How do you spell... i'mgoingtopoland!

Friday, August 7th i think… or maybe it’s thursday… depending on the country.

2009-08-09T17:10:00.000-07:00

My nails are bright orange, my hair is dark brownish red, I have a new twine bracelet and I am wearing a neon green shirt sitting in the Frankfurt Airport by myself. I guess the only thing that’s the same is the color of my braces. And they are faded. J I can’t wait to go see my orthodontist when I get back. Maybe I have a weird obsession, but she is really cool, and she is from Poland. Double Whammy.

I was just looking through the pictures of this summer on i-photo. And now I feel like everything is just a blur. Jess, Jordan, and Kohl all left me sitting here staring out the big airport window by myself. Laura and Michal dropped us off at the security line in Katovice. Did this summer really happen? Or did I just go through one of those time-warp, Narnia-like machines, and the three months of this summer will only have been but three moments to the people back home. So many people will ask about my experiences, but few will really care. Lots of people will remember I traveled to Poland, but there will be others that forgot. God, at least I can be sure that what has happened in my heart is a treasure to you. I can be secure that my heart adventures and the lessons I have learned are like gold in your book.

Specifically, one picture from Poland sticks in my mind. The picture of Estery Street. Earlier in June, Laura walked me down the Jewish Quarter of Krakow and through the ghetto there. We also went into a synagogue and saw the old Jewish cemetery. But, the thing that hit me the hardest was a street named, “Estery.” Queen Ester, definitely worth naming a street after, stepped up for the Jews in hard times. She believed in “for such a time as this,” and combated her insecurities because deliverance was calling. And that is God’s plan. He delivers His people.

I think of another moment, not too long ago when Laura and I attended mass at one of the most famous, old and central Cathedrals in Krakow. It was beautiful inside. I watched as the two priests walked up the aisles and then turned into this tiny, highly adorned side room. There was probably room for ten people in there and the old men and women sought community and help from a more powerful being. But, as they looked up, only gold-lined statues and boxes were before them. I didn’t realize what the Catholic Church was really like in Poland. I know that there are many Catholic believers where I’m from, but here, the candle-lit room reeked with longing… “I’m doing all that I can. Are you there? God, I look good!” Then the central event of communion happened and the priest downed the entire glass of wine. They unlocked a gold box with the crucifix over it, and started to hand out wafers to the commoners who would walk up front. In the box, the wafers were believed to literally become the body of Christ. Then, as the service closed, the box was re-locked, the connection lost, the priests left duty, and the people ran to go to work. It made me feel like God remained in that little golden box. The eyes of the priest in training told me more that I wanted to know, and summed up the mass for me. His eyes were full of deceit. And I shivered as he looked at me. I remember a postcard I saw in Krakow... it said, “No Future for Poland.” But, this is exactly why I was in Poland this summer. It hit me hard…Dan and Laura, Greg and Heidi, Alice, me and all the other JV missionaries aren’t in Poland to testify to my love. They are there to proclaim Jesus. And what is God’s vision here? He sees what is dead, and raises it to life. He sees darkness, and becomes its light. He sees longing, and becomes true fulfillment. He sees despair, and He becomes hope. He gives a future to Poland. And Poland is lost, as I witnessed through the enormously tiny Catholic mass. Jesus loves Poland…so, so, so much.

The third thing I want to tell you about is an event that happened yesterday. (My days are a little mixed up especially when I’ve been living in “today” for threeish days now. No matter how many people explain time-zones to me, I still don’t understand them. Please don’t try to be that “one” person who believes they can explain it to me… no. Hands down it just doesn’t make sense. How can flying on an airplane only take 4 hours sometimes, and then the same route another time take 17? I know there is wind speed or something involved, but come on, even if there was uphill and downhill in the air, the 13 hours difference is just a little too moody for my mind to comprehend. Long side note – sorry. J) So, I went on a run with Zoedog. We ran up a small, steep hill and sat by the train tracks asking God to speak. I know that God pursues His circles of faithfulness in my life because I started and ended this summer with a run where I heard God’s voice. “God, talk to me. Tell me You’re near me. Give me a hug. What’s up?” The winds of embrace blew my now brown curls over my face. “Kaylanne, I am here now, but tomorrow when you leave, I will also be there. Kaylanne, please listen to me and go wherever I tell you to go. That is your peace... to follow my calling. And now, I release you from Poland. Good job this summer… now it’s time to go home. That is where you need to go.” I want to go home. I need rest. I need the love of my family. And I need to look at the mountains and even remember that I am the apex of creation, even over those 14ers.

So, I pray the armor of God over me. I need it on the field, but I really need it going back to America, specifically Colorado and Waco. I claim the Helmet of Christ’s Salvation. I claim the Breastplate of God’s righteousness. I claim and put on the Belt of Truth. Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. I pick up the Shield of Faith… faith is the adventure I seek, and there is always room for more faith in my life. I don’t want to be “oh ye of little faith.” I pick up the Sword of the Spirit. It is my offense. It is my weapon. And I buckle onto my feet the Sandals that are quick to spread the Gospel of Peace. The gospel transforms people. Jesus… He is my gospel… and He brings peace.

Thanks for letting me open up my mouth and spell out my heart with words to you this summer. I love words, and words are my love language. Therefore, as you finish reading my journey, my prayer is that you would feel deeply loved. I love you, but am confident that God is for sure the author and protector of that love. So Nara… Adios… Goodbye.

Oh, one more thing. Can I finish with the passage I started with? Isaiah 40 sums up so much of my journey this summer. And it is a bold circle of God’s faithfulness to me.

Isaiah 40
Comfort for God's People
"Comfort, comfort my people,
says your God.
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the LORD's hand
double for all her sins.
A voice of one calling:
"In the desert prepare
the way for the LORD;
make straight in the wilderness
a highway for our God.
Every valley shall be raised up,
every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
the rugged places a plain.
And the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
and all mankind together will see it.
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Cry out."
And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All men are like grass,
and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
because the breath of the LORD blows on them.
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
but the word of our God stands forever."
You who bring good tidings to Zion,
go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem,
lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
say to the towns of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power,
and his arm rules for him.
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand,
or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens?
Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket,
or weighed the mountains on the scales
and the hills in a balance?
Who has understood the mind of the LORD,
or instructed him as his counselor?
Whom did the LORD consult to enlighten him,
and who taught him the right way?
Who was it that taught him knowledge
or showed him the path of understanding?
Surely the nations are like a drop in a bucket;
they are regarded as dust on the scales;
he weighs the islands as though they were fine dust.
Lebanon is not sufficient for altar fires,
nor its animals enough for burnt offerings.
Before him all the nations are as nothing;
they are regarded by him as worthless
and less than nothing.
To whom, then, will you compare God?
What image will you compare him to?
As for an idol, a craftsman casts it,
and a goldsmith overlays it with gold
and fashions silver chains for it.
A man too poor to present such an offering
selects wood that will not rot.
He looks for a skilled craftsman
to set up an idol that will not topple.
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
Has it not been told you from the beginning?
Have you not understood since the earth was founded?
He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth,
and its people are like grasshoppers.
He stretches out the heavens like a canopy,
and spreads them out like a tent to live in.
He brings princes to naught
and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing.
No sooner are they planted,
no sooner are they sown,
no sooner do they take root in the ground,
than he blows on them and they wither,
and a whirlwind sweeps them away like chaff.
"To whom will you compare me?
Or who is my equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD;
my cause is disregarded by my God"?
Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.
Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint."

2009-08-09T17:01:00.001-07:00

this equals GIRLS bathroom

this equals BOYS bathroom

Queen Ester Street

This is Auschwitz. I was so utterly horrified at the window collection of the prosthesis, crutches, and wheelchairs. No one wanted these people. The Nazi's only brought them to kill them and make money off of their metal. Even today people still want to throw away handicapped people. I questioned and hurt deep, deep down... and then God's voice touched me. "I want them." When I walked outside the building, I saw these two men.

This is Saint Mary's Cathedral in the centrum of Krakow where I attended Mass.

2009-08-09T16:47:00.000-07:00

Edi and me. i love her a lot.

the intern team!

all of us in a tiny fiat... in america they are so small you cannot even drive them on the road.

Jess and Me on the beach in Germany!

LAURA. Our hearts are very close. And I dedicate these lyrics to you... "I can see the rising of the sun. Whispering to, wondering free. I can hear the thunder on the lake. Wondering still, finding it's fear. It seems a moment and then I was gone. Although it ended I hoped it had just begun. Ocean's away will never be a reason good enough to say goodbye. Time spent away could never mean this isn't worth the wait. I'm not goin anywhere. I can see a new flake sailing down. Kissing the earth, rested than gone. I can feel a hand take hold of mine. The beauty displayed and wrapped in my arms." -Season Pass. Oceans Away

“I think all girls are beautiful” –Michal

2009-07-23T04:57:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, July 21^st… ten day countdown until Ray’s birthday!!!!

(sorry this is long… just skim it if possible J)

Last night Jess and I looked at the stars together for over an hour. I had just gotten off the phone with my young life girl, Lynishia, and she told me she was pregnant. I walked back to my room with my head down. Hearing me walk up, Jess opened her mouth in the utter darkness, beckoning me to see the beauty that was before her. She asked me, “Kaylanne, what is your biggest wish? I mean, if God can make these stars, then I bet He can do anything we ask for and even more. I think He can even give us our greatest, most intimate desire.” As I gazed upwards, my eyes were attracted to the edge of the sky. The tiny, farthest away, diminished stars were twinkling. I thought out loud, “Jess aren’t those barely visible stars beautiful. I mean you can only see them out of the corner of your eye, but when you focus your eyes directly at them, they go away.” She answered, “Yes… and Kaylanne, without them, the sky wouldn’t twinkle. (pause) I think they are important too.”

Jess teaches me lots about life. She teaches me about passion, deep love, profound mercy and bottomless compassion. Jess cares about every single person that makes their way into her life. And she hasn’t had an easy breezy past either. She covers herself with the armor of God in order to go through the day.

Yesterday Laura and I had breakfast together on the back porch. We were debriefing our past week and reading each other’s hearts. I think Laura has a great gift of reading my heart. She is so wise because she holds my hand and then points me to Jesus every time. I was telling her about how I so often live outside the present. At this past camp, the kids would go home at ten pm. It was only a day camp so we didn’t have as much time to really dive into their lives and hear about their pain and deep life questions. About halfway through the week I realized that I would get through the awkward conversations saying to myself, “only ten minutes until games.” Then during games, I would say, “only half and hour until dinner, and then I’m on dish duty.” Then the campers would drag me outside, pour water on me and rub toothpaste on my face. They just wanted love and attention. Outside I would joke back, but inside I wasn’t ready to love on crazy little junior high boys. I would think, “only two hours until ten o’clock. Only two more hours ‘till they go home.” This was sad for me, and I asked Laura how I could fight against this automatic mentality. I know that I did enjoy those kids and those moments, but I want to learn to enjoy them more. I didn’t want to go through the next day camp with the same attitude.

During my first camp (Zielona Gora), I would break down everyday because there was no personal free time. It was an overnight camp and therefore I was forced to live within the small moments of having to get to know those around me. I couldn’t look forward to ten o’clock because ten o’clock still meant kid time. However, when I really think back about that week, I realize that I probably didn’t live completely in the moment at Zielona Gora either. That week, I would think to myself, “only five more days… two more… one more… just one more night, Kaylanne. You can do it!” The more Laura and I talked about this attitude, the more we realized how often we really think this way. We motivate ourselves by saying, “Only one more semester. Come on, finish strong. Only one more week until break. Only three more weeks until school! Only one more day until Saturday. Only one more year and then I’m done with school…” Laura, being so good with words, summed this up nicely. “Man alive, isn’t it easy to think that right now isn’t real life.” (I think I added the “man alive” part. I don’t think I’ve ever heard her say that J) Oh my gosh! I am alive right now! I am here for a reason! Our great God is also known as “The Great I AM.” And “I AM” is an ever-present God. He is the God of the right now. Colossians 1:28 says, “We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” We have been hearing this verse over and over these past couple of weeks. Who is Paul talking about when he says, “everyone?” Does he really mean everyone in the whole world? I can’t grasp that. I think it means whoever enters into my zone at that time, or whoever’s zone I enter into. I want to present those around me as more perfect in Christ. As I ask for eyes to see the God provisioned zones around me, I learn to see the present-ness of Christ. This is a great lesson for me. I want to remain where Christ is. And I think finding joy in the gospel really adds to the belief that Christ is enough for me during every moment. If Jesus Christ is always in the present, then I want to dwell there as well.

