Adios America!

(Friendly reminder: read to the end to see how you can contact me!)

Well friends, today is the day! My bags are packed, paperwork is completed, tickets have been bought, and goodbyes have been said (except to the rents). I can't believe I packed my life for the next 3 1/2 months into a suitcase, cary-on, and backpack. Whaaaat?!

It honestly doesn't even feel real and I don't think it will until about 2 weeks in. I can't believe how quickly this day has come. I feel like it was just yesterday when I was accepted into the program in Sevilla, which was way back in March. Again, whaaaat?!

(<-- Throwback to the first time I went to Spain)

I can honestly say now that I feel 100% more excited than I did a few weeks ago. Instead of stressing about the money, the what if's, and just the general idea of being out of my country for 4 short months, I am praising God and more ecstatic than ever. God has been so extremely faithful it's insane.

About two months ago I was have major anxiety about leaving; this semester costs more than a whole year at Cornerstone for me. Yeah that was a huge hurdle to jump over and a big glass of water to swallow. In the beginning of summer I didn't think I'd be able to go. But now I can't really turn back and I know God provides.

Let me show ya how He does.
Late June/Early July
Day 1: At the gas station I found a nickle lying on the ground.
Day 2: Out shopping with my mom found a quarter when I stepped out of the car.
Day 3: Out to Costco with my mom and I found a dime and a penny.

By the end of the third day I realized that this was God's way of providing for me. They were such little amounts of change, but it all adds up. Now every time that I've gone out; to get gas, grocery shopping, regular shopping, or going out to eat, I have found spare change. And every time I did I thanked God because I knew it wasn't just luck, it was God showering me with gifts. God provides!

In the Bible in 1 Kings 19:11-12 it says, "The LORD said, 'Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.' Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper."

God doesn't often speak loudly, it's usually through a gentle whisper, the small and quiet things, like finding spare change. But over the course of the past couple months I've probably found about $5 in spare change. Yeah, you may be saying it's only $5, but it's $5 more than I had!

So back to leaving the country; I'm leaving around 9:45am for the Chicago O'Hare airport today, yes today. Mom is dropping me off at the gas station where I'm meeting another girl who's going. And there is bound to be some ugly crying, I already did about 10 minutes ago saying goodbye to my daddy. My plane departs at 4:20pm Chicago time and we are arriving in Madrid, Spain at 7:30am their time. So, due to the time difference it will be about 1:30am our time. The flight is roughly 8 hours long. From Madrid we will take a train to Sevilla and we should arrive there between 2:00 and 3:00pm their time/8am our time. (From now on when/if I mention time, it'll be Spain time. Just subtract 6 hours for our time.)

I will do my best to let y'all know ASAP when I arrive!

For those of you who'd like to talk to me, see my face via skype/facetime, send me snail mail (which I adore!) Facebook will probably be your best option or email. The email I use mostly is, you ready for it? Don't judge, I made it when AIM instant messenger was a big deal. daddysgrl61996@aol.com
Otherwise facebook, Skype (michaelarea96), facetime, or mail!
My address will be:

Michaela Van Koevering
Calle Pagés del Corro, 71-4b
41010 Sevilla, España
(Make sure you include the tildes and accent marks!)

Thank you all so much for all your prayers, encouraging words, and constant love!
Love you all mucho! Cya in a few months!
Hasta Luego :)

To The Ones Who Say "Thank you"

To the ones who say “thank you”… Thank you.

Two simple words can mean so much.

A few days ago a co-work said to me, “Thank you for cooking supper. You go underappreciated around here.” They may have been serious or they may have been being sarcastic, but in that moment, those were exactly the words I needed to hear. I had been having a rough day, and work wasn’t making things any better, and I had been feeling very underappreciated. Just because I'm the cook I have it easy and I don't work as hard, at least that's what I had been told. But to know that someone did appreciate me that day was enough to transform a rough day into a good day. So to that co-worker, thank you for saying thank you.

Did you know that a person will tell 11 people about a bad experience, but only 4 people about a good one. No wonder there is so much negativity in this world! We should start boasting about our positive experiences rather than our negative ones.

It doesn’t take much to break something, but it takes a lot longer to put something back together. The same goes for people; it doesn’t take much to hurt someone, but it takes a lot longer to pick up those pieces and glue them back together.

Saying a simple thank you, taking a few extra minutes out of your day to sincerely ask how someone is doing, to simply smile, these things create moments of joy in someone’s life, including your own.

Mom, dad, thank you. For literally everything. Thank you for supporting me, putting me through Christian education, food, a home, the cabin, clothes, whatever I’ve ever needed you’ve provided. I could never thank you both enough for how hard you work to supply for our family. Thank you for supporting my dreams and encouraging me to pursue them. Thank you for coming to practically all of my volleyball games even when I never played. Thank you for my brother and for Julius. Thank you for all of the necessities and all of the luxuries. But most of all, thank you for always loving me even when I do not deserve it and even when I’ve screwed up.

Little Guy, thank you. For picking on me and beating me up. For locking me in my room and in a cooler, for making me stronger, for making me laugh. Thank you for being the protective brother I know that you are but don’t want to show. Thank you for always being honest and stating your opinion, even if it is brutal. Thank you for teaching me how to tie my shoes and letting me sneak across our room to your bed when we were younger to have farting and burping contests when we were supposed to be sleeping (PS: I always won) I love you, I do, and I’m happy and grateful that out of all the Eli's in the world, I'm stuck with you. You’re my favorite brother.

Grandmas and Grandpas, aunts and uncles, and cousins. Thank you for your constant love, support, and prayers, especially with my trip to Spain coming up soon. Thank you for being a part of our crazy family! I love you all and I'll miss you!

Friends; Jacquelyn Rochelle Kunst, Ellen Murielle Zylstra, Amanda Joy Kleinheksel, Naarah Ann Foster, Emmy Anna Shouse, Matthew Jesse Leo, Abby (insert middle name, I want to say Lynn?) Carlson, thank you. For always making time to spend quality time with me despite having your own lives and significant others. For making me laugh and laughing with me or at me. For letting me cry in your arms/in front of you. Thank you for helping me and walking with me through all life’s struggles. Thank you for loving me, the good and the bad parts of me. I love you and cherish all of you so dearly.

Co-workers, residents, and bosses, thank you. For allowing me to do my job and love what I am doing. Thank you for letting me take some time off so I can study in Spain! Thank you for being willing to pick up shifts and be flexible. Thank you for working together as a team so we can provide the best care for the old folks :) And for not treating any one job more important than another. Thank you for making my job so special. I love you all and I’m so grateful I have such great co-workers.

Everyone else, thank you. For being you, for being my friend/family/acquaintance. You are all in my life for a reason and I am in all of your lives for a reason. You are all so special and dearly loved by Abba.

Two simple words, "Thank you."

It’s all it takes.

1 Corinthians 12--> the body has many parts and no one part is more important than the other because they each play a specific role and one cannot operate without the other.