Le Papillon

2012-01-31T21:06:00.003+01:00

A Cup Overflowing

Happy new year !

What a blessing the past month has been !!! God is working in tremendous ways in my life and the lives around me.

Work hasn't been as busy as last year but God has been providing as He always does ! My parents continue their graciousness in housing me while I continue to pray about moving out should God open that door. A possible option that I had been pursuing fell through but I recently spoke with a guy at Bible study who might be interested in moving in together should the right place come up : $1000/month split between us.

While the door remains closed for now to housing, it continues to stay open in sharing truth and Christ's love with my co-workers and those around me. Recently I had a couple opportunities to concretely share the love of Christ with another waiter and he was deeply touched. God willing his heart will be ever more receptive to the Gospel message !

Outside of work but within the francophone community in Summit I have begun hanging out with the baker at a French restaurant in Breckenridge. It has been great practicing a more informal French and making a new friendship. Perhaps God will open the door to minister in this as well !

The missionary fliers I spoke about last time were well received by the missions committee and now their implementation must be planned. I'm very excited about this and the encouragement it will be to our missionnaires and to the congregation !

Additionally I am excited about starting a discipleship with a fairly new believer at church !

I myself was greatly encouraged yesterday as I was in Denver meeting up with those who were appointed with me at WorldVenture in November 2010. The mission is holding its annual

Renewal Conference where the missionnaires gather for communal prayer and praise. It was so exciting to see my peers so far along in their support raising and one who is leaving for the field tomorrow ! God is so good ! It was at the same time very sobering however. I rejoice with them and mourn for myself. But what gives me solace is knowing what amazing things God is doing here and now and that His plans are for my good and His glory !

Praises : 1. An incredable first month to 2012 2. God's provision 3. Open doors to share truth and God's love 4. The opportunity to see my peers at WorldVenture 5. God's abundant blessings

Prayer Requests : 1. A place to move to with the guy from Bible study God willing 2. The discipleship I am beginning 3. Open doors to share the Gospel 4. God's continued provision 5. To blossom where God has me right now

2012-01-05T22:53:00.006+01:00

11's end

Praises : 1. Clear direction concerning scholling and a car 2. God's blessings last year and the blessings to come in 2012 3. Provision of finances 4. Holidays with my family 5. Opportunities to minister !

Prayer Requests : 1. A place around $500/month (utilities included) 2. Salvation of co-workers 3. Opportunities to meet with Franophones 4. More opportunities to serve 5. Further spiritual growth in 2012

2011-12-06T18:53:00.007+01:00

Giving Thanks

Life is overflowing with things for which to be thankful even in the midst of hard economic times, difficult decisions, trials and tribulations, correction, uncertainty, interpersonnel worries etc. Why ??? Because God is love and He is working towards our good and His glory. If the almighty God of the universe is for us... then who really can be against us ?!

God has blessed me with a great family who love Him and three beautiful nieces. My brother and I are finally begining to have a friendship. He has given me true friends who stick close through thick and thin. I have a spiritual family and a local church who faithfully teach Scripture and are walking together in the process of being made more and more into the likeness of Christ. I have a counselor who loves God and is helping me realize victory. God gives me opportunity after opportunity to be involved in His work of ministry to others. I had two jobs until my boss at the restaurant told me essentially to chose a job. Dropping the job at Keystone ski area I discovered that a French guy who was to come work at the restaurant could not because his visa was rejected. Ipso facto : I can pick up more hours ! I have a car that works faithfully even though it's old. God has given me health and the ability to work out. Next fall I may be pursuing my masters at Biola University. I am incredibly thankful for those who faithfully pray for me and for those who have given and are giving financially. God is patient, longsuffering, kind, gentle, gracious and merciful towards me. He disciplines those He loves. He fills me with His perfect peace in the uncertainty of life's decisions. God is my hope. He is my refuge. He is my life.

May you reflect on God's goodness to you and praise Him with me.

Prayer : 1. My application to Biola has gone to be reviewed and I should receive a response in a few weeks. Please pray that God gives me preference in their eyes and that I am accepted, God willing 2. That my sole job at the restaurant will provide for my immediate needs and those for my studies at Biola 3. Victory 4. A place to live around $500/month with good flatmates (this is cheap for Summit County) 5. A newer car God willing

2011-11-01T19:01:00.009+01:00

PovertyDeathWarOccupyPestilence

War. Famine. Pestilence. Poverty. Death. Uprising. Bankruptcy. Austerity meaure. Greed. Riot. Occupy.

Stateside. Long. Stall. Humble. Hard. Battle. Job. Money. Apartement. Studies.

Our world. My world. How can there possibly be peace... or the hope of peace. How can there be hope ??? Nothing is certain in today's world of monumental changes and shifts. Nothing. NOTHING.

But God... Psalm 62:7b says : that God is the Rock of my strength, my refuge. I am weak. But the Rock of Ages, God Almighty, is my strength. I am exposed to this world and unprotected. But God is my sanctuary (in fact, the word used gives the idea of people seeking refuge from their enemies in a church). Think of Quasi Motto "Sanctuary !"

I have found peace in the midst of this world and mine because I am sheltering in God. I continue to fervently yearn to take the Gospel to France but I have found peace where God has me at the moment.

My job at the restaurant is going well and I am improving every week. Thanks to this particular job, God has opened up the door to reach out to some francophones and to co-workers. I feel so blessed because while God has me Stateside right now, He is opening up the doors to continue to minister to the French, practice my French and learn more about French culture ! In fact, I may even have a French flatmate in December ! Each step I take on God's path I become more convinced of this calling thanks to His faithful affirmations.

The search for a second job is still on as I wait for a response from Keystone ski area and from Starbucks. This will allow me to move from my parents house where I will be able to have a place of my own to use for ministry purposes and it will help me to save money to continue my education. Last week I began the application process for Biola's masters programme in intercultural studies. It is a great programme but pricey. In addition to the cost I must also jump through extra hoops in order to be accepted due to the unaccredidation of my BA. God willing I will enter Biola next fall so that I might be better prepared to serve God in missions both in France and locally and to fullfil WorldVenture's requirement of an accredited degree.

I would like to take a moment to thank the great support team that I have behind me. Thanks to my family for your love and support, for your prayers and encouragement ! Thanks to my friends for your love, words of encouragement and wisdom, prayer and financial support ! Thank you to Rocky Mountain Bible Church for your faithfulness in seeking God, for your grace, mercy, though love and prayers and for the financial support given during my first two years in France ! Thank you to WorldVenture for being such a great encouragement, help and sender and for all the things you offer to ensure that I succeed in God's calling ! Thank you to my financial team, those currently on it and those who have been on it, for being faithful to God's calling in your life to be a part of the ministry. Thank you to my prayer team who I can confidently say is worthy of much more thanks than I could possibly imagine ! Only God knows how intrigal you are... Please continue ! Thank you to my missions mentor and my Barnabas team for your wisdom, prayers and encouragement ! Thanks Arno for this great new blog look ! For anyone I missed thank you as well !!!

Prayer : 1. A second job 2. An appartement at $500/month 3. Acceptance to Biola 4. Vision for ministry to the local francophone community 5. Continued growth in Christ through victory

Praises : 1. Job at the French restaurant 2. Ministry opportunities 3. My niece's third birthday ! 4. Possibility of attending Biola 5. God's peace

2011-10-06T23:56:00.016+02:00

Crushed & Hoping

During this past year I was accepted to WorldVenture as a career missionary to France. However, they require that I complete my bachelorʼs degree : something that I intend to accomplish here in the States.

In addition, the Lord has convicted me of a sin issue in my life that has rendered me unfit and disqualified for missionary service until it has been conquered. It is my hope that, with the Lordʼs help and your prayers, one day I may be properly suited for missions work in France or wherever God puts me. Until that time, I have withdrawn from the active pursuit of ministry and have ceased raising support. As far as my partnership with WorldVenture is concerned, it means that while I am still with them, I am on inactive status. Both WorldVenture and the leadership of Rocky Mountain Bible Church, my home church, support my decision to get my own heart right before, as a spiritual leader, trying to reach the hearts of others in France or elsewhere. My heart still beats for France and while it is my hope and prayer to return, I cannot realistically or responsibly make plans for the future in those regards but rather leave it in the hands of God to do as He sees fit in His justice, mercy, grace and love.

Please forgive me for betraying your confidence and misleading you in any way whatsoever. I am sincerely sorry.

If you have any questions you can contact me personally via email or phone by going to the “Contact Me” tab at the top of the page.

Seth

Seasons of life

2011-10-03T01:47:00.004+02:00

Last year this time I was gearing down from two great years in France and gearing up for application to WorldVenture as a career missionary and support raising. Now I find myself shedding those leaves until life's next spring and preparing for the winter season. Metaphorically winter is traditionally employed to convey sad and melancholy feelings. I mean to do otherwise.

The coldest season is equally a part of God's perfect plan for nature. Plants and some animals do not die. They sleep. And sleep is needed for rest and recuperation. As I have mentioned in previous postings, I and Rocky Mountain Bible Church have together decided that I am in need of such a season in order to be better prepared for future successful ministry in France. During this time of rest I will be involving myself further in my family, my home church, Rocky Mountain Bible Church, in the local community of Summit County, especially amongst its francophones and God willing the accreditation of my Bible school credits at Calvary Bible College next fall 2012.

Currently I have begun my new job at the restaurant Le Petit Paris in Breckenridge, Colorado. The restaurant business is not my forté (multitasking) but I have enjoyed building relationships with my co-workers, witnessing and helping others experience France through cuisine. A great praise is for the numerous spiritual conversations that I have already had with my boss ! While the job will pay well during the touriste season, it pays poorly now. So God willing I will soon find a second job (Starbucks would be great in terms of pay, benefits and hours) so that I can make enough to move out from under my parents roof, buy a newer and more dependable car and save money for next year's schooling.

My ministry to the francophone community has just begun but I am already brain storming ideas to reach out further : a book club, common meals amongst French speakers, French movie nights and a short-term missions team from either French speaking Canada or France. I am very excited to see what doors God opens and the work He will do !

At church I have begun filling in as an usher for someone who is at university, attending various ministries including the young adult Bible study where I will be teaching on the parable of the mustard seed in two weeks and other ministries eventually and as work permits. I recently returned from Frontier Focus at Frontier School of the Bible where I was a sponsor for the groupe of perspective students from Rocky Mountain Bible Church. Not only was it exciting to see so many students checking out a Bible school but it was also very encouraging to reconnect with a friend from my days at Frontier, Kirk Templeton. It was such an encouragement !

The changing season has not been easy but it has been refreshing. As Romains 15:13 says : Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Although the season is cold and most things are going into hibernation I will bloom where God has planted me for this season because there is always hope and joy in the loving Father. I look forward to see what He has in store !

Prayer Requests : 1. Open doors to minister to minister to those around me 2. A second job (at Starbucks in Frisco) 3. An appartement at $500/month 4. Wisdom and discernement about getting a newer vehicle 5. Wisdom and discernement about schooling

Praises : 1. My job at the French restaurant 2. Opportunities already that I've had to share the faith 3. My new niece Heidi !!! 4. Reconnecting with Kirk 5. God's control

Hello from France !

2011-08-02T17:07:00.006+02:00

This past Sunday the Frontier School of the Bible missions team and I parted ways : they continued on to Austria while I stayed in France. Our two weeks together at Camp des Cimes (Camp of the Peaks) went very well ! The team did well and lives were eternally impacted for Christ through the speaking of God's Word, living Christ out in life and being the body of Christ : rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep and building each other up in love.

To take a couple steps backward, the meeting with the Rocky Mountain Bible Church missions committee went very well and I came away challenged and encouraged. We both walked away with a better understanding of one another and a clear vision of what God's general plan for the future looks like. The first step is no step at all : that God has closed the door to me working in JourneyCorps Paris. It's a great ministry and I'm totally behind it, but for me God has other plans. Remember the Proverbes 3:5-6 and 16:9 passages I refered to in my last blog ? So part of the missions committee's recommendation to me was to search out other ministry opportunities after camp since God had opened the door to return to France for a couple weeks. I want to emphasize that in this whole process RMBC has been very good to me and faithful to God : they have sought the will of God for the church, looked out for the best interest of someone who has grown up in the church and has been very insightful. I thank them greatly for all that they have done and are doing as we move forward together.

Back to the present. I'm in Grenoble at the moment and have followed up on contacts I made during my time at camp and others that I already had. Although not much has come to fruition here in Grenoble or elsewhere in France there are a couple encouraging leads. At camp several staff people and a mountain guide who helps often at camp and I began sharing our hearts with one another and discovered that there were common themes running throughout them. We met at the end of camp and fleshed those visions out and are now praying about what God is doing. Another surprise was from a French speaker we had at camp. He put me into contact with a Christian cafe in Dijon that I will go check out on the 4th. From there my plans are to head south and see if I can dig anything up and then back north to Alsace to visit a couple friends, unless an opportunity to see a ministry opens up, and support a friend at his wedding.

