Jon the Baptist.

Weew,

The new year is going super fast.  I’m not kept really busy with having German classes three times a week.  Though, they only last for two months, so in the long run it shouldn’t be to bad.  I’ll be able to speak German so much better.  Already after 3 classes I have a much better time with confidence in what I say.  Not just saying something with a confused look on my face hoping for affirmation (as the usual so far).  Not only do I get to learn loads in order to continue ministering here in Germany with the same language, I get to learn with people all in the same boat as me.  There all really vulnerable and have no friends (although I do have many because I am doing ministry…but…) and are trying to speak this somewhat confusing language.  So so many in my class are open to me.  Everyone of them speaks English, making for an amazing ministry of just hanging out and being friends with them.  It makes for some kind of spiritual analogy almost, they are lost in this country…don’t understand…need friendship… in the same way they are lost in the world…need God’s friendship…need understanding.  Now it may come off that I’m some super hero in the class going to save them all, but I don’t mean that at all.  In fact, God has told me very differently.  I went in looking to get as many into Church, into Christianity, make life-long friends, but I forgot the most important thing…I’m not the one who chooses.  I really have no possible way to bring these people to know God.  That is God’s job.  I can only do what he tells me, and continue serving him in obedience.  I was so excited because on the first day this one girl wanted to come work with us on the new building (still kinda excited, but in a different way).  She isn’t a “Church goer” or Christian from what I can see, but she is very open.  But then, as I continued trying to ease God into most of our conversations, I found the exact opposite of what I wished for was happening.

God cannot be “eaaased” on anyone.  Streight up…God chooses.  If I think about it, how could I make anyone accept God, especially in a class where I’m only there 3 times a week, and then after two months I am gone.  Sure I can keep in touch (even after I leave Berlin) and encourage them, but it ultimately comes down to God presenting himself in a lasting way.  Not me easing it, or pushing it (for that matter), but himself.  The more I try to do anything either then love people (with the love God gives me) genuinely, the more I find the opposite occurs.  Many of these thoughts I have weight according to scriptures and asked God, and talked with team members about it because you would think that my main point of being a missions trip is to push God on people (wouldn’t you?).  I thought so…but after my first class I became so discouraged for a couple days.  I couldn’t figure out why.  Through prayer and writing God revealed to me that I had put all this pressure on myself to bring people to God.  I told people that, “yeah! I’m staying in the class because God put me here so that I could bring people to him” (not exact words).  Now this is a true statement, except for one tiny part that could go missed as it did for me those couple of downer days.  The big ol “I” in there!  “…so that – I – could bring people to him”.  This is the lie.  III am not the one who brings people to him, Heeee is the one who brings people to himself.  I was supposed to switch classes in order to be in Kenton and Kidron’s class so that we would have the same schedule, but as you saw above my statement of ’staying’ changed things.  Hence the applying of pressure on myself to bring people to Church and get them to be Christians.  I must trust God, not myself.  There I go again trying to play God. Bah… Oh well, all is good for me now, God showed me the lie that Satan told me as I knew he would being the loving heavenly Father he is.

Either then the new class starting up, most things are truckin along.  Though I still am not doing a whole lot of ministry type of things, I am learning so much about God and myself.  God has alloted me this time that I may learn with all my heart in order to better serve him; this time where I am away from the usual, away from my ordinary lifestyle of working and playing tennis.  I am in a place where if I didn’t have peace about doing nothing I would go crazy.  Though my “doing nothing” has alloted to me continually reading the Bible, listening to God, memorizing scripture, learning Greek, learning piano, learning German, learning to love out of God’s love, and so much more.  This missions trip God has given me, is preparation for a life dedicated to him with all my heart, not just lukewarm (God willing); a trip where I can truly become close to the creator of the universe.

