Boy these past few weeks have been busy! The past month has flown by with touring Europe for 2 weeks and then having 2 weeks of intense teachings. As always, I have a lot to say, but I will just give you the highlights so that you are not at your computer all day reading about my life!
Heritage Tour:
I had an incredible time touring through the countries of Czech Republic, Germany, Switzerland and the Netherlands. I cannot even begin to name all the cities and beautiful churches we went to because there are so many! However, I must say I thoroughly enjoyed being in the beautiful country of Switzerland. I especially enjoyed visiting the city Geneva because that is where John Calvin spent most of his life. I felt like I was on a Reformed pilgrimage by going to the church that he started. I must say I was one proud Reformer that day! Another highlight was going to the Netherlands and meeting my cousin Namjke for the first time. It was such a blessing to meet her and I learned so much about my own heritage. Another neat experience was being in Wittenberg, Germany on Reformation Day and seeing the door of the church where Luther nailed the 95 theses so many hundreds years ago. Besides all the amazing cities and places we got to see, I was able to gain a deeper appreciation for the rich heritage of my faith here in Europe. Through our wonderful guides, God showed me the great importance of knowing where we come from so that we don’t repeat the same mistakes in the future. A quote by Jeff Fountain that I will never forget is this, “We need to be rooted in the past and we need to know where we are going in order to be engaged in the present.”
Teachings:
The past two weeks have been on the gifts of the Holy Spirit and on Biblical Worldview. I was greatly impacted by the teachings on the gifts of the Holy Spirit because it is not something that I have heard much about from my church background. It was a very interesting week for me as I was learning a lot of new things which lead to an intense study of 1 Corinthians 12-14. I am still soaking everything in and I am continually asking God to provide more revelation in this area. The teachings on Biblical Worldview were very interesting and a lot of what he said I had heard before, thanks to my great education from Kuyper! However, it was still really good to hear what the speaker had to say and we had some stimulating discussions on what is going on in America and the world today.
Lovin’ my Father
Everyday I am reminded of my Father’s goodness and love. It continually amazes me how much he loves me. My Father is stretching and growing me in a lot of ways which is sometimes very difficult. However, I know that through this my Father is making me stronger and more certain of my identity in Christ. I am grateful for the journey that I am on and I am excited for the transformation he is doing within me.
Going to Mozambique
I am excited to announce that I am going to be leaving in three weeks to go on the outreach phase of my DTS. I had the choice of going to Mozambique or Jordan for the outreach phase and God made it very clear to me that he wants me to be in Mozambique. So for the next three months I, as well as 9 other people from my group will be serving alongside Iris ministries and YWAM. We are hoping to help Iris with their orphanage and healing ministries. I am very excited for these opportunities and to use the gifts God has given me especially with the children!
May you continue to feel the love and peace of our Father.
Love in Christ,
Kelsey
Prayer:
Praise God with me for:
- An incredible time on the Heritage tour and that we were safe in the thousands of miles that we traveled.
- The way He loves each and every one of us and fulfills our every need.
- The opportunity to go to Mozambique and minister to my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.
Pray with me for:
- Safe travels to Mozambique. It is probably going to take us nearly a week to get to the city where we will be working in. There are many unknowns on how we will get there. Pray for guidance and good health through the journey. More than likely we will be travelling in a van with stinky fish hanging above us and considering its summer its going to be nice and cozy and stinky! Can’t wait.
- The Slovakian people. There is definitely a sense of hopelessness in this country due to the communism they were under and the many obstacles they faced in becoming a country. Pray that the people will see that they each have a purpose in life.- A heart that is continually open to the work that my Father wants do in me and through me.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Friday, October 24, 2008
God loves you because he loves you!
Greetings to you, my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ!
These past 2 weeks have been absolutely incredible in regards to what God my Father is teaching me and the amazing adventures I have been on.
The lectures in these past 2 weeks have been on the Father Heart of God.Let me just say it has been life-changing! My perspective of who God is has been completely transformed and I have a fuller and healthier understanding of who he is as my Father. It is such a blessing that God has chosen each of us to be his sons and daughters. I don't think we fully realize what a privilege and honor and joy it is be called his children. Our Father has so much love for us. It says that HIs perfect love casts out all fear! So that means we do not need to have fear because we are filled with the love of our Father. Amazing! My Father has shown me and spoken to me his deep love that he has for me and the excitement and joy that he has from being in a relationship with me, his precious and beautiful daughter.. Our Father wants us to enjoy him and not make him out into someone who is distant.I know have fallen into the trap of religiousity which has caused me to view God as someone to be feared and a person that I am always trying to please, but always failing because I never feel that I am good enough or do enough. However, like I said, God, my Father, is taking away my preconcieved ideas of who he is and replacing them with the powerful truth in a beautiful and intimate way.
A very fun and exciting adventure the Father blessed me with was an all day hiking trip in the High Tatra Mountains. A group of 5 of us went and we all varied in our hiking abilities. Stephan and I are beginner hikers who went along to try something new. Andreas and Isabelle are very experieinced hikers, in fact, Andreas went to an Outdooring school for a year in Sweden. Ludmila is from Slovakia which automatically makes her a hiker! Well, Stephan and I started out this hike with much excitement because we did not know what we were getting ourselves into! After about 20 minutes into the hike, Stephan was ready to go home. But we pressed on, much to his dismay! It was definitely a challenge physically as we hiked in some very rocky spots that were very steep. So we took a lot of much needed breaks. I have never pushed my body to its limits until this day and I know that I only made it through because the Lord kept giving me the strength that I needed. I think this was the first day in my life that I have prayerd without ceasing because I knew I needed God's strength and encouragement to keep me going!! God completely answered my prayer and it was a very intimate day to be surrounded by the beauty of his creation and to be in constant communication with the Source of Life. I can't even begin to describe the amazing views that I saw. All I can say is our God is creative, beautiful and so powerful. The mountain lakes were absolutely breathtaking as they were filled with a color of blue that i have never seen before. It took about 4 hours to reach to the peak. The trickiest and most challenging part was the last hour because we had to climb with our legs and arms across a very steep peak. Thankfully, Andreas stayed with me and told me exactly where to put my hands and feet. There were many times that I said, "I can't do this". But Andreas would always repsond, "Kelsey, I am so proud of you. You can do this." I would then say back, "Are we almost there?" "Yes we are almost there, Keep going" . Well this "almost there" to the top took us about an hour!! I am thankful that Andreas could remain positive and patient with me otherwise I don't think I would have been able to make it. Once I reached the top, I couldn't believe my eyes .It was absolutely breathtaking! To see with my very own eyes snow capped mountains was unbelieveable. We could even see the mountains in Poland! I must say reaching the top was one of the top monumental occaions in my life! I almost want to make a shirt that says, "I climbed Krivan Peak!"!! Heading back down was very tricky, but again through God's strength I made it!All in all, it took us 8 hours to climb 8, 200 feet. I will never forget this day in my life ever!
