Move me where you want to use me...

Please God - have your way

2012-01-30T23:21:00.002+01:00

Feels like I've been here forever,
Why can't you just intervene,

Do you see the tears are falling?
And I'm falling apart at the seams,

But you never said the road would be easy,
But you said that you would never leave.
And you never promised that
this life wasn't hard,

But you promised you'd take care of me,

So I'll stop searching for the answers,
I'll stop praying for an escape,

I'll trust you God with where I am,
And believe you will have your way,

Just have your way,

My friends and my family have left me
I feel so ashamed and so cold,

Remind you take broken
things and turn them into beautiful

(Britt Nicole)

I will believe God ...

2012-01-28T17:11:00.001+01:00

You are my light
You are my strength
You are my Rock
On You I stand

I lift my voice
I raise my hands
I lift my soul
With all I am
In Christ forever I'll stand

I will believe
You are strong enough
In my weakness
God be lifted up
And I will sing
Lift Your praises high
Lord be magnified
You make all things new
I will believe

So, hear this song
Receive our praise
You are our strength
For all our days

We lift You up
Our voices high
In every storm
Let God arise
I will believe

(Hillsong - Believe from The beautiful exchange)

You are still holy Lord!

2011-11-15T18:00:00.001+01:00

Holy, You are still holy
Even when the darkness surrounds my life
Sovereign, You are still sovereign
Even when confusion has blinded my eyes

Lord, I don't deserve Your kind affection
When my unbelief has kept me from Your touch
I want my life to be a pure reflection
Of Your love

And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
You are still holy

Holy, You are still holy
Even though I don't understand Your ways
Sovereign, You will be sovereign
Even when my circumstances don't change

Lord, I don't deserve your tender patience
When my unbelief has kept me from Your truth
I want my life to be a sweet devotion
To You

And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet, Lord
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
I belong to You

And so I come into Your chamber
And I dance at Your feet
You are my Saviour
And I'm at Your mercy
All that has been in my life
Up 'til now
It belongs to You
I belong to You
You are still holy
You are still sovereign
You are still holy, Lord
You are still righteous

You are all-knowing
You are still holy

(Rita Springer)

Stepping out of the boat...

2011-09-30T22:40:00.012+02:00

Last year in October through different things that happened I was wondering if I’m still right where I am – especially in the area of working in the children’s ministry.
(I was full time staff part time in the children’s ministry and part time at Hands of Hope).
During the time of praying I had “March” in my mind – some change would come in March. When March came up my coworker told me that she would work less for ChapelKids so I thought “Ok maybe that’s the change I prayed for”. So I stayed in the ministry.

In May I was really broken and close to a burn out….
We had a leadership conference and on the last day I told God before the session that I would quit everything and would work “a normal job” again if He wouldn't speak to me differently – I couldn’t go on like this.
The first words the preacher said that morning were “Some of you may feel like quitting but God tells you “No! – continue”.
He started to talk about the story of Peter stepping out of the boat. He said that 12 disciples were in the boat but only Peter did the step of faith – the other 11 could have tried it too but only watched Peter and stayed in it…
I was touched – I wanted to step out – I didn’t want to stay in the boat… I prayed again but then there were some changes in the leadership again and another person started to work with us at ChapelKids. I really like this guy and it’s fun to work with him so I thought again “Ok then this is probably the change God talks about”…

4 month ago I had to go through a very hard time and many hardships… The only prayer I prayed was “Lord I can’t go on like this - help me!” I felt weak, not worthy to work for the Lord and broken before God and people. Thank God I had friends, family and the elders praying for me!

Then a few weeks ago I went to a retreat from a mission’s organization. It was my vacation time but because I did the childcare for them for 2 weeks the organization let me go for free. I told an elder of my church and a close friend to pray for me during that time because I needed God to speak to me.

The kids kept us very busy. One afternoon when we had some time off I went to a bench to just sit there, enjoy nature, read my book and write my journal.
“Unfortunately” I forgot my jacket. I didn’t want to go back yet so I went for a walk in the forest nearby to get warm. The next day my friend and I wanted to do a paper chase so I thought I would start to prep the walk already through taking pictures and thinking about questions we could use.
I listened to Hillsong and one song touched my heart. It was about surrender everything and trusting God.
Right there I prayed that God would speak to me – which I longed for so much for God to tell me what to do concerning ChapelKids. I had little faith but thought that God could even use a bee or a butterfly to speak to me BUT nothing happened. I saw a stone that’s like a heart and wrote “I will follow” on it and continued my walk.
I don’t know how much time went by until I came to a parting of the way. I was excited because this was a really good pic for the paper chase and a good question.

All of a sudden – (I never before had such a moment) it was like somebody standing next to me saying “How funny – this is exactly how you feel in your life right now, isn’t it”…
I looked around and saw nobody. I thought about it for a moment but continued to walk…
Then I looked to the left side and saw a bench between two trees that I couldn’t see before… Again I heard that voice asking me “How long do you want to continue sitting there until you decide which way to go? – No one will come to you telling you what to do. You can either start walking or staying on that bench”….

I didn’t want to sit down on the bench because it got late already and I had to be back at a certain time so I decided to go the direction that was closer to the house we stayed in.
Along the way I saw really nice flowers and I was excited that I saw the house from far.

Then I walked a little bit into the forest because there were even nicer flowers. In the middle of “no-where” I saw another bench.

Again that voice said “You can decide to stay on that bench – waiting for an open door or for people to tell you what to do but let me tell you no one will come and tell you. In your heart you know what to do but if you decide to stay on it, it will be rotten and overgrown soon.”…
At that point I broke down. I told God that I’m sick of just staying in my comfort zone. In that moment I remembered the story of Peter and what the preacher said – I didn’t want to stay in that boat anymore watching other people stepping out in faith – I wanted to be one of them! At that point I knew when I would get home I would have to quit my job in the children’s ministry. So I prayed for God to give me the strength I would need to step out. When I wanted to go back to the path I saw to the left a rotten tree trunk with a new blossom growing out of it.

I cried because I got reminded of the verse saying
“For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland“ Isaiah 43:19
The last few months I felt like being in a wilderness or a rotten tree. The coolest thing is that I passed that rotten tree before I saw the bench but I didn’t see or realized it. I only saw it after I decided to step out of the boat!

When I got home from the retreat I talked to my elder and my friend. They both prayed for me during the last few months and I prayed that God would show them when it would be wrong for me to quit – but they too had perfect peace.
I got peace that still passes my understanding. I taught and sang in the children’s ministry for over 10 years. I love kids especially those I spent time with every Sunday. I love to sing and the worship team that I was allowed to lead the last couple of years became a wonderful team.
Two weeks ago I started to think about the situation in a human way. I cried because I realized that God asked me to not only quit my job but also quit singing in the kids worship team and teaching the Strolche (age 7-8) – after 10 years… I also thought about the money issue and started to worry. I prayed that night that God would put His arms around me that He would comfort me and give me peace – and He did. He lovingly put His arms around me and asked me “Do you still trust me?” Wow… I still have Goosebumps…
I still live and work part time at Hands of Hope and I loooooove it. I prayed about going back into a “normal job” but I got a “Do you still trust me?”.
My heart beats for fulltime ministry and I believe that’s my calling. I want to be faithful in the small things which means - trusting God that where He guides He’ll provide.
Well, that’s my stepping out….
Please if you read that just take some time to pray for me! That I might stay strong in the Lord and that I'm open for what God has for me next. Thank you.
God is in control ~ your sister in Christ

Conference 2011 - Holy Spirit

2011-05-21T21:36:00.005+02:00

The conference was so great!!! Thank you Lord!

