zachharrod.com

WE ARE IN PRINT!

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Have you seen, or read, the article about OUR ministry here in Prague and Czech?!?! I have heard some really, really good feedback from the article and I must thank my friends and coworkers with AIA back in Ohio, especially Tommy Young, for such a great article. It was such a HUGE blessing to have this story run and get out the word about things here in Prague! My question for you is, “Did you read the article?” If you have read the article please click “comment” below and let us know what you thought about it! IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THE ARTICLE CLICK HERE!

Recently, a friend, and ministry partner, sent me a quick email to encourage me, that OUR ministry here in Prague is even encouraging those back all over the United States. Here’s what he wrote me,

A friend at work said something about giving 100% today and I said I always do, so he said I had to give 101% today and that reminded me of your 111% motto. I told him about that and about why you use it to inspire and about the culture’s apathy, etc. Well, he said that he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country and it turns out, it was the article about the Lions in Sports Spectrum. So he had already read about the 111% and had already known a little about Zach. Nice!

I love it, “he had just read an article about a coach in an eastern block country” and it just happened to be me! Crazy and very humbling. I love what God has called YOU and myself to here in Prague, Czech and Europe! Thank you for being part of it!

By the way, Lukas loved being in the magazine too! Thanks for being part of his life!

The Czech Takeover!

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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

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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January Schedule !!!UPDATED!!!

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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!

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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end of the year gift…

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As we are getting ready to celebrate the Holidays, you might be looking for a way to support something or someone during the holidays or you are looking to give another tax-deductible gift before the end of the year! I have the perfect opportunity for you – OUR WORK IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC!

I thought I would post a quick entry with a couple of links about how you can support the work and what God is doing in the Czech Republic, as I’m constantly trusting God to show up and provide for what He has called me to do in Prague, Czech and Europe, to reach a city, country and a continent that are overwhelmingly post-Christian and aching for the Good News of a Savior who came to be the remedy for our fallen, broken human condition.

I’m trusting God to provide for me for 2012, for a couple of concrete things:

  • Coaches Trip to the States in February – the purpose of the trip is to help these young men become better coaches but also to expose them to a God who loves them.
  • Players Trip to the States next summer – the purpose of the trip is very similar to the Coaches Trip, but the difference is that it will help them grow as better players, while still exposing them to this remedy.
  • Visa expenses – before leaving Prague I had to take care of several larger expenses related to living in Prague and continuing OUR ministry there.

Those are just a few of the concrete plans/needs for 2012. Please consider helping with an end of the year gift, by clicking HERE to give online or click HERE to read about other ways to support OUR ministry in Czech. Here’s a video from my friend, Dan, about the influence we are having in Prague. Thank you for all you do! MERRY CHRISTMAS!

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!

Happy Thanksgiving From Prague

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I just wanted to wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings from Prague! While Czechs, don’t celebrate Thanksgiving, as it’s an American or Canadian holiday, that doesn’t stop us from sharing some “Thanksgiving Love” with out Czech friends! I recently uploaded a few pictures from our Thanksgiving party at the Sports University we work at here, click here to see all of them.

Here’s Micah and I getting our “pilgrim” and “indian” on! I know the first Thanksgiving was far more peaceful than this picture, but Micah and I like to have fun!

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We had a “Thanksgiving Tree” at the party (by the way, the tree is my art work! ;-)), where people wrote on leaves what they are thankful, it was moving to see what everyone was thankful for! I’m thankful for many things, but one of those things I’m thankful for are the wonderful ministry partners that long to see Czechs turn to God in thankfulness! Thank you for being you and supporting what God is doing here! HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

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What are you thankful for on this Thanksgiving of 2011?

COME AND SEE ME!

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Hey gang! Here’s the schedule of where I will be, when I will be there and so on… Will I see you? (click on the addresses for maps)

  • August 7th, 3pm-5pm – Oshkosh – Open House at Smiths (email me for details)
  • Aug. 10th, 4pm-7pm – Lake Geneva – Caribou, 883 Main St.

Beyond that here is the run down of the churches I’ll be at again.

I do hope to see many of you and share about what God is doing here in Czech! If any of you are interested and/or able to host a support dessert I still have dates I could fill up. Thanks for all you do to make a difference in Prague, Czech and Europe!

zhtv #29 – interviews

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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!

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