Another monumental occasion in my life was celebrating my 23rd birthday this past Septmeber 30. I would never have thought in a million years that I would be celebrating y 23rd birthday in Slovakia! However, I am so glad God worked it out this way because it was amazing! I was able to take part in some other cultural tradtiions for birthdays which was reallly special. I don't think I have ever heard "Happy Birthday" sang to me in 4 different languages! All day the Lord blessed me with cards, encourgaing words, prayers, gifts, hugs and wonderful e-mails from lots of family and friends. And of course we celebrated with an authentic Slovakian cake which was absolutely delicious!
I am excited to announce that we have begun our local outreach to the gypsy community in Slovakia. The gypsies in Slovakia are an ostracized group of people who are forced to live outside of the cities. They live in very rundown buildings that the government has given them. They are stereotyped as people who steal and get drunk. The girls get pregnant in their teenage years and usually have around 8-10 kids. Often, they marry within their extended family which causes the children to be deformed. The men are the only ones who work because the women have to stay at home and take care of the children. Some of the men don't even work because the Slovakian people do not trust them and therefore do not give them jobs. The children will go to school. Sadly, many of them drop out early in the elementary years because they get placed in the special ed class due to the lack of stimulation and education that they are not given at home. It is a vicious cycle that these people are in because the country does not provide them with opportunities to change and nor do they supply them the help they need. Also, it is said that in 20 years the gypsies will make up half of the population in Slovakia ( currently they make up 20% of the population). It breaks my heart to write about this situation.
We at YWAM are trying to make a difference in their lives by visiting their community once a week. It our desire to show them God's love and speak truth and hope into their lives. We try to do this by playing with the kids- we offer different activites for them like face painting, soccer, jump rope, parachute, painting their nails and doing their make-up. We also do a programme for them in which we sing some fun songs and acting out Bible stories. I absolutely love being with the children! They are so beautiful and full of life. They are so eager to recieve affection and attention. I have been able to build friendships with some of the kids already despite the language barrier. I feel completely at home with the children and joy enters into my heart each time I get to see their smiles and recieve their hugs.
Well that is short glimpse into what has been happening here in my life in Slovakia. It has been incredible and everyday I thank God for leading me to this opportunity. Everyday I am reminded of God's goodness and how he knows me so intimately. My heart is being healed and the truth is being laid thick into my heart.
Remember, our father loves you because he loves you becaues he loves you because he loves you. Nothing you do or won't do will ever take away his love. It is always constant. Never-chaning. Uncondtional. His love is just for you, his precious son and daughter.
Please join me in praising God for:
-creating the beautiful mountains that speak out his power, beauty and creativity!
-giving me the strenght to climb Krivan Peak and for being my stregnth and my biggest encourager!
- the 23 years of life that he has blessed me with!
-His Unconditional love and for being the perfect Father-the deep friendships I am forming
Pray for:
-the gypsy communities in Slovakia. Pray that they will not find their identity in being a gypsy, but in being a son and daugther of the Father. Pray that the truth of who they are will sink into their hearts so that they see their purpose and have hope for the future. Pray that they will turn away from stealing and alcohol so that they can find their fulfillment in God. Pray that God will use our team to bring about a transformation in their lives.
-the Slovakian government and people's hearts will be changed on how they view the gypsies. Pray that they will see them as human beings and wil begin to treat them with dignity.- my heart to be continually opened to the truth of who my Father is and that I will live and speak out the truth every day
-safety as my group travels Europe on our Heritage tour and that we will take all the valuable information we learn and apply it to our lives
My heart is full of gratitude for all the prayers that are being sent up on my behalf. Thank-you for being my mighty prayer warriors.
May our Father overflow you with his love and joy.
These past 2 weeks have been absolutely incredible in regards to what God my Father is teaching me and the amazing adventures I have been on.
The lectures in these past 2 weeks have been on the Father Heart of God.Let me just say it has been life-changing! My perspective of who God is has been completely transformed and I have a fuller and healthier understanding of who he is as my Father. It is such a blessing that God has chosen each of us to be his sons and daughters. I don't think we fully realize what a privilege and honor and joy it is be called his children. Our Father has so much love for us. It says that HIs perfect love casts out all fear! So that means we do not need to have fear because we are filled with the love of our Father. Amazing! My Father has shown me and spoken to me his deep love that he has for me and the excitement and joy that he has from being in a relationship with me, his precious and beautiful daughter.. Our Father wants us to enjoy him and not make him out into someone who is distant.I know have fallen into the trap of religiousity which has caused me to view God as someone to be feared and a person that I am always trying to please, but always failing because I never feel that I am good enough or do enough. However, like I said, God, my Father, is taking away my preconcieved ideas of who he is and replacing them with the powerful truth in a beautiful and intimate way.
