…in the past month, I’ve visited 5 countries, come home to America, married off my sister, and tried to figure out my purpose in this phase of life. (i’m still working on that last one).

It’s hard to believe that it’s the end of July. I can’t wait to share with you what God did in Serbia! I think it might be explained best through a message from my friend Miska, a student that went with us to Serbia. She writes,

My friend Andrea called me and told me that she was missing me. So I went to see her and we had a sincere conversation and you know what?- she told me she felt a GREAT emptiness inside and didn´t know what to do about it. So I prayed to Lord, that He would prepare me an opportunity to talk to her. Last night I visited her, I told her about how it was in Serbia, I did soularium with her (she liked it a lot) and when she told me that she doubted that her spiritual strength would be strong enough to get her to heaven, I knew I had to go through the gospel with her. We read the booklet together, talked about it… I am so thankful that I could do this with her, I´m praising the Lord! I´m so happy today! She told me she had no one to talk to about such things and she thanked me for beautiful evening she could spend with me. My desire is to continue with these conversations. Oh, I´d like to ask you if you could pray that God would work in her heart and would give her a thirst after His salvation, His Love and His Truth, and also that He would give me His love and wisdom when I am talking to her next time.

Love you Kelly and thank you sooo much for what   I´ve learned with you, for inviting me to Serbia and for all the prayers you´ve prayed for me. I can see God working in my life to such extent, that I know there must be many sincere, loving prayers behind it all. Even though I´ve told you already, Serbia really did change my life!

I’m so thankful that your prayers were answered! God really is moving and working in Slovakia.

back to America!

Being back in America is a little crazy at times, especially during Wal-Mart visits. I am adjusting slowly and really thankful to be back and able to see people again!
I arrived back to America on June 27th and a week later my sister, Kirby got married on the 4th of July! The wedding and reception were beautiful and it was a true joy to be her maid of honor!

up next…

I have traveled to Wilmington a couple of times, to be there again and to see if it’s a place I could see myself living in this phase of life. When I drove into town, I knew immediately -it’s home, and I definitely sense that God wants me in Wilmington again.
At this point, my desire to move away from campus ministry into a different aspect of ministry. So, as of the fall, I will no longer be on staff with Campus Crusade. I will be transitioning into a position with my church in Wilmington.
I have appreciated your love and support of me over these past 5 years as I’ve been in Wilmington and Slovakia. It has been a privilege to see lives changed. Thank you for your prayers and for your diligence in giving.
In the process of this decision, I’ve been most sad about thinking of losing a support team of reliable people that I know love me.
I do want to ask you to continue your giving through the end of October if it is possible for you, in this way I’ll continue to be paid through Crusade in this time of transition. After that point, if you are a direct draft giver, you will need to either email or call crusade to end your draft, 888-CRUSADE or e-mail eft@ccci.org, this will not stop automatically.
I will continue to write on kellycain.com to give updates and to continue to process all that I learned during my stint year, and what I’m learning currently.
To continue to pray for me, you can pray that God would provide a car, a place to live, and growing community in this next phase of life. I am so thankful for your prayers and support!

I am excited because this weekend I head back to Wilmington for a few days to hang out with my friend Lindsey - we haven’t seen each other since Rome in December - so needless to say, we’re both excited.

Last weekend my church (Port City) had it’s first service in the new church building and we were all so humbled by what God has done over the past 9 years to bring us to the point where we are now. Here is a picture that my talented friend Scott took.

Also, I have a few pictures of my Wilmington family, I love the Mixons and am so thankful they allow me to stay with them in their spare bedroom, which they now call, “Kelly’s room.”

I’m really looking forward to my “official” move back to Wilmington. For now, you can pray that I’ll be able to get a car soon - my dad and my uncle, “know a guy” and he’s supposedly on the car hunt for me. It’s just hard in the waiting time - because it’s so unknown. So, please, if you would pray I find one soon. I think it will help with my sanity.

There is more to pray for - but really, more than things or circumstances I need peace and patience. Pray that my heart would be flooded with these things.

I’m so thankful for my friends - everywhere, near and far. Thanks for shaping me, for speaking truth into my life, and for loving me.

last week i had the chance to venture home to wilmington, nc. it was like dreamworld for me to be back there again. the purpose of the trip was 3-fold. i wanted to see people - that was priority number one, and i did, i saw lots of people and it kinda wore me out in the end (but it was so so so good!). number two - the goal was to see if wilmington, nc is a place i could see myself living again (problem solved). and three, i wanted to think about the future and try to see where God might have me. it was awesome to be in wilmington, and definitely a place that i would love to live again. i do sense that God is speaking to me about where He wants me next and i’d love to update you on that - the problem is, it’s such a process - which is good, too. i find God giving me grace, strength and hope through it all; which truly, i need.

i want to give you more of an update - which there is, but i don’t feel like a blog is the best place to post my innermost thoughts and feelings at this point, maybe that will change in the coming weeks.

i’ll continue to say this, please don’t get annoyed. more to come.

here are a few pictures from the wilmington reunion.

I’m back in the states. I’m a bit overwhelmed, but I can’t tell why. There are a few things that I could be overwhelmed by. Maybe it’s the differentness of American culture from what I got used to being overseas for a year, or maybe it’s the refills, the ice, the air-conditioner, or the way everyone speaks english around me. Could it be the pace of life? Or maybe the fact that my sister gets married on Friday? I don’t know, but it’s a lot. I tried my best to prepare for being here, but in a lot of ways you just can’t. I remember thinking the more and more I got used to being in Slovakia - how hard it would be to transition back, but I didn’t know exactly how.

What’s more is that I feel like I cheated you on a Serbia update, because it was amazing, God really showed up and brought His A-game. I saw Him work in our students lives and change us all towards stepping out in faith and relying on Him to direct our paths. Being in Serbia, was for me, an excellent time so that I could focus on “being fully there” till the very end. Two days after the Serbia experience, I got on a plane and flew all the way home, with a missed flight in Chicago, and a long runway experience. I guess all of that comes with flying internationally.

Now that I’m home I’m working on wedding stuff for my sister, Kirby, who gets married this Friday! I’m real excited for her. I’m glad to be here to help. It’s been really hard to not be a part of helping her plan because I’ve been overseas.

But, jumping back in is hard, especially this fast. I feel like I don’t know really where I fit, or where I belong - or if I belong anywhere. Things that I remember being so good, aren’t really that good to me anymore. For example, I had a chik-fil-a milkshake the other day (with all of its millions of calories) and I didn’t really even like it. It wasn’t that good, it kind of even made me feel sick to my stomach. The things I thought I missed aren’t really as good as I remembered. It’s funny how distance and time can do that to you. How the good sifts to the top, and you don’t really remember the bad things, or the difficult things.

The most difficult thing I think is the lack of time people have to spend time talking and helping me process through life as -is, I think there is a tendency in all of us to say, “it will all just work out.” But, what if it doesn’t. Or, what if it doesn’t at the speed that you think it will. Maybe this is the hardest.

Hard, but good? I guess so.