Home for the Holidays!

God has given me so many good gifts this month! I posted a month or two ago about all the wonderful things that have happened this year, but December alone has been incredible! Ken, Ben & Richard Rudolph visited me in Berlin December 10-14. Ken spoke in youth group for me Saturday night and 11 teens responded to the gospel invitation he gave! The next day, I got the privilege of hearing my 14-year-old neighbor pray to receive Christ. All that to say, I left Berlin on a HIGH! I was so excited about the salvations and so excited to go home. The excitement kept me from sleeping for several nights leading up to departure day.

The flight home was uneventful except that I got a migraine halfway through (from lack of sleep and a very HOT airplane) and thought I was going to be sick on the guy next to me! Thankfully, God kept me from that and allowed the medicine to take effect in time. Before it worked though, I was pacing the aisles until I got yelled at and told to return to my seat because the "fasten seatbelt" sign was lit. (I felt like saying, "What would you rather me do: pace and settle my stomach, or sit down and lose my lunch all over your plane?")

Walking through the arrivals hall in Philly and spotting my parents was a very welcome sight! Ironically and comically, the first thing we did after leaving the airport was spot an IKEA and stop to eat dinner and pick up a few Christmas presents. (IKEA is Swedish and there are 3 in Berlin.)

Now today, two days after arriving "home", we are in the midst of a winter snow storm! Six inches has fallen in 3 hours. If you know me, you know I LOVE snow!!!!

I'm sitting here enjoying the snow falling outside, blogging, working on Christmas cards, listening to my mom talk to herself while she makes butternut squash soup and counting the days until I get to see my brothers, sister-in-law, niece and soon-to-be-sister-in-law! :-)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

You Have a Friend Request

I taught a lesson tonight in youth group trying to capture the spirit of "Advent" in a way that would be relevant for teenagers. I came up with a way to present the good news of Jesus Christ using Facebook! I'll think the pictures sum it up. You have a friend request!

Warning: If you accept His gift of friendship, He will enter your life and dramatically change it! You will never be the same again. He will transform you from the inside out and you will join the largest “family” in the world . . . The family of God. Your eternity will be secure, and your life will be about HIM.

BUT if you reject Him, you will remain in your sin and under God’s wrath. You will ultimately pay the penalty for your sin, which is eternal death. To reject Christ, is to reject LIFE.

He did EVERYTHING to be your friend. Will you accept His friendship?

Thanksgiving ABCs

Things I'm thankful for this year . . . from A to Z
Advent – Christmas is coming and Christ is coming again!
Brothers – mine rock!
Churches that support me prayerfully and financially
Dad – I’m finding I’m more like him each day, and proud of it!
Excedrin – I don’t even want to think about life without it. Lol
Facebook – I would know absolutely nothing about anyone w/o it.
Glenn Amos – Thank you, God!
Hope, Health and Humor
ITunes allows me to watch the shows I miss
Jesus Christ – without Whom I would have no purpose or meaning in life.
Kaci – a great sister-in-law who loves my brother and gives me nieces!
Little girls – specifically my niece, Lana, and her little sister due April 3rd!
Mom – I miss you so much and can’t wait to see you in 2 weeks!
New family members – I’m also going to have a new sister-in-law on July 11th
Opportunities to laugh
Pumpkin and pecans shipped to me from friends and family
Quark Bällchen – You haven’t lived until you try these fried dough balls of delight
Rudolphs – Ken, Ben & Richard are coming to visit next week
Starbucks Caramel Macchiatos & Schokolade (chocolate)
Team Berlin – I still like them after 4 ½ years!
U.S. Airways (December 17th!)
Vonage allows me to call everyone stateside from a PA phone number.
Weihnachtmarkts (Christmas Markets)
X-treme Teens – the name of our exploding youth group in Berlin
Youth Ministry – I love it more and more with each new year
Zach Dye – youngest member of Team Berlin & cutest little guy ever

Favorite Pictures and Memories from 2008

I know that 2008 isn't over yet, but I was goofing off tonight with Picasa and came up with this collage of favorite pictures and memories from this year. I thank God for each and every memory. Enjoy!

My favorite memories were definitely (in chronological order):

• January: Celebrating my 30th birthday in Lancaster, PA
• January: Driving my Uncle Tom's tractor in Iowa
• January: Ice fishing in Alaska
• May: Traveling Germany's "Romantic Road" with my parents
• July: Seeing fireworks on July 4th in Berlin!
• July: Meeting my parents in Milan, Italy
• August: Having my Grandma Walker's church come for our teen camp
• August: Rejoicing over my neighbor, Janek, starting to come to church
• August: Attending the EBM European Conference in Wagrain, Austria
• August: Finding out I'm going to be an aunt again :-)
• September: Experiencing a record high attendance in youth group - 60+ teens!
• September: Witnessing 10 baptisms in a lake at our church retreat
• October: Discovering my brother, Todd, is getting married!!!

