Month: August 2004

Poland, be blessed!

I have much to say, but I know that few words are best. My heart will always be with all of the people I have come to know here. I will continue to pray for them, to listen to them, to talk to them and write them. I know that I will see them again, not just in this life but in heaven as well. I love these people and I want to see them be history makers for their land. I want to encourage them to seek God’s word, truth, and most of all the fruits of his Spirit. Only when a person allows the Holy Spirit to be in control will you know love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). You cannot obtain these things on your own power, maybe some of them, but not all. Only when we seek to have them from God will we experience them in our lives. When we recognize this need, we will then be able to be a blessing to others.

I came here to learn about depending on God. Now I leave more dependent on God than ever before, yet enjoying life much more. I truly don’t worry about tomorrow, I don’t worry about any part of the future. The past five years of my life have been so unimaginable and adventurous that I no longer worry about how I’ll be taken care of because God has provided everything. I know I have much more to learn, and life has a lot more in store for me. However, if there is one thing I have learned over this past year, it is do not worry and fewer words are best. I don’t have to have the last word, I don’t need to be systematic, and I don’t need to be in control. God takes care of everything, if I expect, ask, or tell someone to do something and he or she doesn’t do it, then that’s a lesson for that person and whatever effect it has on me is a lesson for me. God’s kingdom does not run like the world, he wants us to focus on our relationship with Him.

Denise has posted pictures from U-Turn Youth camp 2004 on her blog. Take a look, great stuff!

Hey Ya’ll,

I’m back in Poland with almost a year behind me I have many things to say and a lot to process. However, I’m not in a write-about-it-all kind of mood so I’m just going to give you some highlights from the past week and some things for the future.

1. The week was absolutely amazing, for the Polish group we had some difficulties but in the end the group came together. There are specifically four young woman you could pray for because it seems they have a lot of hurt inside and the love of God scared them.

2. The rest of the group that went came back spiritually renewed and ready to learn and walk with Christ. One of which has been a prayer since about day one of my time in Poland. This person is now a completely different person and I can see the peace of God is beginning to take hold. I love this person so much and I am very encouraged.

3. You may remember Dan Russell who came and visited us in Poland back when Alexis was with me too. He spoke at the camp and I had a good couple of hours to speak to him and the director of his church’s internship program. On September 15th Alexis and I are moving to Portland Oregon to go to school, learn, minister, and be trained for God’s work. We believe this will lead us to a more permanent time in Poland in the future. The internship program is full time school and ministry, all meals are included, all housing is included, and most of all it’s what God put on our hearts months ago. We are so excited. I’ll of course miss Seattle, but at least for the next two years it will be much closer.

4. I am completly broke. I have $25 in my checking account, and over $400 to pay back on my credit card. I have over $150 in bills to pay back in Seattle (Car insurance, travel expenses, etc). I don’t need a job now though! Amen. But it would be nice to be able to live for the month that I’ll be in Seattle and to pay off all this credit expense before I leave for Portland. I also want to leave a blessing to some of the families here, so basically I am begging for money. PLEASE donate. Click donate below or use the PayPal link to the right.

5. Amen. Oh yeah, pictures will be up soon (I lost the cable to the my Digital camera).