Well, to be honest I was close of giving up to work in the ministries I'm in and find a "normal" job...
The last couple of weeks so many storms came and so many things happened - the "heat in the oven became hotter and hotter"...
I didn't realize that I was like a flower that was drying up - what a scarry thing that sometimes you "don't realize it"...

All the other years I had to work during the conference - I did the child care.
But this year another couple stepped in and I was free to attend most of the sessions...
I was so excited that I could attend but didn't really know why...
Well yes I need the Holy Spirit but everyone else is working so isn't it necessary that I have to work too?...

During the conference I realized that I had to be in the sessions...
It was Gods plan - He saw me how I was that little flower drying up... -
I started to realized how much I need that living water and that I'm not doing good in my walk with the Lord! (The best way to start anew)

Today I asked the Lord to speak to me specifically - that I so longed for it.
A dear friend and sister saw that I didn't do so well so she asked me if she can pray for me when I came in this morning...

I can't tell you how much of a blessing she was! I was humbled!
Thank God for spiritual family!

You want to know what the preacher said?...

"Sometimes we feel like giving up the ministry we are in but God wants us to run to him and stay in it" :)

WOW... That was for me... goosebumps...
The preacher actually wanted to talk about something else but the spirit led him to speak about that.
I was so overwhelmed of how much God must love me to bring him from Budapest to tell me that on exactly the day I needed it!

During all the teachings, the prayer time, waiting on the Lord and worship God touched my heart!

God is so good that He still speaks specifically to us! I'm still in awe of Him!

...And you know what... I don't give up! I stay in... I run to Him... He will take care!

Thank God!!!

May God bless you and minister to your as you read what I wrote... He is in control and if we run to Him He gives us peace and then everything we need!!!

2011-03-09T20:01:00.003+01:00

You are the hand that catches my fall
You are the friend that answers my call
You are my day, You are my night
You are my love and all of my life

You are the love I need
You are the air I breathe
You are my love my life always forever
I would lay down my life
Just to be by Your side
You are my love my life always forever

You are the grace that covers my sin
You’re everything the beginning and end
You have my soul, my heart and my mind
You have my love and all of my life

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, forever

(Phil Wickham)

To know you Jesus...

2011-02-23T10:51:00.006+01:00

To know you
is never worry for my life,
and to know you
is to never to give in or compromise
To know you
is to want to tell the world about you
Cause I can't live without you

To know you is to hear your voice when you are calling
To know you is to catch my brother when he is falling
To know you is to feel the pain of the broken hearted
Cause they can't live with out you.

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

To know you is to ache for more than ordinary
To know you is to look beyond the temporary
To know you is believing that you will be enough
Cause there is no life without you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

All this life could offer me, could not compare to you
Compare to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you

More than my next breath
More than life or death
All I'm reaching for, I live my life to know you more
I leave it all behind, you are all that satisfies
To know you is to want to know you more
To know you is to want to know you more

Compared to you
Compared to you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you
And I count it all as lost, compared to knowing you
Knowing you

(Casting Crowns)

What I need to remember daily!

2011-02-21T21:19:00.002+01:00

God knows
God takes care
God is in control!

You raise me up...

2010-12-10T12:14:00.002+01:00

When I am down and oh, my soul's so weary
When troubles come and my heart burdened me
When I am still and wait here in the silence
Until you come and sit a while with me

You raise me up,
so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up,
to walk on stormy seas
I am strong,
when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up.
.. to more than I can be.

The Hands of Hope team needs prayer!

2010-09-10T23:16:00.001+02:00

Please pray for us who are working at Hands of Hope!
One of our guys who was in the program broke it off last week, left us and went back to his old life. We got a call that he took an overdosis of Heroin and was found dead on Thursday.
We are devastated!
He became close to us beeing a family member of Hands of Hope-living together with him for over 6 month!
The funeral will be on Monday so please pray for us!

God is able...

2010-08-12T11:50:00.009+02:00

I just have to write about something great that happened at the Street Cafe.

The Street Cafe is a ministry for people who live on the streets or don't have a lot of money - for those that the community doesn't care about.
Every Thursday evening we start with live worship music, have a teaching and then really yummy food and we always have good talks!

The Street Cafe had its first birthday in June... Happy Birthday Street Cafe :)

Around this time an older lady from the street cafe had to go to the hospital and I was asked to visit her. She was so happy that I came and during our talk she told me about a man from the Street Cafe that was also at the hospital - she saw him at the emergency room.

When I left I couldn't forget what she said so I emailed the team from the Streetcafe if some of them could visit him.
When I met him the first time at the streetcafe I remember that he didn't talk much and that he was drunk.

A friend and I visited him the next day. When we asked the nurse if we could see him she said "Yes, he will be so excited that you are coming. No one else visited him yet - he is very lonely".

When we entered the room he was chocked with emotion. He told us that he had a brain tumor (handfull) and 2 days later he would have died.
We tried to encourage him but he was depressed and started to cry!
When we had to leave he didn't want us to go and he didn't let go of my hand.

The next day I visited him again and brought him some cloth and I found him talking to another helper from the streetcafe. He smiled and told me that some other people came already to visit him.
When I wrote my email asking the team of the streetcafe if some of them could visit him I never would have imagined that almost all of them visited him.

When he came out of the hospital he asked someone if they could pick him up for church - he was there already.
When he came back to the streetcafe he told everyone that we all visited him and that he got gifts like underwear, shirts, cards, books and a lot of chocolate :)

When we as christians start to love the people - were the world stopped already - they start to think about God.

God is able...

A man that was drunk all the time - God is able to change him
A man that didn't want to have anything to do with God - God is able to touch his heart
A man that thought no one loves him - God is able to show him how much He loves him
People that want to serve God no matter what - God is able to use them mightily

I was reminded of the verses that I sometimes get when I "want to give up":

For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat,
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink,
I was a stranger and you invited me in,
I needed clothes and you clothed me,
I was sick and you looked after me,
I was in prison and you came to visit me.
Matthew 25:35-36

May the joy of the Lord be our strenght so that we can serve others and make a difference in this world

God bless!

Time runs

2010-03-26T21:16:00.002+01:00

Wow... in about 3 days I'm heading back home to Germany...
I don't know where to start to write down what happened the last 2 weeks... Well I only have few minutes left for using the internet so let me describe everything in 4 words... Blessed be the flexible!
I'm so glad that God taught me this over the past years so it wasn't so hard for me to be flexible :)

I only had to kill 2 spiders yet :) saw only one snake (it was a poisones one that was hiding behind me during the youth night.. its dead now :)) and had an awesome time with all the people here in Belize... for me it will be so hard to leave on Monday again! God showed me some things that I'm gone change when I'm back home.
I'm excited to see when it will be the next time that I visit everybody again!

