I'M GOING HOME!

This years title, CHANGE! Shifting from a challenging but thriving ministry in Norway to going back home. Simple? Yes! The decision anyway, as I know its God’s will. Emotionally! No. Although God has graciously prepared my heart to leave my church in Norway, saying good-bye to those who have become my Norwegian family will be challenging for my heart. I know this is not the end of my ministry; it’s a shift…a big shift. It’s taking what God has done in me, and through me to move ahead wherever He leads.
I am called back to Washington... For how long you ask? I don’t know but I'm coming in just 11 days.
Am I ready? Yes and no. I’m ready for the next season but saying good bye to my wonderful friends here, no.
What will I do? well for now I'm going to work on reconnecting with family and friends after that get involved with what I love doing the most... Missions.

Superbowl Drake Down

I was watching the Superbowl with some friend (getting in touch with my American side:-) With it being a live feed the game got over around 4am. While driving my friends home the van started showing signs of electrical failure (this has happened before) I dropped off the last person in an area far from my house and in a place I'm not to familiar with. The radio went out then the headlights, next the dash lights all came on, sputtering started, all dash lights went haywire, everything went black! I could still drive and all I could say is "Oh Lord please just a little further so I can get to the main road" van went dead as I rolled down the hill… to the main road. Pulled into the bus stop and thought “way to early to call someone” so I called the taxi, not really wanting to pay for the extreme cost but what was I to do. Trying to explain to the lady where I was on the street, with no address, became more challenging then I thought. Not getting any where with her, "Oh Lord what do I do now?" at that thought a car slowed to a stop a few meters away "could they be stopping to help me?" "Thank you Lord!" Unexpectedly I hear my name. I turn to find my friend puzzled as to why I'm out this way at such an hour. I screamed his name as I was so exited to see some one I know. This all was just a matter of minutes so I never had time to really panic or feel stranded. I explained the situation and he gave me a ride home. This man is a pastor and it came out that he had a house call at 1am helping someone else till 4am had he not been driving home I don't know what I would have done he to was grateful he was driving by. I just have to say I love Kristiansand and how small it is here but I know God was at work in this one... God is so funny at how He works things out some times. Oh yeah the van… it’s still dead.

Leadership

Being challenged to lead! This I don’t know how to put short. I prayed and asked God to challenge me because I was getting board I knew what I was asking and was ready as I know God will never give me more than I can handle. He answered that with challenging me in my greatest weakness, leadership! Through everything this year with out asking for it I was just put into leadership positions God new I would never ask for it so time after time I was asked or just put into it. Learning about leadership, reading the books, and taking the classes just doesn’t compare to hands on leading. I had many good tears before the Lord, times of feeling incapable, thinking why did You pick me, will it ever end and I can say I look at leadership in a hole new way. I don’t fear it like I did but I still don’t like it but I love doing it I know that doesn’t make sense but some time working for God just doesn’t make sense. The reword of investing my hole heart and time into other’s lives is so incredible I’m just sorry I didn’t ask God sooner for the challenge. I would say after every thing in my life this was one of the most challenging, rewording years I have ever experienced and I don’t say that lightly.

Better tuning into the Holy Spirit speaking to me and just understanding on another level how God works in me and through me and know better when it’s God wording as apposed to Satan working. Hearing the voice of God more clearly in my life and for others. Growing in the spiritual gifts God has given me as well as discovering new ones.

I have been stretched and torn this past year and looking back I never thought I could say, I’m truly thankful for all of it. My life is not my own but still I go through kicking and fighting the will of God and I’m sure making it harder then He intended. But in the midst of hard challenge (meaning in the time of the challenge) I’ve learned to note that God chose me (it’s His’ will) in this time and place and God does all things well so I need to except God’s challenge and know it to will pass and not to give up.

4th of July flag taker

We were doing out reach in the city center and I had brought with me a little tiny american flag... very proud of it I let Max ,who is 2, wave it around a bit. As I was taking pictures along come a man and places 100kr (about 20 USD) in to his hand, not knowing what it is Max drops it the man picked it back up and places the money back in Max's hand and slips out the flag then quickly walks away leaving little Max standing there confused and troubled. All I could do is laugh and thought WOW! if I knew they were worth that much I should have brought more. However I was sad I didn't have an american flag to wave the rest of the day but I guess that man really needed one to have payed so much. God bless the flag taker.