For those of you who are supporting me financially I would like to thank you so much ! I am putting support raising on hold until I find that door to ministry God has opened. As always, He has been calling me to France in ministry and so I will indeed need future financial support and would ask that you remain on my financial team in whatever capacity God desires (continue giving, become an inactive donor until I have a ministry I am pursuing, stop giving). If God leads you away from this team I support you fully and may God bless you. If God should have you remain a member of the team I thank you equally as much. Please contact WorldVenture for any changes.

I believe it was William Carey that said, "If there's one thing I have learned to do in this life, it is plod. That I can do very well."

On our three day hike at camp God brought this quote to mind. Steady and surely one goes up and down the mountain. Plodding. Onward. Forward. This is something I can do by the grace of God.

Praise : 1. A great FSB team 2. Unbelievers challenged and surrounded by believers for two weeks 3. French believers encouraged in the faith 4. The open doors God has given 5. What God is doing... even though I don't know what that is

Prayer : 1. An open crushed and humble heart that is soft to God's touch 2. Open eyes to God's steps 3. Contentement in the present 4. Wisdom for the future 5. A job when I return Stateside

2011-07-07T19:17:00.007+02:00

Proverbes 3:5-6, my life verse, says, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not upon your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

Last August I returned from France where I know beyond the shadow of a doubt that God is calling me as a missionary. I began prayerfully pursuing ministry with WorldVenture as a resident assistant in JourneyCorps Paris. In November I was accepted with WorldVenture as a career missionary and began raising support : traveling and sharing the need and ministry with individuals, small groupes and churches. It was tough work. It was slow progress. But it was also a joy and a blessing to share my passion for God and for France with others !

Then in May things came to a head and the ministry and support seemed insurmountable : few seemed to catch the vision for the ministry and support trickled in. Obstacles seemed to be everywhere. I was discouraged and exhausted. God's hand was crushing. I gave up... to the LORD. "Therefore humble yourselves under the mightily hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you" says I Peter 5:6-7. After that I felt relieved and a peace in that small rowboat in the middle of a stormy sea that surpasses all understanding.

Solomon says in Proverbes 16:9, "The mind of man plans his way but the LORD directs his steps." Paul was called to preach the Gospel (John 3:16) to the Gentiles (non-Jews) but how that looked and its geography were subject to God's leading. My calling is to minister in France but how that looks and its geography in France equally subject to God's guiding hand. Therefore as I searched for what ministry to pursue, JourneyCorps was presented to me. I took the step of faith and tried it... and it cracked open with some force... but did not swing wide. As I planned and considered God in my direction, He has made His direction straight and I have submitted to that.

So now I am waiting for the LORD; being strong and letting my heart take courage; yes, waiting for the LORD (Psalm 27:14). So many things are up in the air. So many decisions must be made but I am confident that He who called me to France is faithful and He will do it (I Thessalonians 5:24) and that I will end up in the ministry that He has for me at this time.

To God be the glory ! Great things He has done !

Praises : 1. God’s mercy 2. God’s grace 3. God’s love 4. God’s faithfulness 5. God’s perfect plan

Prayer : 1. A crushed and humble heart before God 2. Contentement 3. Patience 4. The grace to endure these trials, teaching and waiting 5. Open eyes to God’s clear and perfect path to France for me

2011-05-28T00:32:00.005+02:00

In the vast... deep blue ocean... miles, and miles from land, a rowboat. In the tiny rowboat, one man. The peaceful waters begin to brew. A tempest charges in over the waters. Rolling waves of water transform into walls and pound the boat like a cleaver on meat. The man, drenched to the bone, desperately fights to keep the rowboat afloat. Futility. He sits. He waits... resigned to his whatever is his fate. Only God can help him.

Have you ever felt like this ? Because this is how I feel in support discovery. Everything began peacefully, albeit in a much larger than me situation. Then things began to get rough and tough. I fought to keep going... fighting just to keep the boat afloat. To be honest I no longer even knew how to pray/what to pray for in it all. Silent, I depended on the groanings of the Spirit praying on my behalf (Romans 8:26). Finally, in weary frustration, I resigned myself to God. All of this : support discovery, Journey Corps, relationships, life, ministry... is beyond me. I can’t...

BUT... God CAN.

And He WILL. I Thessalonians 5:24 says, “He who has called you is faithful and he will do it” (italics mine). In Luke 18:27 Jesus says, “The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.”While the context is salvation, the fact is true all the same : God is in the business of the impossible. “...God is love” says I John 4:8. God is fully everything else as well (judge, mercy, grace etc.) but let us not forget that He is love. In the book “Heaven is for real” the little boy couldn’t stop telling his parentshow much Jesus loves His children to the point that the parents had to tell him they understood and to please stop saying that. I knew that He loved me before I heard this story and I know it should have hit me through Scripture. But for some reason that little boy’s testimony opened my eyes to see, to accept, to believe in a personal touch to the heart way, that God loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He loves me. He. l-o-v-e-s. me. He loves YOU !!! He desires our best. So I should “count it all joy... whenever I face trials of many kinds, knowing that the testing of my faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish it’s work so that I may be mature and complete, not lacking anything” (James 1:2-4). Besides that, who am I ? A pile of dust. What made me ever think that I could anything ??? This is where God wants me... where He wants us : humility and complete dependance upon Him. So although I feel more like a leaf batted here and there by the wind than like I’m soaring on eagle’s wings, my heart nonetheless echos Charles Spurgeon who said, “I have learned to bless the waves that beat me against the Rock of Ages.” I am in God’s hands and there at peace.

I will post about my Northwest trip in several days.

Prayer : 1. For God’s guidance in prayer 2. Patience in trials 3. Open doors during June and August to share about France and the ministry 4. 50% supported by the end of June 5. For Rocky Mountain Bible Church’s financial support

Praises : 1. A great time in the Northwest reconnecting with family and friends and sharing the ministry at churches and with new acquaintances 2. The prayer and financial support that I received while here 3. New contacts and encouraging conversations (I have been so blessed hearing how God is working in other people’s lives) 4. A refreshing spiritual retreat in Tacoma at the end of my trip 5.God’s in control

Hello from Canada eh !

2011-05-03T16:44:00.004+02:00

Sea to Sky. That’s the name of a highway from Vancouver to Whistler Blackcomb. It’s along this route that I find myself at this moment and exactly where believers are. We’re traveling along life’s road from our earthly “tent” to our heavenly home. Along the way we encounter bumps, uphill climbs, changes in speed and peaks and beautiful scenery. To be honest, each day, each week, seems to have a little bit of everything in it for me... and it is quite the roller coaster. I can’t recall another time in life being so certain of things yet them being such a jumbled mess. However in this journey God has been my Rock. He has truly been my refuge and my strength giving me enough grace to keep on keeping on. A major part of that comes as a result of God’s word and my relationship with Him but I know that an equally important part comes from you, my team.

Thank you for all of your support in prayer and finances ! I can’t tell you how much it means to know that I have a passionate and faithful team in the ministry ! It is impossible without you and I know that while your part may seem small, insignificant and unseen it is in reality great, of all importance and before the face of God continually.

In comparison to other months, this past one, April, has been on the light

side of presentations. I did however have one at a church in LaGrange, Wyoming at the beginning of the month and several phone presentations. Despite few sharing instances, April did bring spring showers of support... and what anencouragement it was !

As I mentioned in my last posting, I had many verbal commitments and for various reasons those had not materialised into actual commitments. Satan in his battle against me was using this to discourage me unduly. But God in His perfect timing, lead several of those people to follow through and brought one unexpected individual to my team ! This resulted in my monthly support level jumping to almost 25% !!! PRAISE GOD !!!!!!! With the additional verbal commitments that I have added in April, my projected level of support is now around 43% ! As for my one-time support level it has also jumped to 30% ! Please continue to pray for follow-through on verbal commitments as God gives opportunity to those individuals and for new individual and church partners in both prayer and finances. Would you please pray how God might desire to use you in this ministry ? If He would have you join the team please click the “Give” tab and sign up as God directs.

The last week of April my parents and I traveled up to Langley BC, Canada (around Vancouver) for my brother Kit’s graduation from Trinity Western University. What a drive : 24hrs :s However I did not drive my car as planned. The day before we departed my windshield wiper motor died and the nearest replacement was on the West coast. Thankfully due to much prayer a car for my use was found. My brother will ride back to Colorado with my parents and I will use his car while in the Northwest. While here in BC we did some sightseeing : Whistler/Blackcomb, Vancouver, Victoria Island and the Butchart Gardens. It is such a beautiful area ! I am very thankful to have been able to experience it.

Prayer : 1. This month I am spending in Washington and Oregon. Please pray for sharing opportunities and how I might serve and minister to those around me 2. To have 65% in actual support by the end of May 3. For my home church, Rocky Mountain Bible Church’s, financial support 4. Safety and health 5. Encouragement against Satan’s attacks

Praises : 1. My prayer and financial support team 2. My missions mentors Richard and Tracie Cross 3. I am almost 25% supported !!! 4. A car to use during my time in the Northwest : Thanks Kit ! 5. A great time with family in BC

April fools... yesterday !

2011-04-02T17:09:00.002+02:00

Thank you all for your prayers ! With all the traveling that I’ve done and speaking that I’ve been doing I especially needed it !

The first two weeks of March I drove from Breckenridge, CO where I’m based to Kansas City, MO to reconnect with family and friends and to present the ministry. The trip usually takes about 10 hours but I essentially followed a snow storm through the entire state of Kansas :( Not fun ! About 11 hours into it I decided to stop at a rest stop about two hours from my destination due to bad weather and nightfall. So I got to test my new sleeping bag out in the back of my car, haha ! I splept well and stayed warm all things considered.

While in KC I did my expected two presentations... and three additional ones ! God opened the door while I was there to make small group presentations at my aunt Denise and uncle Scott Lash's house and at my cousin’s house, Josh and Jenny Lambert. Thank you all for opening up your homes to me and hosting these !!! I made two one on one presentations and then one to a college age ministry that my friend Zach Canady is involved in.

Upon returning to Summit county God opened up the door to share with three individuals what it is God is doing in France and the ministry I’m involved in. During that week I “rested” from travel... at least long distance travel and got other work done. It was a good productive but also restful week.

This past week I drove done to Parachute, Colorado to visit a friend from Frontier School of the Bible Lance Easterling and share at his church. We had a great time reconnecting and hanging out and it was as always a great pleasure to share my passion with the people of his church and with their youth. Thank you guys for that opportunity !

As for support goes it has been both encouraging and discouraging this month and a point of attack of Satan’s. I have had great conversations and many verbal committments but as for follow-through there is little... God is obviously in control and there are various reasons for this but Satan has been discouraging me in thinking that this sum I must raise is quite a giant and that the lack of growth in my percentages is a sign that it is going to take years to return to France. To counter this I have been thinking heavily on Proverbs 3:5-6 which says : Trust in the Lord with all of your heart and lean not upon your own understanding; but in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path. Regardless of what is happening and regardless of the reasons God is working out His perfect plan for me, for His people and for His glory. Who am I to question it. Rather I should humbly follow Him and trust Him to slay this giant.

Prayer : 1. Proverbs 3:5-6 2. An October departure date, God willing 3. Full speaking schedule in the Northwest during the month of May 4. Financial support of my home church Rocky Mountain Bible Church, God willing 5. Enjoy the time God has given me Stateside

Praise : 1. Safe travels 2. All the sharing opportunities 3. The financial support I do have 4. The strong and faithful prayer support that I have !!! 5. Family and friends

2011-03-01T21:23:00.006+01:00

"He who calls you is faithful and He will do it" (I Thessalonians 5:24). Whether it's salvation, the new life in Jesus Christ or God's leading in our life, it's God's work. God will accomplish it.

I'm going to try something new with this post. It's an idea I'm borrowing from
someone else's blog. Short descriptive sentences to tell this month's story.

1 February BIG NEWS : WorldVenture Journey Corps Paris ! Check it out. My ministry. Interested ??? 1-2 years. Ask and asnwer : Who is God ? Who am I ? What is my part in God's mission ? Spiritual growth. Culture. Language. Ministry. Serve. Hard. Fun. Work. Worth it !!!

1st week. At WorldVenture. Partner development
training. Learning. Encouraging. Exhorting. Great information. Reconnect with other missionaries. Exciting !

2nd week. Frontier School of
the Bible missions conference. Representing France an

d WorldVenture. Spoke. Two workshops. Good conversations. Interest in Journey Corps ! Conversation with missions director. Frontier summer missions trip to Europe. France, Austria, Ireland. Camp of the Peaks. I worked there ! Invited to go with the team. Said yes. Two weeks in July. STOKED !!! THANK YOU GOD !!!