Tonight we have girls youth night where I gone share some things about purity and abouts Gods love to the girls from the spanish background!

Internet-Time is over now so I update my block when I'm back in Germany (also you'll see some pics)
God bless and may you shine His light today in everything you do!

------------------------------------------------
Wow... In ungefeahr 3 Tagen mach ich mich auf den Weg zurueck nach Deutschland...
Ich weiss nicht wo ich anfangen soll zu berichten was in den letzten 2 Wochen alles passiert ist... Leider hab hab ich nur ein paar Minuten zur Verfuegung um das Internet zu nutzen deshalb beschreib ich die letzten 2 Wochen mit 4 Worten> Gesegnet sind die flexiblen...
Da mir Gott das schon ueber die letzten paar Jahre gelernt hat war es also nicht so schlimm flexibel zu sein :)

Bis jetzt musst ich erst 2 Spinnen toeten, hab nur eine Schlange gesehen (die war allerding giftig und hat sich waehrend der Jugend hinter meinem Stuhl versteckt... die ist aber jetzt tot :) und ich hatte super tolle Zeiten mit den Leuten hier in Belize... es wird fuer mich so schwer werden am Montag wieder zu fliegen!

Gott hat mir ein paar Dinge gezeigt die ich veraendern werde wenn ich wieder in Deutschland bin und ich freu mich schon drauf wenn Gott mich wieder nach Belize schickt um die Leute hier zu besuchen!

Heute Abend haben wir Maedels Abend und ich werde eine kleine Andacht halten fuer die Spanischen Maedels...
Ok die Internetzeit ist vorbei aber ich werde mehr auf meinem Blog berichten wenn ich wieder in Deutschland bin (zusammen mit einigen Bildern aus Belize)

Gott segne dich! Moegest du sein Licht scheinen in und durch alles was du heute tust!

First week in Belize - Meine erste Woche in Belize

2010-03-15T21:51:00.003+01:00

So the first week is over and I can say that I had a great one so far... On Saturday we went to the mountains to visit some friends. It was so nice to see them again!
Sunday was my first church service in the new church building. It was also Dannys and Tinas Birthday (the couple I stay with) so we had a party in the evening. I did the child care and Danny had some ideas to do a march with the kids... well, "blessed be the flexible" :)
Today I'm visiting a dear friend Margaret and her son Cory(I stay over night). It's just such a blessing to know her and to talk to her... she encouraged me so much already...
So my plans for the coming 2 weeks are to visit my Belizian Daddy Clive at the radio station in San Pedro and to visit Margaret again so we can visit some of her friends in Placencia... Danny has a lot of plans for me with the spanish girls from the youth where I'm suppose to lead an evening talking about purity (I got no material and books along)... so... please pray that God would make the plans for my next two weeks...
Miss you all and may God encourage you today as He encouraged me!

-------------------

Meine erste Woche ist also vorbei. Es war eine tolle Woche... Am Samstag sind wir "in die Berge" gefahren um ein Ehepaar zu besuchen, die ich von damals noch kenne. Es war so schoen sie wieder zu sehen!
Sonntag war ich zum ersten Mal im Gottesdienst im neuen Gebaeude... Es war auch Dannys und Tinas Geburtstag (Sie sind das Ehepaar bei dem ich wohne). Wir hatten eine Party am Abend und ich habe die Kinderbetreuung uebernommen (und da die meisten Mennoniten waren, bedeutete das... viele Kinder :) ) Danny hatte die Idee einen Marsch einzuueben um ihn dann vor allen zu zeigen... "Gesegnet sind die flexiblen"
Heute besuche ich eine ganz liebe Freundin Margaret und ihren Sohn Cory. Es ist so ein Segen sie zu kenne und mit ihr zu reden... Sie hat mich in der kurzen Zeit schon so ermutigt!!!
Meine Plaene fuer die naechsten 2 Wochen sind, das ich gerne meinen Belizianischen Daddy Clive auf der Radio Station in San Pedro besuchen wuerde und dann nochmal Margaret besuchen moechte um mit ihr ihre Freunde in Placencia zu besuchen (ein Missionsehepaar).. Da Danny aber viele Plaene fuer mich hat, bin ich mal gespannt ob das funktioniert :) Ich soll einen Abend fuer die Spanischen Maedels leiten um ueber die Reinheit der Singel-Frau zu sprechen (allerdings habe ich kein Material oder Buch zum vorbereiten mit) Bitte betet dafuer!
Betet das Gott die Plaene fuer die naechsten 2 Wochen macht...
Vermiss euch! Moege Gott euch heute besonders ermutigen!

Belize...

2010-03-12T17:55:00.002+01:00

So I'm in Belize now...

The first few days were great...
The weather is pretty hot and human and I'm trying to adjust to it...
On Wednesday it was my first time at the church and I saw most of the people that I met 5 years ago... now the kids are bigger, the married ones have 2 children already and the church is in a new and bigger building... a lot of changes here...

Well I got only some minutes for checking my emails so thats it for right now...

Please pray for me... I got more headaches again and I believe that this time here will be interesting and challenging... God is in control!

More later...
love you, Kerstin

------------------------
Ich bin also jetzt in Belize...

Die ersten Tage waren bis jetzt super...
Es ist ziemlich heiss und schwuel hier und ich versuche mich ans Wetter zu gewoehnen...
Am Mittwoch war ich zum ersten Mal in der Gemeinde. Dort habe ich viele wieder getroffen die ich vor 5 Jahren kennen gelernt habe... Nur sind die Kinder jetzt groesser, die damals geheiratet haben haben bereits 2 Kinder und die Gemeinde ist umgezogen in ein neues Gebaeude... Also viele Veraenderungen...

Ich habe leider nur ein paar Minuten um meine Emails zu checken und ich muss jetzt gehen...

Bitte betet fuer mich... Ich habe mal wieder mehr Kopfschmerzen und ich glaube das diese Zeit sehr interessant und herausfordernd wird...

Mehr dazu spaeter...
Hab euch lieb, eure Kerstin

Belize I'm coming...

2010-03-07T23:16:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow (Monday) at 1:50 p.m. the plane starts and hopefully after 11 hours and 25 minutes it lands with me in Houston TX :)

In Houston the blessing from heaven called Mary :) will pick me up and gives me a place I can stay for the night(Praise the Lord)

After my 12 hour layover in Houston I will be finally on my way to all the wonderful people that I dearly missed... in Belize...

I ask you to pray for me during this time! (March 8 - March 31)
I want to be a blessing for the people and I want to return to Germany with a new love and vision for the ministry God gave me!

Thank you so much!
God bless you guys!
Love you

----------------------------------------
Morgen mittag gehts los...

Morgen (Montag) um 13:50 Uhr startet der Flieger, der dann nach 11 Stunden und 25 Minuten hoffentlich pünktlich in Houston TX. mit mir :) landen wird.

