Much to my surprise, my super hero friend flew in tonight!
This morning I received another voicemail from my mother, updating me on the status of my G-Ma, things haven’t progressed like we all have hoped they would. She is back on bed rest and is very uncomfortable. My mom is trying to decide when she is going back down to Indiana to help with everything going on. My Aunt, mom’s sister, has been there since last week and my uncle has returned, as soon as yesterday, I believe. Please be praying that God would show up in the midst of all of this. That He would comfort my G-Ma, grandfather, and family. Of course, we all long and desire for my g-ma to have full recovery, so please pray for that, but please pray that Christ would be seen in the midst of it all. Pray that we all see him in, even, in the midst of the pain and hurting. I’ll be honest, it has been hard for me. I’m so far away and really can’t do anything from over here, besides pray and praying I’ve done. I love my family, much and life, time zones, and etc. make this tough. I covet your prayers immensely! Thank you!
I’m at a coffee shop (yes St. Bucks again, say what you will) and I just finished two hours of Czech class, and in between learning Czech and getting back to work on a presentation, Cultural Landmarks and ‘Avenues’ to the Heart of Czechs (maybe I’ll blog about it in the near future), for our evangelism emphasis week we are having next week with AIA and I thought I would check my email quick. The first email I read was the following:
I was at Common Grounds coffee house in Lexington, KY today. A man asked me if I could take my picture, saying I looked like you, and referred me to your www. Kinda funny, right before he asked me I was sending off an email about getting involved in European missions, and it appears from a quick glance at your site that you are doing exactly that. I’m gonna give it more than a glance now, and read up on what’s going on. Maybe I’ll be talking to you about such things.
What is funny about this is, this is the second instance/situation I’ve had like this as a result of my blog or my zhtv episodes, read about the first here. This is a little strange to me (note: people knowing who I am is strange, not the people who know me). There are people in Lexington that read my blog enough to want to take a picture with a guy who looks like me!?!? First off, here is a shout out to my peeps in Lexington, whomever you are! THANKS FOR BEING FAITHFUL READERS of zACHhARROD.com! Secondly, as I told my long-lost-twin-brother, when I replied to his email, he must be an amazingly attractive, and yet so humble, man! Please sense my sarcasm! đ Either way, it’s another reminder of the weight of words and the power that a little blog where I blog about what God is teaching me, the people/country I love, and life can have. It makes me want to write more and create more for this blog. We shall see. (I’ve said this before haven’t I?)
So I’m going to attempt something, but it’s up to you who is reading this to do something! I’ve seen this on other people’s blogs before and I never thought I would be in a place to try it, but we are going to do a little sound off, SO PLEASE USE THE THE “RESPONSE” LINK AND LET ME KNOW WHO YOU ARE! I don’t get a ton of unique hits on each blog post, but I’m sure more people read this than I can imagine and I’d like to know who you are! So give us a shout and leave a response! Thanks for all who read zACHhARROD.com! I appreciate you! As always, be a revolution of love and radical grace centered on the greatest revolutionary of all time, Jesus, today!
âExercising Christian love and mercy and generosity to the poor, orphans and widows, priests, guests and travelers. Truthful in speech, fair in judgment, faithful to all which is entrusted to him, exceeding human limits in goodness. Never depriving anyone of anything through violence or trickery. Believing in God with all his heart, embodying goodness in all his life. Building churches in all castles and gathering Godâs servants from abroad, introducing Godâs worship as is customary in great nations. Spreading Christâs message through good example, not by force.â -From a legend about King Wenceslas (VĂĄclav), as quoted from Czechs and Balances: a nationâs survival kit
I’m working on a talk/training/resourcing time we are doing for our STINTers/Volunteer next week, tentatively entitled “Cultural Landmarks and âAvenuesâ to the Heart of Czechs“, and I found this quote in one of my favorite commentaries about Czech history, legends, and life. It is an amazing quote! Especially, when you consider that King Wenceslas is a major Czech hero and considered the patron saint of the Czech lands, come on the biggest square in the city is VĂĄclavskĂ© nĂĄmestĂ (Wenceslas Square). So as I read and reread the quote on the tram home, I prayed that God would raise up Czechs in the same vain as this quote. Would you join me in praying for this? How beautiful of a picture does this quote paint? Well, imagine the Lord painting a much more brilliant picture if there were Czechs living this out boldly today! I love the church-plant hint that is in the quote too – “Building churches in all castles”! I guess, we aren’t building them in castles anymore, but it’s still there! May God increase His worship in this great nation! Thanks for stopping by, I’m off to bed!
Thanks for the prayers! My G-Ma (again G-Ma is her rapper name, actually her full rapper name is “G-Ma to the S,” but that is a different post) made it through surgery well and came out of the post-op well! My mom and I agreed that if anything serious happened she would call my mobile phone, which is generally always near, but if things went fine she would call my vonage line and live a message. Throughout the night I woke up at different times and grabbed my phone to see if I missed a call. Thankfully I didn’t and there was a voice mail waiting for me. Thanks for the prayers. Keep them coming for her and my family. This is the first experience for me being so far away and something like this happening, so it’s been a bit challenging. God has reminded me though, that this sacrifice is worth it, and both my family and I will, in someway, be rewarded for our sacrifice and faithfulness in this. Well, I have to get to my spanking for the day, Oh I mean Czech class! đ My homework for today was to write an essay (in Czech of course) about why I don’t think it is possible for humans to keep the 10 Commandments! It was a bit challenging. Okay, I have to get out the door! Thanks again!
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. 7 Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Please pray that my whole family sees Jesus in the midst of this and that they would cling to Him. Please also pray I can talk with her and pray for her before she goes under. Thank you for being you and being involved in my life! Thanks for the prayers too! Please let me know how I can be praying for you….
It is true, I do “love fall“! This past Sunday, I left my flat (apartment) a little early before church to go for a prayer/photo walk in Prague. I still can’t believe this place is my home! It is unreal in it’s shear beauty, I prayed much for the city as I walked and snapped pics. I dream of this city being beautiful for more than just architecture, buildings, and etc. I wanted to share some of those pics with you and also let you know I’ve also added some pics to my flickr page for your viewing (click the link or go down to the lower right hand side of the page). Here are a few of my favorites and/or notables. Thanks for stopping by.
