Exit 316 - "The Mission"

The Exit team has been busy preparing for the launch of a new season of broadcast. Last weekend they trained 430 small group leaders in four locations in how to use the small group materials to start "Exit Clubs" - evangelistic small groups that discuss the exit episodes. Several students have trusted Christ through the last series of Exit and are now leading groups themselves!

"Exit 316 - The Mission" is broadcast every Sunday morning at 8:30 and Thursday afternoon at 15:00. The entire season centers around the life of a 17-year old girl in Prague who is studying at a dance school. After a near death experience, she is sent on a series of "missions" by an angel named Krystof, who is challenged at every step by a dark angel named Desmon. Testimonies, interviews, and video clips fill in the big picture for the topic of the week.

This is a unique opportunity to share the gospel at a national level in an extremely atheistic country. Pray that God uses this broadcast for His glory and draws many to Him.

good times with good friends

This past weekend I had the opportunity to go to my friend Dan's wedding in Virginia. The four of us (Ellie, Dan, Ryan & I) met at MTI in February where we built an incredible bond between the four of us! A few weeks later, we were able to meet the infamous "Mary" who we had already heard so much about (and even talked with on the phone). Not long after MTI, Dan was filling us in on his trip to get the ring from Mary’s parents, then his surprise trip to propose to Mary…we were so filled in that when Mary called that day...we knew why she was calling! Who would have thought that we would have all been able to be there for the wedding? Ellie took the bus down from Minneapolis and it took us 13 hours to get there, and it took Ryan 14 hours to get there from Oklahoma. And it was SO worth it to be there for our good friends, Dan & Mary!

JV Capital Campaign

In just a short time, ALL of JV will be in the states for a HUGE event...the Capital Campaign. Between October 26th and November 13th, JV will be visiting 11 different locations, having a "vision night" in each one. These nights are designed for people who are connected to someone in JV, through prayer, or support, or they met them at the grocery store.... We're making a big push for big projects like Exit 316, and we're doing what we can to help our nationals get up to 100%. The Campaign is just around the corner! Please be praying for everyone involved, as we're building up to something big. And let's also pray that God will do something big through this.

Here's a list of locations and dates. Let me know if you would like to go to one of these, and I'll make sure you get an invitation and all of the details you need!

10/26 - Seattle - TBD
10/28 - Portland - Marriott Waterfront Downtown Hotel
10/30 - Phoenix - Westin Keirland Resort
11/1 - San Jose - Marriott Downtown Hotel
11/3 - Pasadena - Westin Hotel
11/6 - Atlanta - Grand Hyatt Downtown Hotel
11/7 - Hamilton*, ONTARIO - Crowne Plaza Hotel
11/8 - Peoria - The Waterhouse
11/10 - Minneapolis - Marriott Downtown Hotel
11/11 - Denver - Hyatt Regency Hotel
11/13 - Chicago - TBD

experiments in "artsy" photography

aubrey would be so proud

Come Thirsty retreat

I just have to say, I have the best small group EVER! It's truly a blessing to be able to come back from Czech and jump right back into my small group. They're pretty amazing! This last weekend, we were able to head up to Michigan for a retreat. We stayed at Maranatha and had a FABULOUS time! I seriously think we packed a week's worth of things into one weekend. We went disc golfing, played volleyball at the beach, "midnight" mini golf, "midnight" ultimate frizbee, ("midnight" only meaning that it was dark out), played Apples to Apples, Catch Phrase...the list goes on! It was such a great weekend with such great people! I'm so thankful for the blessing that God gave me in this amazing group of people!

Radost (Joy)

One of my favorite passages has always been the beginning of James (well, I love the book of James, but especially James 1). About ten years ago, I lost a couple friends who were very dear to me. I went on my first summer-long mission trip and a couple weeks after I got back we received a phone call that changed my life as I knew it. These two dear friends of our family were in a fatal plane crash. I thought my world was going to crumble before my eyes. Soon after this, my mom started going through and memorizing the book of James with me. "Consider it pure joy..." 'Yeah right!' I remember thinking. But we pressed on, "...when you face trials of many kinds. Because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. And perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." After some time, those verses started to really sink in. Within weeks of the accident, a friend of mine lost her sister to a car accident. I still wouldn't have "considered it joy", but I suddenly saw a reason why God was putting me through this trial. The trials that I was going through gave me the empathy and understanding to know how to help my friend through her trials. Looking back, I can see God's hand in this more than anything. Of course, I miss Craig and Jessie a lot! But throughout the years, God has been developing something in me that I would never trade for anything. Maybe it's perseverance, maybe even maturity. But I'm thankful for the times throughout the years where God has chosen to put me through these trials, so that I can learn to be more and more like Him.

this summer was awesome...

we pretty much had the best intern team ever.

two dear friends

One of the many blessings of working with people is that I get to build some amazing friendships. This summer, I’ve had the opportunity to get to know some incredible people. Two of these extraordinary people are Katka and Zuzka, from Vysoké Mýto. God has really blessed me by putting these two girls into my life! We met in June at a Matt Redman/Hillsong concert and have done two camps together since then. We’ve all said to each other that we feel like we’ve known each other for years. It’s amazing the foundation that God has given us in such a short amount of time. When I move to Vysoké Mýto, I’ll be working with these two girls a lot. What a blessing! I am so incredibly thankful that God put these two girls in my life!