In Houston werde ich von Mary abgeholt (die ein wahrer Segen vom Himmel ist). Sie gibt mir ein Plätzchen auf ihrem Sofa für die Nacht :) (Preist den Herrn)....

Nach meinem Layover von 12 Stunden gehts dann weiter in das Land, wo ich endlich die ganzen lieben Leute wiedersehen werde, die ich schon so lange vermisst habe... Belize

Ich bitte euch für mich während dieser Zeit zu beten...
Ich möchte ein Segen für die Menschen dort sein und ich möchte mit neuer Liebe und Vision für meinen Dienst zurück kommen!

Vielen Dank euch!
Gott segne euch!
Hab euch lieb!

2 weeks to go :)

2010-02-23T21:55:00.008+01:00

Hurray...

Only two weeks to go and I'm finally on my way to Belize to my Belizian family :)

I'm so excited what God will do...

When I think about this trip I have Joshua and Kaleb in my mind...
The story in which they went to the promise land to find out whats in there...

I pray that God will touch my heart in Belize and that He renews or gives me a new Vision...

I'm so excited and happy when I think about Belize!

But on the other hand I'm going through a hard time right now.
Since Belize came up last year I'm sick without having a break and my headaches got worse again. I also have to fight against discouragement because things happen in my life and arround me that try to push me down...

I'm fighting - but sometimes I don't have any strenght - BUT in the mids of that I think about this Verse in the Bible that "The joy of the Lord is my strenght" and that the Lord is there when I'm weak"

God speaks to me over and over...

*Don't be afraid
*I'm in control
*I'm right here
*I'm your refuge
*I'm your strong tower
*I'm the stone you can rest upon
*I'm your hideaway

I'm longing for God to show me His next step for me!!!

I want to fight the good fight and I don't want to give up...

May I be open for Gods speaking during my time in Belize when I'm away from my "normal" life here in Germany, my work @ Hands of Hope and the childrens ministry!

PLEASE PRAY FOR ME! Thanks - God bless

I will live to carry your compassion...

2010-01-31T18:35:00.005+01:00

"Surely children weren't made for the streets
And Fathers were not made to leave
Surely this isn't how it should be
Let Your kingdom come
Surely nations were not made for war
Or the broken and due to be ignored
Surely this couldn't be what You saw
Let Your kingdom come
Here in my heart

And I will live to carry your compassion
To love a world that's broken
To be your hands and feet
And I will give with the life that I've been given
And go beyond religion to see the world be changed
By the power of Your Name

Surely life wasn't made to regret
And the lost were not made to forget
Surely faith without action is dead
Let Your Kingdom come
Lord break this heart

Jesus Your Name
Is a shelter for the hurting
Your Name
Is a refuge the weak
Only Your Name
Can take the undeserving
Jesus Your Name
Holds everything I need

Lincoln Brewster

I'm in Gods training camp...

2010-01-23T23:11:00.008+01:00

I'm in Gods training camp and these verses describe in which chapter I am right now :)

Ephesians 6

*Do the will of God from your heart
*With goodwill do service as to the Lord and not to men
*Pray and be watchful

Philippians 3:13

*Forget the things which are behind and reach forward to those things which are ahead

*The will of God will never take you where the Grace of God will not protect you

*God always gives the best to those who leave the choice with Him

Psalm 28:7-8

*The Lord is your strenght and your shield
*He is the saving refuge

and of course Psalm 37:4-5

*Delight yourself also in the Lord
*Commit your ways unto the Lord
*Trust in Him

Oh dear... that will take a long time until I have learned all of that... a life time :)

My Verse for this year 2010...

2010-01-11T08:24:00.001+01:00

The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.

My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

The LORD is the strength of his people,
a fortress of salvation for his anointed one

Psalm 28: 7-8

I'm proud to present...

2010-01-09T01:10:00.003+01:00

my nephew Paul Christof
Born: 29th of December 2009
Height: 51 cm
Weight: 3770 g

I'm so excited to be an aunt and that my sister and her husband asked me to be his godmother...
May God bless him and may he grow up to be a servant of the Lord!
May I encourage him to grow in the Lord and may I be a godmother that honors the Lord!

Just to be with you...

2009-12-29T12:35:00.005+01:00

Lord my life is an empty cup
Here's my heart
Would You fill me up
I'm face to the ground
Forsaking my pride
Leaving my will
My burdens behind

All I want
All I need
Is just to be with You
Here I am
At Your feet
Just to be with You

I have come to the end of me
And there's nothing
I have to bring
But You said I belong
You say I am Yours
Nothing compares
To knowing You more

You made a way for me oh Savior
I'm Yours forevermore

I'm Yours forevermore
All I want
Just to be with You

Paul Baloche and Jason Ingram

Merry Christmas

2009-12-24T23:38:00.003+01:00

Just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas!
May God bless you richly!!!!!!

I had a wonderful day! The childrens ministry was so nice and I loved the service...
I had the best dinner ever and I loved to see the faces of my parents when they unpacked the gifts I gave them :) :) :)

But the BEST was that I could celebrate my love and my saviour!

Thank you Jesus!

This day was interesting!

2009-12-20T18:59:00.012+01:00

Well... How should I start...

This morning I took 2 blankets and a hot-water-bottle and drove to church with our Hands of Hope car (I didn't know at that time how much I would need these items later in the afternoon)...
We had a christmas-party-service in the childrens ministry. The first one was in our different age groups (I have the 7-8 year old) and the second one was in the skate hall... I loved it! It was such a blessing!

Then after a good talk with a friend I wanted to drive home... well...

I started at around 3 p.m. (It was snowing really hard).
Someone from the church told me to drive over the Autobahn (the german highway) because the other way I usually take was full of snow...

When I drove on the Autobahn I realized that my heater wasn't really working because my windows were frozen from the inside!! (Can you imagine how I felt to drive over the highway with frozen windows and the heater didn't work?!)

I drove really slow when I suddenly heard wired noises (no it wasn't the radio:o)) and shortly after that there was a bang - my car slowed down, it started to stink and smoke came out of the cooler... I'm glad I could turn it to the curb...

Do you know what I mean when I say that at first I didn't really know what to do next? ...

Well thank God we have cell phones!

I called my colleague and asked him to pick me up...

I also called my friend Dameria to pray for me and talk with me because I was getting sleepy and felt pretty alone (I didn't want to call my parents because they would freak out) She prayed that God would show me that he was near... and He did...

At around 4:30 p.m. my colleague and his girlfriend came with the Hands of Hope pickup to pick me up :) I'm so blessed to have such friends like Björn, Katharina and Dameria!

You should stop more often and thank God for your heater in your car and for friends you can call anytime! :)

During that 1 hour of waiting the ambulance stopped and asked me if I'm ok and the police thought I'm the accident they were called too... (They were the only once that stopped; they were really friendly...) I never ever have frozen like this in my life... (I'm still freezing under my blanket)

I didn't know why God allowed that to happen... while I was freezing and hoping that nobody would crash into my car (it was really slippery because of all the snow) I was crying out to God "why did it happen?"... I was reminded again that God is in control and that everything works out together for good to those who love God (Romans 8:28)...

