the one year mark

Today, believe it or not, is the one year mark for my return “home” or back to Prague! I can’t believe it’s already been a year! So much has transpired in the last 365 days that as I thought about a year in Prague and putting something on my blog about I didn’t know where to start or what to do. How do you attempt to sum up a year like I’ve gone through, or any year for that matter, in the last year. As I sit here looking back and reflecting over the last year I’m so grateful for what God has done, both in the ups and the downs. I think one of the biggest things that hits home with me as of late is what God taught me about my “romanticized view” of returning to Prague, that I included in my May/June monthly prayer letter. I wrote:

I have a confession, while I was away from Prague, I had a “romanticized view” of the many things back here, especially with the Lions. I think this is a common epidemic amongst human beings; we do it in a variety of ways – marriage (if we’re single), kids, singleness (once we are married, looking back, or so I’m told), and much more. Well, this year wore out my romanticized view of the Lions and has brought a HUGE degree of reality to my life and ministry with the team.

As I sit looking ahead, over what God would do, could do, in the next year I sit with a much more grounded view, but yet I’m so very optimistic to see what God is going to do. As I include pics that attempt to sum up the last year, I wonder what images will sum up the next year of life in Prague. It should be exciting to see what transpires! Thank you to each of you who pray and support what WE (that is you and I partnering together with God) do here in Prague, Europe and beyond!

Back in Prague with new friends – my roomdawg (Ernie), Mark and Jason.

I was so excited to see how God had moved in Ondra’s life while I was gone and I also dove head long into learning Czech in a class room that consisted of Chinese, Koreans, a Swede and myself.

I loved jumping back into coaching and loving on my junior team guys! Pray that God would move in their hearts!

Last fall was interesting, because I was waiting, and waiting for my shipment to come with all my stuff, it came 4 months after it was scheduled and I was so very happy that it arrived! I also was blessed to spend a week on holiday with dear Crusade friends in Athens, which was a much needed break between semesters of language class.

The second semester of Czech class brought presentations, these pics (with Gustav’s [me Swedish classmate who used to play] try to represent my attempt of trying to explain American football in Czech!

It was also a blast attending the Story of the Soul conference and working with my Polish friends on a presentation about being “World Changers”.

It was awesome to partner with my teammate and friend, Šimmí, as we taught 15 or so kids how to play American football. It was also so much fun to celebrate Gustav’s birthday with him. He makes me proud to say I have Swedish blood in my veins!

This summer also brought a visit from my very dear friends, Andy and Chelsey Garrett, that was so very refreshing. Then of course, work took me to the “Far East” which I could have never have imagined.

The Chinese loved us foreigners, it was strange feeling like a rock star! I was blessed to take my friend and teammate, Honza, with me for a life changing couple of weeks! Lastly, a short lay over in Moscow, just made me scratch my head and wonder…

Thanks for sharing the last year of life with me! May God bring a revolutionary next year!