Archive for January, 2012

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So things are about to get CRAZY come this Monday! For the second time I will be flying three of my Czech guys over for the Second Czech Take Over America Tour! Each time it gets a little bit better! I’m so excited for Tomáš, Lukáš and Honza to get here Monday at 2:55 pm. “Why?” you ask. Well you can look at the map (I’m not overly excited about driving all that time, but I am excited to get tons of relationship time with my guys in the car.) and the schedule below to see why I’m amped for this trip. Is that not amazing? This time it is more geared towards helping these guys become better coaches as well as show them America, expose them to faith and more. While we are at each of these schools we will sit down with coaches for a few hours and get better at what we do – coach. It will be a “once in a lifetime opportunity” for them, and myself! I can’t wait to be in the midst of this all. Please pray that God would show up in many ways throughout the duration of our trip. By the way, America, ARE YOU READY FOR THE CZECH TAKEOVER?

Coaches Trip Schedule
January 30 – Monday – TRAVEL
January 31 – Tuesday – Elmhurst/Chicago
February 1 – Wednesday – Chicago
February 2 – Thursday – MSU/UM
February 3 – Friday – MSU/UM
February 4 – Saturday – Super Bowl Breakfast & AIA Dinner – Indianapolis
February 5 - Sunday am – AIA Chapel – Indianapolis
- Sunday pm – Super Bowl – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 6 – Monday – Taylor, Upland, IN
February 7 – Tuesday – Villanova
February 8 – Wednesday – Rutgers/NY
February 9 – Thursday – Rutgers/NY
February 10 – Friday – Rutgers/NY
February 11 – Saturday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 12 – Sunday – AIA Northeast Winter Retreat
February 13 – Monday – TRAVEL
February 14 – Tuesday – TRAVEL

That is an attitude adjustment! It’s funny how when I’m out “raising support” (or I should say “Ministry Partner Development”) how God shows up and blesses me in different ways. I hope to take some time in the near future to write more about this, but I wanted to share a poem with you that I heard recently when I was sharing at a young adults’ group, that God used to give me a bit of an attitude adjustment. Here’s the poem…

HIMSELF
by A. B. Simpson
Once it was the blessing, Now it is the Lord;
Once it was the feeling, Now it is His Word.
Once His gifts I wanted, Now the Giver own;
Once I sought for healing, Now Himself alone.

Once ’twas painful trying, Now ’tis perfect trust;
Once a half salvation, Now the uttermost.
Once ’twas ceaseless holding, Now He holds me fast;
Once ’twas constant drifting, Now my anchor’s cast.

Once ’twas busy planning, Now ’tis trustful prayer;
Once ’twas anxious caring, Now He has the care.
Once ’twas what I wanted, Now what Jesus says;
Once ’twas constant asking, Now ’tis ceaseless praise.

Once it was my working, His it hence shall be;
Once I tried to use Him, Now He uses me.
Once the power I wanted, Now the Mighty One;
Once for self I labored, Now for Him alone.

Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I know He’s mine;
Once my lamps were dying, Now they brightly shine.
Once for death I waited, Now His coming hail;
And my hopes are anchored, Safe within the vail.

I bolded the section that God used specifically in my heart to give this, previously mentioned, attitude adjustment. Those past actions – busy planning, caring, wanted, constant asking – that Simpson spoke of were, and maybe are still, things that I’m dealing with while I’m back in the States, trusting God to provide for me, so that I, and my ministry partners, can continue to make a difference in Prague, Czech, Europe and Beyond! Since I heard this poem, I’ve returned to it several times and I have been reminded of Jesus’ love for me and work in my life.

How about you? Did God use this to give you an attitude adjustment?

Thanks for stopping by! As always, BE A REVOLUTION!

Music is one of the things that God continually uses in my life to encourage me and pick me up. Over the last week I have been listening to Crowder Band’s new album Give Us Rest nonstop, especially the song “Let Me Feel You Shine.” Here’s how the song opens:

This place is trying to break my belief
But my faith is bigger than all I can see
What I need is redemption
What I need is for You for to put me back on my feet
(read full lyrics here)

As I’ve been back in the States sharing about what God is doing in Prague, the needs to OUR (your ministry and my ministry) in Prague (you can help meet those needs, click HERE!) and the challenges of living and doing ministry there, these first few words of this song are a HUGE encouragement for me. Honestly I just hit “back” and listen to the beginning of this song over and over again! Why? Because Prague and Czech does break missionaries. If you have met with me since I’ve been back you have heard that I referred to Prague and Czech as “Missionary Graveyard,” where the average missionary making a 5 year commitment makes it on average about 18 months. It’s the sad reality of a tough language, tough soil, unreal expectations and more…

Somehow, by God’s grace, I’ve defied the statistics and I’m on year number 5, but that doesn’t mean Prague, Czech and individuals there haven’t thrown their best at me to break me. That is why I love the words – “This place is trying to break my belief, But my faith is bigger than all I can see!” It’s true. It’s true. My faith, given to me by the redemption of Jesus of me, is bigger than the hurt, the betrayal, the lies, the discouragement, the lack of faithfulness, the cowardliness and the like! IT’S BIGGER! God can put you and I back our feet!

