I'm currently blogging through my summer mission trip to Germany! If you haven't yet, read this!
July 3, 2012
Today is my last full day in Hamburg. Tomorrow I will travel to Paderborn (yay!!) by train, switching once in Hannover. I'm sad to leave Katie, but also very excited to join Juergen and be with some (at least one!) believers. I cannot wait!
Yesterday, I got to have a conversation in German with a woman on the park bench! She was extremely patient with my words, because I was messing up quite a bit. Perhaps more chances like that will come and I can talk about the "Bibelcamps" in Paderborn... I pray for more opportunities!
After Katie got off work yesterday, I took her to Eppendorf and we had some really delicious and cheap crepes. Afterwards, we went to the Markt and purchased some beverages to take to the park and relax. It was a pleasant evening with good conversation including how real, open, and chill the Village Church is and how the people are there. It made me miss my community.
Of all the sites I've seen, and all the incredible days that have been jam-packed with activities, yesterday might have been my favorite. It was so carefree, independent and in communion with the Lord. I was able to do a lot of reflecting, and all of the independent exploring I did has helped me to be much less fearful and leery of traveling alone to Paderborn. I haven't been sure what to read since arriving, but my mentor suggested something like James before I left, and when I read George Mueller's mention of the book in his autobiography yesterday, I really felt spoken to by it. I believe I will start there, in James.
July 4, 2012
I had a conversation this morning with a woman named Anja in a coffee shop here in Hamburg while waiting for my train to Paderborn. We were speaking in German for a bit, but switched to English for deeper conversation. She is German, but lives in Los Angeles with her American husband. In praying for Father to lead the conversation to spiritual matters, I discovered that she's studied Education and World Religions. We had a really great conversation (though heart-wrenching for me), including Christianity, God, love, the point of it all, and a good talk about religion. She decided to study religions to see if there was an overarching "universal truth" and has decided that religion is a man-made institution and isn't how God intended it. She found that religions seem to bring some good into the world, but they seem to forget the main themes of their doctrine. They always think they are "special" and can break the rules to kill people, resulting in wars. We talked about how "not religion, but a relationship with Christ" is how it is supposed to be, and how I see extremists (she mentioned that too) as evidence of our broken, imperfect state. I described how people at home often have a strict list of right and wrongs, do's and don't's, trying to "earn" their way to heaven," so ultimately, "religion" becomes a heavy burden. In reality, it is nothing we can earn, which is why Christ came for us. It is not a burden or weight, but a relationships. I gave her one of my KGP's [a tract from Campus Crusade for Christ] in German with my email address and a personal note on it. It was counter-intuitive to the conversation, since she said she doesn't like that every religion says "our way is the only way," and I'm normally hesitant since they come off as impersonal or pushy, but I had to take the chance and pray for the Holy Spirit to do the rest. Because we had talked for so long and I felt I had built a rapport with her, I felt led to give her the tract and explain that I agree with 100% of what it says. She took it very graciously, and told me that because of our conversation she would actually read it, thanked me, and hugged me.
I arrived safely in Paderborn this afternoon. I'll be taking it easy tomorrow with Juergen and Lydia Schulz, the Pastor here and his wife who are hosting me until Padercamp. Tomorrow I will mostly be with Lydia and their two young boys, Janis and Finni. Janis has been helping me quite a bit with my German! We read alphabet books in English and German--he helps me with my pronunciation and I help him with his. I can't express how refreshing it has already been in this one day to be among believers. I spent the day with Lydia and chatted just a bit with Juergen before he left for meetings. It's amazing how quickly I noticed the lacking of community. I didn't realize how constantly I am surrounded by it at home with family, roomates, friends, church, home groups, places in Denton like Zera Coffee Company, and churches on every corner. My life in Denton is saturated with the body, and here it is so much more void.
I can clearly feel the Lord answering praying from here and I am so thankful for all the people at home praying for me. The trip so far has been one answered prayer after another, from the eases and comforts of traveling to the inside-outs of my heart. I can feel the Lord working. I am still praying for things such as faith, strength in the Lord, flexibility, capability with the language (I'm understanding quite well, but am becoming frustrated that I can't express as much as I would like to. Why can't I have as wide a vocabulary as I have in English?), and opportunities to share the gospel and see lives changed for the Lord.
Friday, December 28, 2012
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Soaking in His Presence
I'm currently blogging through my summer mission trip to Germany! If you haven't yet, read this!
