zhtv 29 interviews from Zach Harrod on Vimeo.
Finally, after more than a year I have a new episode of zhtv up! Miracles of miracles! Enjoy this, the 29th, episode of zhtv. You will get a deeper glimpse of ministry, life and football here, even if the interviews are in Czech. Thanks for all you, my ministry partner, do to make a difference with me here in Prague, Czech & Europe! Be a revolution!
Will I get to see you this summer, while I’m on the “Coming to America Tour 2011?”
Here’s the dates and the locations of the churches I’ll be speaking at (click on the church name for their website).
Beyond coming out and seeing me at the church gatherings, you can also see me at a local coffee shop in those three areas – Xenia, Oshkosh and Southern Wisconsin (Lake Geneva). Times and locations will come later here on zACHhARROD.coooooooom!
Beyond, that I’m needing to raise more support, as I said in the video, so if you can help me out by connecting me with more liking-minded people, who want to make a difference here in Prague, Czech Republic and Europe, that would be great. OR if you want to host a support party that would be even better! CLICK HERE and let me know!
Thank you and BE A REVOLUTION!
That’s right lives do get changed in Prague! Believe it or not! Our Dutch colleges (I love the Dutch!) came during March and shot some footage (with cameras I wish I had) for a couple of documentaries and promotion for their summer projects as well. Here is the latest one! It’s a great video, even if you don’t understand Dutch, because some of the interviews are in English! There is one interview you NEED to hear, Jarda. If you don’t want to watch the whole video (you’ll regret not watching it all) just start at 6:40.
BTW you can watch the video with English, just use the cc-button in the YouTube-player.
This past Monday, I met with my director, and great friend, Billy, and in our two hours together a ministry leader, whom we both know, was brought up in conversation. I was surprised to hear that he is pastoring a church of over 4,000 and has written a book! I jokingly said, “Oh Billy we could write a book too!” He responded, “About what?” Then we went on to lay out a quick, rough table of contents for a book about faithfulness in ministry, when you don’t see results! We aren’t sure that people would be into a book on this topic, but it got us thinking, moreover, it really got me thinking about faithfulness.
First off, it got me thinking about how the world we live in, no matter what country we are in, doesn’t value faithfulness. How often do we hear the statistics about marital affairs and divorce? I can’t count the number of times I’ve read about this or heard it come from peoples’ mouths. Or how often do you see family quarrels break families up? How often do you see life-time friends end their friendship over something so trite? This isn’t even bringing up politicians or the business world! Simply put, we as a human race, aren’t a faithful people. Some of us might “get it” more than others, but I’ll be honest with you, on my “best day” of faithfulness, I’m surely still lacking!
Over the last year, I’ve wrestled with the lack of faithfulness of many. I’ve been shocked to see people turn their backs on longtime friends, simply for what was best for them. It’s wrecked me. As I’ve walked, or I should say crawled, through this time, I’ve grown to prize faithfulness more than ever before. I value it more in relationship, in ministry, and more. I long for my own heart to get, what it means to be faithful and that, Lord-willing, as God enables faithfulness in me, it would spread to those, He has placed around me.
I’ve been in Prague, long-term, for going on 4 years. I’m often praised for my faithfulness, as people hear how hard the language, how many Czechs say their atheists, how long it takes for them to respond to the Gospel and so on. As I hear this, a feeling of self-righteousness creeps up on me and I need to realize, that I am the most miserable of faithless people apart from my Savior. As I’ve contemplated, this conversation with Billy this week, a verse from 2 Timothy has been hanging around my head.
“If we are faithless, he remains faithful.” (2 Timothy 2:13)
I’m that faithless individual, but He is faithful! He remains faithful. Then the new Shawn McDonald album (Closer) came out on Tuesday and I’ve listened to this song on repeat.
Listen to the words… Let them kick around in your head a bit. Be thankful, that even though we are a faithless people, He is faithful!
A friend of mine challenged me to preach three things to myself on a regular basis:
So how about you? What truths of God and the Gospel do you have to preach yourself? Use the comments and let’s start a discussion on this, I’m interested in hearing if this hits home with others and what you might add to the conversation!
Be a Revolution and Preach the Revolutionary Love of Jesus to yourself….!
Merry Christmas nebo Veselé Vánoce!
…I guess! This Christmas will be remembered for many things but one of them surely will be what is now resting snugly in a purple brace, yes purple (I guess they had no other colors!) – that would be my shoulder! Earlier this week I ventured north to the Great Mountains (a.k.a. Krkonoše) with the abominable snowman (see evidence below), I mean my dear friend and director, Billy Crossan, for our almost annual pre-Christmas ski trip.
They day was going great. I was enjoy the beauty and the opportunity to worship God as a got my shred on!
Then the unexpected of all unexpecteds happened! I FELL! Even though I don’t get on snow 5-6 days a week as I did when I was a kid, I can’t just go out and be a “recreational skier,” that’s not fun for me. I enjoy speed, good hard turns and occasionally flying through the air! Well, to keep the story short, I was cranking out a turn over a small roll of the hill, when my binding released on me as I left the ground. Needless to say, it’s hard to land on one ski going 30-40 mph, I tried to pull it out, but when my skiless boot barely touched the ground I went flying into the air once again, with all my weight coming down on extend arm – BOOM – first dislocation (besides fingers, which I fixed on my own!;-)). Our ski trip came to an abrupt end, as I was taken to the town’s medical center.
