Jsem Tu! I am here!

Ahoj,


Well I have been in Praha for one week. It has been a very interesting week in many ways. I apologize if I fail at brevity in this update but I will try. :-)


I arrived safe and sound to Praha Ruzyně Airport after an uneventful flight. My buddy, Lucie, was waiting for me as promised and so we headed to the dorm and arrived there no problem despite my heavy bags. :-D She helped me to check in and settle in, and I met my roommate, who also is from CSU in Fort Collins. I was slightly disappointed because I hoped for the challenge of meeting someone from another country right away, but I know He does what He does for a reason. :-) The three of us went almost immediately to Albert, the nearest grocery store (well, they're all over) and got some food. This was all Weds 10 September. :-)


So Thursday, 11 Sept., my buddy took Ashley (my roommate) and I to school to ask some questions, and we were frustrated that we could not register early or anything despite the fact that we saw our ID cards and packets laying completely prepared on a table. We were also again frustrated when we tried to buy a transportation pass (which is MUCH more economical than individual tickets) because they would not accept our US ISIC cards, so we again had to wait until Monday to purchase those. So, without internet at home, and no way of getting internet at school, plus transportation being expensive it was a frustrating morning. We went to Wenceslas Square and looked around some shops and had pizza for lunch, and then the rest of the evening Ashley and I spent mostly relaxing.


Friday 12 Sept, Lucie took me to do some sight seeing. We visited the Castle some and viewed the Cathedral from inside but decided not to go in this day because the line was hugely long. She showed me the beautiful Senate house, and Senate was in session at the time. We had a quick lunch of a 20kč (about 1.20) cheeseburger from McDonalds, saw the 35 second Astronomical clock chime (such a tourist trap...) and I used my limited Czech language to buy a yummy kobliha (donut--very different from US :-D) at a bakery. Then we both went to our separate homes. Ashley and I had dinner at the pub that is in our dormitory and hung out talking for a while before going to bed.


Saturday 13 September I left for VSETÍN! :-D This was rather an unexpected plan that I made just before coming to Praha. The main reason was for the baptism of my friend's fianceé with Maják (Lighthouse) Church, a small church plant in Vsetín (see above blog post). Saturday dawned quite cold compared to my first few very warm days in Praha and it was quite chilly for September... but I had the blessing of having a crazy train adventure (ask me sometime), hanging out with friends, going to the Mládež youth group Saturday night, spending the night with my friends Iva and MaSlo, going to CB church Sunday morning, attending the baptisms on Sunday afternoon, and being shown around the nearby city of Valašské Meziříčí (ValMez) before hopping on yet another train back to Prague. This is the briefest version of the weekend but it was sooo wonderful. :-)


Monday and Tuesday were rather frustrating for me. First, there were many long lines with the school registration Monday morning. That went fine, and Ashley and i got our transport passes, school IDs, and internet info (we were very excited for that). But we found out that evening that we still could not connect to the internet and the directions we were given were very poorly written. Plus I spent the evening sneezing a lot and that wasnt fun... especially when I woke up with a cold on Tuesday morning. Not a fun thing at ALL. I found out that quite a few others from Vsetín also developed a bad cold about the same time. Once again we had internet woes... I managed to connect with my laptop at school, but not at home. There were a few welcome events Tuesday that I also missed due to being sick. I could have gone to one but I missed it, and the party in the evening I chose to avoid because I didnt want to get worse or infect others (this is good...I heard it was very crowded and smokey).


Today has been much better... I worked out my internet problems, which is how I am now updating you. :-) Me and Ashley went on a little "adventure" out to IKEA to get a few things for our room like dishes and an extra pillow and blanket, and had dinner at the canteen and are spending the evening resting because we are both tired and I am still battling a bad cold and need to rest. I can barely talk right now... :-( Not fun!


Still God has proved faithful...