Weeks 3 and 4. Last two weeks as regular hospital employee. Now PRN aka "as needed." Work as little or as much as I want. Same time God opening many doors. Speaking. Sharing. Churches. Individuals. Small groups. More time to commit to support discovery. God's perfect timing. God's provision.

Final week of March. Presentation of ministry to Rocky Mountain Bible Church missions committee. Peace. Confindence. Thank you prayer warriors !!! Went well. Waiting for decision. Left for trip to Kansas City, Missouri. Snow storm. More snow... Spent night at rest stop between Junction City and Topeka. Arrived safely. Travled to Springfield, Missouri. Time with cousins Josh

and Jenny Lambert and their family. Small group presentation in the evening. Thanks guys !

Financial situation : 15% of monthly support. $3,804/month still needed. 23% of one-time support raised ! $16,555 still needed. Goal : 65% by beginning of May. Need to be there in order to go to cultural training end of May beginning of June. Please pray about becoming a financial partner.

Prayer : 1. Full sharing schedule in May in the Northwest 2. Enough support to attend cultural training 3. Support from Rocky Mountain Bible Church 4. Patience in God's timing 5. A heart that fears/respects God

Praises : 1. Open doors and opportunities to serve 2. I'm in Missouri !!! 3. Increase in financial and prayer support teams 4. God's word the Bible 5. Blessing of those that I share with

2011-02-12T20:38:00.007+01:00

Hello everyone ! I am sorry that I’m so late on an update :s I’ve been wanting to create a video of my Christmas time to share with all of you but it’s been so busy since Christmas : travel, family, speaking engagements (sermon and presentation preparation), reconnecting with friends, work... well you get the picture. I’m sure it’s been a similar situation for many of you. So I decided to give you an update now and post a video at a later date.

The month of December went well. It was a time to reconnect with family that I haven’t seen in at least two years. I went to Smith Center, Kansas with my family and saw grandparents, aunts, uncles cousins etc. We ate... alot. We caught up on life. We played games and we celebrated our Saviours birth. The only thing I missed in France was family so what a blessing it was to enjoy Christ and mas with them.

Other than that trip I only had one speaking engagement. I went to the college I graduated from : Frontier School of the Bible. I know very few people there anymore but I always love sharing my passion for God and France. God willing I will see some of those students ministering in France one day !

The New Year I spent in Denver with friends Nathan & Carla Anderson and their daughter Lucy. It’s always great spending time with them and getting beat by Nathan in Star Wars Epic Duals. They have also become my prayer secretaries : communicating prayer requests to those on my prayer team. THANK YOU GUYS SOOOOO MUCH !!!

The following week-end I spent in Colbran, Colorado with Brian & Tessa Schroeder and their kids Abigail and Josiah. They work at Twin Peaks Bible Camp and their love for the Lord and the kids was of great encouragement. I shared Sunday morning at their church. The 13th-16th I visited Sam Kunnemann and preached at his church in Imperial, Nebraska. Sam is a great friend from college and I’m always so encouraged by him.

I had a one week break from travel and then went to Springville and Payson, Utah. I stayed with friends John & LeeAnn Miles and their daughter Taylor and saw many other friends from college. Again, a great time of reconnection ! Preaching at Grace Bible Church in Springville was especially neat as it was the church Derrick Smothers planted. He is my home church’s new associate pastor.

Each of these opportunities was such a blessing and encouragement. I met so many people that love the Lord, got to share my passion and spread the knowledge of the need in France and reconnected with so many friends. As for support I had quite a few people sign up to pray for me and God willing many will also become financial partners.

In terms of support I have every day of every month covered in prayer save the 31st. Financially I’m at 13% of my monthly goal and 20% of my one-time needs. God willing I’ll be at 60-70% by mid-May so that I can attend culture training.

Praises : 1. Family 2. Friends 3. Opportunities to share about the ministry and France 4. Level of support 5. God’s power

Prayer Requests : 1. To be 60-70% supported by mid-May so that I can attend cultural training 2. More opportunities to share with individuals, small groups and churches 3. Trip to Missouri to present the ministry 4. To have God's heart for the French 5. For patience as I wait to return to France

2010-12-03T00:50:00.005+01:00

These are just a few of my favorite things : Thanksgiving with family, friends, nieces and nature.

November went by SO fast. What with base camp at WorldVenture, the work I do for partner discovery and a job at the hospital, I was giving much thanks for the opportunity to travel from Colorado to Tennessee to reconnect with family and take a little break. Who knows how much longer I'll be in country.

During my trip I had a God moment :

One Sunday this past spring in Paris I went to church and at the end met an American couple visiting from Alabama. It turned out that the wife is a French teacher and goes to France every couple years to find fresh material for her class and to visit a friend she made during a year abroad at 16.

Fast forward to the days before Thanksgiving this year. I post to facebook that I am in Knoxville, Tennessee for Thanksgiving and this French teacher responds that they will be in Nashville, three hours west, for Thanksgiving with her family. She wants to meet and hear about the ministry I'll be involved with ! Friday morning my family, cousin and I leave Nashville and I meet this woman and her family at a Waffle House just off the highway at 7am. I am prepared for a presenation but she comes prepared herself with questions and an excitement, a zeal, that I have never seen from a possible supporter ! She does most of the talking ! What is more, she's thinking of people in her circle of aquaintances who would be interested as well ! It's like my own personal advocate on the other side of the country. Incredable !!! I have never, ever, ever had this sort of experience. What an encouragement and blessing the meeting was. PRAISE GOD who supplies all our needs !!!!!!!

Last night I had another moment like. I emailed someone about support and they emailed back saying that going home they had a note in their pocket reminding them to email me. Thanks to God people have been giving : in prayer and financially so that I am already around 9% supported !!! May God continue to show Himself ever present and aware of all things as I, as we, continue on serving Him.

"How will I travel" is just another question about a need I have. I still have no vehicle. Nonetheless I need to begin making appointements to meet with individuals across Colorado and have done so. God will provide in one way or another... perhaps even with that Subaru I've been praying for. I am also praying that by His grace I'll to be 15-20% supported by the end of December and continue to build around 20% more support each month. As Ephesians 3:20 says, "now to Him who is ABLE TO DO FAR MORE BEYOND ALL that we ASK or IMAGINE." This Christmas we will all be taking things out of boxes. I challenge you to take God outside the box. Take Him outside the human constraints that we've put Him in and see just how BIG He is. Would supporting the ministry I'm involved in be one way for you to take Him out of the box ? If it is click here.

Prayer Requests : 1. A car... a Subaru God willing 2. 15-20% support by the end of December 3. 20% additional support each month 4. A faithful, fervant, Spirit led prayer team 5. A heart that fears God

Praises : 1. Seeing family around Thanksgiving 2. My job at the hospital 3. The 9% fiancial support I already have and all those faithful prayers 4. God's provision and faithfulness 5. The God moments

2010-11-16T00:53:00.006+01:00

I'm back from WorldVenture and I'm, wait for it... accepted !!!

Praise God for His goodness and grace ! What a mighty and awesome God we serve !!! To Him be the glory forever and ever !

Thank you everyone for your prayers ! I could certainly feel them : the interview was much more lax than anticipated and guess what... the committee wasn't out to get the interviewee, haha. They may like cookies but they're certainly no monster. For the next week and a half, we the appointed (15 in total : 5 singles and 5 couples) were introduced to the staff of WorldVenture, their roles and the tools available to us and snacked; we worked on a short speech disigned for those times we're asked to tell about us and the country we work in and the people we work with and the ministry we're involved in during a two minute window and snacked; we worked with our ministry mentors to learn what our roles are to each other and snacked; we learned what our growth goals are, what additional training is required and snacked; we were given our financial packages and snacked; and just enjoyed getting to know one another and...

What I'll be doing in France is inter-cultural leadership developpement at Mission OIKOS where I speant these past two years. Whereas I was an intern before, I will now be on the other side of things, managing the house and the interns (French and international). This will include getting them settled in and acquainted to the OIKOS house and other interns, helping them integrate into the community of OIKOS, church community and broader French community. I will be aiding with language and cultural acquisition and guiding them in plugging into social activities and ministries. In general helping them become effective inter-cultural Christian workers from anywhere to anywhere. In doing all this, I will be contributing to our goals to develop cross-cultural leaders, to facilitate global and local service projects and to send new missionaries into the French-speaking world.

From this point I begin working on my growth goals (books, training etc.) and partner developpement, which will require around 30hrs/week in addition to my job at the hospital. Thankfully it is only a prn (as needed) position and thus allows me to essentially work as little or as much as I want/can. Again,praise God for His perfect provision ! His faithfulness in that is what I will be clinging to as I search for the $4,404.36/month and $21,500 (one-time outgoing) support required and the solid, faithful, passionate prayer partners God brings alongside me in His work so that I can return to France nextautomne (2011).
Are you one of these individuals ? Would you please pray about what your part in this work is : to pray, to give, both, something else... ? Should God lead you to partner with me please let me know how. If it is through financial support you can click here to make a commitment or here to make a one-time gift. Should God lead you to partner with me in prayer please email me at
disciplededieu@hotmail.com.

Should you want to become part of a community in this venture with me I have created a facebook page which you will find on the righthand side of this page. I also have made a groupe under the same name, have made an RSS feed to this blog available towards to top right, have made following the blog available under followers also found on the righthand side and am on twitter under the username : disciplededieu.

Prayer Requests : 1. A car for traveling 2. People to partner with me financially 3. A prayer groupe which is two times as numerous, two times as deep, two times as faithful and two times as passionate as my financial partner groupe 4. An automne 2011 return to France 5. Faithfulness in all my duties 6.A broken and humble heart that fears God

Praises : 1. ACCEPTANCE to WorldVenture !!! 2. A place to stay for almost free (my parents house) 3. A super flexable job 4. Clarity and peace about my job in France 5. The support of my blood and church families 6. God's provision for every need

2010-10-23T19:54:00.008+02:00

Just a quick update : Monday November 1 from 3:30pm-5:30 I have my interview before the board at WorldVenture. From Saterday the 30th of October through the 12th of November I'll be at WorldVenture headquarters doing my training. Please pray with me, specifically the 1st during my interview, that wisdom and discernment be given to those interviewing me, preparation for the interview and that I be accepted God willing.

May God bless you !

Rapidement : lundi le 1er novembre de 15h 30- 17h 30 j'ai mon entretien devant les responsables de WorldVenture. De samedi le 30 novembre jusqu'au 12 octobre je serai à WorldVenture pour l'entraînement. S'il te plait, pries avec moi, notamment le 1er pendant mon entretien, que la sagesse et la connaissance soient données à ceux qui font l'entretien, que je sois préparé pour l'entretien et que Dieu voulant, je sois accepté à WorldVenture.

Que Dieu te bénisse !

2010-10-03T05:16:00.003+02:00

Prayer Requests : 1. Acceptance to WorldVenture in November as a career missionary and if not the grace to accept God's good and perfect will 2. Payment from previous job 3. A car (preferably a Subaru) 4. Wisdom as to what to do between jobs 5. To be prepared for my interview at WorldVenture

Praises : 1. Finished my dossier to WorldVenture 2. Invitation to base camp at WorldVenture Octobre 30-Novembre 13 3. Hired on at the hostpital 4. Opportunity to speak French and continue ministering to the French even while Stateside 5. God's grace in allowing me to serve Him in France

2010-09-11T22:53:00.000+02:00

Finally I have some time to sit down and write an update ! Sorry it's been so long, 3 months, since the last one :s Upon returning from Africa I have been quite busy with a visit from Tarah my cousine, connecting with friends one last time before heading to the States, Camp des Cimes, work, WorldVenture application for career status and debriefing at WorldVenture headquarters.

Camp was great this year ! In all, I was at camp the entire month of August and so helped with English camp (high school camp) and adult camp as I did last year. Last year I was a part of the service team cleaning and this summer I was a couselor. Because I was around the campers more often, I had more interaction with them, more conversations and many more and deeper connections. Interestingly enough, this year was my first backpacking trip... even though I am a

Colorado native, haha. It was great fun and I look forward to doing it again.

What a joy it is to serve God in this way and in the beautiful French Alpes ! As France is a country with a biblical Christian population of less than 1%, a Christian camp is a great respite and light from the presure and darkness around them. Please pray for their encouragement and strength to keep their light shining brightly !

My last few days in Paris friends from camp stayed with me and helped make those days a perfect end to these past two years. The evening before I left we went into Paris and had a pique-nique on the island of Saint-Louis next to the Seine !!! Thank you God !!!

