Hello, friends!

I am now one month into my sabbatical, and I am really enjoying it! I’d love to share some highlights from this past month, and share a bit of what I’ve been up to.

In case you missed my newsletter last month, here is a short recap… I am currently in the States on a four-month sabbatical. I have been in a long-distance dating relationship for the last several months, and my boyfriend, Evan, and I are taking this time to spend time together in person to discern our next steps. Evan lives and works in Virginia, so my sabbatical time will be split between California and Virginia. I am incredibly thankful to EFM for granting me this time, and for your prayers as Evan and I spend time together over these next few months.

During the first week of my sabbatical, Evan and I spent time with my family in San Diego and Orange County, and we had a great time! This was Evan’s first time meeting my family, and also his first time to California. It was a special time to finally be able to introduce Evan to my family, and to soak up quality time with them.

Before flying out to Virginia, we also had the opportunity to visit Granada Heights Friends Church (my home church), and they hosted a nice lunch for us afterward. It was fun to introduce Evan to my church community and to see many dear friends there. Though we didn’t have much time to see friends, we were glad to have dinner with the Kims and the Hoshis right before we flew out to Virginia!

For the past two weeks, we’ve been in Norfolk, Virginia, where Evan lives, and I plan to be here for another month or so. Evan works in international student ministry in residence life in a dorm called “The Globe” among international students who are students at Old Dominion University (ODU). It’s been really fun to meet many of his students and his community here! His community has been incredibly welcoming to me, and I’ve really enjoyed participating in his student events and meeting his friend and church community here!

I’ve really enjoyed the rhythm I’ve fallen into since being here in Virginia. I’m staying with Evan’s friends very close to ODU’s campus and also close to the Globe, so I am able to walk everywhere, and I’ve loved that (especially as the weather is warming up here)! I’ve also enjoyed using the university’s gym and library, and making the most of the time I have on my own while Evan is busy working. It feels like an ideal rhythm for my sabbatical to have some personal time for reflection and reading in the library, and to have a nice space to process my experiences and learn and grow in this season.

My sabbatical continues be a tremendous gift of time and space for me personally, and for Evan and me as we navigate our next steps. Thank you so much for praying for me and Evan, and for praying for my sabbatical. I’d love to ask for your continued prayers and we soak up this time together and seek the Lord for discernment about our future together. Thank you, friends!

Elise Paty

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