A very fun and exciting adventure the Father blessed me with was an all day hiking trip in the High Tatra Mountains. A group of 5 of us went and we all varied in our hiking abilities. Stephan and I are beginner hikers who went along to try something new. Andreas and Isabelle are very experieinced hikers, in fact, Andreas went to an Outdooring school for a year in Sweden. Ludmila is from Slovakia which automatically makes her a hiker! Well, Stephan and I started out this hike with much excitement because we did not know what we were getting ourselves into! After about 20 minutes into the hike, Stephan was ready to go home. But we pressed on, much to his dismay! It was definitely a challenge physically as we hiked in some very rocky spots that were very steep. So we took a lot of much needed breaks. I have never pushed my body to its limits until this day and I know that I only made it through because the Lord kept giving me the strength that I needed. I think this was the first day in my life that I have prayerd without ceasing because I knew I needed God's strength and encouragement to keep me going!! God completely answered my prayer and it was a very intimate day to be surrounded by the beauty of his creation and to be in constant communication with the Source of Life. I can't even begin to describe the amazing views that I saw. All I can say is our God is creative, beautiful and so powerful. The mountain lakes were absolutely breathtaking as they were filled with a color of blue that i have never seen before. It took about 4 hours to reach to the peak. The trickiest and most challenging part was the last hour because we had to climb with our legs and arms across a very steep peak. Thankfully, Andreas stayed with me and told me exactly where to put my hands and feet. There were many times that I said, "I can't do this". But Andreas would always repsond, "Kelsey, I am so proud of you. You can do this." I would then say back, "Are we almost there?" "Yes we are almost there, Keep going" . Well this "almost there" to the top took us about an hour!! I am thankful that Andreas could remain positive and patient with me otherwise I don't think I would have been able to make it. Once I reached the top, I couldn't believe my eyes .It was absolutely breathtaking! To see with my very own eyes snow capped mountains was unbelieveable. We could even see the mountains in Poland! I must say reaching the top was one of the top monumental occaions in my life! I almost want to make a shirt that says, "I climbed Krivan Peak!"!! Heading back down was very tricky, but again through God's strength I made it!All in all, it took us 8 hours to climb 8, 200 feet. I will never forget this day in my life ever!
Another monumental occasion in my life was celebrating my 23rd birthday this past Septmeber 30. I would never have thought in a million years that I would be celebrating y 23rd birthday in Slovakia! However, I am so glad God worked it out this way because it was amazing! I was able to take part in some other cultural tradtiions for birthdays which was reallly special. I don't think I have ever heard "Happy Birthday" sang to me in 4 different languages! All day the Lord blessed me with cards, encourgaing words, prayers, gifts, hugs and wonderful e-mails from lots of family and friends. And of course we celebrated with an authentic Slovakian cake which was absolutely delicious!
I am excited to announce that we have begun our local outreach to the gypsy community in Slovakia. The gypsies in Slovakia are an ostracized group of people who are forced to live outside of the cities. They live in very rundown buildings that the government has given them. They are stereotyped as people who steal and get drunk. The girls get pregnant in their teenage years and usually have around 8-10 kids. Often, they marry within their extended family which causes the children to be deformed. The men are the only ones who work because the women have to stay at home and take care of the children. Some of the men don't even work because the Slovakian people do not trust them and therefore do not give them jobs. The children will go to school. Sadly, many of them drop out early in the elementary years because they get placed in the special ed class due to the lack of stimulation and education that they are not given at home. It is a vicious cycle that these people are in because the country does not provide them with opportunities to change and nor do they supply them the help they need. Also, it is said that in 20 years the gypsies will make up half of the population in Slovakia ( currently they make up 20% of the population). It breaks my heart to write about this situation.
We at YWAM are trying to make a difference in their lives by visiting their community once a week. It our desire to show them God's love and speak truth and hope into their lives. We try to do this by playing with the kids- we offer different activites for them like face painting, soccer, jump rope, parachute, painting their nails and doing their make-up. We also do a programme for them in which we sing some fun songs and acting out Bible stories. I absolutely love being with the children! They are so beautiful and full of life. They are so eager to recieve affection and attention. I have been able to build friendships with some of the kids already despite the language barrier. I feel completely at home with the children and joy enters into my heart each time I get to see their smiles and recieve their hugs.
Well that is short glimpse into what has been happening here in my life in Slovakia. It has been incredible and everyday I thank God for leading me to this opportunity. Everyday I am reminded of God's goodness and how he knows me so intimately. My heart is being healed and the truth is being laid thick into my heart.
Remember, our father loves you because he loves you becaues he loves you because he loves you. Nothing you do or won't do will ever take away his love. It is always constant. Never-chaning. Uncondtional. His love is just for you, his precious son and daughter.
Please join me in praising God for:
-creating the beautiful mountains that speak out his power, beauty and creativity!
-giving me the strenght to climb Krivan Peak and for being my stregnth and my biggest encourager!
- the 23 years of life that he has blessed me with!
-His Unconditional love and for being the perfect Father-the deep friendships I am forming
Pray for:
-the gypsy communities in Slovakia. Pray that they will not find their identity in being a gypsy, but in being a son and daugther of the Father. Pray that the truth of who they are will sink into their hearts so that they see their purpose and have hope for the future. Pray that they will turn away from stealing and alcohol so that they can find their fulfillment in God. Pray that God will use our team to bring about a transformation in their lives.
-the Slovakian government and people's hearts will be changed on how they view the gypsies. Pray that they will see them as human beings and wil begin to treat them with dignity.- my heart to be continually opened to the truth of who my Father is and that I will live and speak out the truth every day
-safety as my group travels Europe on our Heritage tour and that we will take all the valuable information we learn and apply it to our lives
My heart is full of gratitude for all the prayers that are being sent up on my behalf. Thank-you for being my mighty prayer warriors.
May our Father overflow you with his love and joy.
Friday, October 17, 2008
Introducing my DTS "family"!
Greetings my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ! I thought it was about time for me to finally introduce you to my DTS "family"! These photos were taken during the first week. It is my pleasure to inroduce to you my multi-cultural family!
First Row Left to Right:
Kelsey (23) from Michigan! Well you all pretty much know me so I don't think I need to give a description here, but just in case you didn't know...I am a daughter of the King who is passionate about people finding their identity in Christ and receiving healing in the name of Jesus Christ. I am an excitable person who loves people, culture, photography, running, journaling and hiking!
Antony (32) from England. He is a student leader and has been a part of the YWAM organization since he was 22. He has a gentle spirit and a beautiful love and reverence for God. He brings peace wherever he goes! He has a heart for Africa, especially Uganda and just spent the past 5 years there. He is a blessing!
Steve from Michigan, in fact he is from Spring Lake which is only 15 minutes from Muskegon where I grew up! Steve is one of the two head leaders. He brings so much joy and is a real joker! He has been a part of YWAM since his early twenties and he and his family have lived in Slovakia for the past 15 years. He is a very easy-going guy and such a joy to be around! His love for God and desire for him to be known is very evident and inspiring.
Mika (30) from Slovakia. Mika is such a delight! She has a smile that lights up any room! Her passion for God exudes in every area of her life. She has a servant heart and its beautiful to watch her serve God in everything.
Asta, the dog, from Slovakia. She is a wonderful addition to the group and she belongs to Ursi, one of my student leaders. There is always someone wanting to take her for a walk! She is a well behaved dog and everyone loves her!
Second Row Left to Right:
Stefan (18) from Netherlands. Stefan is the life of the party! He is always cracking some joke or planning some fun group activity! His energy and humour attracts everyone to him. Besides being one fun guy, he has a heart that is passionate about God and is serious about his faith. His huger and thirst for God is evident and inspiring. He has a deep passion for the youth and wants a revival to happen in the Netherlands. We are all blessed through his presence.
Amanda (17) from Arizona. Amanda is such a joy!. She has a very easygoing personality and a strong desire to grow in her relationshp with God. She has a sweet and peaceful spirit and always has a smile on her face. Her heart is for Africa and desires to do mission work there someday We have had many wonderful chats and I thank God that he placed her as my bunkmate!
Hannah (19) from California. Hannah is the creative queen in our group! God has definitely gifted her in the arts and she has blessed everyone through this gift with her paintings on the walls and creating beatiful things out of random objects! I am hoping some of her creativity will rub off on me. Hannah is a joy to be with and she seems to always have a smile on her face. She has a beatiful heart, one that desires to know where God is leading her in this life.
Katie (21) from Slovakia. Katie is such a sweet girl! Through everything she does, it is apparent that she wants to know God more and experience deep intimacy with him. She comes before God with a pure, open and honest heart. It is so beautiful and inspiring. I have loved getting to know Katie! She has a contagious fun spirit and I love that we are living in the same room! We have told some wonderful good night stories! We are thinking about publishing them someday!!:)
Juanita (24) from Texas. Jaunita is a true Texan-full of joy and energy! She seems to never stop talking because she always has so much to say or has some questions to ask. Its great! She is very talented in the kitchen and its been a blessing to be a recipient of her creations! She has a beautiful heart that loves to serve everyone around her and most importantly God her Father. She desires to know God more intimately and the plans he has for her.
Ursi from Switzerland. Ursi has a gentle kind spirit and always has a smile and encouraging word. She is open and honest about her faith and is a great student leader as well as the proud owner of Asta!
Third row Left to right:
Margit (18) from Germany. Margit is very talented on the piano and has been a great worship leader. She has a very sweet and peaceful presence. I don't think that she could even hurt a fly! It is apparent that she loves God with all her heart and is eager to learn and grow.
Veera (24) from Slovakia. Veera is a joy to be around! She loves to laugh and is always smiling! Her desire is to know God as her Father and desires to make him a priority in her life.
Becca (18) from Virginia. Becca is another one of my student leaders. She has been an amazing leader and knows how to bring the group together. She is such a sweet girl who is filled with laughs and a heart that is so in love with God. She is one big blessing!
Ludmila (28) from Slovakia. Ludmila is a spitfire! She is not afraid to share her opinion and she has brought a lot of laughs and good conversations. She is filled with the Spirit and her love for God exudes through everything she does. I cannot imagine our group without her!
Michael (18) from Slovakia. He is the son of my head leader Ad (not pictured because he is taking the picture!!). Michael has an amazing heart for God and a strong faith. I am amazed and inspired by the richness and authenticity of his faith. He only attends the lectures, but his presence has been a blessing!
Isabelle (24) from Sweden. Isabelle is one of the sweetest people i know! She is an absolute delight to be around because you are always sure to laugh and she is a great encourager. Her faith and love for God is deep and is evident through everything she does. I am so blessed to know her.
Andreas (32) from Sweden. Andreas is the adventure man of the group! He does everything to the extreme, including his relationship with God. I am so thankful Andreas is a part of the group!
Tony (18) from Englad. Tony is the most excited man I have ever met! He is always singing, dancing, laughing, talking, joking around, etc. He is an absolute riot! Besides being excited about life, he is also excited about God and has a strong desire to make him known!
Stefan with his son Mischo (4) (His wife Janca and daugheter Sonya (2 months are not pictured) from Slovakia. Stefan is a wonderful man with a great family. He has a fun personality and is a joy to be around. His son Mischo is such a cute boy with lots of energy! Janca is a wonderful woman who is a load of fun. Janca and Stefan both have beautiful hearts for God. Sonya is the little princess of the group and one of the most beauitful babies I have ever seen! They are a great family and I am so thankful they can be a part of the group.
Well that is my family for you! I hope from my descriptions you can get a better understanding of the wonderful people I get to live and grow with.
Blessings!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
God is Good!
Greetings in Jesus' name!
It is hard to believe that I have been here for a week and a half. It seems like I have been here for a long time because I feel right at home. Let me give you the rundown on what has been going on!