July 2, 2012
Today is my first to be alone and I'm quite excited to spend the day in communion with the Lord and gathered in my thoughts. I'm on a park bench underneath a willow tree overlooking a beautiful river surrounded by fancy buildings and filled with ducks. I just dropped Katie off for her internship -first day- she was so nervous! But I know she will do great. My hand is already cramping up from from all the kayaking we did yesterday. My muscles are so tired!
I've never been more tired at night, but never been more excited to wake up in the mornings than I am on this trip. I'm learning to appreciate things I didn't think I'd miss so quickly--the community of believers is the quickest to notice. Staying with Katie and the Holts is wonderful, but since I've lived with Katie Chung, I've always had community around me. Moreover, there is a noticeable absence of churches here. I saw one "Gemeinschaft der Evangelischen Kirche" when I was in Luebeck, but otherwise their presence is severely lacking. There are beautiful cathedrals, which are tourist attractions, history museums, and scarcely used. When they are, they are not gospel-centric and are missing grace. It's a very strict "stiff-pewed" religion, as Scott put it. He said religion is really "dead" here and was quite surprised to hear that I was going to a Bible camp. Andrea, who didn't seem to have any religious convictions, even said to me when I mentioned my future "career" that, "Germany really needs some Missionaries." This coming from a native German who I don't have reason to believe is born again (though I cannot judge hearts) is astounding and convicting!
My heart is softened even more. The people here do seem quite stiff and serious on the outside--no one smiles, the trains are quiet; but I also think it's just a shell and part of their culture to be so self-preserved. When I wished the guy on the train "Gesundheit" after he sneezed, he immediately started talking to me. I believe people are just fine and open with talking, they just don't always initiate it. I must initiate.
Last night as I was falling asleep, I felt the Lord speaking to me, whispering to keep watch over the weight and importance I place on things of Germany and the culture. It's so easy for me to become infatuated and entangled with the things of this land without keeping sight of Who and what truly matters. It's an easy trap for me to fall into and worship the "Germany-god" and not the God who reigns over all, including Germany. Take the world and give me Jesus!
"Hallelujah, God is is here! Open up your eyes and the splendor of His majesty; the beauty of the mighty King." ...even here!
God is no more or less here in Germany than He is in the U.S., but I've felt quite distant from Him because I haven't been able to spend time with the Lord in large, solitary amounts since I arrived. I praise Him for today, where I have all day to spend soaking in His presence. I praise God for safe travels, language retention, teaching me to be flexible, to lean on God and trust. Father is teaching me so much. I can feel preconceived notions melting away--my control issues (especially in the car), my need to always feel clean and pretty, the thought that a bed should be big and comfy--really a cushion on the ground is just fine! I'm okay with minimal makeup and sloppy hair--they'll become so anyways. God is teaching me to find beauty in His creation (though it's not very hard to appreciate here).
Germans really feel the need for Jesus, they just don't know it. They all want to be happy--they are so health conscious (organic food, market fresh, swarmed to the parks where everyone is jogging, speed walking, bike riding, fit-centering). Life coaches and emotion-coaches are quite normal here (I've seen ads everywhere!). Everyone wants to make a positive impact on the environment by recycling, being energy efficient, using bikes & public transportation. There are seminars on how to improve your life and be happy by keeping your outlook, "in the now" or "in the moment." It sounds good on the outside, but really it is just teaching people not to think about the future--what happens after death. All of these things are good things, but they are filling up the aching and longing that desires more. It cannot be satisfied with anything but Jesus.
My adventures today (thus far!) include another beautiful park, a million beautiful side streets with the most incredible upscale architecture, wandering the streets of Eppendorf, enjoyed a coffee in "World Coffee" along with reading (George Mueller's Autobiography) and some Jesus, ventured around some second-hand shops, a grocery store, a really cool book store with free coffee and hot cocoa, ate some Eiss, found more awesomeness in a huge park, und jetzt moechte ich eine Nickerchen!
July 2, 2012
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| My view whilst journaling |
Today is my first to be alone and I'm quite excited to spend the day in communion with the Lord and gathered in my thoughts. I'm on a park bench underneath a willow tree overlooking a beautiful river surrounded by fancy buildings and filled with ducks. I just dropped Katie off for her internship -first day- she was so nervous! But I know she will do great. My hand is already cramping up from from all the kayaking we did yesterday. My muscles are so tired!
