switzerland

my switzerland experience at l'abri included long hikes, some amazing people, soccer games, great talks, good books, powerful lectures, profound realizations that have shaped my faith, salsa dancing and very tasty food. it was an experience unsurpassed in my travels so far and i hope to be able to articulate this at least a little through these photos. i can't wait to go back to this place someday.

nice & monaco

there are so many amazing stories from all these places and so many wonderful people ive met along the way, hopefully i will have time to write of all this more later. i am now in geneva and stayed a night here before leaving for the swiss labri today. its about 2 hours outside of geneva in the swiss alps. im soooo excited for my stay there. well here i go+++

milan

venice

split, croatia

i have so many more, but internet is really costing me so here are just a few of split.

the end of croatia shots

the green lizard, such a great place..

the view from the green lizard, hvar island.
me walkin to the beach..
the water was crystal clear

you were always on my mind..

aahh, italy. what can i say? it is as beautiful as the pictures claim. i took that overnnight ferry to ancona the other night and then hopped a train headed to venice yesterday. i was lost in venice, in the architecture, glaring water, quaint gondolas and in the streets with no names. i was only there for a few hours but felt like i was able to experience the peacefulness of that busy place. i sat in a little cafe reading some tozer and eating authentic italian pizza. pizza seems to be the only thing for cheap around here. i have been writing again, a few poems here and there and it has been so nice. its funny every place ive been in europe so far i always get mistaken for being italian, so now that im finally in italy i feel as though i already fit in.
i am currently in milan and stunned by the fashion and ornate buildings. it would be so fun to experience italy with an unlimited budget! all i can really afford here is an americano, but that part of my trip has been very humbling and rewarding. i have to admit that ive loved "roughing" it. when i arrived at my hostel last night after taking a couple wrong buses i was a tad dismayed at the dirty outside appearance of the place, but after getting settled in and meeting my lithuanian roommate i found beauty there. the hostel owners were so incredibly nice and even drove me to the train station this morning where i am currently waiting to catch a train to nice...

here are a couple cool quotes ive been reading...

"To have found God and still to pursue Him is the souls paradox of love..." -Tozer
i love love love this quote and think the newboys must have enjoyed tozer as well..

"Social religion is perfected when private religion is purified." -Tozer
o how often we get this so wrong in the church today..many friends i have made on my travels so far have this issue with christianity, because the social religion can be so surfaced. i hope to continue to become purified privately as i believe this is the only way to true joy in Christ. this trip has been so amazing for that private time..

and ofcourse i always seem to have a Piper book at hand..
"The people that make a durable difference in the world are not the people who have mastered many things, but who have been mastered by one great thing." -Piper

"Yes, LORD, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts." -Isaiah 26.8