In two days at the same time I'll already be in London.
I'm so excited!!
I haven't been in Great Britain for three years. That's a loooong time of longing for Cadbury's chocolate and real salt & vinegar crisps/ chips ;)
I just have to survive two more days of correcting and preparing, and then I can enjoy full five days with my teacher training class and my younger sister who is allowed to go with us, ambling in Shakespeare's traces.
Alas, methinks the time hath come to go back to work. Fare thee well, dear friend.
Thursday, May 24
Monday, May 21
Worship (Night), Sermon and Leisure Time
As work is calling out my name loudly just a really short update on what happened over the last week...
So, last Saturday we had a worship night at my place.
We were nine people altogether and it was just soooo amazing! From the first notes I played on my guitar God's presence was there so powerful, and I do know for sure that that wasn't due to my musical skills because I messed up quite a bit... :)
We worshipped for over one and half an hour, and it remained just as powerful as in the beginning over the whole time. Afterwards we prayed for another 1.5 hours for each other and God gave one prophetic word after the other. It was really awesome!
So people left about 1 in the morning, and there I was - still having to prepare worship for the next morning (which also meant getting up at 6:45. Outch)...
I was so done... I only said a quick prayer, asking God to forgive me that I didn't take more time to prepare, and that He would help me picking the set quickly and that He would - please, please, please - fill whatever I would choose with His spirit.
I had already gotten the topic for Sunday morning worship while preparing for the worship night, so I picked my set in about three minutes, just choosing songs that were well known to the band and me, dealt with the given topic and were written in the same key...
And here the same: We started playing and God's presence was overwhelming. So was the feedback. And THAT really means something, not only for a German congregation, but especially for ours...
Yesterday I preached on God's righteousness.
I just shared what God had told and taught me over the last year. And it was so imperfect! God had only told me which parts and scriptures to know by heart and how I could start and then told me to go up on the stage and just wing it. Not a very relaxing way of working for a perfectionist and preparing freak... And so I of course got lost in my notes, used phrases I would definitely have wiped out had I practised before, and wasn't half as structured as I would have liked to be.
But...
God filled what I had. People were touched enormously; many came up to me saying that what I had taught on was exactly what they are struggling with. That I had spoken into their lives.
I totally marvel at what can happen when we follow step by step and offer Him to use what we have to give. I'm so grateful that I may know that it wasn't me, not my skills, not my work ethic, not my working hard or whatever that released all that blessing; but that it is God alone who gives out of grace. That he humbles me so that He can use me in a godly way. I'm grateful that I could be a blessing. That sharing my struggles and the solution Jesus offered me helped other people.
And yesterday I had some precious time with my dear friend Steffi. It was so neat to hang out with her in the sun in the most beautiful part of Berlin and just chat and catch up on what is happening in our lives.
And - last but not least - I managed to completely design a Latin class test in only two hours. So far it's always taken me about ten.
I'm just grateful for everything God gives in His grace.
Thank you Jesus!!!
So, last Saturday we had a worship night at my place.
We were nine people altogether and it was just soooo amazing! From the first notes I played on my guitar God's presence was there so powerful, and I do know for sure that that wasn't due to my musical skills because I messed up quite a bit... :)
We worshipped for over one and half an hour, and it remained just as powerful as in the beginning over the whole time. Afterwards we prayed for another 1.5 hours for each other and God gave one prophetic word after the other. It was really awesome!
So people left about 1 in the morning, and there I was - still having to prepare worship for the next morning (which also meant getting up at 6:45. Outch)...
I was so done... I only said a quick prayer, asking God to forgive me that I didn't take more time to prepare, and that He would help me picking the set quickly and that He would - please, please, please - fill whatever I would choose with His spirit.
I had already gotten the topic for Sunday morning worship while preparing for the worship night, so I picked my set in about three minutes, just choosing songs that were well known to the band and me, dealt with the given topic and were written in the same key...
And here the same: We started playing and God's presence was overwhelming. So was the feedback. And THAT really means something, not only for a German congregation, but especially for ours...