When I returned Stateside it was not long until I found a job with my brother Kit doing landscaping and it sounds as though I will have my old job at the hospital back as soon as I fill out my application, so thank you for your prayers concerning a job ! Once I hit the ground here, I also began my application to WolrdVenture for career

missionary status. My dossier was finished and turned in on September 7th so God willing I will be accepted by the end of the month and attend the appointement weeks at the end of October beginning of November. Once this happens I will begin support raising and God willing be in France next fall.

I don't want to make this update too long so I'll stop here and give more next time :)

Praises : 1. Hanging out with my family and especially my nieces ! 2. Seeing friends again 3. Reconnecting with my home church 4. A great summer 5. A super last day in France

Prayer Requests : 1. Encouragement and strength for French believers 2. Appointement to WorldVenture as a career missionary 3. To be faithful during my time Stateside and enjoy it 4. Return to France next fall 5. A car that I could use for 1-2 years during my time Stateside (I currently have no means of transportation)

2010-05-29T20:24:00.010+02:00

I hope this finds everyone well.

This past month has been quite busy. As many of you know I was working on my final essay for my French programme the end of April and beginning of May and completed it, on time and was very satisfied with it. Thank you SO much for all of your prayers ! It was clearly obvious that people were going before God on my behalf because after the first day writing, thoughts and material were flowing and the work progressed steadily until its end. Praise God !!! I am not certaine of my note but a fellow student got a peak at the grades for the essaies and I received a 32/40 or 34/40 ! Besides this being a great mark, it is also what I was praying for or better !!! God is so good !!!

The 13th of May I left for the Ivory Coast with the team and we arrived in Abidjan safe and sound. That same night we drove up to an old international school compound in Bouaké where we stayed together for a couple days. Later on the guys drove further north to Korhogo near the border of Mali. Since the country is divided between the rebel forces in the north and the government forces in the south we had to pass through many road blocks. It was smooth sailing going north because we were with a missionary, Rod Ragsdale, who knew well what to do. However from Korhogo to Abidjan on our way to the airport it was a bit more difficult. But God was watching over us and we made it to the airport with little probleme. The men helped dig foundation holes for a new building being built at the Bible school, installed two new computer towers and a flat screen for their computer lab, built a jungle-jym for the 30 or 40 kids at the Bible school and handed over school material to the students. When we met up with the ladies we also visited the orphanage. In the south, the women went to a school where they presented school material and helped at an orphanage.

My experience was much different than expected... or hoped. Just four days into our stay I fell sick with a fever (I was wearing a coat :s), a massive migraine, diarrhea and vomiting. For three days I was essentially bed ridden... or more correctly, toilette ridden, haha. It was very scary ! But God used this to show me yet again the power of prayer as people from Rocky Mountain Bible Church and others were on their knees on my behalf. The fourth day I was up and about and able to go to the Bible School's chapel service. Friday the 21st I again went to chapel and also ate with the students and was greatly blessed. That afternoon God held me together for the entire three hour journey south to Bouaké to meet up with the ladies and the following day I had the strength to go to the market and help at an orphanage. A hidden blessing was the conversations I had while I was sick with the woman who cleaned the house. May God bless her and keep her !

Please pray for French speaking Africa ! English speaking Africa is riddled with missionaries while the other countries still have great need. Yet God be praised because the was in the Ivory Coast forced the church to stand on its own apart from missionaries and foreign aide. Today it is small but growing and healthy. There are 400 Baptiste churches alone in the Ivory Coast and the church in French speaking Africa is having a growing influence on the French church.

Currently I am in between projects. School has finished for me and summer is gearing up, which means that ministries are gearing down as people begin to go away on vacation. On the 28th I will take a three day trip south to Nice and visit a couple who were on the Ivory Coast mission team. From there I go to Camp des Cimes, where I worked last summer, for the entire month of July and come back to Paris the beginning of August just to fly back to the States.

I can't believe my two years is nearly finished ! What a privilege and honor it has been to learn from God and the French, to serve God and the French people, to share life with these wonderful people ! While I am anxious to see family and friends again, I will miss France and my friends enormously and will wait with an eager patience for my return. God willing that will only be 1-2 years.

Prayer Requests : 1. Complete healing from my sickness 2. Preparation for camp 3. Preparation for my return Stateside 4. Somewhere to store my belongings while I am in the States 5. A cheap ticket to the Denver, CO 6. A quick return to France 7. Deepening of the French speaking African church 8. A job Stateside (sorry for the number of prayer requests this time)

Praises : 1. God's goodness in Africa 2. My healing 3. My teammates 4. The countless souls that pray for me 5. Opportunity to go to camp again 6. Reuniting with my family soon 7. Opportunities to minister Stateside 7. Family, especially my two nieces who are so precious 8. God's love for us

2010-05-02T16:56:00.013+02:00

This time of year brings back great memories of the previous and is being filled with all sorts of new ones.

One of which was my adventures at the Ivory Coast embassy. Earlier this month the mission team applied for and received our visas. The whole experience was very interesting. Me and two French team members went together and as soon we passed the compound's portal, it was if we were transported into another world, another time. The people and customs were different. The smells and the sounds were foreign.

One office was a grand room with dark wood siding done in a 18th century fashion. It was empty except for a row of plastique chairs against three walls and a small victorian table and a large cushion chair done in a similar style in front. Upon entering the room, everyone was crowded around the table until the official said, "Move back ! This is my desk !" An hour after our "official" appointement, our names were called. He verified our papers and sent us along to the next office where we passed another 30-45 minutes queued up. Finally my turn came and I gave my papers and passeport to a woman whose accent was so thick I had trouble understanding her.

One week later, same process. But I received my passeport and visa !

School is going well. While some classes can be rather boresome others are very interesting. Such are studies. Nevertheless I am thankful to God for each and the opportunity to study French and to study it here. Today is the last day of Easter vacation. However it hasn't been much of a pique-nique for me.

I spent the first week and a half cooped up in my appartement working on the essaie for my French programme : Language and Culture : How several of today's words reveal a change in French mentality since the past 70 years. The first day was horrifique ! I wrote just one page. It seemed impossible to fill 20. But my mother put my plea for prayer on my home church's prayer chain and that made all the difference. The following day I noticed a marked change in writing. While it wasn't any easier I had a clear idea of where I wanted to go and the words to express move it forward. What is more, it became more and more interesting as I discovered the field of sociolinguistiques. Now I'm a bit tempted to go back to school for anthropologie and sociolinguistiques, haha. Last Wednesday I wrote the bibliographie and am now only waiting on corrections from French friends. Thank you everyone who prayed ! God acted mightly !!!

Thursday was a beautiful 27 degrees (80F) day and I relaxed with classemates in the same programme. About five of them came to my appartement for a bbq. We began at 12 and they left around 7pm. After ten days locked up it was about time to unwind around good food, friends and conversation !

Yesterday was the French equivalent to Labor Day. On this day people are out on every corner selling flowers, particularly one

kind (whose name I can't remember). One buys them for : friends, family, boyfriends, girlfriends etc.

To celebrate all my labor, well mostly just to chill out after it,

I had a rendez-vous with a former flatmate and some French friends. We went toa large parc on the west side of Paris, bois de Boulogne, and had a pique-nique. Earlier in the month I was also able to have them over to my place for an Easter diner. It is always so fun hanging out with them and Ilearn so much every time about the culture and the language. Good times ! Thanks guys !!!

Prayer : 1. Trip to the Ivory Coast 13th-23rd 2. A note of 16 on my paper 3. To pass my exams (which take place two days after I arrive back from the mission trip) 4. Ever closer walk with God 5. Preparation for camp in July

Praises : 1. Received my visa for the Ivory Coast 2. Finished my paper 3. Great French, and non-French friends 4. God's grace 5. My nieces Mya and Caro 6. Opportunity to take French at the Sorbonne 7. God's love

2010-04-04T12:38:00.005+02:00

Joyeuse Pâques !/ Happy Easter !

Thanks to the resurrection of Christ it is not a dead religion that ties us down but a living God that sets us free; it's not about formality but about family; it's not a religion but a relationship; it delivers us from vice and gives us victory ! So let us live the resurrection each and every day and as Mahatma Gandhi said, "Be the change that we wish to see in the world" (Matt. 28:19-20).

March was a very fulfilling month. I really enjoy my classes. The students really began to become a unit and friendships are forming. God has presented several clear avenues for sharing the gospel. I have reconnected with friends from two semesters ago. I have made new French friends. We have seen progress and answered prayer at the church plant. The mission trip to the Ivory Coast is quickly approaching and future plans are beginning to take shape !

I've never before taken a course on litterature and am surprised at how interesting I find it. It's amazing how the most minute detail can convey so much meaning and how all the different threads of a piece of litterature are woven together to form a magnificent tapestry. What is more, I have come to realize that the French see their language itself as cultural monument, a master piece of the centuries, something to be protected, revered and proud of. It is a passion. Vocabulary, verb tenses, sentence structure, historical and cultural references, even rules are the paints of an artist to be used to create a linguistique Monet.

A particular class that enjoy is history of the French language. (It's actually thanks to the professor of this class that I've had several opportunities to give the gospel. In speaking about the history of the language, he speaks about Christianity and as my classmates know that I'm a believer they ask me after class if what he said is accurate. Enter the lesson. I never would have thought that a prof would open the door to sharing the gospel, haha.) To see and understand how a language transforms and reflects a people's history, culture, thought is incredible ! That's why for my 20 page essay I chose the title, Language and Culture : How a few of today's words reveal a change in French mentality since the last 70 years. You're probably laughing and rightfully so. It's a daunting task but nonetheless an interesting one. God willing I can gain through this project a more profound understanding of who the French are and why. As interesting as it is, the paper is like a giant (but cute and cuddly) monster looming over me... especially since I must hand it in early because of my trip to the Ivory Coast. Add to that a sermon to prepare before I leave and things get quite heavy.

I have all my meds and vaccinations, tickets are purchased and a rendez-vous at the embassy is scheduled to acquire our visas. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to experience, serve and learn about the French church in another contexte. What I'm not looking forward to is the 93 degree weather... plus humidity, haha. This mountain boy's going to melt away ! We leave the 13th of May and return to France the 23rd. Two days later... exams :( It's going to be a great, but stressful time.

After this I will go to Camp des Cimes in the French Alpes again in July and return to the States the beginning to mid August. What I envision from there is reconnecting with my home church, Rocky Mountain Bible Church, family and friends, and working through December. From there I am pursuing a year at Calvary Bible College in Kansas City, MO where I hope to get my Frontier School of the Bible credits accredited and graduate at the end of 2011 with a BA in intercultural studies.

Ciao !

Prayer Requests : 1. To be salt and light to the world 2. Open hearts to the gospel 3. Diligence and courage for my classes, paper, sermon and exams 4. Preparation of team to the Ivory Coast and the work there 5. Open eyes to God's plans for the future : "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." (Proverbe 16.9)

Praises : 1. Christ's resurrection !!! 2. New life !!! 3. Opportunity to follow the pre-university programme 4. Opportunities to share the gospel 5. Chance to go on a mission trip to the Ivory Coast 6. Received my long stay card (which means I can stay for a month of camp) 7. My nieces Mya and Caro (Caroline)- Mya can now say "tonton," uncle in French !!!

2010-03-21T21:30:00.003+01:00

Hey everyone just wanted to give you some exciting news !!! Since about three to four weeks I've been praying that five people from our work at Val d'Europe would come to church. And today we had a lady who received a tract we handed out during evening rush hour several months ago ! Praise God !!!

Elsewhere, God brought me to realize the other night in speaking with a French friend that I have many fears about the future concerning France and ministry. Probably my greatest fear is that I will lose so much of the language and cultural sensitivity that I have acquired in two years here. Another fear includes being "stuck" Stateside for over three years. I like the States but I love France and to be separated from her would be like being separated from a fiancée or a spouse (not that I know what that's like ? :/ haha). Anyway, I'm not trusting God with my life and dreams... which aren't even mine. They're His ! So please pray concerning this.

One last thing to pray for is my acceptance of who I am as an American. I want to be French in every way possible and try to deny and shed anything American about me like a bad habit. But the fact is is that God made me American for a reason and to deny that part of me is to say that God's best isn't best. Therefore, please pray that I can accept and rejoice in where I come from culturally as part of God's best for me.

Thanks !

2010-02-27T18:08:00.016+01:00

Josué 24.15

“Et si vous ne trouvez pas bon de servir l’Éternel, choisissez aujourd’hui qui vous voulez servir, ou les dieux que servaient vos pères au-delà du fleuve, ou les dieux des Amoréens dans le pays desquels vous habitez. Moi et ma maison, nous servirons l’Éternel.”

Joshua 24:15

"And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD."

These are some pictures I've recently taken : Paris under snow, an Arab tea cafe and restaurant situated right next to the largest Mosque in Paris, and couple French dishes I've made.

