September was a great month of adjusting to my new home in Kočevje and a great month of travelling around different places.
Visiting Calvary Chapel Bible College in Hungary (CCBCE)
Shawn and I were able to visit our Slovene crew at CCBCE. We wanted it to be a surprise but somehow they found out we're coming. Shoot...
It was awesome to be back "home" for 2 days, seeing old friends and family. We were able to sit in a class of Acts with one of my favorite teachers and be encouraged, we were a part of a Home Fellowship and got to meet a lot of new people, and we also went to Missions Training class where I was given an opportunity to share my testimony and how life looks like after leaving Bible College, and Shawn got to share about moving to a foreign country as a missionary (with a family) and what adventures that brings.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. CCBCE is my home, still, and thinking of "sharing" it with other Slovenes was a bit of a struggle for me. However, once Shawn and I got there and saw how CCBCE became their home now, the struggle went away immediately and I'm so happy they love it. It was great seeing them there, especially Sergej who is a part of our High School group. Well, he's more of a leader now :) I'm very proud of him for following the Lord with all his heart.
Josiah Venture Fall Conference
For the first time I was able to attend a JV conference in Czech. It's a conference for youth workers who serve God in Eastern Europe and only people who are invited get to go. I felt very privileged to be invited.
Our Slovene team was big; 32 of us went. It was mostly Slovenes who are in either full time ministry or part time ministry with youth.
Conferences like this are usually ministry focused, with guidance and encouragement. We experienced that... but this conference was very different. We focused on our relationship with God for the first 3 days, having joined sessions and some workshops in small groups. We talked about Stubborn Sin, Loneliness, Prayer, Community... just different topics. The theme of the conference was Radiate and the question throughout the whole was "Do we radiate Jesus on the outside?" or something like that.
One of the best things we did was spent 4 hours with the Lord - just us and God. We "had to" read the gospel of John, write down what God spoke to us, intentionally listen to God speak to us, and just enjoy being with Him.
During that time God spoke some amazing things to me.
1. I LOVE YOU - (God speaking) I don't love you because you read your Bible, pray and do things for me in ministry. I love you because you're Mine, because I chose you and.. just because. I love you. (so simple yet... amazing!)
2. "You have not because you ask not". There are a couple of verses in John that come alongisde this. I've been longing for some things in my life; some necessary and some not so much, they're more my desires... but the Lord was speaking to me about them, saying I may not have them because I don't even ask Him for them. I often feel like I don't deserve certain things in my life, partially because of my past.. but the Lord was telling me "Ask in my Name and it will be given to you." God is amazing and SO gracious!
3. Repent + BELIEVE - we all have sin in our lives and some of them are very stubborn. We talked about this at the conference and the Lord knew exactly what to say. I've read these words in the Bible so many times but never realized it says repent AND BELIEVE. I've always repented but never truly believed God cleansed me and made me pure! I believed He forgave... but not cleanse. Interesting, right? But the Lord was so faithful to meet me exactly where I needed to be met, and spoke so powerfully to me.
There is much more that God spoke and did in my heart last week. Don't we have an amazing God? He speaks, He directs, He rebukes, He forgives, He cares and He loves. Oh, and how much He loves!!
I feel so privileged to be His beloved daughter. So privileged He chose me to be His, and not only that, but that He chose me to serve Him. He put a calling on my life and even though I sin and don't always do what He says, He still pursues me and leads me, guides me, cares for me and loves me. Such a beautiful feeling!
It's a wonderful feeling to love and be loved by God!!
Visiting Calvary Chapel Bible College in Hungary (CCBCE)
Shawn and I were able to visit our Slovene crew at CCBCE. We wanted it to be a surprise but somehow they found out we're coming. Shoot...
It was awesome to be back "home" for 2 days, seeing old friends and family. We were able to sit in a class of Acts with one of my favorite teachers and be encouraged, we were a part of a Home Fellowship and got to meet a lot of new people, and we also went to Missions Training class where I was given an opportunity to share my testimony and how life looks like after leaving Bible College, and Shawn got to share about moving to a foreign country as a missionary (with a family) and what adventures that brings.
Overall, it was an amazing trip. CCBCE is my home, still, and thinking of "sharing" it with other Slovenes was a bit of a struggle for me. However, once Shawn and I got there and saw how CCBCE became their home now, the struggle went away immediately and I'm so happy they love it. It was great seeing them there, especially Sergej who is a part of our High School group. Well, he's more of a leader now :) I'm very proud of him for following the Lord with all his heart.
Josiah Venture Fall Conference
For the first time I was able to attend a JV conference in Czech. It's a conference for youth workers who serve God in Eastern Europe and only people who are invited get to go. I felt very privileged to be invited.
Our Slovene team was big; 32 of us went. It was mostly Slovenes who are in either full time ministry or part time ministry with youth.
Conferences like this are usually ministry focused, with guidance and encouragement. We experienced that... but this conference was very different. We focused on our relationship with God for the first 3 days, having joined sessions and some workshops in small groups. We talked about Stubborn Sin, Loneliness, Prayer, Community... just different topics. The theme of the conference was Radiate and the question throughout the whole was "Do we radiate Jesus on the outside?" or something like that.
During that time God spoke some amazing things to me.
1. I LOVE YOU - (God speaking) I don't love you because you read your Bible, pray and do things for me in ministry. I love you because you're Mine, because I chose you and.. just because. I love you. (so simple yet... amazing!)
2. "You have not because you ask not". There are a couple of verses in John that come alongisde this. I've been longing for some things in my life; some necessary and some not so much, they're more my desires... but the Lord was speaking to me about them, saying I may not have them because I don't even ask Him for them. I often feel like I don't deserve certain things in my life, partially because of my past.. but the Lord was telling me "Ask in my Name and it will be given to you." God is amazing and SO gracious!
3. Repent + BELIEVE - we all have sin in our lives and some of them are very stubborn. We talked about this at the conference and the Lord knew exactly what to say. I've read these words in the Bible so many times but never realized it says repent AND BELIEVE. I've always repented but never truly believed God cleansed me and made me pure! I believed He forgave... but not cleanse. Interesting, right? But the Lord was so faithful to meet me exactly where I needed to be met, and spoke so powerfully to me.
There is much more that God spoke and did in my heart last week. Don't we have an amazing God? He speaks, He directs, He rebukes, He forgives, He cares and He loves. Oh, and how much He loves!!
I feel so privileged to be His beloved daughter. So privileged He chose me to be His, and not only that, but that He chose me to serve Him. He put a calling on my life and even though I sin and don't always do what He says, He still pursues me and leads me, guides me, cares for me and loves me. Such a beautiful feeling!
It's a wonderful feeling to love and be loved by God!!
It is a wonderful thing to read what you are learning from our good and faithful God. He is worthy of praise!
ReplyDeleteOh yes! Definitely, the best thing in life is to be loved by the Creator God our Savior, and to be able to offer ourselves to Him daily. Thanks Mana for sharing what the Lord has been doing in your heart and in your life. I'm sure He is now using you to pass on what you had learned =)
ReplyDeleteKeep on getting to know Jesus and making Him known. Our Lord bless you and keep you in all your ways. I love you sister!
I love the last paragraph of your blog, it is my sentiment exactly! Love it!
ReplyDelete