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| Katie's face, expressing her feelings! |
I've never been more tired at night, but never been more excited to wake up in the mornings than I am on this trip. I'm learning to appreciate things I didn't think I'd miss so quickly--the community of believers is the quickest to notice. Staying with Katie and the Holts is wonderful, but since I've lived with Katie Chung, I've always had community around me. Moreover, there is a noticeable absence of churches here. I saw one "Gemeinschaft der Evangelischen Kirche" when I was in Luebeck, but otherwise their presence is severely lacking. There are beautiful cathedrals, which are tourist attractions, history museums, and scarcely used. When they are, they are not gospel-centric and are missing grace. It's a very strict "stiff-pewed" religion, as Scott put it. He said religion is really "dead" here and was quite surprised to hear that I was going to a Bible camp. Andrea, who didn't seem to have any religious convictions, even said to me when I mentioned my future "career" that, "Germany really needs some Missionaries." This coming from a native German who I don't have reason to believe is born again (though I cannot judge hearts) is astounding and convicting!My heart is softened even more. The people here do seem quite stiff and serious on the outside--no one smiles, the trains are quiet; but I also think it's just a shell and part of their culture to be so self-preserved. When I wished the guy on the train "Gesundheit" after he sneezed, he immediately started talking to me. I believe people are just fine and open with talking, they just don't always initiate it. I must initiate.
Last night as I was falling asleep, I felt the Lord speaking to me, whispering to keep watch over the weight and importance I place on things of Germany and the culture. It's so easy for me to become infatuated and entangled with the things of this land without keeping sight of Who and what truly matters. It's an easy trap for me to fall into and worship the "Germany-god" and not the God who reigns over all, including Germany. Take the world and give me Jesus!
"Hallelujah, God is is here! Open up your eyes and the splendor of His majesty; the beauty of the mighty King." ...even here!
God is no more or less here in Germany than He is in the U.S., but I've felt quite distant from Him because I haven't been able to spend time with the Lord in large, solitary amounts since I arrived. I praise Him for today, where I have all day to spend soaking in His presence. I praise God for safe travels, language retention, teaching me to be flexible, to lean on God and trust. Father is teaching me so much. I can feel preconceived notions melting away--my control issues (especially in the car), my need to always feel clean and pretty, the thought that a bed should be big and comfy--really a cushion on the ground is just fine! I'm okay with minimal makeup and sloppy hair--they'll become so anyways. God is teaching me to find beauty in His creation (though it's not very hard to appreciate here).
Germans really feel the need for Jesus, they just don't know it. They all want to be happy--they are so health conscious (organic food, market fresh, swarmed to the parks where everyone is jogging, speed walking, bike riding, fit-centering). Life coaches and emotion-coaches are quite normal here (I've seen ads everywhere!). Everyone wants to make a positive impact on the environment by recycling, being energy efficient, using bikes & public transportation. There are seminars on how to improve your life and be happy by keeping your outlook, "in the now" or "in the moment." It sounds good on the outside, but really it is just teaching people not to think about the future--what happens after death. All of these things are good things, but they are filling up the aching and longing that desires more. It cannot be satisfied with anything but Jesus.
My adventures today (thus far!) include another beautiful park, a million beautiful side streets with the most incredible upscale architecture, wandering the streets of Eppendorf, enjoyed a coffee in "World Coffee" along with reading (George Mueller's Autobiography) and some Jesus, ventured around some second-hand shops, a grocery store, a really cool book store with free coffee and hot cocoa, ate some Eiss, found more awesomeness in a huge park, und jetzt moechte ich eine Nickerchen!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Beautiful memories
I'm currently blogging through my summer mission trip to Germany! If you haven't yet, read this!
I'm going to skip the next couple of listed journal entries, and provide pictures from my second and third days in Germany instead. I apologize in advance for the alignment of the photos--Blogger is not my friend. I'd like to get to the meaningful entries and updates and share the things I experienced in my heart, not just the fun activities (which were still awesome!). However, because I am too chronological, I have to show you pieces of everything before I get to the rest!
6/30/12, Saturday
Day 2 in Germany
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| We began the day with a delicious traditional German breakfast spread |
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| French press coffee, Broetchen, different assortments of cheese and meat. I even tried liverwurst and really liked it! |
Next the Holts took us to Luebeck, by way of back roads so that we could enjoy the beautiful scenery of Schleswig-Holstein. Everything was so green and perfect. Here's Luebeck!
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| The devil outside the Cathedral |
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| Scott wouldn't let us go in until I hugged the guy! |
Luebeck was spectacular! A cool town with lots of history and awesome architecture. We went to the Marzipan store--Marzipan everything! After we walked all over the town, we went to the beach (we were in the Baltic Sea, I believe) in a place called Scharbeutz. It was so nice to enjoy the sun (and it not be 100 degrees;), and then we ate at a seafood restaurant and finished up the evening with ice cream at sundown.
