Brief Recap in Pictures

There's really no way that I could share everything that's been going on here over the last two months in just one or two posts. Seasons have changed, schedules have picked up considerably. Relationships are growing and God is ever-faithful. Here's a few pictures of the many blessings He's provided.

Special blessings: our dear friend and "angel" - our first friend in Freiburg. Here we had a chance to spend time fellowshipping together, bike rides and good food and lots of laughter. 

Beautiful dusk while waiting to get into the building for our weekly SFC meeting

Pre-meeting SFC prayer time

There's frost on the ground!!!

Great turn out for Coffee-To-Go at the teacher's college. Lots of fun and lots of great conversations.

A picture of Autumn

SFC Thanksgiving Dinner

Prayer requests:
1) SFC retreat this weekend (Dec 4-6). Pray that hearts would be receptive to what God is speaking to them. Pray for the servants, that they would be properly prepared to give their best to these students. Pray for a time of joy and fellowship and that relationships would continue to grow deeper.

2) Busy schedules. With the holiday season now here, I'm sure you know very well how easy it is to get overwhelmed with the amount of things to get done. It's no different here. :) SFC has about three weeks left until the semester ends and we take a break until January, but that does not mean that we're slowing down at all! We've got loads of events and meetings still scheduled to take care of and that doesn't include the personal lives of all of us involved. With everything going on, please pray for wisdom and discipline to work and rest when needed. Strength to fight off illnesses (our house has already been through a nasty bout of flu this past week), and patience and understanding towards each other with it's easy to get stressed and frustrated.

3) Remember the reason for the Season.
In everything that happens during this merry time of thanks and gifts, let us not forget the Supreme reason that we have to celebrate. I pray that you would have a chance to take some time to reflect on the miracle baby and His precious life that He gave for us.

Much love!!

Pray For Germany

Jo and I were invited to tag along on a trip to Karlsruhe about a week and half ago to participate in a day of worship and prayer at one of the local prayer houses. This was a real treat for many reasons, not the least of which meant a short road trip with a new but very dear friend and angel; but also it was especially exciting for me because it was an opportunity to both witness and participate in something that God is doing outside of Freiburg as well.

Within Freiburg, it's been wonderful to see the move of the Spirit around town. I meet random people who somehow within a conversation will inadvertently say something to the effect of, "It's really amazing what God is doing here right now." And I just smile at yet another affirmation of the word that God has spoken for Germany.
Within SFC (the ministry that I'm working with) has seen wonderful growth and enthusiasm, more than what even we, who walked in excited and convinced that God was going to do something amazing, had really anticipated. New people come almost every week and there's such a joy and familial atmosphere each week when we come together. Relationships are growing stronger and deeper, and to just put it simply, the "work" is a joy.

But back to Karlsruhe, we showed up to the location with our beloved *Angel and I was almost immediately struck by the amount of young people. And when I say 'young people', I don't mean 'young people' like I'm a young people. I mean 'young people' like teenagers - middle and highschoolers. There were most certainly adults there as well, many of whom I gathered were parents, but the majority of the 120+ crowd were under the age of 21. And I was struck by this.
Here we were spending our Saturday afternoon/evening at a prayer house for a time of worship, and here were large groups of young people willing to do the same right along side of us "old people".
My heart smiled. I was so encouraged to see the desire and willingness and fire of God that was moving among this generation.
This was only furthered by the fact that, with the exception of times of teaching and communion taking, the entire event was led by youth - which means it wasn't all an exceptionally put together event, but it was done with hearts that were willing and wanting to serve and grow.
My favorite moment of the evening was when we were all singing Christ Is Enough and I looked forward to the front of the room and I saw these two boys standing in the front, declaring with all of their hearts (and I was just standing behind them) this stand of faith. They're eleven and fourteen. And when these two were called up to the front to stand in for the many others their age that we were all praying for, they stood there and prayed right along with us.

What an amazing generation of young men and women God is bringing up in this beautiful country. I'm excited to be a witness. I'm excited to see what He's been and in the process of doing. I'm excited to be a part of this movement that is happening in Germany. Pray for Germany.