Thank you, Father, for all of it!

Interesting Book

I'm ashamed to say that I no longer read very often. Before college, I used to read 2-3 books a week. I used to just sit at cafes, like Borders, and just read or meet friends and talk about what we were currently reading (Josh, Jason . . . good times!). After all the forced reading in college and the busyness of "real life", I just don't get to it like I wish I could. The books that I have read this year have been mostly forced reading as well: "The Mark of Jesus" and "Don't Waste Your Life" (in German). I've read a little for pleasure, but that pretty much sums it up. (I thoroughly enjoyed a book entitled, "The Gospel According to Starbucks"!)

I've heard quite a bit about "The Shack", but I don't usually get into bandwagon Christianiaty (ie: never saw "The Passion of the Christ", never made it through "Blue Like Jazz" or "Velvet Elvis" . . .) Last week though, a German friend described to me the difference "The Shack" had made in his thinking and it lit of spark of curiosity in me great enough that I borrowed the book and started reading it. I wasn't expecting it to be fiction for some reason. I mean, I knew it was a "story" about some guy going to a shack and meeting the trinity, but I felt for the first 70 or so pages like I was reading a mystery novel. I couldn't put it down! The unfortunate thing though, was that I read those first 70 pages before traveling back to my apartment on a bus, in the dark, alone. Not good. If you've ever read "The Shack" you know why I say not good. I was scared to death! So, disclaimer: read those first 70 pages selectively . . . maybe not right before bedtime.

I'm a little over halfway through the book right now and I've been mad, scared, excited, shocked and slightly offended, but overall I'm really enjoying it. It's definitely a page turner and thought provoker! I know there are probably people reading this that both loved and hated the book for various reasons, but I just felt like sharing my feelings so far. Any feedback? Have you read it? If so, what'd you think?

I wish I could go to Borders today with a friend and talk about it . . . I miss that, a lot.

A Glimpse into the Joys and Oddities of an International Church Plant

I grew up my whole life in America in churches that consisted of 98% WASP’s (white, Anglo-Saxon Protestants). Basically, church was several hundred American, Caucasian, Republican, Regular Baptists who agreed on the big issues: the inerrancy and authority of the Bible as the Word of God and the importance of all-church potlucks (aka “covered dishes" - a wide assortment of unidentifiable casseroles, green jello and fattening desserts).

Sitting in church today, I was surrounded by people from Germany of course, but also people from America, England, Rwanda, Kenya, Iran, Finland, Holland, Lebanon, Ethiopia and Russia, and I might be missing some!

Today is November 9th. This date probably means nothing to you, but we were reminded in the service today that it is the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall (1989) and “Kristallnacht” (1938). Today was also the “International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church”, which we also recognized and prayed for in today’s service (hopefully many of you did too!). There’s nothing like praying for the persecuted church with a church full of people representing those nations! Then, to top it off, we had a special guest speaker – a female, Tutsi survivor of the Rwanda Genocide! She gave her testimony today of attackers breaking into her home and killing everyone but her, including her two small sons. She escaped death only to deliver her third baby hours later . . . alone. Her husband was gone and her other children recently murdered. It was an amazing testimony!

After the service ended, we had to quickly move out of the sanctuary and into the fellowship hall to allow another church to set up for an evening Gospel concert. An hour later, we were holding AWANA on one end of the building while hundreds of Africans (and other nationalities) sang together at the top of their lungs at the other end in a style of worship that is completely foreign to me. Meanwhile, the little kiddies on our end were screaming and dancing to a song with the lyrics, “Heiß, heiß, heiß!” (“Hot, hot, hot!”).

Bet your church service was nothing like ours. Bet you wish you could visit! ;-)

What babies teach us . . .

I went to a birthday party for my teammate, Zach, who turned 2 on Halloween! It was, of course, great fun. But I, once again, learned a lesson from a little person that I don't want to forget.

For Zach, opening presents was a bit of a chore. He just wanted to play with the first toy he opened. But there were many more unopened gifts! His little mind couldn't comprehend it. After every cool present, they'd tear him away from it and make him open the next one. The presents were getting better and better and towards the end Zach got more and more upset. He just wanted to play! He was content.

Sometimes in life, we get content with what we've been given, thinking it's the best it's gonna get, and then God does exactly what Zachy's parents and siblings did to him. The "gift" is taken away so that the next thing can be revealed . . . the next "gift", the next chapter in life, the next assignment, the next person, etc. But since we fear the unknown, and since we don't really trust God like we think we do, we get upset, just like Zach. Loss, in our minds, can never be a good thing! It rarely occurs to us that loss and separation simply makes way for gain and the possibility of even greater gifts!