Praises : 1. Passed last semester's final exam with a 12.34 which puts me at level C1- one level down from the highest C2 possible European language rating !!! 2. God's financial provision 3. Friends I've made here 4. Summer is coming 5. Privilege to be a part of what God is doing in France and in the Ivory Coast 6. The sun (those of you who've spend a winter in Europe especially know what I'm talking about !) 7. Good food !

Prayer Request : 1. Finish school before I leave for the Ivory Coast 2. Smooth process for acquiring a visa to the Ivory Coast

3. Preparation for the trip 4. Paul's love (Romans 9:1-3) and God's love for the French 5. Being able to work at camp again this summer

2010-02-08T12:57:00.003+01:00

Thanks for your prayers everyone ! I found out last week that I passed both entrance exams for the pre-university programme and today discovered that I also passed last semester's final exam. Whew ! I thought that one was going to be close.

Friday I'll go back into Paris to receive the diploma and see my number grade. I will also find out my hours and can make my two choices for the pre-uni courses. I think I'll choose : France & Europe/ French Society and Economique and Sociale Geographie of France. It's kind of funny because these two courses correspond more to the economique option than the litterature option which I'm enrolled in. No worries though. It'll give me a better rounded comprehension of the country.

Last night I watched a bit of the Super Bowl with drinks, salsa and all. As it began at 12:15am (00:15), I only watched up towards the end of the first half. Either the French commentating was really bad last year or I just understood so little but this year it was, or appeared to be, much better. Always fun to see such an event with a French twist !

That's all for now. Have a wonderful day wherever this finds you !

Praises : 1. Passed both my entrance exams and my final exam !!! 2. Opportunity to continue my French learning in a different context 3. A couple of people have updated their giving status allowing me to know better where I stand financially and to move closer to 100% support !!!

Prayer : 1. Diligence in the pre-university programme 2. Time management 3. God's provision of financial and prayer ministry partners 4. My external hard drive with all my photos, musique, video, papers, sermons etc. from the past 5 years is not working. Please pray that the info is retrievable and for a new and maybe larger drive !

2010-01-30T14:10:00.007+01:00

Time for a new post !

Winter semester is over and the exam out of the way ! Although it was a great class and I profited much from it I am happy to have it behind me :) Monday the 8th I find out my result so please be praying with me that I passed. It was quite harder than anticipated !

Speaking of exams, in signing up for the spring semester pre-uni course I had to pass two entrance exams : an hour long grammatical assessment and a three hour writing test. I passed the grammaire half and will find out the second's result Monday the 1st. Again, I would appreciate your prayers so that I may continue my French studies. If accepted, this semester will prove difficult in a different manner than my previous courses. Being more like regular university classes, they will test and stretch my French to new limits as I will be reading and dissecting litterature, taking notes and writing a 20 page paper... all in French.

Besides school I have been busy as usual with my internship. Recently I was put on schedule to organize and sometimes lead different aspects of the ministry with mentally disabled adults : choose musique, teach and lead prayer. At kids club (the first Wednesday of every month) the other intern and I have been inserted into the teaching cycle and next week I will be teaching on the good Samaritan. The new schedule for preaching and teaching is out for the church and I will be leading a Bible study session, presiding during a service, preaching and Sunday the 7th I teach about God choosing Isaac's wife in kids Sunday school. Mondays are always full with meetings in the morning with the leaders of the church plant, lunch and then questionnaires at the public bus hub near the church. While we haven't seen much interest in the way of spiritual things during the afternoon, we have seen some and for that we praise God ! Just two weeks ago a young Brazilian Disney worker told us she's done with the Catholique Church but realizes she needs something spiritually and we had a great conversation and a promise to visit the church ! Additionally I continue to help part-time with the uni Bible study, occasionally pop into Paris to visit the American Church and try to visit new churches. Needless to say, I am very busy.

Long term, I am preparing for my mission's trip to the Ivory Coast in mid-May. As usual, a trip to Africa means some medical preparation. So I made my first doctor's appointment and visit in France... and all by myself ! My first several calls however were unsuccessful as I did not completely understand the person on the other line. What I could gather is that I needed to go somewhere else or do something else before I could see the particular doctor. So the fourth time I called I laid on a American accent and started off by saying that I was a foreigner and needed an to see a doctor because I was making a trip to Africa. With that I was in. Funny thing here in France with anything medical however is that one is not prescribed one medication that covers most things nor prevents things. Rather, they advise an assortement of medicine. Thus when all was said and done, the doctor commented that I would in essence be a mini pharmacy in Africa : stuff for itching, scratching, allergies, puffing, yellow fever, typhoid... haha. A great cultural experience !

Another praise is the rise of the dollar ! When cost of living is more expensive and the dollar is worth less it becomes like a double whammy financially. At the moment $1= about .721€ ! At the moment this is particularly good for me as my support is down quite a bit. 7 monthly supporters have stopped giving for one reason or another which leaves me short by $475/month and a few other commitments have become a bit more sporadique. Thankfully God has supplemented some of the want with one-time donations, nevertheless I am only receiving 85% of total monthly support. If you have previously given but God has led you elsewhere with your finances I would appreciate it if you could let WorldVenture know so that I have a better idea of where I am financially and thus how to pray. Additionally I thank you so much for the financial support you have given and fully support your decision to follow God away from this project !

Thanks for reading and being a partner in ministry !

Prayer Requests : 1. Pass my exams 2. Advance in my command of the language 3. Preparation for mission's trip to Ivory Coast 4. Financial situation 5. Time management and endurance 6. For those at the church to take ownership

Praises : 1. My new niece Caroline Lemme !!!

2. Her sister Mya has begun to walk ! 3. Three semesters of French down ! 4. My friends in France ! 5. More snow ! 6. Chance to serve God... and in France !!! 7. The growth of the church plant

2010-01-02T18:14:00.007+01:00

Salut à tous !

Sorry this post is longer than usual. But I can assure you that the colorful stories included will make it worth your while !

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year's eve ! I certainly did ! As I mentioned in my last post I went to visit Corey and Tanya Best near Zug, Switzerland. It was a very relaxing time being around friends that are like family. They are so generous and I love their family and their new one, baby Sarah, so much.

For Christmas eve we had appetizers at the Stalder's, Tanya's sister and brother-in-law, place and then went to LIFT's (the church) service and afterwards returned to the Stalder's for a great meal and opened presents. I love Andy and Katja's three kids- especially their little girl. She's adorable ! Christmas day we headed out to Tanya's parents for lunch and diner. I always overeat at their place because Eva, Tanya's mother, always insists I take more, especially during Christmas.

She says, "Oh it's Christmas. Go on. Take more." Haha, I love it ! She's like my grossmami over here ! I no doubt gained several kilos :) To work it all off I played the Wii with Livia and Silas Best, winning every time of course ;) (yeah right, haha) and I was able to help Corey with something at LIFT a couple times- which was a blessing to be able and give something back.

But the story to hear was my ride to Zug from Paris on the 23rd. At first I was frustrated but then God made me realize that it was more like initiation into French life. I left my place at 11:30 because there had been a strike on my train line for over a week. My train to Mulhouse, France was to leave at 13:20 but we didn't leave until about 14:00. About 30 minutes out we took an unexpected stop to pick up passengers from a train with a probleme. After all the stations we hit along the way we were late and didn't even stop at Mulhouse, but at Belfort- two stops down the line. The next train to Mulhouse was an hour late. When I arrived at Mulhouse at 23:00 I found out that my train to Zurich, Switzerland was 30 minutes late. Thankfully my train from Zurich to Zug pulled up on the same platform as my train from Mulhouse arrived in Zurich. Corey picked me up in Zug and when we arrived at their place it was 01:00.

On top of this I got to hear all the grumbling and complaining and saw an old man get a talking to from the police because in his anger at everything, he hit the main conductor at the station. Looking back on it however I appreciate it as a rich cultural learning experience.

New Year's eve was equally great and was spent in north-western Paris with some friends I met through GBU, a university ministry. We dansed, ate and played

games. Good times :)

It was afterwards that I was able to experience yet again a cultural learning experience, haha. My friend was gracious enough to drop me off at my line, instead of having to take a connecting line, and I waited for my train home. On the way through Paris we stopped at Charles de Gaulle Etoile, the station just under the Arc de Triomphe, at around 03:30. There, many people got on the train including many hooligans and gangs (gangs here aren't the same as Stateside so you can wipe that image from your brain- nonetheless a gang). They were very loud and obnoxious. A couple stations down another gang got in my car and were yelling out the door and obstructing it closing. Then all the hooligans started leaning out the widows to see what was going on. Several minutes later some police officers appeared and the kids started taunting them.

Soon they and other police officers ran down the line to stop something and others appeared with shields. I thought for sure I was going to see something wild ! However, the train finally pulled away and we continued on. But now there were two American women near me that a gang member started harassing. At one point I thought I was going to have to defend them... and if so probably against the other gang members too. Good thing for those guys I didn't have to ;) Luckily they got off soon afterwards and their humiliation at my hands was avoided, haha.

Monday I need to renew my temporary visa as my real one is still in process. But then Tuesday I will go back to school and ministry. This semester ends the 15th with the exam taking place somewhere between the 16th and 22nd. Next semester, God willing, I will be enrolled in pre-university courses at the Sorbonne to bring me up to such a level. Even though I do not foresee God leading me to take uni courses these classes will teach me much more about France through : art, history, geography etc.

Prayer Requests : 1. Finish the semester strong 2. Study hard and pass the exam 3. Preparation for next semester 4. Get all my ducks in a row to go on the mission trip to the Ivory Coast at the end of May 5. Grace for the ministry 6. To develope a couple contacts through the ministry

Praises : 1. Great Christmas and New Year's spent with friends and family 2. Safety through it all 3. Incredible cultural experiences 4. Snow in Paris 5. One more semester of French 6. My niece Mya and the new one who's expected any day 7. God's love in sending Christ to bear our sins !

2009-12-05T18:39:00.004+01:00

Prayer Requests : 1. The continued meeting of my financial needs 2. Deeper understanding of the language and culture 3. Redemption of my time here 4. To have God's heart for the French 5. Spiritual growth

Praises : 1. God's faithful provision of all my needs 2. My trip to spend Christmas with family friends 3. The friends I've made here 4. Thanksgiving with the other missionaries 5. The way my sermon went

2009-10-24T10:36:00.007+02:00

Sorry for the long delay since the previous update. I have not had the internet for about three weeks while we changed carriers. It was both a hassle and a blessing in disguise. But finally the problemes have been resolved and here I am, connected to the world once again !

Two weeks ago I began what will likely be my last semester at the Sorbonne for language. This semester I am in the last level, superieur, and am enjoying it much. At this point one studies exceptions, nuances and the deeper sense of words and phrases. It's great !

As for my internship, I have my fingers in many different pies. I help with kids Sunday school from time to time, I am involved in a ministry that reaches out to the handicapped where the program is essentially a Sunday school, half-time I am aiding with a college Bible study (like Navigators, Campus Crusade for Christ etc.), Thursdays we have a Bible study for the new church, every two Sundays the new church plant meets, there are meetings and this upcoming week is a campaign with Operation Mobilization and WorldVenture's yearly retreat. Haha, like I said, many pies ! Thankfully I do not feel over burdened and those in charge of my internship have been very helpful therein !

Church planting is much harder than I imagined. Thank God for this internship ! I can't imagine jumping in without a primer course ! Initially I became frustrated and disappointed at the rythme of the plant and some strategy but now I am very thankful for it all... the good, the bad and the ugly. God is letting me go through these experiences (good and bad) in order to form a working vision of how to effectively minister in France while being culturally sensitive. Several books I have read, am reading and will read are : Cross-Cultural Servanthood, Ministering Cross-Culturally, Reconnecting God's Story to the Ministry, Let the Nations be Glad, Understanding Folk Religion and By My Spirit. So with all of these tools at my disposal, your prayers and financial support, I should be well prepared for full-time work here at the end of these two years. THANK YOU SO MUCH !!! AND PRAISE GOD for using we who are nothing in His great redemptive program !!! As God says in Zechariah 4:6, "Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit."

A verse that has been comforting to me with the fall of the dollar against the Euro and the loss of supporters- a triple punch if you will, is Malachi 3:10, "Bring the full tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, say the LORD of hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need." Just by the dollar's fall I have lost around $120/month of support then compound that with the fact that everything is much more expensive here and one really feels the hit. In the States I could survive on $25/week for groceries. Here it is around 30-35 Euro/week ($45-52/week). It is a hard time, for everyone, and I must continue to put God and His will before everything else. He WILL provide ! What a blessing it is to know that we will always have what we need !