So where are you today? How do you need to cling to this truth? Do you need to start by submitting to Jesus for the first time or maybe for the thousandth time? He’s there. The faith He gives free of charge, is bigger than your situation, “your place,” “this place!” Turn to Him right now!

Here’s the song with lyrics:

Here’s also a behind the scene look at the song:

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thes. 5:24 ESV)

Recently I was asked to share what God has been teaching me as of late and I quickly replied with three words – GOD IS FAITHFUL.

There is nothing earth-shattering about this, is there? No. It’s a truth about God that I have seen and known for years, but in the midst of my life over the last couple of years I have forgotten this truth that is, indeed, earth-shattering! See in the midst of betrayal, slander, lies, disappointments, selfishness, people not holding their comments and the like (These are a few of the things that I have struggled through in the past couple years.), we forget that God is faithful. I’m not sure why, but I forget this and some how, some way, God always brings me back. Brings me back to the realization that He is faithful and all he requires of me, is that I am faithful back and He will take care of the rest!
(more…)

So here is what is still ahead of me! Will I see you? Can you help me connect with more people who love the Czech Republic and want to see hearts and lives changed there!?!? Thank you in advance for all your help!

Update Schedule as of Thursday, January 12, 2012:

• January 12 – 16 – Southern WI/Northern IL
• Friday evening, January 13 – OPEN Support Dessert in the Lake Geneva, WI area. (please pray the snow doesn’t hinder this in any way!) Click HERE for the Facebook invite.
• Sunday, January 15 – The Church of DeKalb – DeKalb, IL – 10:00am – S. 1st Street
• January 17 – 23 – Dallas/Ft. Worth – I have a couple of rock stars setting things up down in DFW, but if you could help I’d love that!
• January 23 – 24 – Southern WI/Northern IL
• January 25 – 27 – TWIN CITIES, MN – as of today (January 12th) I have nothing concrete set up, but if you would like to help, please email me ASAP!
• January 27 – 29 – Southern WI/Northern IL
• Sunday, January 29 – Faith Baptist Church – Delavan, WI – 10:30am – 1500 Creek RD – ALL ARE WELCOME!

Right now my biggest need is to get in front of more people and share with them what God is doing in Prague, Czech and Europe. Anything you can do to connect me with more potential partners is, and would be, HUGE! Here are openings I still have that I can do around Northern Illinois and Southern Wisconsin:

• Saturday, January 15
• Monday, January 16
• Tuesday, January 17
• Monday, January 23 (i fly into Milwaukee at 4pm though, so might be tough, but we can make something work!)
• Friday, January 27
• Saturday, January 28 (but I’m going to a workshop in the Milwaukee area till around 4 pm)

Please feel free to call, email me, Facebook me, Tweet me or what ever form of modern communication you prefer! THANK YOU AND AS ALWAYS BE A REVOLUTION!

Hello from a random coffee shop in Northern Illinois! I must apologize for not posting sooner about my schedule, while I’m back in the States, when my granddad passed away it threw me off and I’m trying hard to get back into the flow of things. Please check, back as I hope this will fill up in the days ahead. Please if you can help by hosting a Support Dessert/Dinner of some kind, that would be a HUGE blessing. Things haven’t been coming together as I had hoped.

Schedule

• January 7 – 11 – Fox Valley area – Wisconsin
• Sunday, January 8 – RiverValley Church – Oshkosh, WI – 9:00 & 10:45am – 1331 High Avenue – ALL ARE WELCOME!
• Sunday, January 8 – OPEN HOUSE at the Michael and Cindy Smiths – 3:30-5:30pm – if you are interested please email me and I will pass the address on to you.
• Sunday evening, January 8 – Sharing at Winneconne Christian Fellowship – 6:00 pm – 102 South 3rd Street – ALL ARE WELCOME!
• January 11 – 12 – TWIN CITIES, MN – as of today (January 5th) I have nothing concrete set up, but if you would like to help, please email me ASAP!
• January 14 – 16 – Southern WI/Northern IL
• Friday evening, January 13 – private Support Dessert in the Lake Geneva, WI area.
• Sunday, January 15 – The Church of DeKalb – DeKalb, IL – 10:00am – S. 1st Street
• January 17 – 26 – Dallas/Ft. Worth – I have a couple of rock stars setting things up down in DFW, but if you could help I’d love that!
• January 27 – 29 – Southern WI/Northern IL
• Sunday, January 29 – Faith Baptist Church – Delavan, WI – 10:30am – 1500 Creek RD – ALL ARE WELCOME!

I hope to add much more and even a few “Come and See Me” times, but I wanted to get this up today… PLEASE, PLEASE let me know if you can help in anyway, I’m trusting God to provide and also to bring in new ministry partners to join you and I in reaching Prague, the Czech Republic, Europe and Beyond!