...Letters from Joy...: The Spirit Does Come.

Today was a great day. It was. I didn't expect it to be. It's been cold and rainy all weekend and I expected it to be the same this morning. But the sun came out and brought some warmth with it. That automatically started out the day well. We went to Sunday school as usual and had our lesson. We only had eleven kids today because of the holiday. It was a good group of kids though! We all had a fun time learning about Jacob, Rachel, and Leah. Then we got ready for the church service. We were down in numbers for that too. I'll be honest and say that I honestly dread church sometimes here. I know that sounds terrible but it's true. Not because I don't enjoy hearing the teaching of God's Word. It's just that I can't hear the teaching of God's Word -- literally. All of the songs and all of the message is in Albanian. As much as I want to say that my Albanian rocks...it doesn't! I can't complain though because I think it should be in the native language of the people. That just makes sense! But I can't deny that hearing almost nothing but a foreign language for almost an hour and half doesn't give me a head ache. I don't know why simply listening to a different language can be so exhausting! I can't tell you how much I miss singing praise songs in my native language. It's crazy to think that I'm the minority for once. Oh the things we take for granted. So, anyways. I was beginning to slump into my "oh-head-ache-here-I-come-mood" when I heard a song I really like and, for the first time, I connected to the lyrics -- the Albanian lyrics. We we started to sing the next song, I could just feel the Spirit move. The Albanian lyrics were so beautiful. For the very first time, the Lord used the words a foreign tongue to touch my soul. I can't even describe it. My soul has been longing for the touch of the Spirit! I needed it so bad. I couldn't stop crying from joy! The song is an "oldie." You might know it. I'll put up the Albanian words first because they're so beautiful (not all the lyrics are posted):

Me zemër falëndero
Të shenjtin falëndero

Tani, t'thot' i dobëti "Kam fuqi"

I varfëri t'thot' "Kam pasuri"

Sepse Ai gjithçka ka bërë për ne

Falënderojmë

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Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

And now, let the weak say "I am strong"

Let the poor say "I am rich"

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks