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#SurpriseUsIn6 – Momentum – The Snow Ball

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“How can we pray for you guys?” Has been the number one question we have received while being back, and while we are trusting God to provide a good chunk of monthly support, we don’t start with that. I respond with this, “Please pray for momentum and then sustained momentum because there are forces that know if the ‘snow ball’ gets too big, it won’t be able to be stopped. What we experience in church, missional communities, football, anti-human trafficking and life in general in Prague is that when a series of positive events start building and we start seeing momentum, something, someone comes along and squashes that snowball. It’s a heartbreaking gut-wrenching experience that often sends us back to the beginning. Going through this for 15 years of ministry and life is tough.”

Would you pray with us for this as well?

While we understand this is life and life in ministry, we’ve had friends who have been with us for years in this, and they have said things like, “What you’ve experienced in a few years, is what some missionaries experience in a lifetime on the field.” When we’ve heard that we don’t know how we should feel. We aren’t interested in comparing ourselves to others, we long to be faithful and see Jesus made much of through our lives. So that means when the snowball has been crushed in the past, or maybe even today still, we start packing another snowball and start the process again, trusting that if we trust in Him nothing we do is in vain.

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Faithfulness. Being steadfast. Being immovable. Trusting in Him through it all.

Please pray that we would continue on in that and that Lord-willing, God would in the midst of this bring momentum, that then we would by His grace sustain.

If you would like to partner with us, you can CLICK HERE.

#SurpriseUsIn6 – Friends through Partnership

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Two words paralyze some people (including us at times) that are interested in being missionaries or serving – SUPPORT RAISING. There have been times I’ve wept as a result of support raising, even during this trip, but there are beautiful aspects of it as well. We’d like to share some of those beautiful aspects with you during this #SurpriseUsIn6 campaign, one of them being friendship through partnership.

See the majority of those who partner with us to make a difference in the Czech Republic didn’t know us before beginning their partnership, but as they join us through financial giving, praying for us and sharing their life with us something develops that’s deeper than partnership (supporter-supported relationship). A friendship develops.

This is why “raising support” is beautiful. We have friends that we never would have had if we did not have to raise support and trust God to provide through people. Recently we had dinner with supporters, who have become friends, and after dinner Míša looked at me and said, “That was beautiful and good for my soul, they don’t merely support us to do work but they love us and are in this with us through our ups and downs and their ups and downs, that is so refreshing!”

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

Being in ministry in a culture void of faith leads to adversity and so many people have been there for us through so much. What is more beautiful is that through their adversity they have stayed with us and trusted God to continue to provide for them so they can be part of providing for us. One of our friends recently said, “Even though we are expecting baby #2, we won’t change our giving. We believe in you guys and God will provide for us, so that we can continue on.”

Míša and I both were teary-eyed and thanked him, then thanked God. So as we trust God to provide for us again, we aren’t merely looking for supporters but friends to love at all times and through adversity!

Do you want to be part of GOD suprising us in thes last 6 weeks back?  YES!?!?  CLICK HERE!

#SurpriseUsIn6 – Surprised again and again by God

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I have to confess our #SurpriseUsIn6 social media campaign hasn’t been what we wanted it to be. Our trip has been a bit different than we expected, but in our last three weeks of the 6 we hope to share more! As I’ve contemplated and searched through Bible for God surprising people, I’ve learned a lot and it’s been an interesting word study. What I encountered often was something like this, “And the people hearing it were surprised at his teaching,” or some translations have “they marveled”. (Matthew 22:33)

marvel •• mar·?vel
: one that causes wonder or astonishment
: intense surprise or interest
: to become filled with surprise, wonder, or amazed curiosity
: to feel astonishment or perplexity at or about

These instances in the NT when people marveled or were surprised it was that Jesus, his teaching and authority isn’t what they had expected. The Messiah wasn’t supposed to be “like him, a peasant from that place!” Or so they thought and while God gives enough clues in the Bible to what the Messiah would be like, here we see God surprising us, doing something that we didn’t expect. That’s Him.

That has been God in my life. Recently I was sharing at a church and I said, “I never would have thought, that God would have called me to the middle of Europe, that I would learn a difficult language that I could preach in, that I would marry a woman from another country, that I would be working on being a duel citizen and the list could go on.” Through this all God has been faithful in the midst of it even through seasons of life that I had no idea what was going to happen and how I would go on.

So today as I think about our time in the States and the support we need to raise so that we can do what God has called us to, I am praying, “God you have been faithful. God you have given me reasons to marvel in the past. Please show up again in faithfulness and surprise us!” Would you join us in that prayer and consider being part of God surprising us?  Would like to be part of this, CLICK HERE to give online!

Momentum – #SurpriseUsIn6

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MOMENTUM – What comes to your mind when you hear the word MOMENTUM?  

