Home sweet home!! Or is it??

As I begin to write this blog I am asking myself what is it that I want people to know? What do i say to the people that read this and that follow me and follow the work that I do? I have come to the conclusion that I don't really know. I think that all I can say is what I am thinking and feeling and what life has been like upon returning to America nearly three weeks ago and what is to come in the future.

Since we stepped off the plane in Cincinnati, OH my heart and mind have been on an emotional roller coaster yet at the same time they have not. Let me explain. We arrived home the evening of September 1st and immediately the next morning my life in America began. I got up early and had to drive a few hours away to visit my uncle who has been in prison the last 15yrs (he was charged for something he didnt do. he was driving a car and someone in his car shot a gun out the window b/c he was under the influence of alcohol and the bullet bounced off the roof of a house and hit a girl on the corner and it killed her. my uncle was charged the same as the guy that shot the gun and has spent most of his life in prison...pray for him please) and immediately after visiting him my mom and I drove into my sisters town and surprised her and my niece and nephew who didnt know that I was home yet. And from there the fast paced life began.

I spent nearly a week in Mississippi and arrived home around 12:30 am on Thursday the 17th and immediately the next morning woke up early and headed nearly an hour away to where my church is and was there all weekend for a conference. I arrived home last night (Monday the 21st) and am now trying to realize that Im in America and Im not going anywhere for a while.

Where are all of my Azerbaijani and Turkish friends at? Where is my homeless friend Martin that I met on the streets of England while living in an Arabic Muslim community? Where are they? Where are all of the women with their heads covered and the call to prayer at 4:30am? Where is the culture and the hospitality that comes from these people groups? WHERE ARE THEY AND WHERE AM I?? These are the questions that Im beginning to have the time to think about and ask myself.

Something that I dont think people understand is that going into places like that changes every aspect of your life. Not only in the physical sense but spiritual, mental, and emotional as well. Its not something that can be explained but rather just experienced. I dont think that I have arrived yet at overcoming the negative things that can sometimes come along with returning back to America such as major culture shock, many times depressions, shock etc...however as I do this more and more I think I learn more and more how to control those things and how not to fall into any of them that will affect my mental, spiritual, physical and emotional health.

What is my next step many of you may be wondering. Well, I am waiting on God for that one. I know that I am going to open coffee shops around the world but now I feel like maybe I am being called to open one here first and then once it is established and sustaining itself then I can move on and hand it over to someone else. My heart is to go into all the world and show people the love that has been shown to me. I want to help people and I want people to know that they are loved and that they do have worth and that they CAN make something of themselves and live a happily blessed life. I want for people to know and feel the love of God that I feel every single day. I want them to know that they are of worth and value and that they can do anything they put their heart and mind to. That they are not defined by their culture but rather they should have culture be defined by them.

There are many details to opening up these coffee shops or tea houses or internet cafes depending on the culture and if you'd like to know please feel free to ask and I will be happy to give you more details. But ultimately my goal is to let my light so shine before men that they may see my good works and glorify our Father in Heaven.

Also, I am planning to finish my Psychology degree and follow it up with a degree in International Business. The name of this ministry is Called "Thirst No More" and along with the coffee shops (Life Houses) I am also raising money to be able to dig wells in places where water is not accessible to the people. This is a new vision that I got after leaving the hotel from the conference on Monday night. Its something Ive dreamed about for years along with feeding the hungry both here in America and around the world and God is opening up doors to see these things begin to become a reality. Of course we all know that when much is required of us the enemy likes to try to come in and destroy us and he is trying REALLY hard to get at my family and myself so please do keep us in your prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and to pray for me and also for Leilah and I while we were gone on our trip. You will be blessed for that. Please continue to pray for me and the work that has been placed before me. Pray for finances and kingdom connections to making these things happen. Also for people...I NEED PEOPLE!! haha...I cant do it alone so pray for people to come along side of me to help make these dreams and visions come true. Lets help the world ten people at a time. :) Thanks again and God bless.

Until all have heard,
Callie Strong

p.s. In my last blog we were STILL in Azerbaijan. What I failed to do was update you guys later on. When we left Baku we spent one month in Turkey traveling around and then one month in England as well. So, if you were confused about the September first date that is why. :) Cheers!!