Yesterday I preached on God's righteousness.
I just shared what God had told and taught me over the last year. And it was so imperfect! God had only told me which parts and scriptures to know by heart and how I could start and then told me to go up on the stage and just wing it. Not a very relaxing way of working for a perfectionist and preparing freak... And so I of course got lost in my notes, used phrases I would definitely have wiped out had I practised before, and wasn't half as structured as I would have liked to be.
But...
God filled what I had. People were touched enormously; many came up to me saying that what I had taught on was exactly what they are struggling with. That I had spoken into their lives.
I totally marvel at what can happen when we follow step by step and offer Him to use what we have to give. I'm so grateful that I may know that it wasn't me, not my skills, not my work ethic, not my working hard or whatever that released all that blessing; but that it is God alone who gives out of grace. That he humbles me so that He can use me in a godly way. I'm grateful that I could be a blessing. That sharing my struggles and the solution Jesus offered me helped other people.
And yesterday I had some precious time with my dear friend Steffi. It was so neat to hang out with her in the sun in the most beautiful part of Berlin and just chat and catch up on what is happening in our lives.
And - last but not least - I managed to completely design a Latin class test in only two hours. So far it's always taken me about ten.
I'm just grateful for everything God gives in His grace.
Thank you Jesus!!!
Saturday, May 12
Difficulties and Rebellion
John Wimber writes in his book "Power Healing" that" difficulties and problems were the direct and instantaneous consequence of human rebellion against God; and they still are up to the present day".
When I read this sentence some weeks ago, it really struck me. I was in the middle of throwing a pity party about all the difficulties I had to face in my job (and other areas of my life), and I thought "Wuh, wait a moment, are you trying to say that I'm rebelling against God? Hey man, if I just knew that this was God's way for me, I would be all fine and non-complainy."
Well, of course, my reaction might already have shown you that the Holy Spirit was stirring inside me, convicting me of just that sin of rebellion.
Let me elaborate on this:
Actually, I didn't want to accept God's way for my life. I wanted to be a good girl, doing the father's will, of course! That was what I've been taught. That was the deal when I gave Him my life a while ago.
But at the same time I didn't want to accept the consequences that go along with choosing to go God's way. So all my complaining was actually an expression of my rebellion against God, which is actually so obvious (to me NOW) because the root of my complaining was (and unfortunately still is) pride - the original sin.
So let me tell you what happened after I decided to stay in this job and accept it as God's will with all that might go along with it:
The circumstances are still just hard; the last two weeks almost all I did was working. I only slept four to five hours a night because there was just so much to do. But at the same time I felt so much JOY just about life, about who God is, about the good things He gives, ... I could actually enJOY the conversations I had, the moments of leisure time that did exist, just everything. Every morning I (terribly early) woke up there was thanksgiving on my heart. It was on my mind before my mind even was awake.
And I feel freedom. Freedom to go for God again, initiate things. So, tonight we are going to have a worship and prayer nite at my place, and - frankly - I'm a bit afraid that I will be painfully missing the time it takes to prepare and and so on, but I'm also just THRILLED to spend intense time with God and other Christians tonight!
So, what I want to say with this loooong post is this:
When you find yourself in difficulties and struggling, just check by asking the Holy Spirit whether the cause of these difficulties might be an underlying sin.
I don't say it necessarily is because we ARE in a spiritual war, and there are things we are not to accept but we are called to fight against. But I also think that we sometimes fight against the wrong source.
Let me - last but not least - share this scripture from Hebrews 12:11 with you:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE for those who have been trained by it.
Be blessed!
When I read this sentence some weeks ago, it really struck me. I was in the middle of throwing a pity party about all the difficulties I had to face in my job (and other areas of my life), and I thought "Wuh, wait a moment, are you trying to say that I'm rebelling against God? Hey man, if I just knew that this was God's way for me, I would be all fine and non-complainy."
Well, of course, my reaction might already have shown you that the Holy Spirit was stirring inside me, convicting me of just that sin of rebellion.
