[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.16″ global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” min_height=”586.5px” custom_margin=”-44px|auto|2px|auto||” custom_padding=”||7px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”0px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n
by Ethan Swaney<\/span>\u00a0 | Fall 2023\u00a0 |<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/span>I\u2019ve thrown up several times, banged my head against low ceilings, missed hours of sleep, been stuck at tram stops for hours after trams are canceled, and absolutely loved every minute of being here in Leipzig, Germany. When people talk about personal growth, I typically envision in my mind a person going somewhere and then coming back completely unrecognizable, with a nice positive aura around them. I don\u2019t think this is the kind of change study abroad brings about. It\u2019s called <\/span>growth <\/span>for a reason. It\u2019s not like a tree was rooted out and replaced with another tree. It\u2019s more like the standing tree spreads its limbs, adding foliage and new branches where there once was nothing. It\u2019s digging your roots deeper into your convictions as you become more comfortable with mysteries and more full of joy at the discovery of truths. It\u2019s pruning away branches that are not life-giving so that your tree takes a different shape. The change comes from <\/span>somewhere<\/span>, and it\u2019s typically rooted (pun intended) somewhere along the lines of your previous experience, whether that\u2019s in the roots, trunk, or branches. This more closely resembles the effect Study Abroad has had on me.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Being completely immersed in a culture I\u2019m unfamiliar with has taught me a lot about dependence. You don\u2019t realize how much you need other people until you need other people. Studying abroad has forced me to rely on my classmates, on the hospitality of Germans around us, and most importantly, on Christ as I wake up morning after morning to the realization that <\/span>I really am not in control of my life<\/span>. This idea of living in community has been especially evident in my experience with church in Germany. I was able to plug into an absolutely amazing church here, Gemeinde Christi, where I\u2019ve been able to make Christ-centered connections with brothers and sisters from around the globe, including Ukraine, Venezuela, and (obviously) Germany. It is such a stunning reminder to me that the Body of Christ goes far beyond the borders of Texas and the U.S. God\u2019s Church is alive and active in the midst of a world caught up in war, sickness, and fear. The Church is continuing to grow despite all these difficult circumstances, and it brings people together in a way that could only be described as supernatural.<\/span><\/p>\n I love food, and <\/span>dang,<\/span> food in Europe is good. I\u2019d love to bring back the apple turnovers from Konsum to America and just feast on those every day. Unfortunately, I can\u2019t. However, there are some other things I\u2019ve found in Germany that I can take back with me. One of the main things is <\/span>history<\/span>. Goodness gracious, this country \u2013 this continent, really \u2013 is an absolute treasure trove of historical sites, events, and artifacts. The kind of exhibits I\u2019ve seen, historical locations I\u2019ve visited, and interesting texts I\u2019ve encountered here in Germany are absolutely <\/span>mind-blowing <\/span>to me. I\u2019ve been able to learn rich history concerning the Church from Greece, Italy, Germany, and beyond. I was in the library where they hold the <\/span>Codex Sinaiticus<\/span>! Beyond all these cool historical experiences, though, the greatest thing Germany has given me to take back is perspective (yeah, yeah, I know that sounds tacky, but it\u2019s true). Being able to see that the world is a lot bigger than I ever could have imagined \u2013 and yet perhaps more connected than at any other time in history \u2013 has made such an impact on me in the realm of urgency. What I\u2019m trying to say is there\u2019s a whole <\/span>world <\/span>out there in need of the Gospel! There are cities, countries, and continents in need of the Gospel! There is a beautiful doorway for sowing seeds and gathering harvests for the Kingdom around the world. It excites me to see God at work around the world and to know that the Lord offers us the opportunity to engage in sharing the Gospel with this world. What an amazing truth!<\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019ve seen God all over the place on this trip. In the history, in the beautiful art and architecture, in the people, and in the quiet moments where it\u2019s just me and Him. There have been so many beautiful moments where the Lord has spoken to me, sat beside me, and reminded me of or shown me holy glimpses of His heart. I\u2019ve encountered these moments in conversations with others and conversations with the Lord. I\u2019ve seen His creativity on display in the grandeur of the Swiss countryside. I\u2019ve seen His Image displayed through the creativity of man in the beautiful architecture of Greece. I\u2019ve witnessed His love and patience through my friends here. God works powerfully through experiences that require <\/span>total dependence <\/span>on Him, and that\u2019s what this trip has provided for me. I now know even more deeply, and in a way, I can\u2019t explain that God is my everything \u2013 He is the most glorious, most beautiful, most desirable One. He is the first love of my heart and the satisfier of my soul. All the beauty I\u2019ve encountered here in Germany are mere glimpses of His beauty. All the gifts He has provided are beautiful reflections of His goodness. He has been truly present every step of the way, and I am beyond grateful for His goodness to me on this study abroad experience in ways I will be reflecting on and savoring for the rest of my life!<\/span><\/p>\n \n [\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_gallery gallery_ids=”71836,71835,71837,71838,71839″ show_title_and_caption=”off” _builder_version=”4.23.1″ _module_preset=”default” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″][\/et_pb_gallery][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Ethan Swaney\u00a0 | Fall 2023\u00a0 | I\u2019ve thrown up several times, banged my head against low ceilings, missed hours of sleep, been stuck at tram stops for hours after trams are canceled, and absolutely loved every minute of being here in Leipzig, Germany. When people talk about personal growth, I typically envision in my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20655,"featured_media":71839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"on","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-71830","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71830","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20655"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=71830"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71830\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":71842,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/71830\/revisions\/71842"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/71839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=71830"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=71830"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.acu.edu\/honors\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=71830"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}