The doctor and his staff did an amazing job caring for me and after an x-ray they popped it back in and it looks like I should be good to go! Hopefully no surgery and just three weeks in the brace. I won’t be on snow any time soon, but I’m thankful it’s not more serious. So I guess I gave myself an early Christmas gift a purple brace, some awkward situations with just my one hand and little pain! MERRY CHRISTMAS ME!
Here’s the corrected shoulder, I can’t get the pic of the x-ray of it dislocated, but I’m happy this looks right!
I had hoped to fire out another zhtv episode for this Christmas, but sadly because of my “accident” it didn’t happen, so you can enjoy a couple past Christmas zhtv episodes! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Hello world, my name is Zach and I do have a blog! Recently, I picked up my phone and my father was on the other end of the line, he asked, “What’s up with your website?” As I have said before, when life seems to be getting the most of me, my blog is the first thing to go. I apologize profusely for this and as I wrap up the year that was 2010, I’m trying to think through how I can write more and keep this blog more updated in 2011. So here is a quick entry to end the year right on my blog and hopefully set the tone for 2011 (will it really be 2011?!?!? Crazy!)
So what had been keeping me busy this fall? These guys and everything going on around them! (By the way, F.A.M.I.LY. stands for Forget About Me I Love You. We disovered this from Rutgers University. I love what it teaches. To put my team and teammates before myself!)
My fall was full of x’s and o’s, practices, game plans, conversations, games and lots of time with my team of 50+ guys (including coaches)! I loved it and more over I love these young men. I’m so blessed to be able to to be their coach and then some (or I least attempt to by more than a coach) to them. This season got off to a different start for us as we had our training camp outside of Prague, which included a leadership program we call “Srdce Lva” (“Heart of Lion”). In our leadership program, we discuss and ponder our team values – Tradition, Courage, Hardwork and Faithfulness/Loyalty. Beyond covering our team values, we talk about being a champion on and off the field, making a positive difference in our teammate’s lives and on our greater society and more! One of the greatest things about my fall, was that these young men bought into the plan and the program.
Them buying in carried us through our season and into the Championship game, which we won 34-23 over our cross-town rivals, the Prague Panthers. It was a hard fought game on both sides, but when it was said and done, our guys held on and we came out as Back-to-Back Champs! Here are a couple of vids. The first one, is our entrance to the field, which I happened to borrow from The Ohio State. It’s called “the Hive” and it represents that no one can divide us and we are a team to the very end. I hope this becomes a tradition amongst the Lions for years to come in some form, because I believe it is one of the greatest values we can teach the kids, that no matter what it is better to forgive and fight for unity than to divide! That’s character! The second video is our Championship Game highlight video!
If you are wondering what the Dominate shirts and bracelets are visit my friend’s, Phil, facebook page Cancer Kicker to find more information about how Phil is dominating Cancer! You can also join the domiNATION there!
There you have it, finally a new post and a new update! Thanks for all two of you that continue to stop by! Have a Revolutionary Christmas!
Well hello, yes I am alive… I haven’t blogged since my birthday, in MAY?!?! Yes that is a true statement. Wow, as said before, it seems that when life accelerates here in Prague, my blog is the first thing neglected. Which is understandable but at the same point, I’m not a fan of the neglection of zACHhARROD.com! You might have been wondering, “What Zach has been up to over the last couple of months,” or you might not care at all, either way my last 3 months were filled with our AIA Czech Project, a coaches trip to Berlin, Czech Senior Nat’l Team training camp, a 2 week AIA Holland/Czech co-op Project in Southeast Czech, a much needed holiday away (in Sweden), another Czech Senior Nat’l Team training camp, a “friendly” game against Slovakia with the Czech Senior Nat’l Team and this week it’s been all Czech Junior Nat’l Team! It’s been full but great! So many great opportunities and I’m thankful that God continues to bring them and I pray that He is using me in the midst of all of these opps…. I thought it would be fun to share some vids of the Czech Senior Nat’l Team with you. We actually got a lot of press on Czech TV over the last couple of weeks, which is great for the game here in Czech. The first video is from the first news spot we were on:
Last year I wrote 29 reflections/highlights/insights/things and the year before I wrote 28 reflections, now I bring you 30 reflections/highlights/insights/things! I can’t believe the “big 3-0” hits today! Unreal! As I wrote earlier in the week, I’m actually not fearing it and I’m actually looking forward to it. Why? Here is one reason why….
The years teach much which the days never knew. -Ralph Waldo Emerson
This reminds me of sitting in Pastor Michael’s office, during one of our Monday morning discipleship sessions, reflecting on something (which was normal, as he would spiritually kick my butt time and time again!) and looking at him and saying, “I just wish I could get old fast!” Kind of strange coming from the mouth of a college student, but then again it wasn’t for me. It was sometime during college that I realized growth, maturity and wisdom can’t be forced. It develops over time in the heart, mind and life of an individual. It takes time. It was then that I realized the years are a great teacher. So here’s to another year and another decade behind me and a just a tad bit more wisdom, growth and maturity hopefully to my life! Oh yeah, the learning might just be beginning, if this quote is true…
Everything I know I learned after I was thirty. – Georges Clemenceau