Still I'm discouraged that the car is probably broken now (we got this car 2 weeks ago as a gift)... some tube burst or something...
We could bring the car to a gas station 2 minutes away from where it broke down (it broke down 2 minutes from the exit :) ) - There it stands now... all alone... :(

Well "God knows what He is doing"!

He knew that I had to drive to the church and back home but still He let it happen...

I don't know why but I don't need to know why... it's enough that God knows...

What christmas is all about...

2009-12-19T02:15:00.008+01:00

Last Saturday I was so excited that I finally had time to get all my christmas gifts at the mall in Siegen...

But when I came to Siegen I was shocked... People were fighting about parking lots - they were so unfriendly - pushed me and others aside - and at the mall I heard the song "Hosanna in the highest" coming from one store but the next store was playing "Did Jesus really die for me?"...

I stayed 10 minutes and went home - beeing sad...

This is it? Christmas 2009 - everybody stressed out including me?

While I was thinking about it I thought that when Jesus was born it was kind of the same...

Everybody was stressed out because of the population census... people travelled - they were probably mad and sad because they didn't get a room in the hostel they wanted to sleep in - they wanted to get food and some sleep before they had to travell again the next day so that they didn't pay attention to the woman that was pregnant - pregnant with the saviour of the world...

Are we paying attention to what christmas is all about?

I honestly have to say that up to this point I didn't...
I was so stressed out about work and all the christmas gifts I have to get...

I'm thankful that God stopped me that day to remind myself why I can and want to celebrate christmas!

I want to celebrate christmas because my loved one, the one who saved me and gave purpose to my life was born...
My father in heaven "gave up" His son this day for over 30 years because He knew it would save me... Over 30 years that Jesus wasn't sitting at the right hand of the father... Over 30 years of them beeing "separated"...

I decided to celebrate christmas differently this year... its not about me or even my family its about my Jesus... the one who did everything He could to win my heart!

May we stop and take time the next 5 days and realize how much we are blessed!!!!

May you be blessed this christmas in a way you never expected!!!!

Being sick can be a good thing...

2009-12-14T14:27:00.004+01:00

When I got up this morning and went to our team meeting at Hands of Hope I felt really sick and I asked to go back to bed... On Mondays I normally have so much to do so I asked myself "Why am I sick again - what about my work..."

But then God reminded me that I should listen to that certain teaching He told me to listen to 2 weeks ago...
Since 2 weeks I tried to sit down and listen to it... 2 weeks of "to much to do" but this morning I had time... :)

If you have any time please listen to the mp3s they are such a blessing!

http://ccmodesto.com/ministries/womensministry/womens_conf_09.php

Its about conquering the giants in our lives...

God is sooooo good... I'm so thankful that I felt so sick because that enabled me to listen to how God wants to conquer the giants in my life...

God is in control!

Move me where you want to use me...

2009-11-25T13:23:00.012+01:00

The last few months were really interesting...

First of all I prayed the prayer that I feared for sooo long...

*Lord break me, so that you can use me*

Let me tell you God answers these kind of prayers... :)
He started gently to break things away I hold on to for a long time!

But when God does that something new can grow...

I'm so amazed of what God did the last few months...

As some of you know I have been to Belize 5 years ago for about 7 month and when I came home to Germany I tried to forget this land because I knew I couldn't go back for a long time...
I didn't have peace and no money...
5 years I prayed for peace and for my bank account that God would take care... but it seemed like nothing changed...
People told me I live in sin because I promised God one year and I only stayed 7 month...
That was the hardest thing and time ever...
I wanted to be in Gods will... should I go back even that I and my family didn't have peace???

I didn't go back but I had to fight with doubts for a long time...

When some of my friends came back from a mission trip to Belize I had to leave the room when they shared because I thought "I live in sin that I'm here, I miss the people so much but I'm not able to go back"...

God Himself was so loving to me the whole time... he showed me that "He knows what He is doing" and "He prepares everything"!

The last 2 weeks my Belizian Daddy Clive (a missionary in Belize who took care of me when I was there) was here in Germany and the first thing he asked me if I would like to come back to Belize for 2 or 3 weeks...

After praying about it I got peace :) the kind of peace I needed so much to know it is ok to go :)

You can't imagine how I felt - I'll see my Belizian family again :) :) :)

Oh how I miss them!!!

The last 5 years were really difficult for me in the area of money... When I left for Belize I took all the money I had with me because I thought I would never come back to Germany (I thought and planned but God lead me back :) )... so when I came back I started Bible College and all the money I earned at my job in the semester breaks flowed into 2 years of Bible College... and when I didn't have enough I had to borrow money from people that I had to pay back over the years... 5 years of praying for God's mercy and for Gods provision...
I'm praising God that now - exactly this month - I'm clear of the debts that I had to pay back to the people who borrowed me money...

Why I write that?...

I just want to glorify God trough that...
I'm an example and witness of how God takes care of His people; that He has a plan - a plan for every single step...
God took care of me and provided everything I needed...

He also gave me an amazing job/ministry here at Hands of Hope and in the childrens ministry!

I stand in awe of how he took care of me every single day!

I totally believe that He didn't want me to go back earlier... He could have done everything He is doing now much earlier but He didn't... for a reason that only He knows!
But now He opened a door for me to go back... maybe not for a long time but I would love to go back for 3 weeks to visit everyone and to get involved again in the church in Belize... my second homeland...

So as you can read through these lines...

Even in the hardest times God is there... I don't know what I would do without Him!!!

God gave me two verses since I was born (my parents gave me this verse when I got baptized as a child) and God is so faithful to fulfill these verses...

Delight yourself also in the Lord
And He shall give you the desires of your heart

Commit your ways unto Him
Trust also in Him
And He shall bring it to pass

Psalm 37:4-5

May you be blessed and encouraged through this testimony of Gods love and provision!

Lost in God...

2009-10-13T21:16:00.002+02:00

*A woman's heart should be so lost in God
that a man need's to seek Him in order to find her.*

WOW... That quote is amazing!

May my heart be lost in God!!!

My desire....

2009-09-21T16:37:00.000+02:00

The greatest love that anyone could ever know

That overcame the cross and grave to find my soul

And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home

I'll trust in You

With all I am I'll live to see Your kingdom come

And in my heart I pray You'd let Your will be done

And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home

I'll trust in You

I will live to love You

I will live to bring You praise

I will live a child in awe of You

You are the voice that calls the universe to be

You are the whisper in my heart that speaks to me

And 'til I see You face to face and grace amazing takes me home

I'll trust in you

You alone are God of all

You alone are worthy Lord

And with all I am my soul will bless Your name

© 2005 Cbs/Epic/Wtg Records

My day off :)

2009-08-15T01:15:00.005+02:00

Today I had a great "day off".
I spend the day with my friend Andi... sitting in the sunshine... eating... taking some pics... and we watched a movie...

What more do you want to do on your day off :) :) :)

Its so good how God prepares everything for us...

