Saturday, July 29, 2006
Hard Like Water
Pasadena update
Maximum temperature last week: 119 degrees
Air conditioning: no
sleep: what?
food: excellent
general moral: tired but hopeful
Czech Republic statistics
Population: 10,235,455
2% Protestant, 59% unaffiliated
4th highest non-religous people in the world
9th least responsive to the Gospel message in the world
"People don't know about God anymore. They don't know what Christmas is about. They are lost in art galleries when they see paintings of Jesus Christ." (Olga Kopecka-Valeska)
"There's a hostility toward what religion did to them in the past" (Lawrence Cada)
"Europe is the closest thing to a godless civilization the world has ever known." (U. of Chicago Professor)
Hearing these quotes and statistics has definitely made me wonder, what exactly did I just get myself into? I'd like to think that when I get over there, life will just fall into place, and things will go along smoothly. The hardest thing about the last two weeks has been the realization that I have severly underestimated the significance and reality of what I'm doing. I don't mean significant in that it is in some way better than anyone else's post-college employment, but significant as in what it will require of me; that this isn't going to be a year free of indicent, struggle, or spiritual attack. Often my mind runs back home to where it's comfortable. But is that not what the enemy wants? Pressing onward has proved more challenging than I ever imagined. But I go knowing that God is already there. Despite the corruption, the pornography, the occult, He's been there all along. And He is working. They tell me that the ministries (including ESI, Younglife, YMCA, and Josiah Venture) are working together, uniting their efforts. Worship ministries are beginning to pop up. And teaching. I've been reminded that teaching itself, and doing it with excellence, is still ministry to my students and fellow teachers.
They say we are to be hard like water. Flexible and bending with the curves of the river, yet powerful enough to carve canyons. Right now I feel like I'm just struggling to keep up: to pay attention in my classes, find time to spend with the Lord, eat healthy as best I can, shower..... sleep....It's been a while since I've felt the need of God's gracious hand so strongly. To you who are praying for me, thank you. To you who have shared an encouraging word over the last two weeks, thank you. I couldn't do this without you!
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. -John 15:5
Maximum temperature last week: 119 degrees
Air conditioning: no
sleep: what?
food: excellent
general moral: tired but hopeful
Czech Republic statistics
Population: 10,235,455
2% Protestant, 59% unaffiliated
4th highest non-religous people in the world
9th least responsive to the Gospel message in the world
"People don't know about God anymore. They don't know what Christmas is about. They are lost in art galleries when they see paintings of Jesus Christ." (Olga Kopecka-Valeska)
"There's a hostility toward what religion did to them in the past" (Lawrence Cada)
"Europe is the closest thing to a godless civilization the world has ever known." (U. of Chicago Professor)
Hearing these quotes and statistics has definitely made me wonder, what exactly did I just get myself into? I'd like to think that when I get over there, life will just fall into place, and things will go along smoothly. The hardest thing about the last two weeks has been the realization that I have severly underestimated the significance and reality of what I'm doing. I don't mean significant in that it is in some way better than anyone else's post-college employment, but significant as in what it will require of me; that this isn't going to be a year free of indicent, struggle, or spiritual attack. Often my mind runs back home to where it's comfortable. But is that not what the enemy wants? Pressing onward has proved more challenging than I ever imagined. But I go knowing that God is already there. Despite the corruption, the pornography, the occult, He's been there all along. And He is working. They tell me that the ministries (including ESI, Younglife, YMCA, and Josiah Venture) are working together, uniting their efforts. Worship ministries are beginning to pop up. And teaching. I've been reminded that teaching itself, and doing it with excellence, is still ministry to my students and fellow teachers.
They say we are to be hard like water. Flexible and bending with the curves of the river, yet powerful enough to carve canyons. Right now I feel like I'm just struggling to keep up: to pay attention in my classes, find time to spend with the Lord, eat healthy as best I can, shower..... sleep....It's been a while since I've felt the need of God's gracious hand so strongly. To you who are praying for me, thank you. To you who have shared an encouraging word over the last two weeks, thank you. I couldn't do this without you!
I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. -John 15:5
# posted by Jessica @ 10:31 PM 
