around here

Fall school is almost half way through already.

We are enjoying the rhythm of Bible school, though each day is quite full. We have had a beautiful fall so far, and are SO enjoying the students. They are learning, growing and sharing so much- and we are too. It is such a blessing to share this experience with the students, as they discover Christ in new ways, step out in faith, forgive, heal, learn, lead, and reach out to the community. On Mondays we have meetings, Tuesdays we have family group, Wednesdays we lead prayer time, Thursdays and half of Fridays we have off, Saturdays we lead a hike or day trip, Sundays we hang out with the students, catch up on rest and sometimes lead the Sunday even service. And somewhere in there we lead outreach groups,  get to grade the students homework each week, and interact with them in lots of other ways too.

And we are still working for Communications and Development (C&D) team for Torchbearers. Chris has just finished a few videos, and has a few more underway- while he manages the other media being produced by the C&D team. I have been working on social media, and communications with the centers.

That is a whole lot of doing. After a summer where we lived day to day at a much slower pace, we are mindful of the importance of rhythms of busyness and rest. We really rest HARD on our days off, and resist the temptation to believe that when we are busy doing we are important and effective. I read this quote by Major Ian Thomas today:   “In  John 15:5  Jesus said: ‘Without me you can do nothing.’ How much can you do without Him? Nothing! It is amazing how busy you can be doing nothing!”

We need Him so desperately to be our source- and know that He is the one who makes our lives and efforts meaningful. I need this reminder so much, because I fall easily into feeling unimportant when I am not busy. The Truth is my importance is in Christ- not what I do- therefore when I am busy, and when I am not- He is the all the importance I need. My life has meaning in Him. This was an important lesson I learned this summer in another way also.

I think there is a subtle, or not so subtle, lie that if our life is busy and full of adventure and beautiful things then our life is meaningful. I really began to identify how much of a lie this is this summer. It sunk in while Chris and I were living at the Torchbearers Center in Interlaken, Switzerland. We have a post coming soon about this place, Chris made a video, and the scenery really does take your breathe away. I don’t know if I have ever been anywhere more beautiful. But during this time I was incredibly lonely, missing friends, family and community, and wasn’t very busy as we were working out my role with Torchbearers. We were on an adventure and surrounded in beauty, and it didn’t satisfy the way I expected.

The truth is- your life IS full of adventure and beautiful things- whether you are in the mountains in Austria, standing on the London Bridge, or walking down the street in Milwaukee. There is SO much beauty and adventure wherever we are. BUT we cannot allow our circumstances or our surroundings to dictate the value of our life. I’ve learned that we can find beauty in simple, plain, ordinary, day to day places. Or we can be incredibly lonely and feel like our life has very little value when we are in the most beautiful places in the world. I’m sure there are others who can articulate these subtle deceptions so much better than I – but God is showing me again and again, that my value and my worth cannot come from how busy I am, how beautiful my surroundings are, how many people I am helping, or how good my circumstances. Those things all change, and even when they are good, they don’t satisfy us the way we expect. There is a longing here that only Christ satisfies- a longing that cries out for deeper meaning- for value in something that doesn’t change and touches us at the core of who we are. He is more than enough to satisfy ALL our longings.

We want to share our pictures, our lives, our day to day with those we love, because we SO miss sharing life with each of you. We love seeing little windows into your lives as you share with us, and we try to do the same- there are SO many people who are sharing in this journey with us, and we are so grateful. And even now we are praying that you may take  your desire for value and worth to Christ, the only one who will deeply satisfy you, just as we are learning to do.

Here is what things looks like around here:

At Tauernhof

Saturday Hikes

Days off

Family Group And this past Sunday morning: