3 new LST contacts in 2 days!!!! Two via email and one via phone call. One guy, which Larry and I met with today, saw the poster at the university, one found an info meeting flier and wrote to see if we still had anyone here, and the other called from the giant sign hanging on the church fence!
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
Experience is the name everyone gives their mistakes. Oscar Wilde
June 25, 2010
June 21, 2010
Bye Now
The season of good-byes are upon us now. The LST teams left today. Morgan comes in tomorrow and I am SOOOOOO very excited to see her! The Rhodes leave wednesday to go home on furlough for 3 weeks. Then thats all for this week. Karen leaves next week and then the Sullivans the week after that. Crazy crazy!
Things here are slowing down a bit. Everyone, I do literally mean everyone, is going on holiday somewhere which means I have no readers at the current moment. Sad day I know. I do have 1 appointment this week, Friday with an LST follow up that I read with when I was here 2 years ago.
All is well here though. Its been kinda rainy and cold lately, which of course makes me lethargic. I hope this gets better before winter gets here again- or Im in for a very long depressing winter lol. I will defiantly be buying some vitamin D when I am home so I can stock up for winter and be happy again! Yay happy!
Thats all folks! Be good and do good!
Sarah B
The character of a person lies not in what that person reveals to you, but in what they do not reveal. So then to understand a person, listen not to what they say, but what they do not say.
Things here are slowing down a bit. Everyone, I do literally mean everyone, is going on holiday somewhere which means I have no readers at the current moment. Sad day I know. I do have 1 appointment this week, Friday with an LST follow up that I read with when I was here 2 years ago.
All is well here though. Its been kinda rainy and cold lately, which of course makes me lethargic. I hope this gets better before winter gets here again- or Im in for a very long depressing winter lol. I will defiantly be buying some vitamin D when I am home so I can stock up for winter and be happy again! Yay happy!
Thats all folks! Be good and do good!
Sarah B
The character of a person lies not in what that person reveals to you, but in what they do not reveal. So then to understand a person, listen not to what they say, but what they do not say.
June 15, 2010
Jesus came back?
I was with a reader yesterday, Silke, she is one of my trickier readers! She has some bible knowledge, she went to bible class as a child with her grandma but never really took it any further. That in mind, she knows a lot of the main stories. Yesterday we finished the book of Luke.
At the end, she closed her book and looked at me, "Sarah..." "Yes Silke?" "Jesus came back?" "Yea Silke, he did!" "Ive never heard that before.... I know he died, but then I thought he went away." "Well, it was something like that Silke, but not quite. Thats what makes Jesus special, he came back after he died, and he visited people, those people started to write it down, and that is what we are reading now, their stories of Jesus' life." "I dont understand, I dont remember this from bible class... what else happened?"
Oh man you don't even know the excitement! I handed her the Acts book and told her for the next few weeks we would read through the text of Luke one more time, and then we would start the Acts book which picks up after the Luke story ends! Man this is exciting!
With that said, immediately after that Ceili and I had our last time together yesterday too. She leaves to fly back to Oregon on Thursday morning. She said her host sister is interested in keeping up her english so hopefully we can get her started with one of us reading too! It was sad for our last reading though. We finished Lee Strobles A Case for Christ. I know Ceili liked this book better than the last few devotional books we have tried. She learned a lot, as did I!
There is the update! Things here are busy busy! The LST team leaves on Monay, Morgan gets here Tuesday, the Rhodes leave Wednesday, Karen leaves a week alter, and the Sulivans leave the next week! Crazy crazy!
Please continue to pray for funds- they are getting better but still not wonderful. Right now I am trying to get enough to get through September. The main things are student loans, rent, insurance, and living expenses (ie food lol) which added up is about 1000 per month and I am getting 600 right now with monthly donations. I have tapped into my personal savings and that is gone so Im just scrapping by for the time being.
Have a wonderful and blessed week! Be good and do good!
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying that really foolish thing that people often sat about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic.... or else the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to! ~C.S. Lewis
At the end, she closed her book and looked at me, "Sarah..." "Yes Silke?" "Jesus came back?" "Yea Silke, he did!" "Ive never heard that before.... I know he died, but then I thought he went away." "Well, it was something like that Silke, but not quite. Thats what makes Jesus special, he came back after he died, and he visited people, those people started to write it down, and that is what we are reading now, their stories of Jesus' life." "I dont understand, I dont remember this from bible class... what else happened?"
Oh man you don't even know the excitement! I handed her the Acts book and told her for the next few weeks we would read through the text of Luke one more time, and then we would start the Acts book which picks up after the Luke story ends! Man this is exciting!
With that said, immediately after that Ceili and I had our last time together yesterday too. She leaves to fly back to Oregon on Thursday morning. She said her host sister is interested in keeping up her english so hopefully we can get her started with one of us reading too! It was sad for our last reading though. We finished Lee Strobles A Case for Christ. I know Ceili liked this book better than the last few devotional books we have tried. She learned a lot, as did I!