Before you check out what images come to my mind when I think of momentum, share in a word or a picture in the commentary below, I would love to see what came to your mind. As we are in the States working on raising support & developing our team of ministry partners one of our top prayer requests is simple – sustained momentum. As we have shared since being back, I’ve thought a lot about how I would imagine momentum.  

 When I googled “momentum” these were the top images I saw – swinging balls, tables with rising figures & traffic. Beyond those images, rowdy football fans come to my mind, because when a team catches momentum there is almost an electricity in the air, I love that feeling. Beyond the physics definition of momentum, this definition stood out: strength or force gained by motion or by a series of event.  

 

That is perfect!  Even as I typed that, my heart fluttered a bit & began longing for “strength or force gained by motion or by a series of event.” See, our work & lives in Prague consist of something like this, a few events that start to lead to motion being gained & then it happens, almost like clockwork – BOOM – something happens and it is like a punch to the stomach, the momentum is stopped. Then we have to start slow & build up to the point where we feel like something might be happening & then BOOM, momentum is broke again. Then repeat. Living this for 15 years, or maybe longer, of ministry is tough.

Would you pray with us for sustained momentum, SO THAT WE CAN FINALLY SEE BIG THINGS HAPPEN?  This also goes for us, as we are starting this six week campaign – #SurpriseUsin6 – to raise/recoup $3000 of monthly support. Just today we got a message that someone was going to begin supporting us & then almost immediately we got another message that someone was going to stop giving. This is life, isn’t it? That is a part of life, but this is more the norm for us & we are longing for God to change lives in big ways, including our lives, & we would love to not feel like the wheels are spinning. Would you pray for us? Would you help us see God #SurpriseUsin6?

“Fill me up with love…”

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Veselé Vánoce z Prahy! Merry Christmas from Prague!

There is much to be thankful for this year. God has done more than I can began to recount, in the midst of life, which sometimes feels amazing and others much less than amazing. God is God in the midst of it all. As I sit here and think about life today, I’m moved as I think about it all! I really that some 13 years ago, while I was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, this God sought me out and captured my heart with His crazy, radical, upside-down love and changed the course, the path, the journey of my future. That school year of 1999-2000 he filled me with his love, and while somedays it’s obvious that I’ve been filled with this His crazy, radical, upside-down love, there are those other days where it’s less than obvious, and it’s those days that His love, grace and mercy are even more staggering to me.

This morning as I’m wrapping gifts for my “second families” here in Prague, I’ve been watching Christmas movies, listening to Christmas music and finding new Christmas songs, I stumbled upon this song from Dave Matthews – Christmas Song. I can’t believe I haven’t found it sooner. It’ beautiful. It is from Dave so there are going to be some head scratching lyrics, but the gist of it is awesomely beautiful. Check out the song below from a video and the lyrics below that. I pray that all of us, the “soul searchers”, would be showered and filled with His crazy, radical, upside-down, perfect love this Christmas season and everyday from here on! Merry Christmas! Veselé Vánoce!

She was his girl; he was her boyfriend
She be his wife; take him as her husband
A surprise on the way, any day, any day
One healthy little giggling dribbling baby boy
The wise men came three made their way
To shower him with love
While he lay in the hay
Shower him with love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
Not very much of his childhood was known
Kept his mother Mary worried
Always out on his own
He met another Mary for a reasonable fee, less than
Reputable as known to be

His heart was full of love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around
When Jesus Christ was nailed to the his tree
Said “oh, Daddy-o I can see how it all soon will be
I came to she’d a little light on this darkening scene
Instead I fear I spill the blood of my children all around”

The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
So the story goes, so I’m told
The people he knew were
Less than golden hearted
Gamblers and robbers
Drinkers and jokers, all soul searchers
Like you and me

Rumors insisited he soon would be
For his deviations
Taken into custody by the authorities
Less informed than he.
Drinkers and jokers. all soul searchers
Searching for love love love
Love love love
Love love is all around

Preparations were made
For his celebration day
He said eat this bread and think of it as me
Drink this wine and dream it will be
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around
The blood of our children all around

Father up above, why in all this anger have you fill
Me up with love
Fill me love love love
Love love love
Love love
And the blood of our children all around

An Adjustment…

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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!

God is Faithful…

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“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!
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a grandfather’s influence

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What can I grandfather impart to his grandson?

I’ve been asking these questions, and more, since my mom called me last week, with the news that my grandfather (or G-Pa as I like to say, it’s his gangsta name.) passed away, peacefully, in his sleep – “What did my grandfather, Robert Shisler, impart to me? What in my life can I see is a direct result of my Grandfather’s presence in my life?”

We all process death and grieving differently, but I have been fighting to find these things, as well as fighting to cling to the great memories of my G-Pa that I have, rather than feel sorry for myself and my family. I think this is what my G-Pa would have wanted from me, if I would have asked him, how he would want me to grieve and remember him. My G-Pa was a man of few words, but his actions, life and how he lived spoke volumes to me throughout my 31 years of knowing him.