Praises:

• Safe arrival in Praha
• Getting everything set up here, despite the frustrations and delays
• The man God provided on the train who happened to also be going to Vsetín and was able to help me when something went wrong!
• The baptism and profession of faith of 3 new Maják believers! :-D
• How God uses my friends in Vsetín to encourage me when I feel alone out here. :-)

Please Pray for:

• My buddy, Lucie, and my roommate, Ashley. both not believers, pray I can be a witness in word and action. I have talked some with Ashley about our differences, please pray for boldness to speak the truth in genuine love and without fear...
• for my friend Adéla who is a rather new believer to have a desire to come to mládež and seek the fellowship of other believers, pray I can deepen my relationship with her
• Pray for my cold to go away QUICKLY... it seems maybe Satan is trying to attack, as many of us are sick who are attending Sport Weekend with Mládež this weekend.
• Pray for Sport weekend, there will be spiritual talks in the evening and pray that the Holy Spirit will work through Athletes in Action and move the hearts of unbelievers and encourage the hearts of believers. :-)
• For my future involvement this semester with Mládež... this is where I hope to be involved when I move here, so I am THRILLED that God seems to have opened the door for me to be in Vsetín more this semester. :-) SO excited!!!

Promíň... Sorry this is long. :-) feel free to email and comment! will update on Mondays usually, but always look for the email too. :-)

One Week... :-) Jeden Týden

Ahoj,

Well I leave one week from tomorrow, Sept. 9. Crazy! I am nervous and excited all at once. :-) Some new developments have come up since my last post and most of them are pretty awesome.

I learned recently, through documents received by email which include a "master schedule" of all the CESP courses, that I will probably not be able to take all of the classes I had intended on taking. I am a bit disappointed honestly because I was really looking forward to those classes. I should still be able to take at least 2 of the original 4 (I really hope that Czech history is included in this. :-) ) but will probably also take classes in business and or economy that I do not know much about. Oh well, I am sure they can be useful in some way. But on a brighter note, I contacted the professor for the "elementary Czech" class and it looks very possible to take the "intermediate Czech" class which would be much more challenging for me, and a lot more productive! Yay! I have been studying a lot more Czech grammar lately and in my "quizzing" I have done pretty well... practice makes perfect, I hope!

I also have been in contact with my "buddy". The buddy system at the school is for foreign students to have a match-up VŠE student who will help them to get around, talk to people, etc. and just generally be a friend in a new place. So my buddy, a girl named Lucie (Lucy) emailed me for the first time just over a week ago and we have been in touch. She is near to my age and we have some good things in common (even a dislike for the taste of most alcohol :-) ) and I think I will enjoy getting to know her even more.

I do have a dilemma, and I am unsure how big of a dilemma it really is but I could use some prayer. the first weekend before school starts there is an "Icebreaking weekend". It is described as follows:

*What is it about?*- You will meet and get to know your fellows for Fall 2008;- You will meet us, Buddy System Team, a group of Czech students who willorganize various events, parties and trips for you during the whole term;- You will party!!! Friday's night: International party; Saturday's night:Freak hat party!- Teambuilding games, sports, lecture of Czech language and many others...

*Where?*- Holiday resort Radost (http://www.rz-radost.cz/): surrounded by beautiful Czech nature with sport areas, social and barbecue area and bar (of course!)

*When?*- *September 19th - September 21st* (Friday morning - Sunday afternoon)- Transportation by buses from the square in front of V©E universitybuilding (2-hours journey) is included in the price

The dilemma comes partly in the cost (it is about 90 dollars with the current exchange rate) especially in relation to the activities. I see on one end that this is an opportunity to intentionally get to know people and possibly hear about more of what activities there are in the semester (there is a basic schedule online also)... but, especially seeing as I KNOW there will be a lot of "partying", meaning a lot of drinking, do I really want to spend 90 bucks to go and sit there being bored while everyone else is drinking while "getting to know each other"? Even though there are other activities I have very good reason to believe, based on what I have heard about the program in the past, that the drinking will be heavy and I just do not think that is an environment I want to spend my weekend being around. Not for 90 dollars. If it was joining people to go to a bar or a pub in Praha I could understand because then I could spend what I want and come and go as I please.
please pray for me in this... especially that I can have good opportunities to meet people in a more positive way and participate in things because I do not want to ignore the many good opportunities the program provides, or the chance to make friends with people from around the world and maybe even make a positive difference in their lives. I want God to be able to use me where I am at.