Week Recap/Get High Moments:

This week I was able to tell Sara that she was beautiful. Man, I love sharing those words with other girls, because God is burning them into my heart. He doesn’t make something that is ugly, so why would I choose to think I am an exception? I was also very sad because a girl named Karolina stopped coming to camp after the third day. (Every Karolina I get to know, I instantly like because the name reminds me of my awesome roommates from back home.) She was one of those girls who you get to know and develop a “kid-crush” for. I couldn’t wait until she came back the next day. We got along so well that I could see us being close friends if we only lived by each other. I knew that she was that one kid, that special girl, who I was here for. I couldn’t wait to tell her my story and hear about hers. I couldn’t wait to tell her she was beautiful and that God the Great Father loves her. I wanted to hug her and tell her that God has a divine purpose for her life. So you can only imagine my deep discouragement when she didn’t come back. I wondered what else I could have done for her. Then I read Isaiah 45… “This is what the Lord says-the Holy One of Israel, and its Maker: Concerning things to come, do you question me about my children, or give me orders about the word of my hands? It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it.” I had to pray for forgiveness… was it me who loved these kids or was it God? If it truly was up to me, I probably wouldn’t be in Poland this summer. And if it was only up to me, I don’t think these kids would be remembered, pursued or even born. Karolina is a child of God, so I can trust that God the Father won’t forget her.

The last day of camp Jess and I ran into a girl named Magda from Australia. We walked into a coffee shop and the barista greeted me, “Hi, Kaylanne… you’re from Texas, right?” I was amazed. She looked very familiar, but I couldn’t remember a name and I was praying that God would help me remember her story. It turns out, she was in one of classes at one of the schools we visited to recruit kids to come to the English Camp at the very beginning of the summer. I remember it to be one of the longest, worst classes we taught because it was at the very end of our 7-hour day. Magda, the barista-student, was so sad that she couldn’t come to the camp, but for sure wanted to go next year. Jess and I got to talk to her for about an hour and we are keeping in contact through facebook. When we left Nowy Tomysl the next day, she was riding her bicycle on the side of the road as we drove by. She frantically waved as we leaned out of our white bus, “machete” and drove away. I don’t think it was coincidental that we ran into Magda two times out of the blue. We easily forgot about this girl, but God didn’t and hasn’t and won’t. It blows my mind to think that some of the relationships we are building this summer aren’t even for this summer, but for the future. I know seeds are being planted. God’s timing scales far beyond my minute, two and a half months in Poland. In a lot of cases, the harvest is still to come. However, I thank the God of the present, that He is ushering me into His bounty.

Finishing Remarks:

So, I think about how this summer is almost over. And I search my heart. I want to prepare myself for one more camp. One more go at it. One more merciful chance to be apart of God’s plan in English Camps this summer. Man alive, I know my view on ministry will be very different when I go back to Waco. I really want to seek God’s tug on my heart as He leads me into new zones back home. But for now, God… I pray for deep compassion. If you really love Wisla, then by golly, show me, because I want my heart to beat to the tune of your heart. Please love them through me.

Camp #1 - Just a Sneak Peak.

2009-07-08T15:37:00.000-07:00

left: before camp, a scavenger hunt. little did i know how much i would like these kids!

next left: oh ada... you are so precious... one of a kind :-)

next next left: yep... classic... everyone in a phone booth... marta and wictoria... my roomates and my little jabkas! marta reminded me of my little sister.

With Peace from the Evening Sun

2009-07-07T14:39:00.000-07:00

It’s a couple of days past the Fourth of July… weird. It isn’t a rumor that it is only an American Holiday. J Yesterday we drove eight hours back to our home base after finishing the first camp of this summer. It was one of the hardest and most challenging weeks of my life. Today is our day of regeneration and rest. It feels like Sunday. I am sipping my homemade soy latte and looking out over the Polish countryside from Dan and Laura’s balcony. Chris Tomlin’s voice graces my ears with his passionate worship. Oh I wish that Dan and Laura were home right now so we could debrief the emotions of this past week. But I am being weaned from the normal luxuries of running to friends and family during my neediest moments. My Jesus is too jealous of my heart to let me surround myself in the fluff of human comfort. It is a blessing, though, when I do have a heart to heart with someone beautiful. Greg brought our team out to lunch yesterday and we were able to share our debriefing thoughts together over pierogis. Nathan washed our feet last night. What a send off… there is still much work to be done this summer in Poland. Lovely Jess and I were able to hug each other this morning as we shared our highs and lows. This is where I am. And The Beautiful One is here with me. I open up Streams in the Desert… “Since God knows what niche we are to fill, let us trust Him to shape us to it. And since He knows what work we are to do, let us trust Him to grind us so we will be properly prepared.” (pg. 264) I think I needed those words more than a thousand dollars right now.