I thought it would be great to remember him here on my blog and I hope that this will, in some way, be a challenge for me and you to consider these values and characteristics in our lives!


So here we go… A few things that my G-Pa, Robert Shisler, imparted to his oldest grandchild…
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legacy – václav havel

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Since my grandfather passed last week, I’ve been considering legacy and what it means to have a lasting legacy. It’s been rather introspective and I think that it has been healthy for me. Asking yourself questions like, “What do I want my legacy to be?” or “If I were to leave this world today, what would be legacy be, how would people remember me?”, can produce change and resolve in your life. I had begun thinking about this as I sat on the 10 hour flight from Munich to Chicago on Wednesday, but yesterday waking up to the news of Václav Havel passing was another wave hitting me. (Havel was the first president of Czechoslovakia and then Czech Republic after the fall of communism, as well as a notable dissident that helped lead to the collapse of communism in then Czechoslovakia. Here’s a wiki page on him.)

I never met Havel, although I wish I could have met him, but his legacy and life impacted this kid from Lake Geneva, WI that lives, and calls home, Havel’s homeland. Sadly, some over look the impact Havel had and some question it. Or better, some question the man himself. I’m not claiming the Havel was a saint, he was a broken man like you and I, but there have been a few Czechs throughout history (another couple are Jan Hus and Jan Amos Komenský, or John Amos Comenius, to just name a couple.) that I admire and I pray that there would be more Czechs like them. Czechs that exhibit and embody the same values and qualities that made these Czechs heroes!

My director, wrote on Facebook last night, “Where are the Havels of this generation?” I would love to see “Havels” of this generation, “Havels” that aren’t concerned about themselves, but their countrymen and strive for higher virtues than “what’s best for me.” To my Czech friends, and non-Czech friends too, I would challenge you all to honor the legacy of Havel, by striving for, living out and embodying the ideas, values and virtues that made Havel the culture changer that he was! That is honoring his legacy! Yes, mourn and remember him, but remember him and honor him, by being the change that the Czech Republic so badly needs! By the way, my prayer is that the same passion that was seen last night on Wenceslas Square and throughout Prague, and the country, would be put into practice and lived out with passion! Here’s a moving video of last night’s celebrations of Havel, his life and his passing.

I have watched that video several times. As I watch it I pray for the country, I call home now, that something deep will happen. I pray that God would use the passing of this influential man to change the Czech Republic and ultimately draw more people to Himself. Please pray with me to this extent!

Here’s a couple of notable quotes from the man who helped change the course of history in the Czech Republic:

“Love and truth must triumph over hate and lies.”

“The tragedy of modern man is not that he knows less and less about the meaning of his own life, but that it bothers him less and less.”

“Man is in fact nailed down — like Christ on the Cross — to a grid of paradoxes . . . he balances between the torment of not knowing his mission and the joy of carrying it out, between nothingness and meaningfulness. And like Christ, he is in fact victorious by virtue of his defeats.”

“The only lost cause is one we give up on before we enter the struggle.”

“You do not become a “dissident” just because you decide one day to take up this most unusual career. You are thrown into it by your personal sense of responsibility, combined with a complex set of external circumstances. You are cast out of the existing structures and placed in a position of conflict with them. It begins as an attempt to do your work well, and ends with being branded an enemy of society.”

That’s just scratching the surface of the quotes you can find, click here to find more.

GOD WITH US

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Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been listening nonstop to a song from Folk Angel’s new Christmas album. The name of the song is God With Us, but honestly it’s not a song but a poem about God being with us. As I listened to the track nonstop in Prague over the last two weeks, what stood out to be the most was the longing of the Israelites for the Messiah.

I pondered… “How would they have felt?” As I thought and prayed through this, I realized to a lesser degree I can understand how they felt as I long for an “Advent” (ad·vent/?ad?vent/ The arrival of a notable person, thing, or event.) of sorts in the Czech Republic. I labor and labor. I pray and pray. I love and love. I speak and speak. I listen and listen. Yet I haven’t seen the “Advent” that I yearn for to the hearts of the Czech people. So this song/poem ministered to me in this way for the last two weeks…

Then Tuesday at 5 pm my vonage line (American line via the net) rang and my crying mother was on the other end of the line. Honestly over the past couple months I’ve had a nervous feeling, every time that phone has rang, and it was for this reason. I learned quickly that my grandfather, Bob Shisler, passed away in his sleep Tuesday morning. He has slowed down over the last couple of years and had issues that most elderly people have, but this was unexpected to all of us. Since Tuesday the words of this poem/song have hit me in a much different way!

I’m hurting. My family is hurting. It’s been hard to see my mother morning and even harder hearing my grandmother’s grieving voice, but this amazing truth – God with us – has moved me. Jesus hasn’t left me alone in this. He’s in the midst of it all. He’s here. So as we are in the midst of “Advent Season” this year, this simple, but overwhelming truth, will take on a whole new meaning for me and my family. Please listen to this song, meditate on it and realize that God is with us! He is with us!

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