Adventures with Rae Rae

As I sit here listening to Elevation Worship, I feel inspired to reflect on how my faith carried me through my journey abroad. The song "Sure Been Good" was my anchor during those months, and every time I hear it, it opens my heart and reminds me of God’s presence. Whether I was sitting on the Deutsche Bahn, staring out the window with my AirPods in, or navigating a completely foreign environment, this song became a source of peace and reassurance for me.   Before leaving for my trip, I attended Coastal BCM at C3 Coffee Bar (a place I absolutely love right across campus). During one of our sessions, I asked David, who was leading us, how I could stay connected to God without having a church overseas. He told me something simple but powerful: “Take your Bible, listen to your favorite worship music, and find your peace in Him wherever you are.” That advice stayed with me and became my guide in moments of uncertainty.   There were times I felt overwhelmed—whether lost i...

The Feelings Returning from my time abroad has been a complicated tangle of emotions I’m still trying to sort through. It’s amazing how transformative a few months can be, how they can etch themselves so deeply into your life and make everything familiar feel... unfamiliar. The whole experience changed me, and I want to share every detail of it with everyone around me. But how do you explain that feeling, that longing, without feeling like you’re trying to relive a past that no one else was there for?  I catch myself wanting to bring up stories and memories constantly—small moments that defined my day-to-day life while I was away. Those late nights laughing with friends who understood me without needing to try or the mundane daily routines that became comforting in a strange new place. It feels like these memories are right at the surface, begging to spill out, but I hold them back. I don’t want to be “that person” who seems like they’re always stuck in the past. I don’t want peopl...