Camp brought struggles of leadership. I was put in charge of our intern team as we headed off to Camp Ostróda, where we met their own separate American team. Then, on top of these different groups, there was the Polish church leadership. It was difficult to learn how I can serve my team and the other leaders, as well as step up as the person in charge. If everybody is afraid of stepping on toes, then nothing happens. Yet the wonderful part of Polish culture is the importance placed on relationships. That truly was my number one purpose for being there: Relationships. Marioush (I’m sure I spelled that wrong), the pastor, challenged me by his attitude and actions. He really wanted kids to feel loved, he wanted us to connect with kids, and he wanted the youth group to grow. He honestly didn’t care if the evening program was messy with technical errors, if it was 20 minutes late, and if there was an afternoon game or not. This greatly contradicts our American, perfectionist mentality. Us interns were in charge of the evening programs. We struggled to make them “perfect” in our eyes. Yet the truth that hit me mid-week was that we were not having an American Camp in Poland. We were having a Polish Camp in Poland. And during this camp we happened to be teaching English and Volleyball. So, instead of trying to fight against the culture, the beauty was found in embracing it.

Everyday I hit a breaking point. I had nothing left to give. I would honestly hit a wall and go to my room longing, and pleading with my daddy to give me a hug. I would pray, “God, why am I here? Who do you have me to meet? What do you have me to do? Please help me. Please give me a hug.” And every time I asked for a hug, He gave me one. And He helped me to my feet, and He gave me the strength to love on some more girls. After my daily five-minute breakdown, I would leave my room, and usually run into a beautiful girl who wanted to hang out.

Ada turned 13 the second day of camp. She spoke zero English and our entire relationship revolved around “fútbol”(that is the Spanish way to spell it), beat boxing, dancing to “Pharaoh, Pharaoh”, punching the air, and me learning to not repeat the words she would try to teach me because they were all Polish cuss words. She told Jess at the beginning of the week that she thought the stories of God were all lies. She had four older brothers, and was the biggest tomboy I have ever met. You could see the hardness built up inside of her. Her eyes were longing for attention and deep love. She would sit on the edge of the chapel during evening programs. Every time I picked her up from her seat and dragged her to the center, she would giggle and I knew she needed the love of attention. Every time she would try to wrestle with me as I tried to go to sleep, I knew she needed a constant friend. Every time I would chase her around camp trying to get her to come to volleyball, I knew she needed deep pursuit. Every time she would teach me a Polish cuss word, and in my naivety, I would repeat it, I knew that she needed a teacher. Every time she would ask me to play fútbol, I knew she needed God. I would try to hug her lots and give her the gift of touch. At the end of the week, Ada cried (I would never have expected this). She didn’t want to say goodbye. She asked me for my phone number. I laugh because I don’t know how in the world I held a conversation with her when I was face to face, let alone over a long distance phone call. However, God in His fatherly love, kept me going to show Ada that He wanted her. I don’t know if she accepted Christ, but she knows that God’s story brings me more excitement and joy than winning the toughest soccer game. Maybe that was all I was there to say. And I can leave because I know that God won’t stop there. She means more to Him than life itself and that’s why He sent His Son.

Ada, a different one, walked slowly away from the chapel one night after the message. It was one of those walks you could recognize from a million miles away… she needed to talk. As I sat down with her, she began to share the deep hurt inside from her dad. He left their family years ago, and yet her hatred for him was stronger than ever. God put me in her path that night to tell her that God is stronger than the bonds of hatred, and He can help her. I told Ada that she was beautiful in God’s eyes, and that when she walked into a room, she graced everyone with her beauty. I told her that she is strong, and that God wants her and loves her so much. At the end of the week, she wrote me a note and gave me a gift. She said, “Thank you for all the time we spent together. Thank you for games and stories and many other things. Because of you I really met Jesus and you told me the truth…I’m beautiful in God’s eyes… Now I know that Jesus is really my best friend…” There are so many more stories of girls I got to talk with, pray to accept Christ with, and love on this past week, yet these two girls stood out to me. If these are the only people I can hug and cry with in Poland, that is enough. Yet I am convinced that there are more girls out there that don’t know how beautiful they are. I am certain that there are more girls who don’t know that God is for them and not against them. I think there are more girls who don’t receive enough hugs. I believe there are more girls who long for the healing touch of their father. And that is why I am here this summer.

To finish, I will go back to the initial Streams in the Desert devotional. God is so faithful to teach me my niche too. He is my God as well, and He wants me to be the Kaylanne He made me to be! He is so enthralled by me, and He loves my deepest desires. He wants to push me, and grind me so that He can shine through me. I am reminded of a verse from Second Corinthians, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for MY POWER is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that CHRIST’S POWER MAY REST ON ME” (12:9). The power that kept me going this week was Christ’s. Because I couldn’t give any more, Christ gave more. I am a testimony to His deep love for Poland.

