So much has happened since my last entry. I am overwhelmed by the reality that I may not be going in April like I have planned and hoped for. I am facing the fact that God’s timing may not be mine and I have to be okay with that. Most of the time I am, but then some of the time I am wondering why God would not get me to Poland faster! I just don’t know. I DO know that I am glad that I am not in control. I would mess things up too much.
This weekend was my last event with the Southern Gables Church youth group. We went to Winter Park, CO and joined 300 other teens for our winter retreat. The theme was about God and His wisdom in Proverbs. It was an incredible experience. On Saturday evening our youth group got together to talk about what God was doing. Many students shared how God had revealed Himself in a new and deeper way. A few even talked about the fact that this was time to follow God while others publicly forgave members in the group for past grievances. It was a holy evening.
On a fun, unexpected note, the senior class honored one another (guys honoring girls and visa versa) and then challenged the under classmen. At the end of that time, they asked for me to come up and presented me with a bouquet of roses. I was touched, but they were not finished. They asked me to turn around and as I did, one of the senior guys walked up and handed me a 12-String Takamine guitar! I was blown away and speechless. I could not think. What touched me even more was the piece of paper that was on the bottom of the guitar case with notes from most of the seniors. I will cherish that in my heart! What a way to go out! Thank you Lord!
I rejoiced in all that was said and yet, at the same time thought of how wonderful it would be to hear the same kind of testimonies from their Polish counter parts. The weekend was a sad one for me because I was saying good-bye to the ministry that I have been a part of since 1991 and yet, it was one of celebration that God is merely transplanting me to a different culture within the same generation. This “global” generation has the same desires and needs, but not all have the same opportunity of hearing the Gospel. Josiah Venture is trying to help with that in Eastern Europe.
Two weeks ago as I was chatting on the Internet with a Polish church youth leader. He told me that he was taking several non-believers to Josiah Venture’s Evangelistic Winter Ski/Snowboard Camp held in the Czech Republic. He was so excited because many of these students were the same ones who he and other believers started relationships with through the summer’s English camp that SGC’s youth were a part of this last summer. Those who came to the winter camp knew that Jesus would be talked about and yet were still willing to go. Last summer, many of the Polish believers started relationships with non-believers with the understanding that evangelism was just a part of a relationship, not a mere project. They have continued that philosophy and are building and maintaining real relationships!
As I continue to ready myself in preparing to move, I am starting to understand my friend who is going to Spain as missionary when she told me about the fact that her days are merely existing here in the US but being lived in Spain.
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