Zach's final gift was this Thomas the Tank Engine train set, which was his favorite gift. But, he couldn't foresee that. :-) Maybe this means nothing to you . . . but it does to me. Thanks, Zach.

Finish Friends and Birthday Pumpkin Pie

Yesterday and today have been interesting days. Yesterday, I got to meet a family from Finland at a friend's house. One interesting fact I learned from them, is that Finish women leave their babies out in the cold to take naps during the day. Apparently, if you go to just about any store in Finland, you'll see baby strollers parked out front with the babies inside sleeping soundly . . . even in winter! They're covered with down comforters, but still . . . would you leave your baby outside to nap in the dead of winter??? Interesting . . .

Last night I went to the mall with my 16-year-old teammate, Brooke. While walking around, we ran into one of my teen girls, named Ruth. She asked if she could hang out with us for a while, so we all went and had dinner at the food court. While we were eating, I saw the Finish family walk in! They came over and said hi and I introduced Brooke and Ruth, explaining who they were and where they were both from. Right then it occured to me . . . Ruth is from Finland! Small world. Right then and there they all began talking in Finish while I sat there smiling and thinking how cool it was. A few minutes later, Ruth told me she was going to bake a pumpkin pie today using real pumpkin. I've always wanted to try this . . . so I asked her if she wanted to bake at my house. She agreed and today we baked two "real" pumpkin pies. It was a lot of fun and I got to hang out with a teen that I don't usually get to spend any real time with.

I took "my" pie to Bible study tonight. After the study, we were all milling around enjoying the pie and other refreshments and a girl named Johanna, new to our church and the Bible study, told me with emotion in her voice that yesterday was her birthday and that pumpkin pie was her absolute favorite. She just arrived in Berlin, either to work or attend university (I forget), and I'm sure she's missing home and family just like me. Apparently she has pumpkin pie on her birthday every year . . . except this one. :-) Better late than never, huh? God knew. Ordinarily I do not bake pumpkin pies until Thanksgiving.

I like to think that God put Ruth and the Finish family together and then orchestrated a baking day for me and Ruth so that Johanna could have her birthday pumpkin pie. :-) I also like to think that right now . . . at this very moment . . . God may be orchestrating some things on my behalf! In the words of John Piper, "God is always doing more than we know."

Fun blog

If you're at all interested in reading a little about life in Germany, and specifically the differences in cultures between American and Germany, check out this blog written by an American married to a German: http://nothingforungood.com/.

And the countdown begins . . .

Every year around October and November I begin to experience progressive homesickness and I've never truly understood why until this year. I used to believe it had to be triggered by preparation for Thanksgiving . . . a holiday that is now pretty meaningless for me due to no family, no sounds of football (not that I care that much, you just get used to it), no helping my mom bake - just one more day of eating with my teammates (which I do all the time). We have turkey here in Germany, but I don't like turkey so it's no real consolation.

I figured it out though. It's not Thanksgiving that causes the slippery, downward, emotional slope. It's planning out furlough! Every year I get to go home for Christmas and then stay for another 6 or so weeks to visit supporting churches. This is how I've chosen to do furlough, and I LOVE it! Wouldn't change a thing. But, in the planning of it in late October, my heart travels ahead of my body. I start thinking about people and places I haven't let myself think much about in 8 months. For the majority of the year, I protect myself by not dwelling on the family and friends across the ocean. I live emotionally "here". I try hard to live by the words of Jim Elliot, "Live to the hilt every situation you believe to be the will of God. Wherever you are, be all there." But, in the planning of each mini-furlough, my heart begins to be all somewhere else. Then, I start thinking about Christmas presents . . . and consequently, start slowly leaving Berlin.

I'm not sure there's a solution for it. I'm just glad I know now why I go through it. I've hated Thanksgiving here for 4 years. Our church always has an International Thanksgiving Dinner which is nice, but an enormous amount of work. Then, just days later, we cook and bake all over again for the actual "day". It's a pain . . . but probably only seems that way to me, since I'm the only member of Team Berlin without family over here.

So the countdown begins. 55 days . . . 7 1/2 weeks . . . Until then, I resolve to be all here - that is until my sister-in-law uploads another picture of my niece. ;-)

Fun fact, off topic . . . tonight my pre-teen youth group is coming dressed as the 10 Plagues. :-) Right now, I'm signing off to go make red jello with gummi frogs in it and create a headpiece from a wire hanger that will support hail balls that I intend to hang from it. I was going to paint boils all over my body, but thought against it since the "puss" would rub off onto my furniture. Can't have that. Plus, I like hail. The plague probably wouldn't have been much fun, but I love the many hailstorms we get here in Berlin. Pictures will be forthcoming . . .