Friends...
Free time...
Rest...
Food...
Sunshine...
...

I need your touch

2009-07-11T13:56:00.002+02:00

Holy Spirit, I need your touch
More than ever before
Oh Jesus, I need your Love
And I'm desperate for More
When I feel your presence all around me
When I feel your arms as they surround me
I cannot hide my love
My feet will have to dance
My heart will have to sing...

All that I need...

2009-06-05T18:10:00.003+02:00

I want to have this back... this devotion and hunger of praising God!

Hear my heart Lord, as I cry out to You
Hear my prayer Lord, and carry me through
In Your mercy, and the promise You made
Be my strength Lord, when strength fades away?

When I am weak, Your strength is complete
It's perfect completely all I need
Sufficient for me, Your grace and Your peace,
It’s perfect, completely all I need, You’re all that I need?

The joy of the Lord is my strenght

2009-04-29T11:11:00.003+02:00

I'm kind of speechless that people sacrifice their vacation and spent a lot of money to help us here at the church through building bathrooms for the skatepark...
I mean... when I went to different mission trips I also loved to serve but to see them as they come and to see their hearts it reminded me again of the blessing God has for us in the body of Christ.

Last week a team of 16 men came from the St. Petersburg, Florida to serve the Lord here in Siegen. They are here until Saturday and for me serving them meals and cleaning is a joy!!

I mean you always think about other countries than Germany when you think about Missions but they came here - to Siegen... And just to see their work and there joy in the Lord is incredible :)

On Sunday they were gone for the day and I truly can say that I missed them!!!

My prayer goes to the families because I think they also sacrifice a lot...
Almost 2 weeks without their husbands and Daddys...
I imagine that the enemy likes to attack there as usual - to steal, and to kill, and to destroy...

May God bless and keep them!!!

I'm so blessed that I have brothers and sisters around the world :) and that one day I can get to know them all... "There will be a day"...

...

Gone to see Dad... Yours Jesus

2009-04-16T10:35:00.001+02:00

Gone to see Dad,
We're fixin' a place for you!
Be back soon to pick you up!
Jesus

The joy of the Lord is my strenth

2009-04-04T12:17:00.005+02:00

Praise God for the sunshine...

Yesterday and the day before I could sit in the sun and reflected on how much God blessed me the last few month!

Sometimes I think we need to go through hard times so that we enjoy the blessings that God gives us even more..

To live here at Hands of Hope is such a blessing!

I just love my apartment and the people I live with here in this building!
Praise God!
I would have never ever thought that I would one time have my own apartment.

I also love my job! Working for and in the childrens ministry is such a blessing and the work here at Hands of Hope is also GREAT!

GOD IS SO GOOD TO US!
...I know.. its easy to write that when you have a good time... But don't think that everything in my life is perfect... but since I live here I learn to thank God!

Claudia (Achims wife - Achim is the leader of Hands of Hope) told me in the beginning "Kerstin we don't want to allow satan to steal our joy" and I thought that's so true!!!
The joy of the Lord is our strenght and if we don't have joy and if we are not thankful we won't have strength!!!

So now I'm training myself to be thankful!! :)

I'm listening right now to this song from Jeremy Camp...

There will be a day, with no more tears no more pain and no more fears
There will be a day, when the burdens of this place will no more
we see Jesus face to face
but until this day we hold on to you always

Halleluja...

God knows...

2009-01-27T21:46:00.001+01:00

Be still...

and know that I am God!

I told you my plans...

2008-12-31T15:01:00.003+01:00

I told you my plans, and you answered Psalm 119,26

Truly God answered. I told Him my plans, my desires and thoughts and He answered each of them this year... sometimes different than I thought but always better than I did :)

I'm so excited about what God has for me next year... that I can just step in the steps He already went.

God is everything!

May you have a blessed New Year start and may you celebrate everyday with Jesus!

He knows...
He is able...
He takes care...
He answeres...
He does things you never imagine...

HE IS IN LOVE WITH YOU!!!

God bless!

You get almost everything in Cologne ...

2008-12-30T00:36:00.007+01:00

Today (well now it's yesterday :) ) Dami, Andi and I went to Cologne for shopping...

And as we went through the shopping street in Cologne we saw this sign and I thought if it just could be so easy :)

(Men-closing out sale)

Enough said :)

Good night!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-24T11:07:00.001+01:00

Hey... to you all who read my block...

I wish you a Merry Christmas... a special one!

May God pour out His spirit upon you all!

Blessings and love!

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God

2008-12-14T12:37:00.003+01:00

...Luke 18,27

I'm thankful that God knows everything! He knows our hearts desires and our thoughts that no one else knows and if we give Him them He will take care of it!

I know we kind of know that but its easier to write it down or to tell others but to believe it for yourself... sometimes not so easy!

BUT...

... even when we doupt > He is still God... and Gods word is still Gods word!

And His word says *Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart* *Commit your ways unto Him and He shall bring them to pass* Psalm 37-45 ... thats His word and His word is true!!!

So I have to remeber myself everyday that God is still God even when I cant see His hand or hear His heartbeat! He is still there!

May you be encouraged and blessed today

God bless

Christmas party...

2008-12-10T20:07:00.003+01:00

Tomorrow I'll have my first christmas party out of 6...

We'll have the christmas party for the homeless people on Thursday. We serve dinner (really good dinner) someone gives his testemony and than everyone gets a gift (warm socks, a woollen hat, a street bible, cough drops and sweets). It will be my first one and I'm glad to experience one :)

Friday will be the staff christmas party and on Saturday the childrens ministry party plus I'm helping at the Biblecollege staff party in the evening. Next week we go to Essen to a prison-christmas party from the organisation Engelbaum where we celebrate christmas with the families whoes Dads are in prison and in the evening I'm gone help at the youth party...

So... as you can imagine I'll have a lot of gifts to wrap and a lot to do :)

I'm still really excited to live and to work here! God is so good!!!

Well... I got to go now... it was a long busy day and I'm about to go to bed :)

Yes... even that its 8 p.m.... I'm getting older :)

God bless

Done...

2008-12-04T21:40:00.007+01:00

The appartment in Siegen is empty...

and I finished renovating my room with my dad today

I have the best dad ever!...

The suite for Black pepper is also ready and waits for him to arrive

I got a big room, a kitchen I can use, a living room and bathrooms with 4 toilettes and two showers :) (but I just use one each) :)

God just amazes me how He answers prayers beyond what we ask or think!!!!

Well now I'm really tired (worked last night until 1 a.m. and got up at 6 a.m. ...

So... I'll go to bed now

God bless and good night

A new step....

2008-12-01T23:07:00.003+01:00

God is just so amazing... I can't stop to thank Him that he really answered my prayers...
The last two years I felt that God was listening but not really answering... BUT the whole time He was preparing me for the job He wants me to do for the next season of my life :) :) :)

Today was my first day at Hands of Hope here in Altenseelbach... its so interesting that 2002 I was at the exact same place here in Altenseelbach to study the Bible at the Bible College (it was the last semester before the College moved to Eiserfeld) and now I'm back :) ... in an amazing ministry... truly "Hands of Hope"... A minsitry for the people here in Siegen no one else really cares about...