First of all, God has been so good in regards to how he has been using the teachings to minister to my life. One of the first teachings was on Catholics and Protestants. It was an engaging discussion as I realized I had a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic faith. From that lecture I learned that Catholics and Protestants have a lot in common. Regardless of some of the differences in how we carry out the church service and view church, we still come together on the central meaning of why we gather together and that is to worship God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Restorer. It has become one my heart's desire to see the divide between the Protestant and Catholic faith weaken in the name of Jesus. We also had lectures on Hearing God's voice and Intimacy with God. Both were very interesting discussions and the Lord has revealed himself in a powerful way. God is speaking and pouring over his deep love for me as well as his strong desire for me to go deeper with him. I am excited about the intimacy that God and I are fomring together. it is my prayer that I will know the heartbeat of God.
Everyday is scheduled almost to the max. Let me give you an idea of what a typical day is like. Wake up around 7:15. Have breakfast at 7:30. Quiet time from 8-9 a.m. Praise and worship/ Lecture 9-10:30. Coffee/Tea break 10:30-11...mmmm tea! Lecture 11-12:30. Lunch 1:00-2:00- We eat the traditonal slovak lunch which is soup and then the main course. Lunch is the main meal so we always have some form of potatoes as well as salad and some form of meat- usually its chicken or pork. Small group 2-3pm.. Work duties 3:30-5. Right now my work duty is to wash, dry and put away the lunch dishes. This is a lot of dishes! Thankfully, there is usually someone who graciously helps me which i appreciate greatly and I usually have wonderful in-depth talks with whoever helps me. It sure makes the job a lot more fun! Supper 6-7. At night the activities vary from intercession, lecture, local outreach and time to do assignments. Its quite the day, but its so worth it! Usually in my free time, I walk wiht some friends the 2 minutes to the historic downtown square. It is absolutely beautiful. The architecture is victorian style. I feel like I am walking the streets in a dream. Its wonderful! There are some wonderful shops in the downtown as well as some tasty ice cream shops that I am enjoying from time to time!
On the weekends we are free do whatever. This past weekend Ad, the base leader, planned an all day trip to an ice cave, hiking in slovak paradise and going to the oldest castle ruins in Europe. Unfortunately the ice cave was closed. However that gave us more time to hike in Slovak paradise which was gorgeous. Its in eastern Slovakia which is a 2 hour drive. We hiked for a good 3 hours. The surroundings were beatiful. There were waterfalls everywhere and we had to climb up steel ladders to get around them. Ahhhh it was absolutely breathtaking! The castle ruins were incredible. I couldn't believe how massive it was. I thoroughly enjoyed adventuring through the castle with the group. It has always been a dream of mine to go to a caslte and I am so happy it came true!
The community life has been incredible. We have so much fun together! Some highlights are having every meal together and having stimulating discussions about our cultures, the lectures, God, our families and friends, etc. At one meal time, I learned how to eat the proper European way with a fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand. I must say I am a bit awkard at this, but I am learning! Hopefully by the time I come home I will have the best table manners in Michigan! Another meal time I provided some excitement when I began to choke on some rice that went down the wrong tube. Thankfully, Andres, my friend from Sweden, performed the Heimlech manuever and the rice came flying out! It was defintiely a scary experience but I praise God for saving my life through the help of Andres!
At night time if we don't have anything planned, we hang out as a group and do fun things like have a dance party slovak style! We learned a slovak dance and then the Americans taught the electric slide. It was night full of laughs, sweat and great memories! Another night the Lord led us into a time of praying for each other, anointing the building we live in and its rooms- we did this to signify that this place belongs to God and that wherever we are we want to recognize we are in the presence of God and desire to grow deeper with him. We also had a praise and worship time. It was a powerful night! It was incredible to intercede as a team for each other and for the work that God wants to do in Banska Bystrica. What a blessing to be a part of the family of God!
This week the theme is Worship. Jon Dejong is our guest speaker. He is widely known for his talent in the acoustic guitar and song writing as well as for his desire for people to worship God. His definition of worship is the expression of a submissive relationship with God- Father, Son and Spirit. His teachings have been thought-provoking and inspiring.
Thank-you for all the prayers that you have lifted up to the Lord on my behalf. I have felt and seen them answered in a mighty way. Please ferevently keep me in your prayers.
Pray:
-for God to continue to give me a teachable spirit that is open to everything that is taught and that I will apply it to my life
- for God to continue to bless me with deep friendships.
- for my whole being to be aware of Gods presence and His voice and to listen when He speaks- that I will know the heartbeat of God.
Praise God:
-for the frienships that I am forming.
-for this amazing opportunity. I feel so blessed.
-for being a God who designed us to be dependent upon him. A God who craves intimacy with his sons and daughters. A God who is mighty and so worthy of praise!
It is hard to believe that I have been here for a week and a half. It seems like I have been here for a long time because I feel right at home. Let me give you the rundown on what has been going on!
First of all, God has been so good in regards to how he has been using the teachings to minister to my life. One of the first teachings was on Catholics and Protestants. It was an engaging discussion as I realized I had a lot of misconceptions about the Catholic faith. From that lecture I learned that Catholics and Protestants have a lot in common. Regardless of some of the differences in how we carry out the church service and view church, we still come together on the central meaning of why we gather together and that is to worship God, the Creator, Redeemer, and Restorer. It has become one my heart's desire to see the divide between the Protestant and Catholic faith weaken in the name of Jesus. We also had lectures on Hearing God's voice and Intimacy with God. Both were very interesting discussions and the Lord has revealed himself in a powerful way. God is speaking and pouring over his deep love for me as well as his strong desire for me to go deeper with him. I am excited about the intimacy that God and I are fomring together. it is my prayer that I will know the heartbeat of God.