Here is Scharbeutz!
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| The water was frigid! |
7/1/12 Sunday
Day 3 in Germany
I couldn't believe it was already July! Scott made us more delicious food (he was always cooking amazing dishes) and then we set off for Pluem, where Andrea's parents live. Her dad was very nice to speak to me a little bit in German, and he later was confused if I was American or French. Apparently, my accent sounded French to him--interesting. Here are pictures of their adorable home and amazing view from their backyard!
Our journey of the day was kayaking! We put together a fold-up kayak belonging to the Holts so that Katie & Scott could launch it from Andrea's parents. Meanwhile, Andrea & I went up the river to rent a kayak and met our counterparts at a fork in the water! Long story short, the kayak Andrea & I were in was not near as easy to maneuver as the other one, so we we opted for only 2.5 hours of total kayak time, and met Katie & Scott by car at a precious little cafe nestled into the river.
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| Happy Kayak-er! It was my first time, and Andrea let me sit in the back so I could learn how to steer with the pedals! |
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| Enjoying coffee, cocoa, wurstchen and cake! |
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| It's literally right on the river! Also, I was freezing! |
"I am looking forward to having the day alone tomorrow in the city. I need some time to spend in communion with the Lord, reflect on my experiences, and prepare my heart for the rest of my trip. I'm praying tonight for opportunities tomorrow to engage Germans in conversation about the gospel. May I be so bold and may the Lord guide my words. It's raining right now, and it's really wonderful sitting here beneath the Holts' sun room listening to the drizzle and being awed by the lightning. I am so content."
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Welcome to Hamburg!
I'm currently blogging through my summer mission trip to Germany! If you haven't yet, read this!
After a brief "early life crisis," as I deemed it, involving the usefulness of my degree in Entrepreneurship if I ever actually decide to open a ministry/outreach coffee shop, the Lord gave me a renewed spirit of diligence and productivity. I'm hoping for continued strength in that through tomorrow, since I have quite a bit to accomplish. The Lord is good, and I want to be faithful in living completely for him in whatever I do.
I'm also having some serious travel lust right now--looking at pictures (mine & others) of Germany, Austria, etc. while enjoying a nice beverage and some delicious jazz. My heart is so full of joy at recently hearing about the salvation of a teen of mine from this summer (a former atheist), Praise the Lord! However, at the same time I find my soul aching in a way I can't truly describe, though if you've had similar experiences you surely know what I mean, to return to this land where I feel so "at home."
Amongst the mixed-up mash of feelings, I am also trying to be steadfast in keeping Jim Elliot's words in mind, "Wherever you are, be all there." Here's an awesome video that helps remind me God has called me to this awesome city of Denton, for now. (My roommate and I had a discussion earlier this evening about reaching out more and ministering to our neighbors in the apartment building. We've both been feeling the Lord prompt us in this lately, but only discovered the mutual desire this evening. God's cool like that.)
I'm trying to determine how to begin posting excerpts from my journal / online updates from this summer. I'm not sure if I should go the verbatim route, or choose pieces to elaborate on. Which stories do I tell you more about? Which do I leave as a list? So much uncertainty.
For tonight, here are my list-like, word-for-word experiences from the first couple days in Hamburg. Pardon the awful writing and random German words. I was excited to be there! If you want to hear more about something I briefly mention, just tell me and I'll happily elaborate in my next post :) This is one of the only listy entries, so better recollections to come! Promise. Italicized words are added after-the-fact (now) for clarity.
"6/28/12
29
I scratched out the date in my journal--I originally had my days incorrect for awhile because I was a little confused by losing a day in the 7-hour time difference. ;)
Hamburg Day 1 with Katie
Yesterday was my day to arrive in Hamburg and be met by Katie, Andrea and Scott. Andrea and Scott were the couple that graciously hosted me for a week so that I could visit Katie while she was doing her internship in Hamburg! Blessed by wonderful travel mercies and incredible hosts! Spent a lovely evening at their adorable home soaking in the German weather, eating Turkish pizza and enjoying my feet on the ground.
Today- SUCH A FULL AMAZING DAY.
Jotting down notes to remember--too exhausted for much else. Though I didn't experience much jet lag at all, we started our day at 6:00 a.m. and didn't return home until midnight. Caught train, grabbed a breakfast pastry (ordered auf Deutsch!), saw the world's most amazing park in Hamburg, went to the HB Rathaus, walked around the mall, ate lunch at an outdoor Weinfest (ordered again!), took the train & bus to Stadtpark with the help of a wonderful girl named Vanessa, enjoyed park and napped. I did a lot of park-napping. It was incredible. Rode the bus & train back with the help of a nice man, it rained, met Andrea's colleague Svenia--SO SWEET! We had Eiss, Italien dinner, saw Repperbahn (Red light district), took the boat tour of Hamburg -- all auf Deutsch but very cool! Katie and I barely caught our train back, made the connection, and I talked to a jolly fellow in German. Scott picked us up from the Kaltenkirchen station and I'm pooped! Tomorrow-- Lübeck!"
