Faithful One

I am right back from our annual church retreat in - have a guess - Gemünden and I really, really needed this 4-days-break of usual daily routine.

I had hard times at work the last weeks and a lot more I don't want to talk about in detail. There was one song in my mind all the time - especially during the retreat - that helped me through... and I am still overwhelmed how my heavenly father listens to my "smallest" requests concerning my work or for example (for me this was a big thing) sunshine during the retreat. And although it was raining the whole week before and - how it is turning out - after the retreat (thunderstorms etc.), we had sunshine all the time in Gemünden except saturday afternoon when a strong thunderstorm came up. But also this one was one of that kind I like the best...

That's why I am more than sure he will also help me out of those troubles, that aren't solved yet!

Faithful One
by Brian Doerksen

Faithful one, so unchanging
Ageless one, You’re my rock of peace
Lord of all I depend on You
I call out to You, again and again
I call out to You, again and again

You are my rock in times of trouble
You lift me up when I fall down
All through the storm
Your love is, the anchor
My hope is in You alone

1990 Mercy/Vineyard Publishing
CCLI Song No. 465840

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Retreat Experiences

Okay, just a little bit more from the retreat:

Saturday morning (better to say a few hours after we arrived) I woke up, still tired, my head felt like stuffed with cotton balls and - what was really bad - I had a sore throat! Usually that is a signal for the beginning of a bad cold or bronchitis. And I had no vitamins/medicine with me to fight that...
So I got up to take a shower and prayed REALLY hard and asked the Lord to help me - reminding him he's the best physician at all. And, even if that is not really surprising, after breakfast I recognized that all of the sore throat was gone! That filled my heart with joy and thankfullness, futhermore that is almost a week ago and I am still fine!

We had a wonderful time of fellowship - I like it so much when we all sing together! It sounds really great. God also blessed us with wonderful weather, the sun was shining and we could stay outside enjoying spring and the awakening of nature. You can watch pictures here (and a short "bonfire-film" here).

Oh yeah, last but not least - I said yes to the call of the Chemnitzers to organise the next retreat (Fall 2007) and I am so happy that Frances said yes, too! We already could fix the next date, it will be
September 14th - 16th 2007.

A Start with Difficulties

We were supposed to be in Gemünden at the retreat Friday afternoon but Mario was so kind to pick us (Fran and me) up in Wiesbaden. He had told us before it could be late like 8 p.m. and that was fine for us.

At 9 p.m. Mario sent me a text message that he was caught up in a traffic jam and still 55 miles (90 km) away. To make a long story short: he arrived 11 p.m. and after a cup of coffee and a sandwich we went to the car. While we were packing the car we heard a loud crash on the road pretty near! We walked over to check - it was a serious accident and we called the police and ambulance immediately. In the meantime it was 11.45 p.m. and I was really surprised about how many gawkers came along all of a sudden... and even if I really dislike any kind of craving for sensation I took a picture with my cellphone-camera, because it was such an unusual situation. The quality of the pictures are not the best but they leave a mark anyway. Believe me: this is not an upside-down picture - the truck was like spinning and then toppled over after it was hit by the other car.
I am still surprised about how the occupants could get out there and walk around...
We left the scene pretty soon for not to disturb the police - they tried to find some accident witnesses - and headed off to get to Gemünden.
We wanted to save time and took the Autobahn for the first part but this route wasn't familiar and so we missed the right exit and lost our way in the woods of Usingen, Königstein and Gemünden.

A route that usually means 1 hour car driving took us 2 hours...
We arrived at 2 a.m.

What a "time saving"!

European Singles Retreat, April 2007

This afternoon I came back from the Spring ESS and there is a lot to post what I will do here the next few days. For today I only want to tell the theme: "Matching up your Life and Faith" and we heard and talked about how important it is to live authentic.

It works best if we strive for what is right in Gods eyes.
Trying to put this idea into practice it was our task (at one station of "the station game") saturday afternoon to create a poem based on Philippians 4 verse 8:

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things.

So here I present what I made of that:

Brothers and sisters I want you to put,

all things in your mind that are true and good.

Keep to your thoughts what is worthy of praise,

and with things that are honorable fill your days.

If you stay in the ways that are pure and right

the Lord will help you to win the fight.