Let me elaborate on this:
Actually, I didn't want to accept God's way for my life. I wanted to be a good girl, doing the father's will, of course! That was what I've been taught. That was the deal when I gave Him my life a while ago.
But at the same time I didn't want to accept the consequences that go along with choosing to go God's way. So all my complaining was actually an expression of my rebellion against God, which is actually so obvious (to me NOW) because the root of my complaining was (and unfortunately still is) pride - the original sin.
So let me tell you what happened after I decided to stay in this job and accept it as God's will with all that might go along with it:
The circumstances are still just hard; the last two weeks almost all I did was working. I only slept four to five hours a night because there was just so much to do. But at the same time I felt so much JOY just about life, about who God is, about the good things He gives, ... I could actually enJOY the conversations I had, the moments of leisure time that did exist, just everything. Every morning I (terribly early) woke up there was thanksgiving on my heart. It was on my mind before my mind even was awake.
And I feel freedom. Freedom to go for God again, initiate things. So, tonight we are going to have a worship and prayer nite at my place, and - frankly - I'm a bit afraid that I will be painfully missing the time it takes to prepare and and so on, but I'm also just THRILLED to spend intense time with God and other Christians tonight!
So, what I want to say with this loooong post is this:
When you find yourself in difficulties and struggling, just check by asking the Holy Spirit whether the cause of these difficulties might be an underlying sin.
I don't say it necessarily is because we ARE in a spiritual war, and there are things we are not to accept but we are called to fight against. But I also think that we sometimes fight against the wrong source.
Let me - last but not least - share this scripture from Hebrews 12:11 with you:
No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of RIGHTEOUSNESS and PEACE for those who have been trained by it.
Be blessed!
Monday, May 7
Transformation
It's just so cool how God works and that when we follow Him in whatever He has for us that He gives true FREEDOM and PEACE.
Sometimes life just sucks. But in everything there is something God wants to teach us to set us free.
Since I decided to stop complaining about my job and to not allow perfectionism (= pride: I wanna be perfect, which only God is) or self-pity (= pride: I deserve better; more about that see on http://www.xanga.com/lisa4berlin; Apr 25th) to take over (putting off the old self...) I've been capable of actually REALIZING the good things. All of a sudden, all the good things that happen to me count!
The other day I was just SO DEPRESSED because I couldn't manage to be better; I couldn't do what God had shown me to change. I had been trying so hard but nevertheless I kept FAILING.
And then God reminded me that HE is the one who makes all things new (Rev. 21:5). That's what Jesus died for; that I can have a NEW life in HIM:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(2. Cor. 5:17)
It's in Him that I have a new life; Jesus has already done everything that is needed to be a new creation. Nevertheless, I have to put off everything that hinders me to be truly righteous and holy. But GOD is the one who works the transformation:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to putt off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to BE MADE NEW in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, CREATED to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesian 4:22-24)
Looking forward to even more freedom to come!
Sometimes life just sucks. But in everything there is something God wants to teach us to set us free.
Since I decided to stop complaining about my job and to not allow perfectionism (= pride: I wanna be perfect, which only God is) or self-pity (= pride: I deserve better; more about that see on http://www.xanga.com/lisa4berlin; Apr 25th) to take over (putting off the old self...) I've been capable of actually REALIZING the good things. All of a sudden, all the good things that happen to me count!
The other day I was just SO DEPRESSED because I couldn't manage to be better; I couldn't do what God had shown me to change. I had been trying so hard but nevertheless I kept FAILING.
And then God reminded me that HE is the one who makes all things new (Rev. 21:5). That's what Jesus died for; that I can have a NEW life in HIM:
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(2. Cor. 5:17)
It's in Him that I have a new life; Jesus has already done everything that is needed to be a new creation. Nevertheless, I have to put off everything that hinders me to be truly righteous and holy. But GOD is the one who works the transformation:
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to putt off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to BE MADE NEW in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, CREATED to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.
(Ephesian 4:22-24)
Looking forward to even more freedom to come!
Thursday, May 3
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