In general I am pretty excited to get going... :-) I have already started packing! Definitely a little nervous because I have never spent 3 whole months away from home completely with no one I really know. I think this could be a very positive growing experience in every aspect of my life.

Your prayers and correspondance are greatly appreciated. :-) Look for another update within 2 weeks... I will post one within a week of arriving.
Dobrý den!

v Září...

In September.... I leave again. :-) The 9th, if all goes well.

I am studying abroad in Prague (Praha) for the fall semester. I will return the 19th of December. While the obvious, external purpose of this trip is for academics, I want to use this as an opportunity to learn about the country I hope my future ministry will be in. I am diverting from my music education degree for a semester and taking these classes to learn about Czech:

• Elementary Czech (language-hoping to move up to intermediate!)
• Cultural History of the Czech Lands
• Philosophy in Central Europe
• Comparitive Government of Central and Eastern Europe

I hope to meet many new people through school, both Czechs and people from around the world. :-) I will be assigned a "buddy" who will pick me up from the airport and help me out the first few days and also be at my disposal to help me or just hang out with. I have no idea who that will be and perhaps I will have an opportunity with that person too. Either way I should have plenty of opportunity to meet people and I hope the Lord provides opportunity in that. :-)

I hope to get involved in a local church as well. As of right now I have no idea which one but it will work out. :-) My friend from Vsetín, Iva, is connecting me with her best friend in Prague who is a Christian and loves the outdoors as well. :-) So I am really looking forward to that and perhaps a church body will also come along with this new friend.

I also hope to travel to Vsetín occasionally to begin being involved with the youth group at CB church there. The youth there are where my heart lies with ministry and this is also the church through which the English camps are done. I went to this church during my month in Vsetín this past winter. I have already had an offer of a place to stay, so it is great to see that my return is desired even a little bit. :-) I am really looking forward to spending time with the kids and seeing the ones who have recently come to Christ and reaching out to those who havent. If this is truly where God wants me then I look forward VERY much to beginning that ministry!

Alright, I have a few prayer requests.

• Lufthansa, my airlines, is currently being affected by a widespread strike. It is uncertain how long this strike will last so there is still a possibility that it will affect my flight. Please pray that the strike ends soon or that the Lord provides another way that isnt draining on my bank account.
• I am trying to learn the Czech language as much as I can before I get there. Progress is good but I want to be able to successfully communicate on my own as much as possible. Speaking the language is an excellent way to reach out to the Czech people and gain their trust. :-)
• Pray for me to find a good, strong church with either services in English or a friend who can translate for me. pray that I find ministry to be involved in and don't use my 3 months in the Czech Republic wastefully but as purposefully as possible.

I have a few praises as well!

• for a 500-dollar scholarship toward studying abroad! This is a huge praise and I honestly have no idea, besides His hand working, how I would be chosen for this scholarship. :-)
• for the opportunity I have had to work this summer to save money towards this trip as well as future ministry.
• for the connections I am beginning to get in Prague even 45 days away from departure. :-)

Thank you for your prayers! I will be posting updates much more frequently when I am in Prague. And pictures-fotky. :-D

Preparing for Czech...

Christ is not a lifestyle; He is life itself.

This is the thought that pervades my mind as I seek the Lord's strength... I have been so distracted, so tired lately... that I have not taken the adequate and necessary time to prepare for this trip. My Father is gently prodding me, encouraging me to "function" despite the mild chaos surrounding me right now. He is reminding me that when I chose to follow Him, by his Grace, I did not choose to live a certain lifestyle, but to die to myself, surrender my life, and allow Jesus to become the very air I breathe.

