This week was full of new adventures and new people yet again. I'm so blown away by how incredible my life is sometimes, and occasionally other people are shocked by it too.

Wednesday afternoon was a total delight for me as I was planning out with Matt how I can use my resources from teaching Christian Essentials at BFA to benefit the students in his youth group. Our planning session was supplemented with an impromptu history of the church given by one of the former pastors who is still involved with the church. I listened eagerly as he also explained lessons learned from decades in ministry how the church can support and grow people through all stages of life. I love the lessons of longevity as I'm still on the front end of a career focused on starting youth out on a lifelong path of pursuing Jesus. 

Thursday was just as exciting for me as I spent time one on one with a woman from RCC who drove me out to see the beautiful beach on the east coast of the island. I was so blessed to share time with her and was encouraged by her reaching out to me. Saturday night also had a beautiful bonding moment in the body of Christ as a Chinese couple who attend a different church in the city invited me over to their house for dinner. I was connected to these new friends through a family currently living in Kandern who have done ministry in China for years and spent a portion of time at Multnomah. The Lee family made sure to pass on my contact information to their friends, and I was so warmly treated by them based only on our connection in Jesus. I love the body of Christ.

Now onto what you're all most interested in - me impressing other people rather than the people who impress me. (I mean, why else does anyone read this blog?) Friday afternoon I had a new independent adventure on the bus to the local physiotherapy practice. I'd done a google search to make sure I found a place that understood the nuances of a neurological problem, and after chatting with Mike on the phone Tuesday, we'd scheduled an initial assessment. Unfortunately the practice has two steps up into the building, but that only gave me a chance to impress him right away as he hoisted my wheelchair up after I managed the steps alone using the railing.

We spent the next hour talking about what I've accomplished over the past five years and testing out the limits of what my ankles were up to that day. Frequently throughout the appointment I'd offer a response to his inquiry completely opposite of what he expected. "So you said you can move your big toe?" "No, it's actually just the second toe sometimes." "That's so weird - if it's only one toe, it should be the big toe because the rest are the same muscle group - you should be able to move them all." Hey, I'm taking that as good news that it's only a matter of time before the other three toes on my right foot catch up - and you know I'm not going to stop hoping for the rest after that. 

Mike was excited about the prospects of me defying more predictions, and I'm excited to try out new things and impress everyone with all my improvements when I get back to Germany. I've got eight months to see incredible new recovery, and this week has been a great opportunity to reflect on the nearly five years of incredible work I've already done. God isn't finished with my body yet, and I'd love for you to join with me in prayer this week that the routine I implement with Mike's help is something that surges me forward yet again in this journey of recovery. He told me I'm going to be his crazy patient because I break all the rules, and I'm so excited for the testimony I have that breaks all of the world's rules because I'm operating by God's.