Home Sweet Home!!

Jay and I are so thankful to be home. We had a great trip to Germany and want to thank you for your faithful prayers. Here is a quick recap of our trip followed by a few personal thoughts. Just a reminder--- Jay and I traveled to Germany to take part in the Western Europe AGM. This meeting was designed to encourage and equip the 400-500 people who serve in Western Europe.

~ Saturday: We arrived and settled into our spacious room at the Allgau Stern Hotel in Sonthofen, Germany. The view outside our balcony was fabulous. The Bavarian Alps Alps greeted us each morning and reminded us that all of creation cries out to Him!

~ Sunday: The meeting moved into full swing with powerful worship led by Chuck Sullivan and preaching by Mac Brunson. Mac is the pastor of First Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida. Each morning Mac taught a portion of Psalm 23. The teachings were powerful. God used Mac's messages to remind me about my great need for Jesus the Shepherd. Following each morning session, breakout workshops were provided. I taught each of my sessions during this time. On the first day, I taught a session on Mary from Bethany. The session title was "A Picture of Reflecting." The session went pretty good but I struggled to pull all of my thoughts together. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit spoke truth no matter how I felt about the session. On Sunday afternoon, Jay and I took a Taxi to the local shopping area. We purchased Lego's and candy for the boys. That evening David Platt, Pastor of The Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, brought a powerful message from Exodus 33. If you are familiar with David's preaching, you know he is an anointed teacher who loves God's Word and recognizes the importance of living life based on the standards set forth in the Bible. Throughout the week, Jay and I were blessed, challenged, convicted, and inspired as David taught God's Word.

~ Monday: Same schedule as the day before. Mac preached in the morning. My breakout session went great!! I taught a session called "The Anything and Everything of Life." I shared with the women how I struggled with the Lord about teaching that session. However, God would not release me from teaching it. Later I found out that God used that session to minister to several of the women. Thank you Lord! In the afternoon, Jay and I went on a hike. We got caught in the rain but it was so much fun! That night David preached out of Romans. David quoted Romans chapters 1-8 by memory. God moved in such a mighty way that when the preaching was over, no one left the room. We just stood in the Lord's presence. Very Cool!!

~ Tuesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "A Prompted Heart." The session went really well. The Lord took the session in a little different direction than I intended, but that was fine with me! Jay and I took a three hour bike ride and watched some local extreme sports. We then rode back into town and ate at a local German restaurant. Very good!! That night David preached from the book of Job. The sovereignty of God was the theme of the message.

~ Wednesday: Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "The Nothingness of God." (One of my favorite sessions!!) That afternoon, several hundred people took an excursion to explore a castle. The castle was the inspiration for the castle at Disney. That evening we did not have a group session. Instead, God allowed me to meet with an editor from Thomas Nelson. The meeting was informal and the Lord used this precious sister to affirm the direction I am currently taking in regards to the publication of Reflecting His Glory. Thank You Lord!

~ Thursday: Final day--- bittersweet feelings all day long! Mac preached in the morning. I led a session called, "Rejoicing All The Way Home." This session was probably the best session of the week for me. God's presence was tangible in the room. At the end of the session, I quoted 32 verses of Scripture. This was my first time to quote a lengthy passage of Scripture by memory. I enjoyed allowing God’s Word to flow from deep within my heart. It was a powerful moment and one that helped to define the kind of teaching God is calling me to be. In the afternoon, Jay and I went on another hike to a village not far away from our hotel. It was awesome. Our hike ended at a beautiful river just below our hotel. We took our shoes off and allowed our feet to soak in the cold water. Let me tell you, the Bavarian Alp water is cold!! That evening, everyone in our group took a hike to a huge building on top of a near-by mountain. At that place, we had a German style BBQ, an inspirational message from David, and the celebration of the Lord's Supper. It was a great way to end our amazing week!

~ Friday: We left the hotel at 2:00am and arrived home 26 hours later! It was a great trip.

A few personal thoughts:
~ The men and women who serve on the field are amazing. They are the real deal. Each of them faces the same fears we face in America. They have problems with their kids, struggles in their marriages, and fears regarding the future. We need to pray for them and let them know they are not alone!

~ God will not share His glory with another. We can think we are about Him and really be about ourselves. God faithfully redirects us anytime we make it about our name instead of His.

~ The fork in the road between living the comfortable, easy Christian life and the sold out Christian life that will stop at nothing to be a part of God's fame spreading around this earth, is always before us. Daily we must forsake that which is easy and comfortable and willingly surrender to God’s Word as we embrace the person He calls us to be.

~ Right theology produces freedom in our lives. God’s Word is our sure foundation. We can try to build our life on other things but only His Word will remain.

~ I must daily fight the tendency to think small. God is big. He is bigger than my small world and I need to stop thinking about myself. When I view life from His holy perspective, I immediately break the habit of thinking about my life as the focal point of the universe.

~ Sharing the Words of Christ is a privilege. We need to be open to Him at all times. Our hearts should desire to share His life changing truths with the people we meet every single day.

~ God is gracious and I love Him more, know Him more, and praise Him more than I did before I left on this trip. Thank you Lord for spiritual progress. May that always be the goal of my life