Vysoké Mýto/Geneva camp (part 2)

For me, one of the most exciting things about this camp was the partnership with both of the leadership teams. It was a partnership between my church in the states and my future church in Czech. It is so amazing to be a part of both of these teams. I think one of the hardest things was that I couldn't decide which meetings to go to, since I'm a part of both teams.

Before we started camp, we had a couple days in Prague, and another day in Vysoké Mýto with both of the leadership teams (Vysoké Mýto and First Baptist). During that time, I was able to start building the foundation of some great relationships with the team. There are two girls who I especially connected with-Emmy & Caitlyn. After spending quite a bit of time praying about it, and talking with Ken (the college youth pastor at First Baptist), the final conclusion is that I'm going to start discipling these girls between now and when I move back to Czech. (And who knows, maybe we'll still get the chance to meet through Skype after that.) I'm really excited about this! I love these girls already and I can't wait to see what God does through these relationships!

Vysoké Mýto/Geneva camp

Today is the last day of my second camp this summer. I had a great time connecting with the students and playing lots of games with them. Last night, we split our discussion group into two groups...the guys and the girls. I'm not sure how the guys' group went, but the girls had a wonderful discussion. There was a different level of comfort when we had a smaller group of girls, and it allowed all of us to be more real with each other. I'm so thankful for these girls and their willingness to open up like they did!

starbucks in prague

2008 brought a wonderful thing to prague...Starbucks! And not long after that, a second and third one opened! Just yesterday, I finally had the chance to go to Starbucks in Prague for the first time. Soon after that, I was taking the metro to my next destination (Starbucks still in hand) when I saw another one! I was pretty excited! It intrigued me enough that I had to find out just how many there are in Prague now. It's official, there are five! AND in three weeks, there will be six!

on staring

I have learned many great things from my parents. And if God wants me to have children, most of those things will be passed on to them. But lately I’ve realized that my children might have to learn things in a different way than I did. (This is, if I’m still living in Czech and if I end up having kids here.) For example: when I was little, I was taught that it’s rude to stare. However, if my kids grow up in Czech, they’ll have to learn that it’s rude to stare in America. It’s actually not rude to stare in Czech. I was on the train recently when one of my friends called me. When I answered and started talking to her (in English!) a little girl turned around and started staring at me. During part of the conversation, her mom even joined her in staring, and by the end, her little friend was staring as well. By the end of our conversation, we had quite the audience! I was reminded of something one of my other missionary friends said once, “Sometimes I feel like the circus is in town when I go somewhere.” It’s very true. I’m not really used to being the tourist attraction. But hey, it’s part of the fun of living in another culture.

Vysoké Mýto camp

The end of our first camp for the summer has already come. Here's a couple pictures of my English class. We had a great time building relationships, learning English, having great discussions, and playing MANY games together.

Thursday night, we had the chance to share the Gospel with them. Then we gave them the opportunity to stick around if they wanted to talk to anyone. Almost everyone stayed to talk! It was so neat to see so many people interested in hearing more about who God is. I love to see people open to figuring out what they believe and asking questions. It's very encouraging to me!

I SPEAK PEE

Entry #2

Yesterday, this girl wanted to tell a couple Czechs that her husband is a triplet...and since they didn't completely understand, I tried to interpret for her. So I said, "her husband is a triplet."…or at least, that's what I thought I said. What I really said, was...she has triplet husbands. Oops!

a couple amazing girls!

I just have to say, after being with these girls for almost a month now...they're AMAZING! God really blessed me with an AWESOME team, and a couple GREAT girls who are becoming very dear to me.

summer schedule

Our first camp of the summer starts today!

Here's our schedule for the rest of the summer:

Term 1: Vysoké Mýto
June 28th - July 5th

Term 2: Vysoké Mýto (with First Baptist of Geneva)
July 12th - July 19th

(The team will be in Vikyřovice during this camp, but I'll be in Vysoke Myto for a second camp with them.)

Term 3: Šumperk
July 26th - August 2nd

Intern debrief: Prague
August 7th -10th

I'd like to introduce you to my team...

top to bottom, left to right-
me, Aubrey, Josh (or "Hawaii")
Erica, Chris, Paul

keep praying

Just a reminder, please keep praying that God will provide the financial support for me to get back to Czech for good. I need to raise another $900 a month. It seems overwhelming to me, but I know I serve a God who is fully capable of providing His resources in order to get me back here. Please pray that He will lay it on the hearts of His people to help support me so I can get back and serve Him where He called me to serve.

Matt Redman concert-in Czech

Last night I went to a worship concert in Czech. It was so amazing to see that many Czech Christians worshiping God together in one room! One thing that I found interesting, was how many people I knew there. It seriously felt like a family reunion! But it also really shows just how small the Christian community is in Czech...yet another reason to be on our knees for the Czechs.