Prayer Week in Budapest

As many of you know, Joe, Sarah, and I spent 24 Jan-29 Jan at the Prayer Week in Budapest. The Prayer Week is an annual conference with all the AG missionaries and national indigenous leaders who do University campus ministry throughout Europe. It was SO awesome. I love my new missionary family!! We mainly just prayed our guts out, and gave reports on what's happening in our campuses/ministries, and had lots of discussion about the different challenges and facets of pioneering campus ministry, exchanging ideas and planning events. We also shared in lots of awesome fellowship -- long meals, late night card games, and plenty of sight seeing. It was fantastic in every single way.

I have so much I could tell you about the conference. Way too much to write, but I'll try and give you a little synopsis. I will be writing and posting more photos later, but let me just get out what's fresh on my heart. In a word, it was overwhelming. Overwhelming to see/hear about the need for campus ministry throughout Europe. It makes me want to do this for the rest of my life. Honestly, I don't know how I could ever walk away from a need like this. I couldn't sleep friday night. I kept waking up and thinking about the hundreds and hundreds of campuses in Europe (representing MILLIONS of students) that have no Gospel witness. It's just wrong. Of all the countries in Europe, we have the most campus ministries in Germany. But look at this photo to the right. The white map shows the twelve universities where we have campus ministries in Germany. The blue map shows all the campuses that still have no Gospel witness. There is so much work to be done! And that's just in ONE country! We spent the entire day on Friday in prayer. Each missionary talked about their country and the campuses they are ministering on, sharing about progress that has been made, challenges they are facing, and dreams they have for the future. After their presentation, we gathered around them, laid hands on each missionary and the map of their country, and cried out to God for a sovereign move and salvation of University students. So as I said before, it was overwhelming to hear about the need all throughout Europe and the variety of battles my fellow missionaries are fighting. The darkness and oppression have so many layers. To hear the other missionaries tell their stories would rip your heart out. No, seriously: heart = ripped out.

BUT, it was overwhelm- ing in other ways as well. After hearing the depth of the need (which seems to be an endless pit) I was very much reassured that God's love and power is deeper and more far reaching. There is so much hope. HOPE. That's what we have because God's power has no limit. God spoke, and I believe that He desires salvation, deliverence, and restoration in European University students more than all of us combined. He is good and He is omnipotent. There is HOPE. *sigh.....

Brett & Cortney Heerwald and Kelly Larson, pioneering campus ministry in Norway with Chuck Haavik. They know of no other missionaries of any sort in the entire nation.

Jose (on the left) is one of our indigenous leaders in France, leading the campus ministry.

Right to left: Brent Enget, pioneering campus ministry in Limerick, Ireland. Martin Didio, one of our indigenous leaders from Germany who is serving in Austria. Jon Ziegler, MAPS worker in Berlin. John Koeshall, Belgium. And Joe Zickafoose, pioneering campus ministry in the UK.

Sparce Cupboards=Innovative Meals

In an effort to be a frugal and wise spender I've made a little rule for myself: I cannot go grocery shopping until I've eaten almost everything in my cupboards and fridge. As you can imagine, towards the end of the month things start to get a little sparce, which means meals become increasingly creative. Fortunately, I'm the least picky eater in the world (proof that I'm meant to be a missionary? I think so :o)

SO here's what's left in my fridge: eggs, feta cheese, corn, and onion. Mmmmm. I also found a remnant of brown sugar in the cupboard so the other day I decided to try my hand at making caramelized onions. No recipe? No problem! Just make it up, that's what I do. They turned out delish and they're definitely my new favorite food. Once I mastered that I thought, "Why not carmelized corn?" Those of you who know me well are shaking your heads right now. The answer is YES, I do put sugar in everything. Why? Because I love it.

The result of my creative endeavors in cooking? Scrambled eggs with caramelized onion, caramelized corn, and feta cheese. Add a little black pepper and ketchup and you've got yourself a gourmet meal complete with protein, veggies, starch, dairy, and even sugar.

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Don't knock it til you try it.