Maybe you're asking at this point, "But what about his daily life. What does he do for fun ? How does he relax etc. ?" Well, I try to run about every four days and work out every other. Currently I am reading The Pilgrim's Progress, Cross-Cultural Ministry, The Canterbury Tales. I enjoy eating. Last week I went over to a friend's house for diner and also tried out Capoeira for the first time. It's a Brazilian form of martial arts hidden in dance. It was much fun and I think I will go back again !

As for Prayer Requests : 1. To reach many in the upcoming week's campaign 2. For cohesion and clarity of vision for the team during the retreat 3. For God's faithful and timely provision 4. Finding that balance in life between God, work, people, family, friends etc. 5. Wisdom as what to do after the internship

Praises : 1. My family 2. Friends 3. The meeting of my needs 4. My current lodging 5. Reaching the final level of French at the Sorbonne 6. Salvation 7. God's love

2009-09-04T23:59:00.001+02:00

2009-09-04T13:36:00.007+02:00

I'm back home in Paris। However leaving Grenoble and the mountains behind was very hard. I wouldn't complain at all if God lead me to the Alpes full-time !

Family camp was great despite several worries! My biggest worry for the camp was that my ankle injury would make me useless to the service team. Thankfully Tom, the director, worked with me and gave me jobs requiring little movement so that the team was affected little or not at all. My second concern was that building relationships at family camp would be harder. However God in His grace gave me some great friends and I was able to visit one family, Seb and Jess Brandt, in Grenoble before I came back to Paris.

I especially loved their two daughters, Charlene and Amie, who are so cute ! I can't wait till Mya, my niece, is their age ! During some of the free days at camp where families could do what they please, I tagged along to the pool. First thing I had to do before entrance would be permitted... buy a speedo. Mine isn't exactly that but anything that's tight and high is considered a speedo in the States, haha. On a less miniscule note, the pool was great for exercise on my ankle and by the end of camp it was well enough to walk on enabling me to be of use at work camp.

During my last week at Camp des Cimes (Camp of the Peaks) there were three major projects we undertook: refinishing the siding on the southern face of the main building, constructing and reinforcing a wall on the north side of the building and rebuilding some stone stairs.

Me, I worked on the scaffolding refinishing the siding and got a pretty good tan :) With 18-20 workers everyone had something to do and we were able to complete all projects save the wall which was nearly complete by the final day. What is more, no one was seriously hurt. Thank you God !

This time of year is called "la rentrée." It's when everyone returns home from vacation and to life as we know it. Kids go back to school, adultes to work and the tan is lost. My "rentrée" began Monday afternoon when I took the TGV (high speed train) back here to Paris. Tuesday night I had a meeting with the leaders of the church plant to plan and discuss the various projects involved therein. This is what I discovered my week will look like: Sundays we have church at Val d'Europe and once a month I, along with my new roommate Andrew, will do the kids program. Mondays Andrew and I have a meeting with the pastor of the mother church and then go to Val d'Europe to pray, witness, strategize etc. Every other Tuesday we help with a ministry involving handicapped kids. Wednesdays we will help with a Christian kids club and Thursdays is the weekly Bible study. On top of that, I am going to be involved with starting a new group for a college ministry I attended in Paris last year during classes, GBU (Groupe Biblique Universitaire). I'm not yet sure when that will be held. I have much on my plate and it is going to be very taxing I imagine so please be praying for me ! As Dr. A.J. Gordon said, "There's more you can do after you've prayed but there's no more you can do than pray until you've prayed."

One additional item which is more personal: my Opa (grandfather) had a major heart attack several weeks ago and while he is doing much better after two stints in his heart there is nonetheless concern. Please pray for his health and my family. THANKS !!!

Prayer Requests: 1. Soft and pliable hearts for us and of those we are reaching 2. Patience, energy, passion and wisdom 3. Full recovery from my ankle injury (I'm going to try running next week) 4. A closer walk with God 5. Open eyes and heart for the next step in my journey (next year)

Praises: 1. A great summer at camp !!! 2. Friends made at camp 3. Those reached with the Gospel 4. A well healing ankle and God's timing 5. Safety in travels 6. My internship 7. Opportunity to live and minister in France... my favorite place on earth !!! 8. God's everlasting and unconditional love

2009-08-02T16:58:00.003+02:00

Hello from Camp des Cimes in the French Alpes ! These past 10 days we have had adult English camp and what a blast ! Campers were anywhere from 18-26 and varying widely in their competence in English. I along with the other service team members set up for meals, served, cleaned up, cleaned bathrooms and halls etc. Every day up until around 2pm we were busy with our responsibilities and then were able to join counselors and campers in activities: team sports, hiking, climbing, swimming, shopping, biking, art etc. Sadly I was put out of commission two days before the end of camp with a broken ligament and a half in my ankle :( It wasn't even done doing something fun... I was running up the stairs. Thanks to God it was toward the end of camp and I don't need a cast. I have a brace of sorts and crutches. Doctors orders are to keep weight off my foot for three weeks and then another three weeks of moderate activity on it. I have one week to recoup before family camp begins so God willing I can be healthy enough to recommence my responsibilities.

Some of my favorite parts of camp were speaking French to the campers. I was afraid I wouldn't have much opportunity for it and was pleasantly surprised ! What is more I have already learned so much... especially medical vocabulary :) haha. My favorite activity was climbing the Via Feratta. We drove to an adjacent valley where Italians had installed a cable system for climbers to hook into and metal bars to aide in the accent. Now I really want to get into climbing ! Not much to do in Paris though haha. For those of you who enjoy biking you may be interested to know that the camp sites along an often used route for the Tour de France. It's up to Les Deux Alpes and not far from the world famous accent of l'Alpe-d'Huez. Needless to say, the roads are full of bikers. Lastly, I was given the opportunity to speak to the campers and did it in French !

Prayer Requests: 1. Quick and full healing of my ankle 2. Family camp 3. Improvement of French 4. Continued good attitude on the service team 5. I Chronicles 16:11-12

Praises: 1. God chooses to use us in His work... and He doesn't even need us ! 2. An injured ankle at the END of camp with a week before the next one 3. God's beautiful creation- it's great to be back in the mountains... and the Alpes at that ! 4. The friendships made here 5. Plenty of opportunities to speak French !

2009-07-01T22:38:00.005+02:00

One whole week I have been back in France and it's as though I never left... kinda like when I was Stateside. And really it was. Things rolled along smoothly thanks to God and I was able to see my family (most notably my 8m old niece Mya), attend my grandparents 60th anniversary in Kansas, see all the relatives there, hang out with my cousin Klarissa and aunt Denise when they were in Summit visiting, go to Denver and spend time with college friends Nathan and Carla Anderson, Kristin Dwyer, my WorldVenture friend with whom I went through orientation, Sam Kunnemann, another great college friend, reconnect with my home church family of Rocky Mountain Bible Church, and see various other friends in Summit County. I also got a dentist check up thanks to Tia's boss, Jill Castline ! I almost got away with a perfect check-up. It was all very much a blessing !!! Although I was ready to come back to France it was sad to leave everyone behind... especially my niece Mya who will be so different when I see her in one year. I almost shed some tears saying goodbye to that cute face and cheeks I love to kiss. Over here in Lognes, France I have not been doing too much besides running, working out, helping the Finley's pack, watch movies and enjoying the friendships I've formed here. It has honestly been hard for me to do practically nothing since the third week in May. I'm someone who needs activity. But God has made me realize that He created this time and therefore I likely need it. So I'm trying to be satisfied and enjoy it. Next week will have more activity as we pack up Jonathan's moving container and I help drive extra stuff to the port in La Havre. To be honest j'ai un peu peur (I'm a little scared). :/ It'll be my first time driving here and although the laws are quite similar there are little quirks. It will certainly be an adventure, haha !

When I arrive back home by train I will have just over a week before I leave for camp in Haute-Savioe (SE, France). I am very excited for this ! God willing I can remain down there through the end of August. The only thing that would require me coming home early is if I cannot get the renewal process for my Visa rolling. The deadline date is August 28th. So currently I am trying to get all the necassary (and unnecessary) papers in order. I can go there with everything that's listed as needed and be asked for additional info.

If you would like to take a look at Camp des Cimes go to: http://www.campdescimes.net/presentation.php Thanks for your prayers !!!

Prayer Requests: 1. Visa renewal process rolling before I leave for camp 2. Preparation for camp 3. Enjoyment and good use of my free time before camp 4. Preparation for my internship

Praises: 1. Safe travels during my vacation to the States 2. Friends and family seen in the States 3. My wonderful home church Rocky Mountain Bible Church 4. Opportunity to serve at Camp des Cimes 5. The French I can speak

2009-06-10T21:45:00.006+02:00

I've now been back in the States a little more than a week and it has been great. However there was a little wanting during day one. It was snowing in the county ! Mom's cooking is as good as ever and I have really enjoyed seeing family and friends. But the best, most precious thing has been my niece Mya who now has a little over 7 months. My second day here I took care of her all alone and we had a great time ! In fact, I've been the babysitting several days and what a blessing !

Sunday evening I was given the opportunity to update my local church family at Rocky Mountain Bible Church. Summarizing nine months in 15 minutes was very hard but I did it... with many English grammatical mistakes, haha. The right words just weren't coming to my mind.

Saturday some college friends of mine, Nathan and Carla Andreson, and a friend from WorldVenture, Kristin Dwyer, hung out in Denver for the sidewalk chalk art show. That was a great time catching up with friends... and I got to speak French ! Later on in the break I hope to go down to Colorado Springs and whitewater raft with Sam Kunnemann.

Prayer Requests: 1. Rejuvenation during the break 2. Refreshment of relationships stateside 3. Preparation for camp (beginning July 19th) 4. Preparation for my internship in the Fall 5. To lose more of myself everyday and be more consumed in God and with His glory

Praises: 1. Friends and family 2. The financial support which I currenlty have 3. The opportunity and ability to visit the States during my internship 4. The power of God 5. God's work in France 6. I had the money to replace my Palm Pilot (aka my life and brain)

2009-05-29T09:59:00.003+02:00

In light of this time of financially difficulty, I would like to take this post to specifically thank those who support me either financially and/or by prayer. Only by the obedience of God's children in giving and praying are we in ministry, and specifically we missionaries, able to commit our full and undivided attention to the spread of the gospel and the strengthening of the body of Christ. I know that I can speak for all of us by saying that it is hard to find the words to express the depth and the width of our gratitude. This is where God wants me, this is my passion, and your obedience has made it possible for me to do what I was called to do!

For those who have stopped giving financially I want to say thank you for what you have given and ask that your prayers on my behalf would never cease. What God desires is of utmost importance and I would never wish that one give financially where God has not specified. Just as you prayed to give and began in faithfulness to God's will, so you have prayed and stopped in faithfulness to His will. The peace of the God Who created all things and controls all things be with you as you continue in the straight and narrow. May He bless you and keep you and may His face shine upon you.

2009-05-17T13:35:00.001+02:00

2009-05-09T10:24:00.003+02:00

Two car loads and I was moved into my new place and left the church family that I have grown attached to :( However I take this feeling as a good piece of news as well because it tells me that I have some semblance of a life over here- that is, I'm not just a passer through but a resident and participant in people's life and the culture. This is becoming home!
I also would like to thank my roommates Harry and Manu who have been so patient and understanding and welcoming of the foreigner. I have learned so much from them and look forward to continued friendships.

With only two weeks of school remaining I am gearing up for my final exams: 22nd- oral exam and 23rd- written exam. Although most of what we've learned this semester are the nuances, exceptions etc. of grammaire I am still nervous for the exam as it is hard to remember everything and keep it in order at the same time. Additionally, the oral exam will be harder as the pieces of literature are more complicated and less up front. I am going to shoot for a 14-16/20, which over here is a very good grade (not the same grading system here- the percentages don't have the same conotations).

Elsewhere, Jonathan, my "boss" or the guy who is in charge or my internship, is moving to Denver with his family in order to be an intern for Hans Finzel and seek additional support. Currently they are very much under supported. God is awesome and his wife Karen, who is a teacher here in France, found a position at Denver International School. Therefore Jeremiah Martin, another missionary with WorldVenture and a former OIKOS intern, will be in charge of my internship.

Prayer Request: 1. Compare my language progress to where I've come from and not against that of my classmates 2. Diligence and faithfulness in preparation for my final exams (two intensive (5hrs/day) semesters of French is very wearing 3. Preparation for my internship in the Val d'Europe church plant 4. Lk. 9:23 5. A relaxing vacation time in the States

Praises: 1. Understanding, patient and hospitable roommates Harry and Manu 2. The formation of a life here in France 3. God's perfect plan and power to execute it 4. Opportunity to take one year of French at the Sorbonne 5. Chance to visit family in friends Stateside in June

2009-04-05T18:19:00.002+02:00

Salut à tous ! I hope all is well wherever this finds you!

