Tell everyone what He has done.
Sing praises to the LORD! Tell about His miracles.
Celebrate and worship His holy name with all your heart.
Trust the LORD and His mighty power.
Remember His miracles and all His wonders and His fair decisions.
~ Psalm 105:1-5
Dear Friends and Family!
This e-mail is being sent from none other than Blacklick, Ohio, United States of America! I arrived safe and sound to Ohio on Saturday evening, after just over 2 incredible months with amazing friends and family throughout Europe! It completely awes me how incredibly and perfectly all the details of this trip fell into place (hmmm... almost as if Someone had been planning it way ahead of time?! :-) At the end of March, I packed and left with one week's notice and a one-way ticket to Brussels, Belgium... not really sure what would come next! Now, the first week of June, I am back in Ohio... carrying with me the wonderful memories and experiences of 7 awesome weeks in Brussels, 27 hours in London, England, 2 1/2 days in Paris, France, 3 days in Italy (Rome and Orvieto), 3 days in Skopje, Macedonia, 2 days near Thessaloniki, Greece, 4 days in Prague, Czech Republic, and 2 days in Stavesice, Czech Republic (birthplace of my great-grandfather Kopechek!). At each stop I had the privilege of staying with incredibly sweet, hospitable friends and family (some who I had met previously, and many who I had not!). Miraculously, I experienced no delayed, cancelled, or missed flights (9 different flights, 10 different airports), no lost baggage, and was remarkably healthy throughout the whole time! I can't even begin to describe the overwhelming awe I experienced repeatedly throughout this trip through the people met, sites seen, and wonderful cultures experienced. On more than one occasion I was brought nearly to tears - tears of joy and gratitude for the incredible experiences and opportunities I was so undeservably blessed to be a part of, and tears of awe at what a magnificent world we live in. I could not have asked for or dreamed of a more wonderful and exciting past couple of months! I was challenged, awed, overwhelmed, and overjoyed! I learned more about myself, this crazy cool world we live in, and the magnificent God we can embrace living life with!
Thank you for your prayers, notes, e-mails, flexibility, and help that made it possible form me to go on this incredible adventure!
I am attaching two photos from my return on Saturday. Special thanks to my family and grandparents for coming to welcome me back, as well as dear friends the Simmons family and Carvours, who have been taking wonderful care of Neo while I was away. Second photo is my reunion with dear Neo, who has grown (again), and looks magnificent!
And what's next? Good question... which I would love to know the answer to also! The next few days and weeks will be spent unpacking, resting, getting back into the Ohio time, catching up with friends and family, and praying, waiting, and watching for who/what/when/where I am to go next... still to be discovered!
Have a wonderful week, dear friends!
~ Mary Beth Kopechek