Sickness and heavenly help

I have been sick this year 3 times, all really bad!!!!!!!! Around Christmas and New Years I had a brutal bronchitis; May 17th got knocked down by a ferocious flu and this weekend laid flat by a thrashing throat infection. (Yes, I had fun with the alliterations.)

There were 5 months between the bronchitis and the flu and 4 between the flu and the throat infection (I'd call it strep, but I don't have proof that it was strep.). I have never been this sick this many times in one year! I'm really wondering about my immune system. I have always been a very healthy person . . . at the very most, fighting a moderate sinus infection once or twice a year. It's like my immune system is rolling dice to see what to throw at me next! All three illnesses had me flat on my back for days! I'm baffled . . . (And I'm on Juice Plus!)

I am sitting on the couch right now, wrapped in a quilt (Whenever I get sick, I have to be wrapped in one of my Grandma Walker's quilts.), watching The Nanny and thinking about how many over-the-counter remedies I had to use on top of the antibiotic just to fight this one irrational infection. Here's a list: 2 kinds of nasal spray (one saline, one decongestant), lots of Ibuprofin (not easy to come by in Germany!), Vicks Vaporub, Breath-Right Nasal Strips, NyQuil before bed and of course, plenty of Kleenex, hot tea, cold tea, cough drops and oranges. This was my starting line-up of defense. Last night I started talking almost normally again, which was the first time in over 4 days. What a weekend!

Erin Indovina, the intern that has been staying with me for over 2 months, had to take over pretty much all of my ministries for me this weekend. She taught the pre-teens on Friday night, the teens on Saturday night, performed my Sunday duties for me in my absence and taught my high school Bible study yesterday afternoon. She's been SUCH a help, as have all of our interns. So, God, keep the interns coming!

Also yesterday, a sweet, sweet man from one of the Dyes supporting churches, here in Berlin just to help, came and cleaned my carpets for me. I am thanking God right now for short-term help . . .

Dry Spell

(I've hit a blogging dry spell. But I so want to give you something worth reading! I live in Europe and I can think of nothing! Unbelievable.)

Allow me to look backward and then forward for a minute. (The picture on the right is of me, the summer of '04, trying to figure out the bus schedule. Four years ago this week . . . September 1, 2004 . . . The Goods returned from their first furlough on this very day. I had lived in Berlin for almost 4 1/2 months. (I have now lived in Berlin for almost 4 1/2 years!) The Goods left on May 31st for the whole summer and Dan & Jean O'Deens, aka "Opa & Oma", moved into their apartment, right next door to me. This precious couple became my security blanket in a very insecure time in my life. I had no friendshere, no idea how to be a missionary, and the youth group, which was to be my main responsibility, consisted of approximately 6 teens, 2 of which were my teenaged teammates. (This picture is an example of one of our early youth events.) I felt overwhelmingly alone and afraid. I still feel this way, but much, much less THANK GOD! In five days, we're kicking off our fall youth program and anticipating 40-50 teens! :-)

A New Revolution in Missions

USA (MNN) ― In the last few decades a profound yet quiet revolution has taken place in missions which is best observed from a field perspective. There are many facets of this shift, which is accelerating in speed and intensity as the timing of our Lord Jesus is coming closer.

The first change, according to The Bridge International's RK Ulrich, is the pulling back of the Western church as torch-bearers of the Gospel to the unreached, and the merging of national churches with strong leaders who effectively are reaching their own. It is interesting to note that the Church-at-large is presently growing far more rapidly in the third world and emerging nations than in the West (Europe and North America)

Secondly, Ulrich says, "The definition of who is a missionary is changing. Traditionally, it was the person with a life-long call, trained through mission-school and sent out by a church or mission organization to one geographical field where they lived and died."

She says YWAM was one of the forerunners in defining the new short-term missionary: one who travels and lives cross-culturally among unreached people for shorter periods of time while engaging in effective, broader, inter-personal, expressions of the Gospel beyond that which the traditional Western mission compound provided.

And finally, the rapidly increasing availability and use of the internet and satellite television is changing outreach. Ulrich says, "These media are already blanketing every square inch of our globe with an unfathomable amount of information. It's said that the paradigm shift caused by the coming of the information highway is causing as profoundly revolutionary changes in our present global community as the invention of Gutenberg's printing press did to the world culture at the time."

Reports from those who present Jesus Christ and Him crucified over the Web have recorded numbers of hits by people living in countries officially closed to the Gospel. Scores are being saved and churches planted without the influence of the Western church structure. New software is being developed where one language is instantly contextually translated in writing and verbally to another.