I can’t wait for the future hugs God is going to give me. He is what keeps me going, and He brings me more joy than I have ever known before. And now, God I pray that You would show my heart Your deep love for Nowy Tomysl. Because that is where we are going next!

Love Song For a Savior

2009-06-15T14:47:00.000-07:00

"In open fields of wild flowers, She breathes the air and flies away, She thanks her jesus for the daises and the roses, In no simple language, Someday shell understand the meaning of it all, He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens, As close a heartbeat or a song on her lips, Someday shell trust him and learn how to see him, Someday hell call her and she will come running, And fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and shell pray, ... I want to fall in love with you... Sitting silent wearing sunday best, The sermon echoes through the walls, A great salvation through it calls to the people, Who stare into nowhere, and cant feel the chains on their souls ...

He's more than the laughter or the stars in the heavens, As close a heartbeat or a song on our lips, Someday well trust him and learn how to see him, Someday hell call us and we will come running, And fall in his arms and the tears will fall down and well pray, ...

I want to fall in love with you... It seems too easy to call you savior, Not close enough to call you god, So as I sit and think of words I can mention, To show my devotion ... I want to fall in love with you... My heart beats for you" -Jars of Clay, Love Song For A Savior.

Some Pictures of my life.

2009-06-15T14:19:00.000-07:00

Caroline and Jess... you can hate me. But for reals, birds are cool. They are free, and no matter how lame or childish, i wish i could fly. Especially over the ocean.

again... refer to picture #1

beach!

zolwik. (polish for turtle!) everybody with serious faces from poland soon became not so serious. i think people actually walked up to us and started conversation, which never happens. and their angry faces (don't be confused... this is their normal expression :-) ) became happy! So zolwik's solve a lot of life's big problems. and it's cross cultural. and bilingual except in english it's "turtle" not "zolwik"

Jess and i! Oh, i really really like you a lot.

me being a soldier. except i'm a pacifist.

Katie Yocham this is for you. and Whitney Carmichael. and every other animal loving, peace keeping, recycle minded friend of mine. if i were to graffiti anything, this would be my slogan for sure.

Polish countryside. or Polish clouds. I think i like Polish clouds a lot.

This is the conference center in Czech... ya... that's old stuff, but it still brings good memories to my mind. :-)

Ooh I like German Coffee Mornings.

2009-06-15T14:07:00.000-07:00

Once again, I can’t explain how I feel. I think these entries are getting a little sappy with the overflow of imagery. But I don’t really care, because I love listening to The Last Samurai soundtrack as I sit and write on Dan and Laura’s porch. Today brings sunshine, and it adds a nice touch to my previously cold shoulders. We just got back from a week away, and it is funny how “home” this new home away from home feels. I love my family so so much.

Last week our team departed for Zielona Gora, Nowy Tomysl, and Karsibor. We will be having English camps in Nowy Tomysl and Zielona Gora, so we traveled there in order to meet and prepare with the church and youth groups. My five team members and I, Jess, Jordan, Kohl and Michal, along with a JV guy, Greg, jumped in the Fala (the Polish part of Josiah Venture) van “the machete”, and drove five hours north to Zielona Gora, which means green mountain. It is a beautiful, and somewhat larger city. Jess and I stayed at Lydia’s house in Zielona Gora. Lydia didn’t speak much English, and we played the point and smile game a lot. She is the stepmother of the pastor there. She is a very good cook, and it was fun to try some authentic Polish food. We also went to the local schools and taught English in some classes in order to promote our camp. An English Camp is one of the ways Josiah Venture spreads the gospel. Poles would love to go to a “foreign language summer camp”. Haha. That kinda sounds weird, or maybe it makes me feel like a language nerd because I like the sound of that. J Many Polish youth have never heard of religion apart from the traditions of the Catholic Church. They have truly never heard of the gospel. Kids come to these camps because English is taught by native, American teachers. English is a valuable language to know, and I never knew how lucky I am to have this natural gift. Kids are open to hearing the gospel during the week, because relationships and trust are built. It was so amazing to meet and talk to some of the very kids who will hear and accept Christ later this summer. He has specifically chosen them, now and ever since the beginning of the world, to bear His name. And He prepares them to feel His love.

“He lifts up a banner for the distant nations, he whistles for those at the ends of the earth. Here they come, swiftly and speedily!”