So often I find myself daily in a dangerously narrow mindset, focusing on myself and only the immediate surroundings which are most important to me. I have not chosen nearly enough to place value in most others, to place value in the peoples of the world I have not even met yet, to value the dire need of the nations for a Savior... The Lord cares for every trial and trouble of my heart, for every tear which falls from my eye, but He desires that my heart be His heart... and His heartbeat is for a lost world so desperately in need of Him.

I am merely a vessel. I cannot serve unless He allows, He lives in me and through me. My life is not my own; it was bought at a price. A steep, steep price.

The Calling

"But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine...To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning..."
Daniel 1:8a, 17a

As I read this passage and pondered over it while eating a delicious sandwich, the following thought passed through my head--the calling to a life in Christ really IS a drastic contrast to life of this world, when lived in truth.

Yes, many of us have had this thought before, but how often has it had the power to truly change us from the inside out? How different are we really? I ask these questions of myself quite frequently these days, and praise the Lord, He keeps revealing to me many ways I still need to grow. And when my heart is turned to Him I experience joy even through these painful convictions. Even as tears flow down my cheeks my heart is full because of the love of Christ.

Just as Daniel resolved not to defile himself with "unclean" food, I want to be resolved not to defile myself with the life of this world... by filling my fleshly, earthly desires rather than letting the Lord fill me, by becoming polluted by simply trying to "fit in", by letting selfishness consume me rather than the love of Christ... I cannot merely be a voice speaking these truths but a vessel expressing them silently through my actions, which will scream loudly to those who take notice.

But this is not for my glory--no, it is for the Lord's! To truly be in step with my Savior... I must be willing to sacrifice recognition, to bite my tongue, to do His will simply because He wants me to and deserves for me to rather than because I expect something in return. Yet even though I should not expect "payment", God will reward those who are faithful!

He rewarded Daniel and His friends with wisdom, knowledge, and particularly in Daniel's case, special abilities (interpreting dreams). The Lord promises us great things if we obey and seek to live a life in Christ Jesus rather than succumbing to the temptation of a worldly life. We see snippets of this life... take tiny bites... and still turn our backs! I have experienced this myself. For one brief instance I will be focused on my Savior and madly in love with Him and He will reveal a truth to me... and even if it hurts I will praise Him! But then... though we have the knowledge through experience of how much greater this life, this calling is... we fall away the next instant, seeming to forget what God has shown us as possible.

I'm amazed at how difficult it can be to live this radical, truth-consumed life. I love it... I am sooo blessed that the Lord has made this possible at ALL... but it's not easy. God promised that it would not be. And then He gives us His shoulder to lean on and carries us through the darkest moments, fulfilling His promise of faithfulness.

Defying Human Nature

Oswald Chambers writes in his devotional My Utmost for His Highest, for May 14 (The Habit of Enjoying Adversity):

"Never live on your memories of past experiences, but let the Word of God always be living and active in you."

I am sure I was somewhat unaware of the human tendency to do this, simply because basing each new day on past experiences is such an ingrained aspect of my life. I base how I treat people on past interactions with them. I base my motivations and decisions for school on past experiences and motivations. I base my attitude each day on the events of the previous day...

How wrong this seems!

If I am truly being made new and transformed by the Word of God... if I am truly submitting to Him daily and desiring Him to work in me... then these things drastically subside in importance.

My interaction with people should be based not on my past with them (especially those with whom the past is shaky and riddled with hurt), but rather our interaction should be based on the love of Christ! I should love others as Christ loves them and me and learn to let go of my hurts, give them into the powerful hands of God (who already paid for them anyway), and not let those hurts poison my relationships with people. I must also allow the love of God to permeate me such that my fear of interacting with new people does not keep me from genuinely loving them or even meeting them to begin with.