Ulrich adds, "One of our missionary friends who has traveled all through the world recently told me, 'Even in the poorest communities in India and Africa, where people practically have nothing, you will find Coca Cola and television sets with dishes pointed to the sky.'"

Ulrich asks, "Is it possible that, due to this paradigm shift, the remaining 4,000 unreached peoples will be evangelized with a speed unheard of in prior history? Does that mean the end of the world and the return of Christ is more imminent? If so, are we prepared?" Something to think about.
(Mission Network News – July 11, 2008)

Summer Friends

So many people come through Berlin during the course of a summer to help out with the ministry. It's always fun to get to know the different interns, short-term missionaries and groups.

When my teammates and next-door neighbors, the Goods, left in May for furlough, Mike & Jesslyn Corman (bottom photo, far right) moved into their apartment for the summer. This was exciting for me because Mike is from Pennsylvania and a former BBC student. :-) We think on very similar wavelengths as a result. He met his wife while teaching at the William Carey Academy in Bangladesh. Jesslyn is from Malaysia. They are a perfect addition to our international church, though they're returning to Clarks Summit in August so that Mike can finish up at BBC.

Mike and Jess are running a series of English camps throughout Germany this summer. As a result, they hired a bunch of counselors from the States - mostly college students. The first to arrive was David Nelson from Grandville, MI (blue GAP sweatshirt). "Chip" as I affectionately call him, is 19-years-old and from my friend Brian Mitchell's former church.

"Backpacker Dan" (top right) came through Berlin for a week. Daniel Hendon is a recent Moody grad and one of Brittany Good's college friends.

Mike and Jess' friend CJ visited us next. CJ (bottom photo, middle) is a BBC grad and future missionary with the Southern Baptist Convention.

Our first set of summer interns arrived the first week of June. Jon and Megan Damon (bottom photo, left) are from South Whitley, Indiana. Their grandparents, Dan & Jean O'Deens, are the couple who stayed in my apartment during my first furlough and took over my ministries with their other grandson, Chris Hoenshell.

Three more of the Corman's counselors arrived this week. Jamie Innis (top right photo, right) arrived Tuesday. Jamie's sisters both attended BBC. Jamie also lives in Grand Rapids. In the photo above, they are painting signs for our upcoming VBS. Good work, guys! Rachel and Justin (not pictured) arrived today. I don't know their last names, but Rachel is from Scranton and attended BBC for a year.

And this is just the tip of the iceberg! This post is more for me so that I don't forget everything and everyone. Two more interns arrive in July and two groups - a high school German class from Montana, and my supporting church in Montrose, PA - arrive in late July and early August respectively. More on them later . . .

What's your obsession?

Many of you Americans may not realize that the Euro Cup has been going on for the last few weeks. I know I wouldn't have realized it unless I lived here. I care more about soup than I care about soccer! However, it's gotten me thinking about the word "fan." The German fans have been wild with excitement. Every time Germany scored a goal throughout the entire tournament, firecrackers would go off, people could be heard cheering/screaming, flags would wave, horns would honk and free shots would be given out at all the local bars. I guess it is kind of cool to see Germany showing pride and patriotism again.

Have you ever thought about the concept of a "fan" though? Here's what Wikipedia had to say about it: A fan is someone who has an intense, occasionally overwhelming liking of a sporting club, person, group of persons, company, product, work of art, idea or trend. In a few cases, individual fans may become so fascinated with the objects of their infatuation that they become obsessive. These fans engage in behaviors that are considered extreme or abnormal.
There are certain common characteristics to be found in fans interested in different topics and that these characteristics influence the behaviors of those involved in fan behavior.
Those common characteristics include:

Internal involvement. Fans focus more of their time and resources intently on a specific area of interest than a non-fan would. Fans usually have a strong enough interest that small to major changes in their lifestyles are made to accommodate devotion to the focal object.

External involvement. Fans are motivated to demonstrate their involvement with the area of interest through certain behaviors (attending conventions, posting online, etc.)

Wish to acquire - fans tend to express a strong desire to possess material objects related to the area of interest.

Desire for social interaction with other fans. This may take many forms, from casual conversation, e-mail, chat rooms, and electronic mailing lists to regular face-to-face meetings such as fan club meetings and organized conventions.

This Wikipedia description of a fan has made me contemplate my own devotion to and passion for Christ. I say He's my obsession, my #1 passion, my life's focus. But so often other lesser obsessions creep into His place and claim my focus, my heart, my conversation, my time - my most valuable possesions. "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Goodbye, Colin

I don't deal well with good-byes. I am convinced I have separation anxiety disorder. All that to say, I want to publicly say goodbye to my friend by sharing with you a few special memories.