Calling, Sending, Going

So I’ve been thinking a lot about my calling lately—this compulsion and urgency I have to go, and once I’ve gone to stay there where I’ve been sent. God has blessed me with a lot of great friends and a fantastic mentor—all people I can bounce ideas off of, open up to, cry with, and share with the joys and hardships of this journey. My friend Andy recently painted me the canvas I’m holding in this picture. It basically sums up how I got to Scotland.

Isaiah 6:1-8

"...I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple... 'Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!' And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of Him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said, "Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!" Then one of the seraphim flew to me, having in his hand a burning coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And he touched my mouth and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for." And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."

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Really, I just feel like I was exposed to the need, which was God’s way of saying directly to me like He said to Isaiah, “Whom shall I send?” As a person who has known the freedom of Christ, I desire to bring God glory by allowing Him to use me in leading others to that freedom. Having no reason not to go I said “Here I am, Send me! I will go.” It seems like an overly simple way to describe my call to missions, doesn’t it? But honestly, God showed me the need, and that's where it all started. I was exposed. Now I'm ruined. I can't just NOT do anything.

I wonder often times how many people there are who God is calling to missions that aren’t realizing and responding to that call. How many are asking the wrong question, “Should I go?” when they should be asking a different question, “Is there any reason why I shouldn’t go?” People ask me “Why Scotland? Why missions? Why Europe?” and I answer back “Why not?” I see a huge need. I see that there isn't enough people responding to meet that need. I see that I am able and willing....so why not?

In essence, I’m living a normal life and working in fulltime ministry, I’m just doing it in a different country. It doesn’t sound as scary when I put it like that, but that’s exactly how it is. I am not saying you don’t have to be “called” to missions and that it’s a lifestyle that anyone would fit. I am saying that I believe there’s a lot more people who God is calling, and they’re not responding. I realize I may be (or definitely am :o) biased, but I really am trying to look at this objectively. I have a Scottish friend here who recently donated a significant amount of money to my ministry (enough to pay almost 2 months rent!). He said to me, “I just wanna bless you and felt when i was speaking to you and praying for your financial needs, I just felt God saying - "Well, you can help" - or maybe it was just common sense. Either way it’s cool.” Common sense, aye? I wish more people used common sense when making decisions about giving and going to missions. My friend saw a need, evaluated his own resources, calculated that he had the ability to meet the need (at least in part), and so he did. He didn’t wait for a sermon or worship song to play on his emotions and move him to a place of willingness. He didn’t ask “why?”, he asked “why not?” and, finding no valid reason not to, he gave. I have so much respect for that!

And so I'm wondering, why don’t people go? I have noticed that when someone from the States feels like God is calling them to fultime ministry they almost always automatically assume they're supposed to stay in America to minister. If they're open they might ask "Am I supposed to be in foriegn missions?" But what if the paradigm was flipped? What if every person that felt God calling them to fulltime ministry looked around and saw that there's tons of amazing churches, christians, and ministers already in America that are doing a great job at spreading the Gospel. And so instead of assuming they're supposed to stay in the States, what if they all automatically assumed they were supposed to go on the mission field, unless God directed them otherwise? Why are so many people waiting for a burning bush to speak to them, when there is obvious needs around the world, and they are obviously capable of meeting those needs? Here's some common reasons I've thought of:

“I don’t want to give up financial security”

Eph 3:20 "to Him who can do abundantly more than we can ask or think..."
Phil 4:19 "God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus."

“I don’t want to leave my friends and family”

Matt 16:24-26 "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me..."
Luke 14:26 "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple." (not literal hate, but just that your love for God compared to your love for others would make your love for others look like hate, because your love for God is so much greater)
Ps 73:22 "Yet I am with You always, You hold me by my right hand."
Matt 28:20 "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
Matt 12:48-50 "He replied to him, 'Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.'" (God give you community)

“I can’t do it, it’s too hard”

1 Peter 5:10 "the God of all grace, who has called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you."
2Peter 1:3 "His divine power has granted us everything we need that pertain to life and godliness..."
2 Cor 12:9 "My grace is sufficient, My power made perfect in your weakness."
Jeremiah 1:6-10 "'Ah, Sovereign LORD,' I said, 'I do not know how to speak; I am only a child.' But the LORD said to me, 'Do not say, 'I am only a child.' You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,' declares the LORD. Then the LORD reached out His hand and touched my mouth and said to me, 'Now, I have put my words in your mouth...'"

