading off for my first nap of the day after travelling 19 hours yesterday and the day before...well, whenever it was that I actually left Hungary! ha!

God sooooooooooooo blessed my time in both Hungary and Ukraine! I realized early on that going for 10 days was far too short a time as I did not get to see many friends (you tend to build a lot of friendships when you stay someplace for 11 years!), and even those I saw, the few hours we got together flew by! That said, the Lord really blessed the time and both meeting friends and being blessed with numerous opportunities to minister to and pray for people made this trip an absolute BLAST!

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to everyone who made the trip possible! My faithful supporters, my wonderful friends in Hungary and Romania who hosted, housed and fed me, and my friends in KC who looked after my cats and house!

I am especially excited to see how God waters His seeds planted in both Romania and in Hungary, specifically in Szeged and Szoreg, and in the Budapest Prayer Room and their ministry school! Please pray that God would continue to water and grow all those seeds!

I received soooooooooo much love and encouragement from individuals and had so much fun catching up with people! I was able to give away lots of my books (Walking Forward-Discoveries in Freedom and Forgiveness), as well as Adoration Prayer Books (by Bob Hartley) and Pure Heart (by Tom and Donna Cole). Again, pray these tools will be used by the Father to bring people into His heart of love!

More pictures to come later.......now I'm off to bed for my first nap of the "day-after travel!"

Some pix from Romania and Hungary

As I continue to serve with Christian Educators Outreach (www.ceokids.org) and team with other ministries, God is lifted up and glorified, Holy Spirit sets them free, and we pray His kingdom come, His will be done on earth as it is in heaven!

This is Mary Jill Callery, Arden Campbell, Jackie Ramsey and Cathy Williamson in Romania.



International Christian Fellowship in Szeged, Hungary, started in 2007 and has evolved into a house church type of gathering, with food, fellowship and discussion of the Truths of God.




Two of my long-time friends, Kati Engi and Maria Jakucs, both English teachers at Deak Ferenc Gimnazium in Szeged, Hungary.




Mary Jill Callery and Cathy Williamson in Szeged at ICF.

Two of my precious friends, Barbara Bikadi Kis, and Larisa Zamboni, enjoying and evening of laughter and catching up at Barb's house!

From Hungary with love!

Full days and nights are keeping me on the run here in Hungary for this very short visit. I'm having a blast reconnecting with people, realizing I've lost very little of my Hungarian (which motivates me to keep it fresh!), and I look forward to the next visit, whenever the Lord opens that door!

Thus far, since arriving in europe, I have travelled by train, car, bike, trolley, and on foot. Ya gotta love europeans. I've met over 50 "old" friends and met a slew of new friends, and have enjoyed some very typical Hungarian dishes!

God is so good to bless me in this way...and I still have 3 full days ahead of me!

I'm leaving on a jet plane....

I was chuckling at the prayer meeting this morning at Deeper Waters as we finished off the morning by standing and singing, "I'm leaving on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again." Ha! I am literally leaving tomorrow for Hungary, with a jaunt into Romania as well! I cannot WAIT to see my friends, whom I miss terribly! Now I wish I'd planned a month trip...alas....

I'll try to post, but no promises...people are a bit more important than blogging! I would love your prayers as I know the Lord is going to release much!

From 30-somethings to 30 and 40-somethings

As we four sat and stretched out legs out on a wonderful ottoman that held all four pairs of legs and feet, I was struck by the goodness of God. For nine years in Hungary, I met with three precious women and we studied books, the Bible, we prayed with and for each other and our families, and we loved the Lord and each other.

16 months ago, I moved to Kansas City, leaving behind those precious friends (physically, not emotionally by any means); last month, a dear friend here suggested four of us get together to read and discuss a book together, pray with and for each other and our families, love the Lord and each other.

This is a precious kiss from the Lord for me to have a very different group of gals than those in Hungary, but so very similar in hearts' desires, to sit, drink tea with, and explore the deep things of God together!

In Hungary, it was the 30-somethings...with me the token 40-something. Here in the U.S., it's the 40-somethings with a token 30-something. I feel like the Lord is saying, "Location is unimportant; bloom where I plant you, enjoy the love that I bring into your life through fellow sojourners on this journey toward being loved by God and loving Him back."

With both groups, it took intentionality to make it happen. The fruit is worth every effort.