I didn't have the opportunity of having Colin Smith as a professor. The first year he came to BBC was my last year and I didn't have room in my schedule, nor the GPA to really hack it. What God did instead, was give me the opportunity of developing a friendship with Colin instead. I wanted to sit under his teaching. I so wanted to take "Courtship Texts of the Old Testament" like many other of my friends. But, I couldn't. I was admittedly jealous. I had no way to get to know this man that so many of my fellow students were raving about. I got to hear him in chapel though and my appetite was whetted. I sat on the edge of my seat when he preached. To this day, I have dozens of Colin Smith messages on my hard drive.

Through my friends Jason Berrus and Matt DeWever, I got to know the Smiths. I got to hang out at the Smith home and play games and just chill with Colin and Anita. It was such a privilege! I remember distinctly when Ben Smith (the oldest of the 5 Smith kids) moved back home to Scranton, PA. Through many late night card games and dinners with Jason, Matt and Alicia, we became great friends and always will be. He called Sunday to tell me that his father passed away. He wanted me to hear it from him, instead of on Facebook. So considerate!

I remember very distinctly going to the Baptist Mid-Missions Campus Bible Fellowship training weekend. Colin and Anita showed up for the closing key-note session and I got to spend an evening with just the two of them. It was so wonderful. (Anita analyzed my handwriting that evening. lol)

Another, even more distinct memory, was September 11th, 2001. I was sitting at my desk up on the 3rd floor of Jackson Hall at BBC. I was the Secretary of Student Activities that year. It was shortly after 9:00am, when I got a call from my friend, Abby Amos, telling me that one the World Trade Towers had just been hit by a plane. I remember it didn't really register. Planes had run into the Trade Towers before. Abby told me I needed to find a TV or radio, which we did. It was then that we watched in horror as the second tower was struck and both towers fell. Somewhere between that point and chapel at 10:00am, a plane hit the Pentagon and another crashed in western PA. Because we were in PA, it felt like the whole world was ending, crumbling down around us. No one knew if the attacks would end or continue all day. Colin Smith was the chapel speaker that day. In the last seconds before he got up on stage, he had to change his whole message to be able to speak directly to our hearts, to be able to help us deal with what was happening to our nation. There wasn't a better person to be in chapel that fateful day. As only he could, he used his vast knowledge of Scripture, chose a fitting passage and restored peace in our hearts. I'll never forget that day, and Colin will always be part of the memories . . . He was always ready, in season and out of season.

I sat in his living room one night until 4:00am just talking to him and asking him questions about life and ministry. He listened and gave insight into what I was going through, preparing to leave everything and everyone I knew and loved to move all the way across the ocean and become a missionary. I thank God now for that opportunity.

So, Colin, I want to take this opportunity to say thank you and goodbye. We love you. We always will. Thanks for everything!

Spring 2008

Spring is almost over. Technically summer begins on June 21st. However, summer has been happening in Berlin now for a good, solid 3 weeks. It has rained only once for 5 minutes in the last 3 weeks! It's been in the 80s and dry, dry, dry. I'm dreading the next 3 months of HEAT but looking forward to the memories . . .

10 Reasons my mom is the most beautiful woman I know . . .

¨ She’s always had her priorities straight, including breaking up with her boyfriend in college because Jesus wasn’t his first love (yet).
¨ The first lesson she ever taught us was to love Jesus. It stuck.
¨ She’s prayed for us every day since before we were born.
¨ When I turned 14 and began hating the way God made me, my mom taught me that confidence and a smile would cause everyone to see and love the real me. I believed her.
¨ She taught us how to be content and joyful in any situation, whether you’re a poor youth pastor’s wife or a dorm mom.
¨ She loved us kids in simple, unforgettable ways: through hugs, home-cooked meals, quality time, making our beds when we “forgot”, chocolate chip cookies and milk after school, and creating a place we always wanted to come home to.
¨ She taught us that everyone screws up and it’s important to say, “I’m sorry. Please forgive me.”
¨ Her love life is in perfect order: God first, my dad second; both passionately.
¨ She strove to be a biblical wife and mother, all the while showing me how a woman can be powerfully used of God in ministry.
¨ When the time came for her only daughter to move an ocean away, she let me go because like my dad, she believes in the will of God.

I could go on and on, but you get the point. Mom, thanks for everything. I love you. Don’t EVER change.

What I did . . .

Despite my urging everone else to do something memorable on Feb. 29th, I'm not sure I myself did. So, in an effort to make it memorable, I'm going to write about my day, so that I have to remember it.