“God can’t use someone like me”
Eph 2:10 "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared beforehand for us to do."
1 Peter 4:10-11 "As each has recieved a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace...whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength God supplies..."
1Cor 1:26 "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him"
1 Tim 1:15-16 "...Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His unlimited patience as an example for those who would believe on Him and receive eternal life."
Jer 1:5 "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations."

What’s your excuse?

Last weekend my mom heard this song at the end of a church service. She said it reminded her of me and my decision to follow God’s call on my life, so she emailed me the lyrics. They’re pretty inspiring, so at the risk of making an incredibly long blog even longer, I'm gonna pass them on to you…

Matthew West//Out Of Time

So, you're hungry for a taste of the other side
Where the grass is thick and green
But your feet are on familiar ground
Frozen and afraid of what you might lack
Oh, if that's all that's holding you back

Come on, step out of time
Fall out of line
Leave a mark they can't erase
Find your heart and lose your mind
Watch the journey unwind
And let it be a new day
Out of time

How's your story gonna read
When they call your name
And it's all there in black and white?
Will you follow? Or will you lead?
Will you quietly disappear
Or is this whole world gonna know
That you were here?

Come on, step out of time

Fall out of line

Leave a mark they can't erase

Find your heart and lose your mind

Watch the journey unwind

And let it be a new day

Out of time

It's time to be free
It's time just to live what you believe
What you gonna do with the life you're living?
What you gonna make of the time you're given?
When you are free, you have been forgiven
Now come on and step out of time

Once you go, you're gone forever
Don't you know it's now or never
But I can feel a change in weather
Now come on and step out of time

Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky outcrop on the north-east coast of Scotland, about two miles south of Stonehaven (only a 20 minute drive from Aberdeen). Dunnottar Castle was the home of the Earls Marischal of Scotland, once one of the most powerful families in the land. Its recognizable architecture is 13th century, but an earlier castle was built on this site by Caledonian tribes by 84 AD. The site, now owned by private interests but open to the public, is visited by hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. Even if there was no castle at Dunnottar, the site would immediately catch the eye--the ruins of the castle are spread over a three acre area of enormous flat-topped rock virtually surrounded by sheer cliffs which drop to the North Sea 160ft below.

There were only two ways in or out of Dunnottar Castle. The first was via the well defended main gate set in a cleft in the rock where attackers could be assaulted by defenders from all directions. At this location is the imposing gatehouse with apparent medieval defensive devices lurking for attackers treading up the cobblestone entrance road. The second access is through a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the north side of the Dunnottar cliffs. From here a steep path leads to the cliff atop which is the well fortified postern gate. The Castle is accessed via a narrow strip of land joining the mainland and a steep path leading up to the massive gatehouse. If the outline is a little familiar, this may be because Dunnottar Castle was the location for the 1990 film version of Hamlet starring Mel Gibson.

A twisted tree along the path to Dunnottar Castle.

Dunnottar Forrest

In front of the Castle. It was really windy and cold.
Yes, places this beautiful really do exist. The pictures hardly do justice.
My friends Bryan and Jenn

I would just like to point out the the scarf I'm wearing was knitted by my mom, who is exceedingly awesome.

Jenn and I, in a small crack between two cliffs at the bottom of the Castle.

Stairs leading up and leading down to the Castle door.

Once we finally got to the Castle door we found that it was locked!! Can you believe the nerve of them to lock us out! I guess it would have been smart to check the hours of operation before starting the exploration.

I tired to break in. Didn't work...*sigh*...Maybe next time.

Prayer Requests: 2nd Semester

Please Pray

God's Word is powerful and alive. I ask that you would use these scriptures as you remember me, my students (both saved and unsaved), and my fellow missionaries in prayer.

Ephesians 1:15-20a
For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you, the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, and His incomparably great power for us who believe.

Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Colossians 1:9-12
For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please Him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to His glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light.

