Location: ICE train in Germany, en route to Strausbourg from Frankfurt (it is a little before noon on Wednesday, the 20th of May)
I happily write you after a mini-interrogation by the German Federal Police. They passed our compartment soon after we pulled away from the Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof (Main Station), but immediatly returned and asked for our passports and our travel destination, etc. They then made some phone calls to check out our birthdays and other identifying information before smiling and wishing us happy travels. Though I do not think that is normal (they never even wanted to see our train tickets), there did seem to be a little extra security at the station, as well as some posters about terrorism. Perhaps we look like overburdened terrorists?
So I write after a pleasant séjour with the B. family in Kronberg. During this low-stress time, we were not bound by any sort of rigorous schedule, and we took advantage of the wonderful hospitality of our friends to catch up on email, laundry, and rest. I was very pleased to make it through a large number of emails that had been awaiting me, only to find 25 more the next day! Thanks for your encouraging notes and prayers, as well as your patience for my often tardy response. One friend suggested I try to widen my blog margin to facilitate your reading of it; it is a good suggestion, and I will try to, but no promises on success!
We enjoyed brief visits to Frankfurt and some of the surronding towns, including Kronberg. You would have laughed had you watched some of our navigational bumbles, as well as me answering the door to speak "German" to whichever unfortunate soul chose to ring the bell when I was the only one available to come to the door. C. learned a lot of German from the family, and I spent time each day working with the younger son in English. We failed to acquire a cell phone (so far, but we are still optimistic), and we did not go into a local school because the students "didn't deserve a reward." I did have the distinct pleasure of meeting a South African native who is involved in the local English-speaking international church, and I am very excited about the future consequences of that discussion; I expect the Lord has some very specific plans. In short, I believe it very likely that He will lead me back to or through Frankfurt this summer.
I am convinced that C. and I are both "very American," with the primary difference being that he admits it, and I am in denial. I have tried to do all I can to less the effects of culture shock for him, but it has been fun to be reminded of the thoughts and experiences I had when immersing myself in the European culture for the first time. Some of these include survival of mass transit, paying to potty, learning to walk lengthy distances, small refrigerators, speed reduction obstacles in the road, crossing the street as a pedestrian, lack of ice cubes and a proliferation of carbonated water, battling or exemplifying stereotypes of Americans, and new definitions of "personal space" and "modesty" and "normal."
Speaking of new definitions of personal space, just after I typed that, a lady joined us in "our" compartment, which is perfectly fine, but just seems unusual if there are any other seats available on the train. I presume that new adventures are about to begin!
Yet before they do, I need to mention the following for you who pray. The Lord has helped me to understand that we are beseiged right now, by the Enemy. When we first arrived on European soil, most of the attacks were superficial--such as missing luggage and in-your-face culture shock. Now however, we were not noticing what I would consider even more dangerous attacks, because they have been much more subtle.
As we relaxed this week, I saw that we were not only facing direct opposition through language, cultural, and traveling difficulties, but also less obvious things: a tendency toward laziness, spiritual lethargy (now that the adventures had calmed down some), distraction, fleshly desires, confusion, and so on. In addition, C. has been suffering from mild vertigo since the second or third day, and for those of you who have been praying against my headaches (thank you!), I have had two small ones that were quickly purged by aspirin. Yet all of this, added to federal police and train conductors and grumpy bus drivers and mistaken directions and the like, threaten to overwhelm us without us even realizing it. The best image I can give is that if there is some sort of "cloud" of darkness over all or parts of Europe, initially it buffeted us forcibly, and now it is settling upon or smothering us.
Thank you for your prayers. We give thanks to a God who has brought us here, who has revealed this to us, and whose strength sustains as while His Spirit goes before us.
Please pray that as we head to Strausbourg and Nancy and Paris and beyond, that we will be cognizant of what is happening in the heavenlies, that the gospel-the very power of God--would be alive in us zealously, that the Lord would use every moment of our every day to prevail against the gates of Hell, to pierce the darkness and proclaim hope to the hungry around us. We give Him thanks for you, and we thank Him for the good people of Germany, Switzerland, and Italy. We lay ourselves before Him, and we lift you and them up to Him, that He might be glorified in His people, His Church.
I have heard of slight changes to the "plans" for next month in Romania, and we still have several days of His will in France. Maranatha! This is only the beginning! May the Name of the LORD be praised!
This blog is your opportunity to travel with me wherever I am in the world, during both the mundane and exciting moments of life that I humbly recognize as holy. As I bare my life to you, may your reading take you beyond my words to the Word, beyond my life to the Life, beyond the chaos to the Truth, and beyond teachings to the Teacher--the Rabboni. I promise it will be an adventure, and by the end, may you, too, truly know the Way!
A Rose From Home
My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)
I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…
I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.
Have you ever been hurt by the Church?
After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”
Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?
So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.
Have you ever felt like a fake?
Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.
Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?
Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.
In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”
Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?
I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.
It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!
If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!
Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?
If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!
My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.
Now, what is your story?