God Bless,

Jon

Well, as the title says, is has been a while. I have had an absolutely amazing Christmas ans New Year here in Berlin. We went to this place called Gumersbach and stay with our missionaries families (they are from the same town) which was a 7 hour ride with train and bus. The ride the way there was so good because we were able to hitch a cheep ride on this huge bus that just so happened to be going there around the same time we needed to go. The way back was a different story…to say the least…1 hour train ride…5 hours in a car that shouldn’t have more then 4 people in it (we had 7). It was hot and sweaty and squishy and BO was in the air… I added to it by taking my shoes off because they were hurting. It smelled so good in there (sarcasm). But anyways, the time there was because Olga has 9 siblings and Andrew has 11 (not including marriages and kids)! So it was an absolutely crazy time. Fun in all kinds of ways. We first off went to this really fast go-carting place an hour away with all the guys (like 15..?), at which the go-carts go like double as fast as any I had ever seen in Canada. We had to do over 50 laps! My arms were killing me after, but it I had the most fun being here, just ramming into everything (walls included). The next night all the guys played soccer (intense soccer) where I actually really hurt one of them by accident. My shin rammed into the side of his knee and he was down. I felt so bad… But he got up and kept playing after half an hour or so. Well, those 2 nights were amazing for intense fun times, but then the other 2 nights we got to have amazing dinners with grandma’s, Grandpa’s, Babies, Youth, Adults, and all kinda of living things. It was all in all a very unique Christmas experience.

New Years it crazy in Berlin. They claim to have the craziest New Years in the world. I believe them… People were everywhere young and old throwing fire crackers. You see grandpa’s to 3 year olds walking around tossing random explosives. We went to a bridge near by where thousands of people were (nothing compared to the Braney-Bourge gate where about 1.5 million people gather for New years) drinking and lighting off hundreds of thousands of euro worth of Crackers – as they call them. We watched some crackers and then went back to our friends house (Lenchen) to hang out and enjoy each others company. We were up till 4 or 5.

But anyways, I didn’t even want to write all of that…I mainly came just to put down some spiritual updates. Because there is so much to tell… I don’t want to put it all into typing because it doesn’t really give justice to what God has been doing in our relationship. He is teaching me so much about becoming close with him in a real way. He is teaching me how to be discipline; how to love; how to listen to his voice. So I could type on and on, but I think I will just leave it at a writing that I did about Satan’s Lies and update more on a later entry. I have began writing book about them, though it maybe not be finished for years, I will commit to it being a finished book sometime in my life. So I write in an audience kind of format, but still very personal. This is a conversation I had with God about discipline with a mixture of love… There still may be some mistakes because it isn’t totally edited and such, but go with it…

Lie #2

I was laying on my bed later in the day, in a bit of a pickle because I didn’t do my normal walk with God that morning. I would have had to wake up really early and then go out in the cold, which I really didn’t feel like doing. So I didn’t and I felt bad. I felt really stupid because I knew deep down if I had just got up and walked with God I would have felt good and kept the discipline alive, but I accepted the lie.

Even half way through the day, being fully awake, I didn’t feel like going for a walk with him. I needed God to tell me the lie that I was accepting…

Me: Why is it Lord that I do not like to do certain things for you when I know the outcome is greater intimacy with you? Every time I go for a walk with you I become filled and excited for more,

yet…

I often struggle with wanting to go on such walks. Where does this struggle come from? Aren’t things that bring me such joy be something should jump at the opportunity to do…or in my case get out of bed…?

God: What was your first vision in your mind when I reminded you to come walk with me?

Me: Well, thinking back, my first vision was having to …stand up …putting on all my clothes …and being cold outside.

God: Does this seem like a vision that would come from me, being the one asking you to come for a walk with me?

Me: …No…

God: Well, then who was it?

Me: …(understanding in silence)…

God: That is why. You do not wish to go for a walk because you accepted that lie that going for a walk will bring you stress and trouble, and I bet a hint of me not showing up on the walk was in your mind as well. Hmh?

When you wish to “do” things for me do not accept the lies of seeing all of what you have to do. For you I have held the future from you for a reason. Satan will try to give you fake images of your future with trouble and stress, in hopes to discourage you from letting our relationship to grow. The truth I give you is to live one step at a time, just one foot in front of the other. I will warn you and encourage you in the times needed.

So with that in mind, what do you have to do in order to obey me?

Me: …Stand up…

The lie is this: You know your future.
The truth is this: You know only what God wishes you to know…
…through prayer.

“…since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God made it plain to them.”
-Romans 1:19

“And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure…”
-Ephesians 1:9

Matt 6:25 – 34
Mark 4:15
Pro 30:8
1 Co 10:13

The bottom is just some noted of verses that came to mind when testing and weighing. They are there because I just though if someone wants to look up some good verses they can!

Anyways, I hope all is well for whoever reads this. For all back home, I will continue praying for you. If you could pray for my health (our whole teach is off and on sick still!) and our teams health that would be great. As well continual prayer for becoming closer with God would be an amazing encourager for me. Thank you so much!

God Bless,

—Jon