He is Risen Indeed! A Cross Cultural Ostern / Easter

"Now he is talking about how fear and hope meet at the cross... now he is talking about...."

This was how we experienced our Easter service this morning at the Evangeliumsgemeinde here in Vienna.  It is day 10 of our vision trip and we were very glad to share an Easter breakfast, baby dedication, and Easter service with this community of believers.

We enjoyed a European breakfast (all different kinds of bread, cold cuts, ham, really nice bologna, all kinds of cheeses, hard boiled eggs, a few kinds of cereal, and some amazing jam and sweet bread!) and all sat around tables and talked.  The food was amazing and the conversation was good as well.  We tried in limited German to say who we were and where we were from.

Most often we either had someone that could help to cross the language barrier or the people we were talking with spoke some English.  It is great to see the fellowship times, that often last as long (and are as important) as the formal service.

We also got to see a baby dedication with many family members of the couple there.

While we miss our families, we know that God is leading us towards Himself.  It continues to stir my heart to hear men and women lifting their voices in other tongues to the Lord.

Along with all of this celebration, I am reminded of the need here.  Easter is a time that many people go to church, often those that don't have any communion with the God of the universe.  Seeing this gathering and realizing that there are so many others that need to hear about the transforming work of God in His gospel, we are further convinced that we are following God's leading to be a witness of the gospel in Austria.  Many Austrians know about God, but few have a personal relationship with him.

 What impacted you from the Easter celebration that you attended?

It's Not You...It's Me

Oh, the classic break-up line... "It's not you. It's me". So well intended, but so overused. But this week, those words have taken on an entirely new meaning for me.

While on retreat with our WorldVenture team in Grundlsee, Austria, we watched the video of a sermon by Louie Giglio (here is the beginning of it) about how INDESCRIBABLE God is, as displayed in His magnificent creation. The universe and all that is in it - the moon, stars, planets, galaxies - are SO much bigger than we can comprehend! If our creator made them, He is clearly magnificantly indescribable!

The same day we watched this message, I was later listening to this sermon by Matt Chandler from Habakkuk. At one point in the sermon, he talks about how BIG God is and how SMALL we are. Do you see the pattern here?

Through these two messages, God has been reminding me this week that He is so big and I am so small. This is not leading me to get down on myself for my insigificance, but to rejoice in the fact that no task is too insurmountable for God. He made the heavens and the earth - how much more is He able to use me for His purposes, despite my failings! How much more is He able to provide for the financial needs of our ministry, that at times seem overwhelming. And how much more is He able to shine light in the darkness of Austria, where there are so many lost and hurting people.

In the end, any ministry that is accomplished through us in Austria or any provision that occurs to enable that ministry is not because of my gifts, efforts, talents, abilities, or personality. It is all from God. He is the creator and the source.

So basically, God is saying... "It's not about you. It's about ME!"

Glimpses of God's Big Picture

Right now, Nate and I are in Grundlsee, Austria on a retreat with the WorldVenture teams from Germany, Austria and Slovenia. It has been a blessing to get to know our fellow missionaries. Through talking with them, we have been absorbing knowledge about living cross-culturally and what it is like to doing ministry in Western Europe.

We are meeting many missionaries for the first time. However, I met one of these missionary couples here back in 2003! The summer after my sophomore year at Wheaton, I had the privilege of touring Europe with the college's Women's Chorale and Glee Club and we visited Prague, Moscow, Vienna and Slovenia. It was my first time in Europe and the only other time I have been to Vienna. In Slovenia, we partnered with Mel and Patty Davis and put on some concerts that served as outreach opportunities for them in the community. It turns out that Mel and Patty Davis are WorldVenture missionaries and are now on retreat with us! 8 years later, it has been fun to reconnect with them and think back to my trip to Slovenia back in 2003.

When I went to Slovenia, I acted like a lemming... I did as I was told, sang many concerts in a variety of venues, and participated in all aspects of the 3-week trip, but I did not really know the impact we were making or the "big picture" reasons we were there. Talking to Mel and Patty this week, I now have a different perspective.

Our choir trip in 2003 opened many doors for the missionaries in Slovenia, allowing them to make new connections in the community and get a foot in the door in the local public school system. They were able to use our concerts as an important outreach and to follow up those connections and share the gospel with many new people. Now, the Wheaton choirs have been back to Slovenia 3 times and those connections have expanded.

It is neat to come full circle and see how God used our time there not just to praise His name through music, but also to strengthen the ministry there. I think the lesson I am learning is when we are faithful to serve and do what we believe God calls us to, He is faithful to use our efforts for his Kingdom (even when we don't know it)!