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Specific Prayer Requests:

• Please pray that God's holy presence would always be at Radiate events and outreaches in a way that is noticable to saved and usaved students alike.
• Please pray that unsaved university students would feel the agape love of God through our relationships and interactions with them.
• Please pray that non-seekers would become seekers, and that seekers would become believers.
• Please pray for our student staff and leaders: They are, in many ways, on the front lines of this battle. Pray that they would be fervent in prayer, walk in purity, and have a deep, genuine burden for the lost.
• Please pray for creativity and discernment as we are planning and preparing for Radiate events.
• Please pray for my future: I have a lot of important decisions to make in the next few months and years. I want to hear God's voice, trust Him completely, and obey Him without hesitation. I told God a long time ago that I would follow Him anywhere, as long as I knew He was leading me. I really meant it.

Radiate Calender: 2nd Semester

What we do....
The Living Room: Formerly called Big Sunday, it is a Christian fellowship event within the local church context. We have these once or twice a month in the cafe at Aberdeen AG church. The night consists of a time of fellowship/group game, worship, a sermon, and prayer.
Radiate Cafe: Our outreach/catalyst event designed to attract students who normally wouldn't attend church or other religious events. These occur twice a month and are held in the newly remodled cafe in Aberdeen AG church. The enviornment is relaxed and inviting, but the theme of these events will vary quite a bit (i.e. music, art gallery, comedy night, poetry reading, social justice projects, etc, etc).
Home Groups: Our weekly Bible study for Radiate students. Main focus is discipleship, fellowship, and prayer.
Student Leadership Development: 8 sessions taught by Joe, Sarah, and one of our student leaders. It's a leadership training course open to any students who are interested in becoming more involved in Radiate as a student leader.
Radiate Social: A party or social event that occurs once or twice a month. These could take a varitey of shapes: bonfire on the beach, city-wide scavenger hunt, costume party, Ceilidh dance, game night, or anything else that would be fun. The goal is to fellowship and build relationships with both the Christian and nonChristian students that frequent these events.

24-29 Jan:// Sarah, Joe, and I away at European Missionaries Conference in Budapest (YES!)
21 Jan:// The Living Room
31 Jan:// Home Groups resume
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02 Feb:// Radiate Social
06 Feb:// Radiate Cafe
07 Feb:// Home Groups
08 Feb:// Student Leadership Development
14 Feb:// Radiate Valentines Party
20 Feb:// Radiate Cafe
21 Feb:// Home Groups
22 Feb:// Student Leadership Development
25 Feb:// The Living Room
28 Feb:// Home Groups
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02 Mar:// Radiate Social
07 Mar:// Home Groups
08 Mar:// Student Leadership Development
09-18 Mar:// Two Chi Alpha Mission Teams from the States here to minister.
13 Mar:// Radiate Cafe
14 Mar:// Home Groups
16 Mar:// Ceilidh Dance
21 Mar:// Home Groups
22 Mar:// Student Leadership Development
25 Mar:// The Living Room
28 Mar:// Home Groups
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o4 Apr:// Home Groups
11 Apr:// Home Groups
17 Apr:// Radiate Cafe
18 Apr:// Home Groups
19 Apr:// Student Leadership Development
25 Apr:// Home Groups
27 Apr:// Radiate Social
29 Apr:// The Living Room
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01 May:// Radiate Cafe
02 May:// Home Groups
03 May:// Student Leadership Development
09 May:// Home Groups
11 May:// Radiate Social
16 May:// Home Groups
17 May:// Student Leadership Development
23 May:// Home Groups
27 May:// The Living Room
30 May:// Home Groups
31 May:// Student Leadership Development

Coat

The search for a winter coat is finally over.

Those of you who are close to me know that this has been a long and treacherous hunt that many of us feared would never come to an end.

(thanks for all your prayers, haha ;o)

In all seriousness, though, I didn't have a warm coat and, well...it's winter in Scotland. That's not a good thing when you don't have a warm coat. So the past four months I've been looking everywhere for a coat that

a) was in my price range

b) was actually my size

Is that too much to ask? Yeah, it was a bit harder to find than you'd think (mom, Russ, Dave, thanks for all the looooong shopping trips :o)

That's me, really happy and warm in my new coat. YAY!!!