Also my dream to stay in the childrens ministry came true... I'll work here at Hands of Hope and also in the childrens ministry... God just didn't give me the best but the very best!!! :)

AND... I'll also move... I'll have a wonderful... awesome... amazing place I'll live...

So let me tell you from my experience... even if it seems God doesn't answer your prayers (even if it takes about 2 years or in other things over 4 years) HE ANSWERS... HE PROMISED...

Delight yourself also in the Lord and He shall give you the desires of your heart!
Commit your ways to the Lord and He shall bring it to pass

Psalm 37:4-5

GOD takes you serious

God bless

Back in Germany...

2008-11-20T11:29:00.002+01:00

Wow this trip to Jordan and Israel was such a blessing!!! I learned so much!

Back in Germany a new adventure starts for me!

I resigned from my job at the realaste management and gone start working for Hands of Hope and the childrens ministry here at the church.

I'm so blessed that it was totally God who worked everything out!

Well... I have to work now.. but I'll post more about it later!

Last day in Jordan...

2008-11-09T06:36:00.007+01:00

Yesterday we went to the castle and it was beautiful!!!!

I met Ghadeer she is just a wonderful woman and we had a lot of fun as you can see!

Afterwards we went to buy coffee :) and I got a hair cut... I went in... she cut about 5 minutes... and I was done :) they are faster here in Jordan then in Germany!
In the evening we had youth group which was so much fun... Finally I could play basketball again...

Today we will go to Amman to prepare the screening that will be on Tuesday... which I will miss because I fly back home :(

So...Today will be my last day in Jordan :(

Tomorrow I'm heading back to Israel and stay there one day in Jerusalem... Hopefully I'll can go to the Garden Tomb...

So this will be my last blog here...

I praise God for this trip...I learned A LOT and one word SHUKRAN (Danke)

Happy Birthday Jomana

2008-11-07T20:09:00.012+01:00

Today we had a big birthday party... about 40 kids came from the neighbourhood :)

First everyone got a crown

Then we played games

Esther told the story about Solomon and the Bible College Studens did the songs... then all the kids had the birthday cake

and afterwards we did games in different room...

One mom about 27 years old saw me smiling at her daughter (4 month old) and she allowed me to carry her around.. and then she said I should take her to Germany and she really meant it!!!! She told me that about 4 times... but... I decided not to :)

Tomorrow we will go to Kerak to see a castle and then we will go to the youth group!

God bless

Jordan...

2008-11-05T18:14:00.012+01:00

Yesterday we went to Shevet Achim in Jerusalem... and as you can see...

We also met ESTHER :)

Now...I'm in Jordan... we passed the dead sea...

I am really tired and probably going to bed very very soon :) :) :)

There are so many impressions and I dont know where to start!

Tomorrow the "busy" week starts... we are already scheduled for helping at a big birthday party what means that we will cook, clean and prepare everything for Friday... I'm excited about that because I will get to know a whole new culture!
Tomorrow 5 Bible school students from Jerusalem will come to do a youth thing here at the church where we will help also... we met them yesterday already at the Bible College that we stayed in...

Until now God did already great things but more later...

God bless

I love Israel

2008-11-05T08:55:00.007+01:00

Marianne and I are in Israel right now and planning on going to the boarder in a couple of hours... so my next blog will be in Jordan...

Jordan here we come...

2008-11-03T18:48:00.003+01:00

Only 1 evening left :) and Marianne and I are on our trip to JORDAN...

We are going to visit a Missionary familie and my dear friend Esther... our duties will probably be... cooking, cleaning, playing with the kids, helping at a birthday party (about 60 kids will come :) ), and getting deeper into the work of Shevet Achim...

I'm excited :)

I also want to ask you for prayer... for the border crossing, for love and a servant heart... also my headaches got worse again... THANKS!!!!

I try to update my blog as soon as possible...

So... hopefully my next blog will be from Jordan :) :)

God bless

Come to me you who are weary and burdened...

2008-10-28T11:19:00.006+01:00

Come to me you who are weary
and burdened and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28

...That is totally what God taught me the last couple of weeks... with everything I can come to Him and He really takes care of it :) God is sooooo good!

....He also taught me again that I need to cast all anxiety on Him for He cares for me...

So often I'm overwhelmed with situations in my life but God remembers me that He is still in control!

May God also encourage you this week in the way you need it!

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD!

ONLY 7 DAYS LEFT till Marianne and I are on our Trip to JORDAN! :) :) :)

Shevet Achim Deutschland e.V.

2008-10-21T10:40:00.005+02:00

Yesterday we finally registered Shevet Achim Deutschland e.v.

Information to Shevet Achim....

Shevet Achim (Jerusalem) was founded in 1994 with the purpose of helping non-Israeli children receive lifesaving medical care in Israel. Their name is taken from the Hebrew of Psalm 133, which promises that unity between brothers leads to life; they believe this to be true of the troubled relationship between Isaac and Ishmael (Jews and Muslims) in the Middle East. To live this out Shevet Achim seeks to "go and do likewise" as the Good Samaritan, who crossed lines of division to show that an enemy is in fact a neighbor also loved by God.

Shevet Achim works work from the historic building in Jerusalem which housed the first children's hospital in the Middle East, and is registered in both Israel and the US as a non-profit organization, overseen by a board which includes Chuck Kopp, pastor of the Narkis Street International Congregation in Jerusalem; Jonathan Miles, international coordinator of Shevet Achim; David Pileggi, rector of Christ Church in Jerusalem; and Jim Schutz, local congregations liaison with the International Christian Embassy in Jerusalem.

The duties of the german association of Shevet Achim are to advertice what Shevet Achim is doing and to inform people who have questions about it. If somebody donates something to Shevet Achim Deutschland we will make sure that the money goes where it's suppose to go...

I'm so excited about the things God will do...

When you go to the wepage of Shevet Achim (www.shevet.org) you see the kids that need donations in order to get an operation... when you see the before and after pictures its just amazing to see how fast they recover after their surgery...

Please pray for Shevet Achim!! May God use it to shine His light in the Middle East!

Don't be afraid...

2008-10-16T10:15:00.001+02:00

Psa 118:5-6 I called on the Lord in distress; The Lord answered me and set me in a broad place. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.

Psa 56:3-4 Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You. In God (I will praise His word), In God I have put my trust; I will not fear.

Jhn 14:27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

God give me wisdom... lead me...

2008-10-14T10:46:00.003+02:00

God promised us to give us wisdom when we ask and so here I am asking for wisdom!!

There are some things going on right now in my life that I need a lot of wisdom for... I don't know what to do... what to say... where to go...

Lord please help!...
.... help me to remeber that nothing can happen today and the days to come that YOU and I can't handle together....

Back in Germany...

2008-09-23T11:34:00.010+02:00

Jippieh :) Noah and Kate are FINALLY married :)

May God bless them!

The wedding was so beautiful!

It was such a joyful one!