Everyday is scheduled almost to the max. Let me give you an idea of what a typical day is like. Wake up around 7:15. Have breakfast at 7:30. Quiet time from 8-9 a.m. Praise and worship/ Lecture 9-10:30. Coffee/Tea break 10:30-11...mmmm tea! Lecture 11-12:30. Lunch 1:00-2:00- We eat the traditonal slovak lunch which is soup and then the main course. Lunch is the main meal so we always have some form of potatoes as well as salad and some form of meat- usually its chicken or pork. Small group 2-3pm.. Work duties 3:30-5. Right now my work duty is to wash, dry and put away the lunch dishes. This is a lot of dishes! Thankfully, there is usually someone who graciously helps me which i appreciate greatly and I usually have wonderful in-depth talks with whoever helps me. It sure makes the job a lot more fun! Supper 6-7. At night the activities vary from intercession, lecture, local outreach and time to do assignments. Its quite the day, but its so worth it! Usually in my free time, I walk wiht some friends the 2 minutes to the historic downtown square. It is absolutely beautiful. The architecture is victorian style. I feel like I am walking the streets in a dream. Its wonderful! There are some wonderful shops in the downtown as well as some tasty ice cream shops that I am enjoying from time to time!
On the weekends we are free do whatever. This past weekend Ad, the base leader, planned an all day trip to an ice cave, hiking in slovak paradise and going to the oldest castle ruins in Europe. Unfortunately the ice cave was closed. However that gave us more time to hike in Slovak paradise which was gorgeous. Its in eastern Slovakia which is a 2 hour drive. We hiked for a good 3 hours. The surroundings were beatiful. There were waterfalls everywhere and we had to climb up steel ladders to get around them. Ahhhh it was absolutely breathtaking! The castle ruins were incredible. I couldn't believe how massive it was. I thoroughly enjoyed adventuring through the castle with the group. It has always been a dream of mine to go to a caslte and I am so happy it came true!
The community life has been incredible. We have so much fun together! Some highlights are having every meal together and having stimulating discussions about our cultures, the lectures, God, our families and friends, etc. At one meal time, I learned how to eat the proper European way with a fork in the left hand and knife in the right hand. I must say I am a bit awkard at this, but I am learning! Hopefully by the time I come home I will have the best table manners in Michigan! Another meal time I provided some excitement when I began to choke on some rice that went down the wrong tube. Thankfully, Andres, my friend from Sweden, performed the Heimlech manuever and the rice came flying out! It was defintiely a scary experience but I praise God for saving my life through the help of Andres!
At night time if we don't have anything planned, we hang out as a group and do fun things like have a dance party slovak style! We learned a slovak dance and then the Americans taught the electric slide. It was night full of laughs, sweat and great memories! Another night the Lord led us into a time of praying for each other, anointing the building we live in and its rooms- we did this to signify that this place belongs to God and that wherever we are we want to recognize we are in the presence of God and desire to grow deeper with him. We also had a praise and worship time. It was a powerful night! It was incredible to intercede as a team for each other and for the work that God wants to do in Banska Bystrica. What a blessing to be a part of the family of God!
This week the theme is Worship. Jon Dejong is our guest speaker. He is widely known for his talent in the acoustic guitar and song writing as well as for his desire for people to worship God. His definition of worship is the expression of a submissive relationship with God- Father, Son and Spirit. His teachings have been thought-provoking and inspiring.
Thank-you for all the prayers that you have lifted up to the Lord on my behalf. I have felt and seen them answered in a mighty way. Please ferevently keep me in your prayers.
Pray:
-for God to continue to give me a teachable spirit that is open to everything that is taught and that I will apply it to my life
- for God to continue to bless me with deep friendships.
- for my whole being to be aware of Gods presence and His voice and to listen when He speaks- that I will know the heartbeat of God.
Praise God:
-for the frienships that I am forming.
-for this amazing opportunity. I feel so blessed.
-for being a God who designed us to be dependent upon him. A God who craves intimacy with his sons and daughters. A God who is mighty and so worthy of praise!
My traveling adventures to Banska Bystrica, Slovakia
Ahoj from Slovakia!
It took a car, two planes, bus, van and 3 days for me to arrive in Banska Bystrica. I did not expect that the journey would take this long, but it was all worth it. Let me explain the crazy 3 days of travel and how God was my travel companion.
It all began in Grand Rapids where I left by car with my parents to drive to the O’Hare airport in Chicago. It was an enjoyabl e ride and amazingly we never ran into traffic so it only took us 3 ½ hours! Now this is actually almost a miracle because I have a friend who lives only 10 miles from the O’Hare airport and she says that sometimes it takes her an hour and a half to get to the airport! Also, we arrived around 4:30 which is near rush hour so God definitely was guiding us through and pushing all the cars out of the way so that we could get through!!:)
My plane wasn’t scheduled to leave until 8 p.m. so that left plenty of time for me to spend with my parents and to call some of my friends and family to say one final goodbye. It was such an exhilarating feeling to step onto the plane and to know that when it landed I was going to be in Europe! The flight went well although as always the food on the plane tasted a bit like plastic, but thankfully the seats were semi-comfortable so I was able to get some sleep.
When I stepped off the plane into the Amsterdam airport, I was disappointed to see that it was raining and cold because I had wanted to go into the city since I had an 8 hour layover. However, I had an enjoyable 8 hours in the airport adventuring through the many shops and taking advantage of the comfy chair sections where I took a little snooze and journaled. Being in my motherland I decided I had to treat myself to their wonderful delicacies like gouda cheese, toberlone chocolate and biscuit bread. Despite being alone, I knew God was with me. His peace, love, protection and presence were so thick. I absolutely loved it. I was so content.