BFF

Do any of you have a BFF? For those of you who don't know what BFF is:

BFF = Best Friends Forever!!!

(yes, the exclimation marks are neccessary)

My BFF is far away in Michigan and I miss her very much. Her name is Emily Smith. I love her SO MUCH. Emily is amazing, beautiful, intelligent, loving, gentle, and compassionate. She has made a significant impression on my life. Emily has rejoiced with me and cried with me, she always listens, she can always make me laugh, and she always makes me feel valued and loved. Somehow, no matter how heavy a burden I may carry, when I share it with Emily, it's always so much lighter and easy to bear. I call her my girl soulmate :o)

You want to meet her, don't you?

Something I've noticed througout my years of best-friendness with Emily is that anyone who knows me, and especially those that love me, love Emily whether they've met her or not. That's just the way it goes. Because I love Emily so much and because she's made such a difference in my life, anyone that knows me already loves Emily before they even meet her. They LOVE her because of what I've told them about her and because of the way I talk about her. They think, "Man, if Anna loves Emily that much and if Emily is that kind of a friend and a blessing in Anna's life....she'll probably be the same in my life. Yeah, that's what I want! I want to meet that girl..."

That's how it should be with Jesus. That's how it should be when people hear us talk about Jesus and the kind of friend He's been to us and the way He saved us and made our lives new and abundant and worth living. The way that we love God and the way that we interact with Him should make the world crave what we have with Christ. When others hear us talk about Christ, do they feel like we're talking about our best friend? Or do they feel like we're trying to sell them something? Because of their exposure to Christ through us, they should be dying to meet Him.

Or have you ever seen a young couple, newly in love, or an old couple, still in love? And then when you watch the way they interact, care for, and speak about each other it makes you *sigh* and say, "I want that..." I believe that my relationship with God should be so bursting with passion and love that it evokes the same response from those who observe it.

Our lives should make people crave God. Isn't this what it means to be salt: To make people thirsty for God...

New Year

Hogmanay: It's what the Scots call the New Year and it's a BIG DEAL around here. A bigger deal than Christmas, even, and every other holiday during the year. For most Scottish people, New Years = the weekend you get more drunk than any other time during the year. Because of this, no one goes back to work until the 3rd or 4th of January, and some not even until next Monday. They're all too hung-over. No, I'm not kidding! I laughed when I first heard this, but then I was told that they actually all get an extra day or two off work in order to "recover" from the New Year celebrations.

But for me and all the lovely folk in Radiate and Aberdeen AG church, it was a time to celebrate life and all the blessings God has given. The party started at 8pm with plenty of lively Ceilidh dancing and massive group games. Around 10:30pm we took a break to refuel on food (and coffee), then gathered together in the sanctuary for a thanksgiving service. It was refreshing to be in God's presence and give Him thanks for the way He's made our lives abundant and new. After worship Pastor Iain left an open mic for anyone who wanted to share a testimony from the past year. There's a Teen Challenge center in Aberdeen that our church supports, and it was especially encouraging to see so many of these men, recovering drug addicts, stand up and give testimony of what God has done. One man said, with a voice full of emotion, "I couldn't imagine my life without drugs because that's all I'd ever known. I've been clean for four months now. That might not sound like a lot, but for me, that's a miracle." Praise God!

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Ceilidh is traditional Scottish dancing. It's kind of a mix between swing dancing and square dancing. Loads of fun!!

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We also played a few really fun group games.
This was a hat game (obviously), with the same basic concept as musical chairs, except instead of moving you pass hats around the circle until the music stops and one unlucky person is stuck without a hat. Sorry, you lose.
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In Scotland, after the clock strikes 12, the party has really just begun. The rest of the night is spent going from house to house, visiting all your friends and eating lots of great food that they make for you. This celebrating continues for the next two or three days as they make to rounds, visiting and calling everyone they love to wish them a Happy New Year. I ended up getting home around 6am the next morning :o) and on New Years day went to Sarah and Rob's for a big New Year dinner. It was a lot of fun.


And more games....
And more food....
For Debz and Naomi, it was all a bit too much :0)
Happy New Year!