Okay, sorry if that was painful! Here are pictures of things I mentioned :)
After a brief "early life crisis," as I deemed it, involving the usefulness of my degree in Entrepreneurship if I ever actually decide to open a ministry/outreach coffee shop, the Lord gave me a renewed spirit of diligence and productivity. I'm hoping for continued strength in that through tomorrow, since I have quite a bit to accomplish. The Lord is good, and I want to be faithful in living completely for him in whatever I do.
I'm also having some serious travel lust right now--looking at pictures (mine & others) of Germany, Austria, etc. while enjoying a nice beverage and some delicious jazz. My heart is so full of joy at recently hearing about the salvation of a teen of mine from this summer (a former atheist), Praise the Lord! However, at the same time I find my soul aching in a way I can't truly describe, though if you've had similar experiences you surely know what I mean, to return to this land where I feel so "at home."
Amongst the mixed-up mash of feelings, I am also trying to be steadfast in keeping Jim Elliot's words in mind, "Wherever you are, be all there." Here's an awesome video that helps remind me God has called me to this awesome city of Denton, for now. (My roommate and I had a discussion earlier this evening about reaching out more and ministering to our neighbors in the apartment building. We've both been feeling the Lord prompt us in this lately, but only discovered the mutual desire this evening. God's cool like that.)
I'm trying to determine how to begin posting excerpts from my journal / online updates from this summer. I'm not sure if I should go the verbatim route, or choose pieces to elaborate on. Which stories do I tell you more about? Which do I leave as a list? So much uncertainty.
For tonight, here are my list-like, word-for-word experiences from the first couple days in Hamburg. Pardon the awful writing and random German words. I was excited to be there! If you want to hear more about something I briefly mention, just tell me and I'll happily elaborate in my next post :) This is one of the only listy entries, so better recollections to come! Promise. Italicized words are added after-the-fact (now) for clarity.
"6/
29
I scratched out the date in my journal--I originally had my days incorrect for awhile because I was a little confused by losing a day in the 7-hour time difference. ;)
Hamburg Day 1 with Katie
Yesterday was my day to arrive in Hamburg and be met by Katie, Andrea and Scott. Andrea and Scott were the couple that graciously hosted me for a week so that I could visit Katie while she was doing her internship in Hamburg! Blessed by wonderful travel mercies and incredible hosts! Spent a lovely evening at their adorable home soaking in the German weather, eating Turkish pizza and enjoying my feet on the ground.
Today- SUCH A FULL AMAZING DAY.
Jotting down notes to remember--too exhausted for much else. Though I didn't experience much jet lag at all, we started our day at 6:00 a.m. and didn't return home until midnight. Caught train, grabbed a breakfast pastry (ordered auf Deutsch!), saw the world's most amazing park in Hamburg, went to the HB Rathaus, walked around the mall, ate lunch at an outdoor Weinfest (ordered again!), took the train & bus to Stadtpark with the help of a wonderful girl named Vanessa, enjoyed park and napped. I did a lot of park-napping. It was incredible. Rode the bus & train back with the help of a nice man, it rained, met Andrea's colleague Svenia--SO SWEET! We had Eiss, Italien dinner, saw Repperbahn (Red light district), took the boat tour of Hamburg -- all auf Deutsch but very cool! Katie and I barely caught our train back, made the connection, and I talked to a jolly fellow in German. Scott picked us up from the Kaltenkirchen station and I'm pooped! Tomorrow-- Lübeck!"
Okay, sorry if that was painful! Here are pictures of things I mentioned :)
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| In the greenroom at the Holts' home! |
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| Holt House from the front! |
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| Backyard view! |
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| Holt House |
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| Above 4 photos are all from the park! |
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| Inside of the Rathaus (City hall) |
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| Rathaus from the outside |
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| Lunch at the wine festival |
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| A very happy Katie at lunch |
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| Chillin' with Katie on some steps overlooking the river (above) |
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| With Svenia (who took us to the Reeperbahn & the Harbor tour) |
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| Reeperbahn -- Prostitution is legal there, so it was very different to see a police station on one corner with women lined up on the next |
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