With God as my travel companion, we left at around 6 p.m. from Amsterdam and arrived in Vienna around 8 o’clock. As soon as I got into the airport, I was instantly aware of the thick smoke cloud that covered everything. I couldn’t help but cough and hope that my lungs would survive! After I got my luggage I ventured off to find out where my bus to Bratislava was located. Well this turned out to be a very frustrating and intense experience. Let me explain. When I got the bus schedule from the tourist info place, I realized that there was more than one bus stop in Bratislava. Immediately I began to panic and fear entered my heart because I didn’t know which one Peter, a former YWAM leader was going to pick me up at. So I decided to call Ad my YWAM leader. Simple, right? Wrong. I had troubles using the pay phone and the tourist info people were not very helpful. Apparently, my panic was noticeable because an older gentlemen asked me if I wanted to use his phone. I wasn’t going to turn his offer down. Unfortunately the call didn’t go through. So I went back to the pay phones to call again, but once again it failed. By this time my eyes were filled with tears and I slumped down onto a nearby chair. I felt defeated, lonely and completely hopeless. However, this soon came to pass after I recalled the words an encouraging note a friend had me open when I arrived in Vienna. The words were from God saying “ I with you always. I am your protector and provider. I will never fail you.” I clung to these truths and in desperation asked the Lord to help me. He heeded my cry and I went up to the pay phone to try again and I got through to Ad! Praise God! Words cannot begin to express the relief, comfort and peace I felt after I spoke with Ad. Knowing which bus stop I should get off at, I relaxed in the airport for an hour until my bus arrived. Then I rode the hour to Bratislava and got picked up by Peter at 11:30p.m. Then we went to Marta’s, a former YWAMer where I was warmly welcomed and stayed the night.
On Saturday, I slept in and hung out with Marta at a seminar in the afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture until jet lag began to kick in. So I went in the back and slept on the couches for 4 hours! In the evening I got picked up by Steve, one of my DTS leaders , and by Tony one of the students. From there we went to IKEA to get dinner and then we went to the Bratistlava airport to pick up a staff member and then finally we headed to Banska Bystrica. We arrived at the school at 12:15 p.m. and boy was I exhausted. I was so thrilled to finally see my room, especially my bed so I could finally get some good rest after travelling for 3 days.
So thats my travel adventure to Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. Praise be to God for guiding and protecting me!
It took a car, two planes, bus, van and 3 days for me to arrive in Banska Bystrica. I did not expect that the journey would take this long, but it was all worth it. Let me explain the crazy 3 days of travel and how God was my travel companion.
It all began in Grand Rapids where I left by car with my parents to drive to the O’Hare airport in Chicago. It was an enjoyabl e ride and amazingly we never ran into traffic so it only took us 3 ½ hours! Now this is actually almost a miracle because I have a friend who lives only 10 miles from the O’Hare airport and she says that sometimes it takes her an hour and a half to get to the airport! Also, we arrived around 4:30 which is near rush hour so God definitely was guiding us through and pushing all the cars out of the way so that we could get through!!:)
My plane wasn’t scheduled to leave until 8 p.m. so that left plenty of time for me to spend with my parents and to call some of my friends and family to say one final goodbye. It was such an exhilarating feeling to step onto the plane and to know that when it landed I was going to be in Europe! The flight went well although as always the food on the plane tasted a bit like plastic, but thankfully the seats were semi-comfortable so I was able to get some sleep.
When I stepped off the plane into the Amsterdam airport, I was disappointed to see that it was raining and cold because I had wanted to go into the city since I had an 8 hour layover. However, I had an enjoyable 8 hours in the airport adventuring through the many shops and taking advantage of the comfy chair sections where I took a little snooze and journaled. Being in my motherland I decided I had to treat myself to their wonderful delicacies like gouda cheese, toberlone chocolate and biscuit bread. Despite being alone, I knew God was with me. His peace, love, protection and presence were so thick. I absolutely loved it. I was so content.
With God as my travel companion, we left at around 6 p.m. from Amsterdam and arrived in Vienna around 8 o’clock. As soon as I got into the airport, I was instantly aware of the thick smoke cloud that covered everything. I couldn’t help but cough and hope that my lungs would survive! After I got my luggage I ventured off to find out where my bus to Bratislava was located. Well this turned out to be a very frustrating and intense experience. Let me explain. When I got the bus schedule from the tourist info place, I realized that there was more than one bus stop in Bratislava. Immediately I began to panic and fear entered my heart because I didn’t know which one Peter, a former YWAM leader was going to pick me up at. So I decided to call Ad my YWAM leader. Simple, right? Wrong. I had troubles using the pay phone and the tourist info people were not very helpful. Apparently, my panic was noticeable because an older gentlemen asked me if I wanted to use his phone. I wasn’t going to turn his offer down. Unfortunately the call didn’t go through. So I went back to the pay phones to call again, but once again it failed. By this time my eyes were filled with tears and I slumped down onto a nearby chair. I felt defeated, lonely and completely hopeless. However, this soon came to pass after I recalled the words an encouraging note a friend had me open when I arrived in Vienna. The words were from God saying “ I with you always. I am your protector and provider. I will never fail you.” I clung to these truths and in desperation asked the Lord to help me. He heeded my cry and I went up to the pay phone to try again and I got through to Ad! Praise God! Words cannot begin to express the relief, comfort and peace I felt after I spoke with Ad. Knowing which bus stop I should get off at, I relaxed in the airport for an hour until my bus arrived. Then I rode the hour to Bratislava and got picked up by Peter at 11:30p.m. Then we went to Marta’s, a former YWAMer where I was warmly welcomed and stayed the night.
On Saturday, I slept in and hung out with Marta at a seminar in the afternoon. I thoroughly enjoyed the lecture until jet lag began to kick in. So I went in the back and slept on the couches for 4 hours! In the evening I got picked up by Steve, one of my DTS leaders , and by Tony one of the students. From there we went to IKEA to get dinner and then we went to the Bratistlava airport to pick up a staff member and then finally we headed to Banska Bystrica. We arrived at the school at 12:15 p.m. and boy was I exhausted. I was so thrilled to finally see my room, especially my bed so I could finally get some good rest after travelling for 3 days.
So thats my travel adventure to Banska Bystrica, Slovakia. Praise be to God for guiding and protecting me!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Intimacy
First of all, I want to apologize for not updating in a very timely manner. However, I plan to change this behavior so no worries you won't have to go another month and a half without another update!
With that aside, I would like to share how God has been a part of this process especially when it comes to the details. Regarding storing all my stuff which is quite a lot :), I was not very settled with the idea of having to pay $40-$50 a month to have my stuff sit in a storage place for 8 1/2 months. God saw this need and provided a place for me store my stuff for free through a friend's dad who owns office buildings. Not only did I get a free place to store my stuff, my friend and a couple other friends along with my parents helped me move which made it go very quickly. I thank God for my friends who have such beautiful servant hearts.