Oh what else can I say... other than.... I'm soooooooooooo blessed!

This was the best trip ever! (I even got a dress :) )

The way back we drove through the alps of France, through Monaco (one of the loveliest countries I have seen :) ), through the alps in Italy, Switzerland and then after almost 17 hours in the car we came home...
I really can say that God was with us and that we had a lot of angels around the car because Christoph was the only one allowed to drive (German law...)! He did such a good job driving such a long time... Thank God!

It was also such a blessing seeing the handiwork of Gods creation and getting some time away from everything that is going on right now in my life...

Blessed be the name of the Lord because He has good thoughts towards us!
In Him!

France... I'm coming!

2008-09-17T12:34:00.002+02:00

God is so good to me!

I'm so excited that God worked it out for me to go to Kates and Noahs wedding to FRANCE...

I still can't believe it...

I feel kind of exhausted and desired to get away for sometime and now I can :)
After a long time of waiting if I get a day off or not I finally know that I will be in Fance in about 2 days...

I'm so thankful for that...its just a blessing to see Noah and Kate getting married and to celebrate that with my other friends... I still remeber them at the Bible college... God is so amazing! :)

So... the only problem I have now is to find a dress :) :) :)

May God bless your week and may He also provide some rest for you!

Isaiah 41,10

2008-08-14T11:57:00.001+02:00

Don't be afraid,
**** for I am with you.
Do not be dismayed,
**** for I am your God.
I will strengthen you.
I will help you.
I will uphold you with my victorious right hand

Thank you God that you encourage us everytime we need it!

You alone God...

2008-08-11T19:44:00.000+02:00

I cry out to the Lord;
I plead for the Lord's mercy.
I pour out my complaints before him
and tell him all my troubles.
For I am overwhelmed,
and you alone know the way I should turn.
Wherever I go,
my enemies have set traps for me.
I look for someone to come and help me,
but no one gives me a passing thought!
No one will help me;
no one cares a bit what happens to me.
Then I pray to you, O Lord.
I say, "You are my place of refuge.
You are all I really want in life.
Hear my cry,
for I am very low.
Rescue me from my persecutors,
for they are too strong for me.
Bring me out of prison
so I can thank you.
The godly will crowd around me,
for you treat me kindly.

Psalm 142

Trust...

2008-08-02T23:04:00.003+02:00

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Matthew 6:33

Now there is no way to go back :)
Yesterday Marianne and I booked our flight to Jordan :)
We definitely need Gods provision and wisdom in the things to come... but as He promised when we seek Him first and His righteousness all these other things will be added unto us...

Its definitely exciting how God will lead us!

God bless you!

He gives and takes away

2008-07-23T09:08:00.000+02:00

As God gives us friends He sometimes "takes" them and sends them to another place...
Well for me the sometimes became very often... it started with my best friend Sarah and it went on and on...
Next Sunday a dear friend of mine will also be going to the mission field to Agentina... When I thought about it, this song came into my mind that *He gives and takes away*. I was really sad on Sunday when my friend Meike was send out from my church and I thought that I dont want to invest in a friendship anymore when God "takes" her away after a while but then I talked to another friend of mine and she said that we just need to learn to enjoy the friendship as long as we can and then we need to except it when God has other plans...
We took this pic for Meike from her closes friends and I just thought I put it here to see "Who is next" to go :)
I love how God sends people in our lives just at the right time!

May God give us the friends we need at the right time and may we be thankful!
Blessings

Silence...

2008-07-20T08:45:00.000+02:00

Today I'm a little bit earlier at the church to organize some stuff and I cant wait until all the kids arrive... without them its so silent here... not life at all....
We have the theme patience today... well I don't think I'm the right person to talk about patience because I'm not patient at all!
May God use me and even teach me things while I'm speaking :)

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love...

Col. 1:9-13

You are special

2008-07-16T09:43:00.000+02:00

Just think,

you are not here by chance,
but by God's choosing,
His hand formed you and made you the person you are,
He compares you to no one else-
you are one of a kind,
You lack nothing that His grace can't give you
He has allowed you to be here at this time of history
to fulfill His special purpose for this generation.

Roy Lessing

Praise God that He compares us to no one else - like the world always does - and that we lack nothing that His grace can't give us.

Let's be the vessel that God can use for His purposes!

I need to learn how to listen...

2008-07-02T11:31:00.000+02:00

...that is what God teaches me right now... "Just listen to me"

...What are His plans and His disire for my life? Is the work I do right now all that I'm suppose to do? Is it maybe a training time for something else He has in store...

I'm still working at the church and I really learn a lot. In the afternoon I work at a company so that I can pay my bills - but that is deffinetly not what I want to do all my life... I'm praying if God wants me to go to the Missionfield again... but all I still here ist "be still and know that I'm God" and be faithful in the small things"...

I'm planing on going to Jordan for a week with my dear friend Marianne around September and I'm excited that I can finally go on a "Mission trip" again... I truly miss that!!!!
My heart still beats for missions... right now I'm just able to pray for the Missionaries but maybe someday I will be on the field again... I really don't want to go alone again. I mean Paul went together with others and Jesus sent his desciples to go by two or more but never to go by themselves... I really hope He puts His desire on someone else to go with me... I will see...

God spoke to me on Sunday night - through an amazing studie that I need to just delight in Him and He will take care about everything else... God is so good! I really want to learn to delight myselfe fully in Him...
God bless

God is working

2008-04-22T11:02:00.001+02:00

Well.. since my last blog there were no great changes in my life BUT God is @ work.
He just challenged me to trust in Him alone in every circumstance... sometimes its hard for me to trust Him in certain areas... and when I trust Him I have no patience.
I gave Him the pen to write my life, even my love life! He is the best author of writing an adventures and wonderful book of my and your personal life...
Allow Him to write it!
So... I'm still working at the church part time and part time for an real estate agent...
I just love my kids at the childrens ministry... Right now we talk about Eliah and instead of me teaching the kids God uses the lessons to teach me...
It's ok to have times before the Lord when we just rest like Eliah! I mean isn't it amazing that when He was weak God provided breakfast for Him so that He could stay in bed :) 1. Kings 19

Amazing **** God uses weak people to glorify Himself through them ***
REST IN HIM! WHY STRESS OUT GOD WORKS IT OUT!

You are never less alone than alone with God!!!

My first entry

2008-02-08T19:02:00.000+01:00

Well... what can I say...

I just want to use this page to share a little bit about what is going on in my life right now...

This past year was over so quickly and I just realized that I work now 1 year at my job and at the church.
I really thought that I would be here only for a short time (a really short time :) - I'm not a patient person; I would like to know right now what the future holds...) but Gods ways are different and better.
God just continued to show me His faithfulness and that He will take care of me.
I don't know how long I will be were I am right now I just can trust that He will direct my path (Psalm 37:5)

This is my rabbit Black Pepper... I got him one year ago :) Someone from Belize gave him his name when she saw a picture of him and believe me this name fits... I love this guy... Its cool to have someone that waits for you when you come home... and he just listens when I talk :)

Well that will be it for right now...