Saint Petersburg

These are from my prayer journal:

April 21, 2009
Dear Father,
Today was interesting, and I thank You for everything it included…even if sickness was present during most of the day…I still managed to push through and appreciate this wonderful city of Saint Petersburg. The day went on and we walked to the metro station and from there to a bus stop—but the buses were taking longer than expected so we walked to the Bronze Horseman statue and took around, let me just round up, 500 pictures at the very least. I was freezing and started getting a headache. I walked to the Winter Palace/Hermitage and I couldn’t believe my eyes! It was bigger than I could have even imagined and the sun was shining—it was magnificent. I felt well enough to take some amazing photographs and walk around inside the Museum/Palace for an hour. I left and walked around for another hour and then met up with Debbie to walk around the city and take in the beautiful sights. We also got me a calling card so I could call my mom and make sure that the train tickets to Paris were on their way…considering that they haven’t made it to the hotel yet, Harley and myself began to worry. Mom assured me that they are on their way and should be in the hotel within the next few days. Whew!Tomorrow we go to a Russian Museum and then free for the rest of the day. I am hoping to do a little shopping and sightseeing. There is so much to do here. It truly is a beautiful city and I am so grateful for all this, Lord, it is too much. Thank you for your guidance and reassurance in everything. I love you, and I pray that I am able to keep you at the center of all that I do, so that it is a representation of your perfect will. I pray for Vanguard University. Please be with the Dean and Provost/President Taylor. I pray for all the staff and students there. I pray for the graduates of 2009! That You continue to lead them in your way and that they are relying on You. I lastly pray for healing on my body so that I am able to soak in all the beauty of this city and this country for these next 8 days. I pray all the students at Nizhini Novgorod. I pray that You bless them all, they all have shown us love. I love You Father, and I thank You, for all things—seen and unseen.

In Your Son’s Holy Name I pray,

Amen.
Aimee Winnik

April 25, 2009
Dear Dad,
I have to stay back in the hotel for half the day today. I feel like a child being punished; and maybe I should be feeling this way. Yesterday we went to the one of the 5 Summer Palaces of the Tsars – it was magnificent, so beautiful and ornately decorated with gold moldings and silk wall papers and individually painted portraits of the different family members that lived there or visited. After our tour of the palace we had lunch and then we were free to walk about the serene park that Catherine the Great designed. There was an enormous lake with individual islands sprinkled throughout. There was still ice covering the lake, but the birds enjoyed it, walking about on the water and having people through bread out to them. Emily and I walked around the entire lake, while she depicted her favorite Russian Fairy tale that she read for her research paper. We eventually came to discover a large bridge that went over a road that had a giant crown on top, we walked all the way up to it and took some fun pictures. On our way back, I asked her about her older sister – who suffered from depression in her early college life while Emily was still in high school. It was interesting to reflect on how it affected her family and hearing the other side of the story – for I only know the view from the one suffering FROM depression and not completely aware of it’s effect on the rest of the family. After our walk, we all met up as a group and walked to the train station and went back to the hotel. Harley escorted me to the magnet and got me some chicken bouillon and bread and crackers – to see if that would stay down. Some of it did…and some of it didn’t.
I woke up this morning with my stomach still gurgling a little, so I ate some crackers and got ready for the day—which is probably our busiest day here! St. Isaac’s Cathedral, then “The Idiot” restaurant, then Yussupovs Private Palace, and then The Russian Circus!I am seriously sick of being sick here...I was told to stay back for the morning, which was so frustrating because I wanted to go so badly. I met up with the rest of the group at lunch and enjoyed the rest of the day. The Idiot cafe was adorable and it was nice to see the enormous Yussupovs Palace...that is the family that killed Rasputin! Crazy! Then off to the Russian Circus, which was by far one of the funniest things I have seen: snakes, horses, alligators, birds, sealions, and so much more! One of the perplexing parts was a show where the couple changed their costumes 40+ times infront of us...like every time they took something off it just revealed a new outfit underneath, it was pretty insane.
There was one concern that crossed my mind today: What am I going to do all alone in Paris? haha, What am I thinking going to a city where I know NO ONE except one person? Well I know I'll explore, of course, but by myself? No, I will explore with You! You know Paris better than any tour guide. I will also be looking for modeling work, maybe which will be a good opportunity for me. Please be with me while I do so, I know that You are always with me, but make my soul obvious to Your presence. Lord, there are so many different avenues ahead of me, and I’m not entirely sure which one I am supposed to take. Each one is so pivotal, and they are lined up back to back to each other within just a few weeks at points…show me the way. I love You Lord, and I thank You for all these wonderful difficult decisions. I would not be able to have all of these opportunities to grow closer to you and mature more in my walk with You if I wasn’t given the chance to wrestle with these dilemmas. I pray for Natasha, as she continues to find her footing within her study abroad program, and I pray for Dani as she is in Florida—growing closer to You. I pray for Erik as he continues to work with the ICCP church, and the Jones’ as they are embarking on new work opportunities to bless Your name. I pray for my mother, and for my step-father and my sister. I pray that you continue to bless and take care of them—and I thank You for the blessing that You have bestowed upon the relationship between my mother and I. We don’t see eye to eye all the time, or even most of the time, but we have come a LONG way when looking back 6 months ago. I pray for Jim and Michelle, I love them so much and I thank You for blessing me with the ability to know them. I love You Lord, and I pray that You allow my heart, spirit, body, and mind are all focused on You and glorifying You in all that I do, say, and think.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.
This is just a journal entry:

April 27, 2009
It is hard to believe that in 3 days I’m going to Paris to visit Justin—who is also picking me up from the train station and shortly after I’m going to be interning this summer in Aix It’s as if all the stars aligned or something, but I felt an overwhelming sense of blissful contentment. It felt odd, though. I’m probably just anticipating the bottom to drop out, as it typically does. I was reminded today, while I was walking through the park on the way to see if the bears were in the park by the Bronze Horseman, of the fact that God is GOOD, that it is in God's character to do good. I guess trusting in that is more difficult—or perhaps more easy than I thought, that isn't confusing at all :) I assume that things are supposed to be hard and painful in order for good to happen. But now that I think about it, the times that I experience pain I am not relying on you and I’m being brought back closer to God for support. I have been completely reliant on God while I've been here in Russia. Today I went on a wonderful day boat ride around the canals and to a missionary’s bible school run by a man named Garth Muller. He was such an interesting guy, he truly loves the Russian people. I am glad I was able to hear his story. Well, off to bed! Spoky Noky!