Not only do I not have to pay for a storage place, but I dont' have to pay for my cell phone because my plan ended in the middle of August and my cell phone company allowed me to pay for one extra month. Praise God that I didn't have to pay a cancellation fee or have to pay a fee to keep my phone going while I am gone!
Slovakia is known for their hiking trails which I am very excited to take full advantage of!However, I was experiencing a lot of knee pain even when I ran for just 10 minutes so I thought there was no way that I would be able to enjoy it. Thankfully, God provided me with free physical therapy through a person that I have mutual friends with. With his kind servant heart and my baking expertise, I was able to get free sessions with him and now I am stronger than ever before. Praise God!
There are many more stories like the above which shows me how God is going to take care of me while I am abroad doing mission work. It is so affirming to watch how God is providing for my every need because I know I am exactly where God wants me to be.
I have felt the love of my family and friends in such beautiful ways in the past few weeks. All i can say is that I love you too and appreciate all the encouraging words and prayers.
I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I continue to prepare to leave for Slovkia on Thursday. Pray that all the last minute "things to do" will be accomplished. Pray that I will be able to savor each moment from packing to saying goodbye to getting on the airplane. Pray that God will protect me while I travel espcially from the pickpocketers and that I won't have any delays or problems with my airline. Pray that God will give me wisdom and discernment. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
You can praise God with me for being an intimate God who takes care of all our needs. Praise God for creating us as relational beings and blessing us with supportive and loving friends. Praise God for his tender love and amazing grace.
Here is what my travel schedule looks like:
-I fly from Chicago at 8 p.m on Thursday night and arrive in Amsterdam on Friday at 10 in the morning. Then I have an 8 hour layover in which I hope to explore the fresh air of Amsterdam. Next, I fly from Amsterdam at 6 p.m and arrive in Vienna at 8 p.m. Then I take a bus from the airport that leaves at 10:30 and arrives in Bratislava at 11:30 p.m. It is here that I will be picked up by one of my leaders from YWAM. Then I will be travelling by car to Banksa Bystrica which is about a 2-3 hour drive that night or the YWAM leader and I will stay the night in Bratislava and drive to Banska Bystrica the next day. Whew...I sure will be tired!
My next posting will be from Slovakia! Talk to you then!!
With that aside, I would like to share how God has been a part of this process especially when it comes to the details. Regarding storing all my stuff which is quite a lot :), I was not very settled with the idea of having to pay $40-$50 a month to have my stuff sit in a storage place for 8 1/2 months. God saw this need and provided a place for me store my stuff for free through a friend's dad who owns office buildings. Not only did I get a free place to store my stuff, my friend and a couple other friends along with my parents helped me move which made it go very quickly. I thank God for my friends who have such beautiful servant hearts.
Not only do I not have to pay for a storage place, but I dont' have to pay for my cell phone because my plan ended in the middle of August and my cell phone company allowed me to pay for one extra month. Praise God that I didn't have to pay a cancellation fee or have to pay a fee to keep my phone going while I am gone!
Slovakia is known for their hiking trails which I am very excited to take full advantage of!However, I was experiencing a lot of knee pain even when I ran for just 10 minutes so I thought there was no way that I would be able to enjoy it. Thankfully, God provided me with free physical therapy through a person that I have mutual friends with. With his kind servant heart and my baking expertise, I was able to get free sessions with him and now I am stronger than ever before. Praise God!
There are many more stories like the above which shows me how God is going to take care of me while I am abroad doing mission work. It is so affirming to watch how God is providing for my every need because I know I am exactly where God wants me to be.
I have felt the love of my family and friends in such beautiful ways in the past few weeks. All i can say is that I love you too and appreciate all the encouraging words and prayers.
I would greatly appreciate your prayers as I continue to prepare to leave for Slovkia on Thursday. Pray that all the last minute "things to do" will be accomplished. Pray that I will be able to savor each moment from packing to saying goodbye to getting on the airplane. Pray that God will protect me while I travel espcially from the pickpocketers and that I won't have any delays or problems with my airline. Pray that God will give me wisdom and discernment. Thank you in advance for your prayers.
You can praise God with me for being an intimate God who takes care of all our needs. Praise God for creating us as relational beings and blessing us with supportive and loving friends. Praise God for his tender love and amazing grace.
Here is what my travel schedule looks like:
-I fly from Chicago at 8 p.m on Thursday night and arrive in Amsterdam on Friday at 10 in the morning. Then I have an 8 hour layover in which I hope to explore the fresh air of Amsterdam. Next, I fly from Amsterdam at 6 p.m and arrive in Vienna at 8 p.m. Then I take a bus from the airport that leaves at 10:30 and arrives in Bratislava at 11:30 p.m. It is here that I will be picked up by one of my leaders from YWAM. Then I will be travelling by car to Banksa Bystrica which is about a 2-3 hour drive that night or the YWAM leader and I will stay the night in Bratislava and drive to Banska Bystrica the next day. Whew...I sure will be tired!
My next posting will be from Slovakia! Talk to you then!!
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Blessed
Wow! I am in awe of the outpouring of support that I have been receiving in the past week. God is so good and faithful! I feel so blessed by everyone who is covering this mission experience with prayer and financial support. Praise be to God!
I am excited to announce that I have bought my plane ticket! The process of finding a ticket at a good price seemed to be a very daunting task, but God lead me to statravel.com where I found a great deal! Even as I was buying the plane ticket, God made it so personal through the travel agent. As I was talking with the travel agent, we realized that we were from the same area in Michigan which was great. But to make it even more personal, we realized that we both had family from Northwest Iowa and Sioux Falls. So we shard our "fond" memories of traveling 12 hours to visit family. I just love how God makes the world seem a lot smaller when it seems so big.
I will be leaving on Thursday September 11 and returning Tuesday April 28 with a new perspective on life, world, who I am, faith, culture, and God. I can't wait!
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