Let me fill you in on what's happened since my last post. The month of March went by so quickly even though there's not much to report. It was my regular routine of classes every week day and resting from travel on the weekends. So far I haven't learned many new pieces of grammaire or new phonetique sounds. Rather it seems to me that at this level one is learning the nuances and exceptions (there are many many exceptions in French) of the language and tweaking any bad habits and correcting misunderstandings. This has been very good for me as many of my mistakes are fairly minor ones such as according a verb to its pluriel, feminin counterpart. It's been great because I have noted a change in my grades and in my dictations. The probleme I am running into at the moment is incoporating everything I have learned as I speak and speaking with fluidity.

In other news I will be moving into the OIKOS house (the house where most OIKOS interns reside) come May as it will be simpler to move at that time than in the summer when Jonathan will be in Africa, I will be working at a camp and will visit the states. While I will no longer have two French roommates and live in such close proximity to a church (just below me) the move will put me closer to a RER (train) station and to my director Jonathan. It has been a great experience living at this location!

Come next week I will be on Easter vacation for nearly three weeks! What will I do? As I am saving for a plane ticket to visit the states, and please be praying for a good price (God willing), I will stay here in Paris and try to visit some sites I have not yet had the opportunity to see. Perhaps the book I just bought "Paris 0 Euro" has some suggestions. I certainly plan on taking advantage of the beautiful spring weather. It's been 12-18 (53-64) the past few weeks. I certainly am not missing the feet of snow that Breckenridge has recieved in that time :)

I forgot to take pictures, as usual, but last night I had friends (from the college Bible study I attend in Paris) over to cook and play some games. It was a blast! We had potatoe and leek soup with chicken cooked in a white bacamel beer sauce and three different deserts!

Prayer Requests: 1. Lk. 9:24 2. Ability to incoporate all that I am learning 3. Fluidity in speaking 4. Nearness to God 5. Make the most of my two years here

Praises: 1. That God has enabled me to survive the 3-6 months in a new culutre (generally the hardest) 2. The abiblity to communicate in French 3. The friends I have made over here 4. The opportunity to visit my family (especially my niece Mya) in June 5. My health 6. God's faithfulness in all things 7. The college Bible study in Paris (GBU)

2009-03-06T23:14:00.002+01:00

"Whoever wants to come after me (Jesus) must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me" Luke 9:23.

Hello. First of all please let me apologize for the extremely late update letter some of you may have received. My brother-in-law and sister have kindly taken over the printing, sending etc. of my mailing and have been very busy the last several months. The next one should arrive in a more timely manner.

What have I been up to since my break? Well thanks to God's grace, all of your prayers and some studying I passed my final exam for last semester!!! THANK YOU EVERYONE!!! My note was a 14.5/20 which in the French system is a great grade. Getting a 16 or over is very, very good and there is no such thing as a straight 20 student.
So I have now been in Advanced Intensive since the beginning of February and it is going well. Thus far it has been review which has been good so that those foundations are reinforced before moving on. It's always fun getting a new class dynamic and this semester is no exception. I have one friend from last semester and the other classmates are great!

As for the language itself it is coming along. I can communicate halfway clearly and thanks to a French friend I am getting help once a week with questions and problem areas. In fact two weeks ago I lead (or more precisely stumbled through) a college Bible study I have been attending in Paris since the end of my break. While it was incredibly intimidating God used this less than common clay pot to get His point across. Praise God! There's still a long way to good but progress is being made.

Ministry wise I still am not regularly leading anything but I have had several opportunities to share the gospel, during Easter Break I am helping with a children's program and am now on security detail for the church. One sad piece of news is that due to the date of my final exam this semester I will not be able to go on a missions trip to Senegal with Jonathan Finley (the missionary under whom I work). Perhaps next summer God will open this door.

Spiritually things have been going much better. I feel halfway comfortable and settled into a routine. The underlying stress still exists but now it's not so intense and therefore more bearable. Furthermore being in a routine has been great for my relationship with Christ and that is the main reason things have been on the up and up.

Praises: 1. I PASSED MY FINAL EXAM!!! 2. Groupe Biblique Univarsitaire and the friends I have made there 3. My French tutor 4. Full support (at a time when many missionaries are very much under supported) 5. Those who pray for me 6. The new class 7. Opportunity to visit my family in June for a couple weeks
Prayer Requests: 1. Luke 9:23 2. Diligence in my studies (especially watching more tv for hearing comprehension) 3. Open eyes and heart as to how God wants to use me 4. Not to become dull to living and working for God in France 5. Preparation for my visit home

2009-01-28T22:13:00.016+01:00

The previous week was a nice respite from classes and from traveling elsewhere. For my other two breaks I was out of country and/or the Paris area. I slept in, stayed home, chilled out and have spent some great long mornings with the Lord. But I also wanted to utilize the time to see some sites that I have not yet had the opportunity to enjoy.

So Thursday I went to the Louvre and spent a good long while in the exhibit of Mesopotamia. It was really cool to see artifacts from bible times and ponder on Scripture and acts of God during that time! Of course I also checked out other sections such as paintings and sculptures.

Friday I meant to go to the aquarium but instead went to see covered roads in Paris with some friends. That night I was invited to a friends for a soiree and we played games and hung out.
Sunday a friend invited me to hear him preach at a church in Paris- the first Baptist church in Paris. That was a cool experience and afterward he invited me to his place for a Brazilian meal. I am always in for a free meal and a home cooked international meal at that! We had a great time of fellowship.

Please continue to pray for a good grade on my exam, preparation for the next semester (God willing advanced) and faithfulness in reviewing last semester's subject material during my break. Luke 9:23 says, "Then Jesus said, "If anyone wishes to follow me, he must deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me." Thanks!

2009-01-20T14:42:00.002+01:00

Last week was very busy and very nerve racking. The entire week we studied old exams and reviewed what we had learned. I studied so much. Then came Saturday, the day of my written exam.

That mourning I ate a big omlete with avacados, tomatoes, broccoli, Emmental cheese, mushrooms and sausauge and had a nice café au lait of Starbucks Christmas blend. I took the metro to the southern part of Paris where the testing center stands. Now the word "center" really gives an accurate idea of this place. It is essentially a machine that facilitates testing en mass. There are four buildings with over seven stories. On each level there is one exam room. Each room holds 100 or more students and they were probably utilizing 4-5 stories in each building. My room was not entirely full, perhaps 70-80 students so I suspect that the others rooms were likely similar. Nevertheless, it was crazy!

Knowing that I do not do well under pressure and that grammaire is not a good subject for me really had me worried. To be honest, I should have begun praying for the exam further in advance. Thanks to all who had been and are praying for the exams! We had three hours, 9-11, to finish the exam. It consisted of a grammaire section, reading and comprehension, vocabulary, listening and comprehension and finally a written section. When I received the exam I almost went blank :S Thanks to God and your prayers I was able to compose myself and work through the excercises and get them all done with sufficient time to review my answers serveral times!

Yesterday I had my oral exam at the same building where I attended all semester so the familiar place was nice. This exam I did not study for as much. Grammaire is the most important. For the oral exam we had ten texts available that we had read and reviewed during the semester. We studied their vocabulary, disected the text and discovered the themes and major points. Of those ten we picked one randomly and had ten minutes to prepare it according to the question, "Explain the text," and a more personal question as to what we thought about the it. I received "Le Petit Jardin." After our preparation we went to the front of the class and spoke on the questions. That's it.

In all I would say that the exams were, "pas mal"- not bad. We will see how it turned out. I am neither confident nor diffident. So I am praying very very much that I will pass into the advanced level God willing and be prepared enough for that level.

2009-01-11T23:53:00.006+01:00

Thank you all for your prayers and support! I can't tell you how much it all means to me... especially the prayers!

My vacation was great!!! I spent the first week in Alsace with my friend from church, Thomas Hodapp. His town, Colmar, is situated just south-west of Strasbourg. The welcome by his family was fantastic! They are a very hospitable bunch who by the way, all play some sort of brass instrument. I saw old Colmar with the typical houses (German looking)- I will include a picture as soon as I get them. The region is also known for the wine so we took a drive down the wine road to a little town that contained a "Marché de Noël" or Christmas Market where I bought my niece Mya her first Christmas ornament. For Christmas we visited Thomas' grandparents and that was a treat as well!Precisely one week after arriving in Colmar I departed by TGV (high speed train) to Zug, Switzerland (near Zurich) where I stayed with Corey and Tanya Best- basically family. That was a very relaxing time as I spoke English the whole time and was around people I know well. But Tanya had to leave early as they recieved a call informing them that the baby they were adopting was going to be born the following day. That was about my third day in Switzerland. The C-section was not due for a couple weeks however it was moved up as the mother was going into labour. As the baby is from South Carolina Corey and Tanya were in a rush to get tickets changed and get her out of there the following mourning in time for the delivery. Thanks to God all went well and they now have a new daughter named Sarah Christiana Best. Praise God!!! Sunday the 4th I left by TGV once again and began the last two weeks of this semester on the 5th.

God was gracious also in giving me many opportunities to serve Him and fellow brothers and sisters in Christ: I sang Christmas carols at an old folks home with the Hodapps, helped distribute invitations for their church's Christmas program and fliers to buy a calander with verses. In Zug I was able to help Corey and Tanya move their kids rooms around in preparation for the baby- even though they had no idea of God's timing :) and I helped their church construct a cry room and nursery. Thank you God for your grace!

Praise God for great things He had done!

Psalm 11:4b says "His (speaking of God) eyelids test the sons of men." I don't understand this completely but it is very profound. His EYELIDS test the sons of men! Wow!

2009-01-08T18:54:00.003+01:00

Here are some praises and prayer requests. I will give an update sometime this week-end.

Priases: 1. I have made it through the winter semester 2. The hosts I had over my break: the Hodapps in Alsace and the Best's in Zurich, Switzerland 3. God refreshing me over the break 4. Family 5. Being able to speak French better after my break

Prayer Requests: 1. The next semester 2. The mission trip I am taking to the Ivory Coast this summer 3. To draw closer daily to my Savior 4. My final exam the 19th- I'm very nervous 5. Ability to accurately evaluate my progress in French (I'm a perfectionist) and see and acknowledge my gains and strengths

2008-12-09T18:47:00.008+01:00

One month later... hmm, these updates have gotten away from me. Please forgive the lack of communication. I will give one more update before Christmas break which begins the 20th and then recommence the first week of January.

What have I been up to? School is the short answer as that is nearly all I do. In addition to that I have found a program that allows one to practice French in a round table discussion lead by a native speaker, every Wednesday I have a Bible study where we are studying the book of acts and I occasionally go into Paris during the weekend to hang out with friends. For Thanksgiving I ate with an American and some French friends one night and another celebrated with the other missionaries. I made Pumpkin Pie (I had to buy the canned pumpkin from an American shop in Paris which is ironically called “Thanksgiving.” They also have Dr. Pepper).

Honestly it has been a particularly hard month with many spiritual attacks and tough subject matter- pronoms (ie. it, their, them, him, her etc.). I was incredibly discouraged which lead to becoming depressed. However God has been my steady Rock and when things seemed so turbulent and difficult it never moved. In fact, it is much like when Peter was walking on the water. He took his eyes off of Christ and began to sink at which point Jesus took hold of his hand and kept him atop the water. What a great Savior we have, faithful and all powerful! The passage He gave to me during this time was Psalm 46.

After about two months here I finally just forced myself to speak more often (thanks to God) regardless of the beastly phrases and sounds that came out. The result is that I now have improved in all areas of the language! I continue to make many mistakes but I learn from them and gain further ground. God willing, I will be able to speak with fluidity, relatively few mistakes, no massacring of phonetiques and a more vibrant vocabulary. It has snowed here twice now! Living away from it and in a state of perpetual fall has made me realize that I do indeed miss the snow... although I will enjoy seeing a real spring and summer come at the proper time.

For Christmas I have been invited by a friend from church to go to his family’s place in Alsace- which I hear is the place to be in France during Christmas. On the 27th I will depart Colmar, France for Zug, Switzerland to spend a week with Corey and Tanya Best- friends from Colorado who now live, work and do ministry in Switzerland. When I return from vacation I have two weeks of school left before my final. So I am going to try and study where I can during the vacation.

One final note: I am now at 101% of my support!!! God loves us so much! Thank you so much first, foremost and above all for your prayers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t tell you how much that means to me and how much it keeps me up and going! Thank you as well for the financial support!

Prayer Requests: 1. Wise management of time 2. Ability to drop all English language standards and merely accept French rules 3. Understanding of French grammaire 4. Energy 5. Preparation for my final the 27th-30th of January. Praises: 1. God’s love and faithfulness 2. God’s power 3. My new niece Mya Lemme 4. Improvement in all areas of language 5. 101% support level 6. Friends 7. The opportunity to go to friends places during Christmas

2008-10-26T15:56:00.006+01:00

Here's a video (without sound sadly :( ) of praise and worship after our multicultural meal. This will just give you an idea of what my church is like. Again, I wish there was sound because it would add so much more. Enjoy!