-Isaiah 5:26

From Zielona Gora, we traveled two more hours east to Nowy Tomysl. It is in the middle of nowhere, Poland. (Kinda like Waco. Haha) They are known for a giant wicker basket they made. It is the largest basket in the world, and won the Guinness World Record in 2006. They proudly show it off in the town center. But we stayed at the church there, and played with many of the kids in the town. What a small town feel. Greg left us here to meander the rest of our way through Poland. Again, I got to go on a long run through the Polish countryside. I listened to “Love Song for a Savior” by Jars of Clay. I think that song sums up the cry of my heart. I would say it is my song.

Then, we departed on Wednesday afternoon, throwing nerf toys at some kids through the windows as we drove off. Five hours later, we reached Karsibor, at the very northwest corner of Poland. It is a nice town, right on the ocean, and bordering Germany. We stayed there a couple of days for a team retreat, getting to know our team well. It is funny how distinct and different Germany is from Poland. The border is pretty black and white in terms of wealth and cleanliness. I swam in the frozen ocean, ran in the rain, learned some new Polish words, including “lewo (left) and prawo (right)”, and ate fish pizza. Jess is such a sweetheart, and I love walking the beach with her, sitting on the dock watching the sunset with her, late night bed talks, coffee time, reading side by side, listening to thunder and rain, and picking out Polish chocolate. She is a gift from God, and our lives teach each other so much. I feel like parts of our lives were lived specifically for the sake of encouraging one another.

A theme this summer for me is not only identity in Christ (oh, how faithful God is to teach me about this J), but also listening. On my morning runs, I have been trying to stop and listen to my ever-present friend. The first morning, I listened in the middle of a giant field, where the grass surrounding me rose high above my head. God whispered to me in the wind, “I am near.” The grass swayed and danced right around me. The second morning, I walked down a curvy, paved, little road. My Sun God beamed brightly through the storm clouds. He shone, “Trust Me.” I looked into a puddle on the pavement and saw a reflection of the clouds in the water. He is Creator. The third day, I asked my friend to talk to me as I climbed into a tree. I laid on a branch and heard the leaves shake violently in the presence of the powerful wind. My Wind God again surrounded me. (Like He ever isn’t there…) “I am your shelter in the midst of the storm.” I love this God. He is beautiful.

And then we drove all day yesterday to get back here, to Mikolow. I got to sit and talk to the Dan Hash for a while this morning about Genesis 37 and 38. He is wise, and I love to learn. Laura made me some fresh and strong, German coffee. Jacob hugged me goodbye and left for school. He is a really cool kid. Maybe I might go watch Angels and Demons later today. We leave to go work at the Polish camp, H₂O, on Wednesday, and then we will be working at English Camps non-stop until the end of the summer. But today is a nice day off. I might even take a nap.

Peace.

Dowidzenia.

Pictures!

2009-06-06T08:07:00.000-07:00

Aunt Laura and I in Budapest!

This is my team!

This is me trying to find the building we are looking for in vienna. Is it the one?

I found my chapstick.

2009-06-06T07:59:00.000-07:00

I don’t think I can amply put into words the beauty that surrounds me. I am in Malenovenice, Czech at Josiah Venture’s conference center. We just finished the “amazing race,” which is a race that all the intern teams from all eleven of Josiah Venture’s countries compete in. Once you get off the plane in Vienna, you must race to Malenovenice with 70 euro per person. We had to follow clues through Bratislava and Budapest. This was very challenging as I slept a total of eleven hours in four days, constantly walking and running to the next step, with only one meal in my stomach. We simply didn’t have money for food. Haha. But man, talk about getting over jet lag and bonding with your team really fast. It was adventure, and I loved every minute of it… even when we missed the very last train home and had to jump a mystery train with no ticket. We didn’t know where exactly it was headed, yet ran to catch it for over a mile because it could possibly lead us somewhere. Anyways, now I am in Czech for intern training. I am learning from the missionaries here, and drinking in the Word; for it is alive and active. God is so very relational, and He is fulfilling me. I was made for a relationship and He is the only One that pursues me and satisfies me, engulfing my every need. He really loves me.

This morning I got up early to run through the dense fog and mist. There are many forests here, and I ran besides a stream the whole way. Sometimes I couldn’t see the stream because of the fog, but I could constantly hear its trickle. Czech is very green, and mountains surround me. Fog reminds me of God’s presence. The tall trees were covered the authority of the clouds. I ran through a couple of fields (one of my joys in life…) filled with wildflowers. But I couldn’t see further than only a few feet in front of me. More and more of this beautiful country would appear with every step I took into the fog. I ran on cobblestone, up the steep, curving roads as the town awoke. I looked up one moment and saw a magnificent church. It was on the top of a hill looking out over the city. I couldn’t help but kneel and pray at its doors. I couldn’t see the view, but I knew my Father could. God is my friend, and He travels with me. Faith is beautiful, and God is beautiful. He pursues me.