My motivation in school and work should be an attitude of "whatever you do, do it as working for God and not men." I sometimes realize "in the moment" when the Lord is changing this attitude within my heart - yet taking the executing step is difficult. I am more prone to laziness than I would prefer to admit. Overcoming this laziness and weakness is by God's grace alone but requires effort. An ironic situation--I must be motivated enough to let God motivate me. :) I long to be motivated to be "productive" in my school work, house work, and especially in my relationship with the Lord. I find it surprising how difficult it can be at times to be motivated to study God's word or converse with Him! How backwards that seems.

Often when I have a bad day... even a seemingly endless span of bad days, such as I experiencd recently... I wake up the next day and quickly feel a heaviness in my heart which is a more than sufficient reminder of the pain I have recently experienced. I find most often that to pull myself from whatever pit I have dug myself into requires some positive event to happen... either a very significant event or just anything positive with whoever I have experienced pain with. How wrong this is! Regardless of whatever the days past have been like, I must learn to let the Lord mold my attitude each morning... it should be an attitude of thankfulness, of grace, of joy at the very breath of life He provides though I am so undeserving.

No matter how overwhelmed I am feeling with school, a relationship, with the seemingly endless convictions the Lord is putting on my heart calling for a heart change... It should be His Word alone which shapes me and my experiences. Only the purest truth, the one that supercedes by far whatever "truth" I am experiencing in this world. I am amazed that God provides, in His great mercy, the strength by His spirit to experience His joy despite what may be happening in my life--not that He makes it easy, but He makes it possible when without Him it would be utterly impossible.

Marks of genuine Love

I wonder... can any of us love genuinely and be aware of it? If we feel or think that we are loving genuinely, has pride set in and our love been proved ungenuine as a result? Or is it possible that God can open our eyes to our personal growth without it making us prideful?

I was thinking these thoughts earlier today as I pondered whether I truly, genuinely love people. I think I tend to love people I develop relationships with... much like I have a heart for that which is in my immediate surroundings and have a more difficult time finding genuine compassion, concern, and love for that which is far away in the world. How I pray for a global perspective and heart! But... the same thing with people. My heart feels so full when I ponder my relationships with believers and nonbelievers. But when I meet new people... I get scared. I want to hide inside of myself, afraid for some reason to get to know them. I honestly don't know why.

There are a couple of friends the Lord blessed me with this year that I would never have "chosen" on my own... they are amazing people with beautiful hearts that, for some exterior reason--be it appearance or behavior--would not have been ones I would choose to include in my life. Sad but true. Thankfully the Lord had other plans. He's opening my eyes more and more... helping me love people for who they are even before I know them well, removing my fear of developing new relationships... and he's convicting me when I look at someone and fear getting to know them.

And with those I have known much longer... with all that the Lord has been changing inside of me this year I am becoming acutely aware that any love I may have felt for some dear friends over the years has been anything but genuine. It's been outright selfish. It's difficult to admit and recall and deal with the memories of how I have wasted time.... years even... upset over petty things, ruining relationships by demanding my own way and even being unintentionally manipulative. I'm amazed at those who have stood by me as long as they have, even if those relationships are now strained to a point where I fear they may never truly heal. Yet... I sense God is changing my heart much with this awareness, and that's where I question whether I am being prideful. I thought about a particular friend this afternoon, and realized that it is truly my desire to show said friend that I love them by honoring their wishes, even when those wishes specifically disclude me. While it brought tears to my eyes... suddenly honoring those wishes and that person were more important than my own desires. Which is why I wondered, "am I beginning to understand genuine love? And does it mean I am being prideful in supposedly being able to see it?" It's just been my thought that true humility will go completely unrecognized by the humble person... someone will say something and they will think "...really? I was being humble? hmm." And then let it go without another thought, having never thought about it before.

How I long to love others genuinely, in humility and gentleness...