Today was very encouraging in church! It was the first time I have actually been able to worship God and enjoy the fellowship. Praise God for the great things he has done!!!

2008-10-25T22:43:00.001+02:00

Here's a fun story!

Today I went grocery shopping and realized in the checkout that the bus would be arriving at my stop in 15 minutes... and the French are not known for their quickness of service. By God's grace I got out with five minutes to spare so I put my cart back and quick stepped it to the bus. I was praying that it would be late. As I neared the street I saw it approaching so began running to the stop and rushed on. Then as we took off I saw another bus behind us... my bus (usually two buses don't stop at the same stop at the same time). So I asked the driver if his bus was also 504 and all I could make out from behind the glass behind him was, "You should check what number it is before you get on." So I rode an extra 20 minutes, around the other side of town, got off near the train station, walked 400m to the stop I needed and took the correct bus home.
Even after 2 months I still do these things, haha :)

2008-10-25T18:39:00.003+02:00

It has been awhile sine my last post. I know my goal was once a week but with a vacation and then school starting right after, things piled up. The updates therefore should be more consistent now.

The winter semester is into its third week the 27th- kinda crazy to think about. It is a VERY hard semester. Initially I was under the impression that I had moved up one level but apparently I moved up two. This semester I take intermediate 2 French at the Sorbonne- the more advanced class... and it is very obvious! Thanks to God, I understand most of what the professor is saying and am now able to comprehend about 70-80% of what she says and can recognize what tense a verb is in... for the most part. However we are moving extremely quickly and it's all I can do to keep up. My head is just above water. Satan therefore has been attacking me here with discouragement at the rate of my learning, ability to understand, speak and the accent.

Culture is going well. I think God really used my time in Prague to grow a closer connection with France and its culture and language. In the Czech Republic I understood nothing of the culture and language, but in France things are at least somewhat familiar. I still find certain situations hard difficult to figure out.

For example: this mourning people who are involved with the church's outreach tonight were here for lunch and I was still in my mourning clothes. Is it alright to be seen like that and are the greetings the same or more distant because of that?
Another example involves eating. This evening I was having diner at around 5pm and the guest speaker was waiting in our living room for the outreach to begin. So I offered him some food and he responded by asking what time it was and looked at his watch (most French eat around 7-8). It was only after I had spoken that I realized what I was asking... but I did not want to be rude and not offer (if that is even considered rude).

This past week was particularly hard in terms of spiritual attacks. Around every corner something was waiting. Nothing seemed to go right and everything seemed much more difficult. When I spoke French I made mistakes that I never make. I understood very little about the grammar we were learning in class... and on and on. Thankfully I think many were praying for me this week and it certainly made a difference! Although still difficult, I was much stronger and much more encouraged. Thank you and please continue your prayers!!! They are the means to my breath, strength and spiritual life!

I have never done something this difficult! But by the grace of God I will accomplish what He desires. The passage God gave me last week was Psalm 46. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way... The nations rage, the kingdoms totter; he utters his voice, the earth melts. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Come, behold the works of the Lord, how he has brought desolations on the earth... Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The God of Jacob is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

Prayer: 1. I Corinthians 10:12-13 2. II Thessalonians 4:17 3. Faithful in memorizing and studying Scripture 4. Psalm 1 5. To live the Christian life by faith just as I was born by faith 6. Language acquisition: vocabulary, accent, grammar 7. Culture acquisition

Praises: 1. God's faithfulness 2. God's power 3. My prayer supporters 4. My financial supporters 5. My prayer supporters 6. I am now at 96% of my support level... and that in the midst of the world financial crisis 7. I am in France!

2008-09-24T17:38:00.008+02:00

Hello! Sorry for the long delay since my last post. Now that I am settled in... for the most part, the communication should be more consistent. I am shooting for a post every week.

It's been pretty busy here with school. Every weekday I wake up at 05:50, walk five minutes to the bus at 06:55, get to the RER (Réseau Express

Régional- Regional Network Express) at 07:10 and take the 07:15 train into Paris. I arrive at my metro connection, Magenta, at 08:00 and take line 4 down to the Raspail station at about 08:10. Then I walk ten minutes to the school. In all that's a little more than an hour commute. After an hour of phonetics class and four hours of grammar and lunch I go home at 15:00 (3pm). When I arrive home around 4:30 I check email, facebook etc./relax and then begin studying. That consists of homework, vocab testing and usually TV in French. I make a meal about 1-2 times a week and shop for groceries once a week as well. Needless to say, I am very tired at the end of everyday.

Yesterday I registered for the winter semester. I will take the same sort of course- intensive French (25 hrs./week), but it's duration will be nearly three months. However that begins on 9 October. Therefore next week I am going to visit somewhere in Europe- maybe Belfast, England, Zug, Switzerland, or Prague, The Czech Republic.

My French is coming along. That is for sure. But not as much as I would like. It is frustrating not being able to express one's self well. So I have many lessons in humility. However through John Piper's book "Don't Waste Your Life" God has shown me that I am to do my best and leave the rest up to Him. After all, I am because He is. I exist for His glory and not my comfort, ease or amusement. That helped so much! Praise God. With that said, words and phrases are coming ever more fluidly. What I find most difficult is grammar class... and four hours of it no less. I was not good at nor did I like English grammar so it is as if I am learning two languages. French I love! Grammar I very much dislike!

Praises: 1. God's love and faithfulness in bringing me here, sustaining me, equipping me, providing all my needs (not just speaking materially) and strengthening me 2. Friends 3. Little to no culture shock (so far) 4. This program (the OIKOS House) 5. Patience with language acquisition

Prayer Requests: 1. Patience, diligence, strength, grace (thinking, speaking, reading, listening etc.) in language acquisition 2. Ears for hearing all the language nuances 3. A mouth to mimic and make natural the sounds and positions 4. A mind to understand grammar 5. Continual reliance upon the power of God

2008-08-30T09:06:00.002+02:00

I'm here!!! My travels on 19.8-21.8 were without incident. Today Jonathan and I went into town (Paris) so that I could begin to familiarize myself with the route (train and metro) which I will take to and from school (it is about an hour one way). We also checked out the class that I will enroll in. Next week I move from the OIKOS House to an apartment above a church not far from here. During the weekend we will visit IKEA (pronounced E-K-A (as in apartment) ;)) to purchase basic living supplies.

Do I love it? If you know me then you know that my answer is emphatically YES!!! Praise God for His love, mercy, grace and faithfulness!!!

2008-08-06T20:10:00.003+02:00

Today I talked to Jonathan (the missionary who heads the OIKOS House) and he informed me that although I am only at 88% I could go ahead and purchase my ticket! PRAISE GOD!!!!!!! Therefore I did so immediately after speaking with him, haha. I found a one-way ticket on Vayama for $453 total! I have seen cheap tickets but nothing this low! However it is no surprise as God has everything planned out perfectly! Knowing this I am confident that the last 12% (362/month) will come in due time. This Friday is my last day at work which will give me a week to put the things in order before I leave on 19 August.

Prayer requests are: 1. Final preparations 2. Uneventful travels, God willing, and the grace to handle what God allows 3. The first 3-6 months in Paris, as those tend to be the hardest spiritually, emotionally, physically, relationally, intellectually, culturally etc.

Praises are: 1. THAT I AM FINALLY LEAVING!!! 2. God's grace, mercy, love and faithfulness 3. My salvation, God's work of molding me into the image of Christ and it's final perfection- all to me a sinner who deserves nothing but judgment and Hell 4. You- I cannot begin to express the great love and thankfulness I have for you who have supported me in a plethora of ways

2008-07-23T22:50:00.003+02:00

My trip to Oregon and Washington went very well. Friday night I got off work at 19:00, went to French and finished at 20:00. When I finally went to bed it was 21-21:30... waking up at 01:15 was therefore quite the task! My plane departed Denver at 05:30 and I had a 2 hour drive from Portland to Neskowin, near Pacific City, when I landed. Needless to say, that was a long day! However I had a great time with my hosts. They took me out to the beach and we enjoyed the beautiful day. Pacific City is much like Breckenridge, that is, without the mountains- it is a tourist and retirement destination.

Sunday mourning I spoke in Pacific City and was able to visit with some friends from college, Morgan and Krista Motsinger. Sadly I was not able to hang around for another day as I was to speak in Roy, Washington at 18:00 that evening. It was a 4-4.5 hour drive so it was close. Otherwise my hosts were going to take me fishing on the ocean the following day!!! Next time I will make more time!

Thankfully I arrived in Roy on time. I had diner with the Schnetz's, tried to learn all 10 of their names and shared with their church God's calling on my life. Afterwards we fellowshiped over ice cream and volleyball. Monday Parker, my friend from college, and I (sadly Courtney was sick) went to Seattle. We walked around Seattle and Pike's Place Market. Later I met up with my cousin Josias Lambert who has recently moved out there and he showed me Tacoma and took me to diner for some great clam chowder.

Tuesday I arrived home around 17:00. It was a whirlewind trip but I thouroughly enjoyed every bit! Both churches were great and I loved getting to share my passion and meeting all the people!

While I was driving home from Denver I received a call from the French Consulate. They had the final document needed for my Visa. The Visa was printing out at that moment and was being mailed that day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GOD IS AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you for your prayers!!!

2008-07-13T21:16:00.011+02:00

Here are some pictures of my trip to LA: 1- Jonathan & me at diner the night before my Visa appointment 2- Pedestrian mall in LA (like 16th street mall in Denver but better 3- me in front of the French Consulate

2008-07-12T16:15:00.007+02:00

I recently received an updated support status from WorldVenture. The percentage stated did not make sense given the last status update therefore I did the math and discovered that the former percentage was incorrect and the most recent was on the mark. Consequently I came to the sobering reality that my support level is not at 88% but at 83%. This means that I still need $543/month to reach 100%. Please pray with me for the remainder to come in so that I can leave the third week of August, God willing, and praise our loving and awesome God for the 82% He has already gathered!

2008-07-10T19:05:00.006+02:00

Thank you for all your prayers! My trip to LA was great. I flew with a buddy pass, thanks to a friend, and made the first flight I was listed for in Denver Tuesday mourning. My taxi ride from LAX was short through the nearly always congested city and I stayed at my hotel until Jonathan picked me up for diner. It was great to hang out with him and get to know him a bit before going to Paris.

Wednesday mourning I checked out of my hotel and took a taxi to the French Consulate. I arrived a couple hours early on Jonathan's advice and was able to be seen about an hour before my scheduled appointment. The whole process took nearly two hours, waiting and all and for the most part went incredably smoothly! However, while the gentleman was inputing the information for my Visa, he was going to issue it there and then! it was discovered that one document was lacking- an official letter from Jonathan and those at the mission in Paris stating thier welcome of me. Therefore I would appreciate your fervant prayers, which I always yearn for, concerning a quick resolution to this hitch. The gentleman who would normally expedite this letter is also in the US and so it must be done by those remaining in Paris. The Consulate will keep my passport and documents for about a week at which point they will mail the passport to me and require it upon the reception of that final document. Then I will be issued my Visa!

On my homeward journey I missed my first flight due to a full flight but made the second... only to find my car battery dead. I forgot to turn my lights off, haha. But God was gracious and merciful to anwser affirmatively my prayers for someone to be two rows or less from me upon my arrival in the parking lot so that they could jump start my car. Same time, same place!!!

Thanks to a recent financail commitment I am now at 82% and can soon purchase my airline ticket (at 90%)!!!

Please praise our awsome God for His everlasting love, His grace and mercy and perfect wisdom always working for our good and His glory!

2008-07-02T01:21:00.003+02:00

I finally have all my paperwork for the Visa and have therefore made an appointment at the French Consulate for Wednesday 9 July at 10:15 AM. It can take anywhere from two weeks to three months after the meeting to receive the Visa after which I have three weeks to initiate the Visa. Jonathan Finley is going to meet me at the Consulate to assist with the process! PRAISE GOD!

As I have mentioned before it is my prayer and hope to leave the thrird week of August. Please join with me in prayer for a smooth appointment and a quick acquisition of the Visa, God willing, so that I can indeed leave in mid-August.

Additionally God has opened the door for me to travel to northern Organ and southern Washington the weeked of July 20 to present God's passion for the French and His calling upon my life. Praise God! Please pray for clarity of mind and speech, and sincerity of heart for me, as well as, safe and uneventful travels, God willing. For the people to whom I speak, please pray for clarity of mind and heart, and a submissive spirit to the will of God in their lives.

THANK YOU!!!