Today I sat down at the coffee shop with Laura, my aunt. We talked for another hour, even after the long train rides, late nights, and meal conversations. I know God blesses families and I am so encouraged by my aunt and uncle. Laura’s faith makes my heart leap for joy, and I don’t think I can soak up enough of her aroma. I can’t spend enough time with her.

I hope you read this note while listening to Mat Kearney’s new song, “All I Have.” Just ponder his lyrics, and realize the truth of CS Lewis’ words, “The more we get what we now call ‘ourselves’ out of the way and let Him take us over, the more truly ourselves we become” (Mere Christianity). Oh, and I pray for greater faith. Because faith is the adventure I seek. I just learned about it last night. Living a monotonous life means that I am missing parts of the mountain. I tend to only explore certain easy routes up the rock, but I overlook the exciting ones. Jesus over and over told his disciples they didn’t have enough faith. Faith is like a muscle and I need to exercise using it. Faith is active, persistent, and obedient. I love God’s bigger picture of faith, and I’m excited that God Himself wants to fulfill my cravings for adventure. He doesn’t want people (the Hash’s), places (Poland), or sports (running/soccer/mountains) to substitute in me a purer, higher, more extreme adventure that He alone can provide through faith.

I'm sitting in my kitchen. Denver, CO

2009-05-23T09:14:00.001-07:00

Sometimes writing overwhelms me. Especially because it seems that if i have a blog then i have to be artistic and good with words. so maybe i will just share a poem from isaiah because i think he arranged the words very well.

Isaiah 40

The Greatness of God

"Comfort, O comfort My people," says your God.
"Speak kindly to Jerusalem;
And call out to her, that her warfare has ended,
That her iniquity has been removed,
That she has received of the LORD'S hand
Double for all her sins."
A voice is calling,
"Clear the way for the LORD in the wilderness;
Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God.
"Let every valley be lifted up,
And every mountain and hill be made low;
And let the rough ground become a plain,
And the rugged terrain a broad valley;
Then the glory of the LORD will be revealed,
And all flesh will see it together;
For the mouth of the LORD has spoken."
A voice says, "Call out."
Then he answered, "What shall I call out?"
All flesh is grass, and all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
When the breath of the LORD blows upon it;
Surely the people are grass.
The grass withers, the flower fades,
But the word of our God stands forever.
Get yourself up on a high mountain,
O Zion, bearer of good news,
Lift up your voice mightily,
O Jerusalem, bearer of good news;
Lift it up, do not fear
Say to the cities of Judah,
"Here is your God!"
Behold, the Lord GOD will come with might,
With His arm ruling for Him
Behold, His reward is with Him
And His recompense before Him.
Like a shepherd He will tend His flock,
In His arm He will gather the lambs
And carry them in His bosom;
He will gently lead the nursing ewes.
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
And marked off the heavens by the span,
And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,
Or as His counselor has informed Him?
With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,
Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless.
To whom then will you liken God?
Or what likeness will you compare with Him?
As for the idol, a craftsman casts it,
A goldsmith plates it with gold,
And a silversmith fashions chains of silver.
He who is too impoverished for such an offering
Selects a tree that does not rot;
He seeks out for himself a skillful craftsman
To prepare an idol that will not totter.
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
Has it not been declared to you from the beginning?
Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth?
It is He who sits above the circle of the earth,
And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers,
Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain
And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in.
He it is who reduces rulers to nothing,
Who makes the judges of the earth meaningless.
Scarcely have they been planted,
Scarcely have they been sown,
Scarcely has their stock taken root in the earth,
But He merely blows on them, and they wither,
And the storm carries them away like stubble.
"To whom then will you liken Me
That I would be his equal?" says the Holy One.
Lift up your eyes on high
And see who has created these stars,
The One who leads forth their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one of them is missing.
Why do you say, O Jacob, and assert, O Israel,
"My way is hidden from the LORD,
And the justice due me escapes the notice of my God"?
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the LORD, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become weary or tired
His understanding is inscrutable.
He gives strength to the weary,
And to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired,
And vigorous young men stumble badly,
Yet those who wait for the LORD
Will gain new strength;
They will mount up with wings like eagles,
They will run and not get tired,
They will walk and not become weary.

2009-05-23T09:11:00.000-07:00