I slept in (always nice), got up and watched "The Last Sin Eater" on DVD. It's a novel by Francine Rivers, but also a new movie. It's really good and I'm showing it to the teens tonight at youth group. So, I watched that for 2 hours, then prepared a discussion guide to use with it. It's a VERY strong gospel presentation, if you're looking for a creative way to share the Gospel with a group of teens or young adults.

The afternoon was very relaxing and included hearing that my family made it safely back to the U.S. Yeah! Poor Travis did not get to see a monkey. :-( Sorry, bro!

At 4:00pm, I got an e-mail from my team leader asking me to get some bulletin covers printed off by Sunday. So, since I had to be somewhere at 6:00, I rushed out the door carrying a very heavy (probably 30 lb.) backpack on my back, walked 10 minutes to catch the bus, road the bus for 20 minutes, got off, walked 5 minutes to the bank, 5 minutes back to the same bus stop, hopped the bus again, rode for 2 minutes, got off, walked another 5 minutes to the print shop, got the bulletins printed, realized I didn't have enough money to pay for them, left the shop, walked 3 minutes to the mall across the street, used the ATM machine, walked 3 minutes back to the print shop, paid for the bulletins, added that weight to the backpack that had already made my back completely sweaty, walked 2 minutes to the next bus stop, road that bus for another 10 minutes, got off, walked 5 minutes to a Christian cafe/library and finally got to take the blasted backpack off my back!!!!!! Then, I met with two guys (over pizza) about university outreach. I finally put the cursed backpack back on my back (redundant), left the cafe at 8:30pm, walked the 5 minutes back to the bus, road 20 minutes home and hopped into my neighbor's mini-van and rode with her to drop the bulletins off at the church secretary's apartment and then finally, made it home at around 9:45pm.

After that I talked to my friend, Phil, on the phone for a long time and then went to bed.

The crazy thing about it is that no part of that day was out-of-the-ordinary. One of the most wonderful things about living in Berlin is that you don't really have to try to get exercise. Just put a really heavy backpack on and live your life. :-) You'll sweat off all the calories you would've spending 2 hours at the gym. No big deal. So long, Feb. 29th! See you in 4 years.

Happy Leap Year!

Feb. 29th won't happen again until 2012! Do something tomorrow to commemorate it. In the words of a very old song by POG:

This day is fragile - soon it will end And once it has vanished, it will not come again So let us love with a love pure and strong Before this day is gone This day is fleeting when it slips away Not all our money can buy back this day So let us pray that we might be a friend Before this day is spent This day we're given is golden Let us show love This day is ours for one moment Let us sow love This day is frail - it will pass by So before it's too late to recapture the time Let us share love, let us share God Before this day is gone.

Do something unforgettable. (I'm getting extremely sentimental in my old age.)

Back in Berlin . . .

It's great being back in Berlin. I'm meeting new friends; Mike Corman, former BBC student!, and his wife Jess, for instance (random). I also had the unique opportunity of getting together for lunch yesterday with two ladies from South Africa! This struck me as divinely ironic, seeing as my entire family, with the exception of Todd and Lana, is in South Africa at the moment. I felt as if it were God's way of comforting me. He knew I was feeling a little "un"comfortable with the idea of my family on a continent I know nothing about and can't visualize. Cool, huh? It's the first South Africans I've ever talked to and it happened THIS week! Amazing. (The lady in the first picture is a friend who has opened her home and heart to me. I teach my high school Bible study in her living room every Tuesday and everytime I come, she makes me an awesome cappuccino - one of the highlights of my week.)

So, I'm back and enjoying Berlin and ministry, but I have a confession to make. I've realized that every single night when I come home from being out and about all day, I get really lonely (and unmotivated, though it's the quietest time of my day and I should be accomplishing a lot). So . . . if you're out there and you care enough about me to read my blog, give me a phone call between the hours of 3:00pm and 6:00pm your time. Chances are, I'll be sitting here wishing someone would. Thanks.

South Africa Survey Trip for World Cup 2010

My dad called me today from Durban, South Africa! As some of you know, my dad, mom, brother and sister-in-law traveled together with Jeff Stimpson (youth pastor, Calvary Baptist of Covington, KY) and Michelle Hammaker (former ABWE missionary to South Africa) all the way to Africa! All six of them arrived in Durban on Thursday and are staying with different ABWE missionaries and enjoying getting to know these servants of God (including Bobby & Sara Hile, Dale & Karen Marshfield and Henry & Janet Houk). Henry and Janet Houk, who my parents are staying with, joined the ministry team at Grace Baptist Church of Queensburgh in 1999 to open the doors to a Zulu ministry. Today, everyone had opportunities to minister in different ABWE church plants. My parents were in an Asian-Indian church and except for the missionaries, were the only white people. Later in the day, they got to attend a ceremony at Baptist Bible College of KwaZulu-Natal. When they called me at 10:30pm South Africa time, they were drinking iced tea and trying to stay cool. Apparently, it’s “hot”! It’s kind of hard to believe, as I sit here enjoying Berlin’s mild February temperatures. Today was a high of 81ºF in Durban and tonight a low of only 73º! For those of you shoveling NE PA’s 9-10” of snow, I’m sure 80º is even harder to imagine! Tomorrow, my dad says he will have an opportunity to speak through a translator to a group of Zulu people at a home Bible study. For those of you, like me, who know next to nothing about the Zulu people, I’m including the following description from Wikipedia:

The Zulu are the largest South African ethnic group of an estimated 10-11 million people who live mainly in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The Zulu form South Africa's largest single ethnic group. Small numbers also live in Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Mozambique. Their language, isiZulu, is a Bantu language. (which tells you next to nothing – guess we’ll have to wait to see pictures!)

I can’t wait to hear more about their adventures! Please pray for all of them as they meet people and make the necessary arrangements to plan for the 2010 World Cup missions trip (which is why they're there). Also, Travis would like you to pray that he gets to see a monkey. :-)

This is the Great Adventure

I just noticed that my last post was the day before I turned 30. A lot has happened since then! Since Jan. 7th, I have traveled to Michigan, Indiana, Chicago, Des Moines, Phoenix and Alaska! (Yes, Alaska.) After that, I traveled through almost all of those places again to get back to Clarks Summit, PA for the BBC Missions Conference. I LOVE the BBC Missions Conference, by the way. I love it. I love BBC. I loved teaching a workshop 3 days in a row and speaking in Commons for dorm devos. Ah, the memories . . .

After the conference, I flew back to Berlin, which is where I finally am again. The 7 weeks spent at "home" were everything I hoped they'd be. Very refreshing on many levels. And since returning to Berlin just 4 short days ago, 5 teenagers have accepted Christ (true story!), I heard Richard Rudolph preach in church for the very first time (He did GREAT! - Very passionate!!!), and I saw 5 wild boar (so cool!). I am hoping to post a picture of the wild boar very soon. Stay posted . . . (It was just as cool as seeing moose in Alaska.)

So, that's been my life for the last month and 10 days. I'm pretty well traveled-out, but not as much as my parents and brother and sister-in-law will be 10 days from now. On Tuesday of this week, they leave for SOUTH AFRICA!!!!! Kudos - mom, dad, Trav & Kaci - you're topping my incredible feats. Your pictures, I'm sure, will outshine all of my moose, ice-fishing, John Deere tractor and wild boar shots. I can't wait to see them!!!

Dr. Wendell Kempton, may your memory inspire us!

“Wendell Kempton served Christ as a leader of global Great Commission ministry. His passion for God and love for people caused him to be used of God in the lives of multiplied thousands through the years,” said Baptist Bible College & Seminary President Jim Jeffery.

The greatest and most life-changing sermons don't come from a pulpit. More often, they're observed rather than heard. The greatest sermon I've "heard" lately is the one Dr. Wendell Kempton is still preaching in his death. The sermon is entitled "Live for God so utterly and completely that there isn't time for anything else!" His life will continue to cry this out if we are willing to continue to listen to him and others like him.

So often I talk to students and friends about how to defeat sin. The answer is simply this: Live for God every second of every day and there won't be any time left for anything else. In the words of my friend Joe Knable: "We're never idle. We're either running after sin, or running after Christ and His righteousness." There are only two pursuits in life.

“Wendell Kempton served Christ as a leader of global Great Commission ministry. His passion for God and love for people caused him to be used of God in the lives of multiplied thousands through the years." I want this to be said of me! I want it to be said of you too.

Happy New Year

I arrived "home" to good 'ole Clarks Summit, PA at 9:30pm on Saturday, Dec. 22nd . . . just 2 short days before Christmas. My luggage, however, didn't arrive until 2 days after Christmas. No clothes. Period. The luggage finally arrived just in time for my first speaking engagement at my sending church. Important day to have clothes. I also got bronchitis since arriving home. It's been an eventful week and a half.

It has been fun though. Travis, Kaci and Lana arrived the day after Christmas, and my friend, Phil Graf, was able to come for New Years weekend. I was sick the whole time, but it was still a lot of fun to be surrounded by my brothers, my sister-in-law, my 19-month-old niece and a good friend. 2007 ended well. It's been GREAT to relax!

I believe a good question to ask as a new year begins, is not "what will 2008 hold?", but "what will I make of it?" In the words of Anne of Green Gables, "It's not what life holds for you - it's what you bring to it." What will you bring to 2008? 2008 may or may not hold your dreams. What if it doesn't? What will you do to bring glory to God and make it a great year? I have a few ideas . . .