There is the update! Things here are busy busy! The LST team leaves on Monay, Morgan gets here Tuesday, the Rhodes leave Wednesday, Karen leaves a week alter, and the Sulivans leave the next week! Crazy crazy!
Please continue to pray for funds- they are getting better but still not wonderful. Right now I am trying to get enough to get through September. The main things are student loans, rent, insurance, and living expenses (ie food lol) which added up is about 1000 per month and I am getting 600 right now with monthly donations. I have tapped into my personal savings and that is gone so Im just scrapping by for the time being.
Have a wonderful and blessed week! Be good and do good!
I am trying here to prevent anyone saying that really foolish thing that people often sat about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic.... or else the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to! ~C.S. Lewis
June 11, 2010
Praying
Last year for my birthday, my good friend and roommate gave me a book, Praying through the Bible. I was excited to start it... but alas like so many other books it sat on my shelf. When packing to come over, I told myself I would start it, so I brought it! I started it for a few days and then.... off it went!
Recently I have started To Busy Not to Pray but in the first three chapters I was surprised at how little it was actually suggesting prayer. I believe the prayer comes in chapter 4, so no worries, but still. Anyways, I remembered that I had this book setting neatly next to my bed and asked if she would be interested and she was! So for the past week, everyday, I have been typing up the day devotional and prayer and emailing it to her.
I just have to say, prayer is a vital and invigorating part of the Christian life! Its always been hard for me to "sit and pray", I am a think about it and pray about it kind of person, it happens spontaneously and it has been interesting getting into a new format of prayer. Good, dont get me wrong, I dont think once can pray to much!
If you havent prayed today, go ahead and stop reading and pray now :)
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. ~George Muller
Recently I have started To Busy Not to Pray but in the first three chapters I was surprised at how little it was actually suggesting prayer. I believe the prayer comes in chapter 4, so no worries, but still. Anyways, I remembered that I had this book setting neatly next to my bed and asked if she would be interested and she was! So for the past week, everyday, I have been typing up the day devotional and prayer and emailing it to her.
I just have to say, prayer is a vital and invigorating part of the Christian life! Its always been hard for me to "sit and pray", I am a think about it and pray about it kind of person, it happens spontaneously and it has been interesting getting into a new format of prayer. Good, dont get me wrong, I dont think once can pray to much!
If you havent prayed today, go ahead and stop reading and pray now :)
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
It is not enough to begin to pray, nor to pray aright; nor is it enough to continue for a time to pray; but we must patiently, believingly, continue in prayer until we obtain an answer. ~George Muller
June 5, 2010
Blessed
This week a lot has been on my mind, but what I have been thinking about the most has been the blessings God has granted me. I am here, in Germany, with the opportunity to serve him! We have a God who loves us, who wants to be in fellowship with us, and I get to not only be in constant communication and fellowship with God, but I am hopefully planting seeds for others to have that same opportunity! WOW!
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
You are not discovering yourself, but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine who you want to be. ~unknown
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
You are not discovering yourself, but creating yourself anew. Seek, therefore, not to find out who you are, seek to determine who you want to be. ~unknown
June 2, 2010
Back Again
Sorry its been so long! My computer crashed a few weeks ago and I'm just now getting back up and around! I did however loose everything, which is a real bummer, but so goes life!
I need to write another newsletter! I literally had my last one made, and company came over so I didnt make the mailing list yet, I was going to send it after everyone left, but alas the computer didnt make it til then!
Things here are going great! The LST team is going wonderfully! We have a team of 2 in Chemnitz, and a team of 3 in Leipzig. Lots of new contacts this year which is really exciting! I'm looking forward to the follow-up!
So thats it for now. I'm in serious money crisis mode right now. Things are not going well! I am out of money now, going solely on monthly donations. I need at least $1000 to pay all basic bills and nothing extra and this month I got 900. I have some savings and am using what I can but man money sure does suck!
I love what I'm doing, please do not get me wrong, but sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to be working and making money myself. Asking people is not one of my strong suits and has been a huge humbling experience. I hope I never have to do it again!
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity, ~ Albert Einstein
I need to write another newsletter! I literally had my last one made, and company came over so I didnt make the mailing list yet, I was going to send it after everyone left, but alas the computer didnt make it til then!
Things here are going great! The LST team is going wonderfully! We have a team of 2 in Chemnitz, and a team of 3 in Leipzig. Lots of new contacts this year which is really exciting! I'm looking forward to the follow-up!
So thats it for now. I'm in serious money crisis mode right now. Things are not going well! I am out of money now, going solely on monthly donations. I need at least $1000 to pay all basic bills and nothing extra and this month I got 900. I have some savings and am using what I can but man money sure does suck!
I love what I'm doing, please do not get me wrong, but sometimes I wonder if it would be easier to be working and making money myself. Asking people is not one of my strong suits and has been a huge humbling experience. I hope I never have to do it again!
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvelous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery every day. Never lose a holy curiosity, ~ Albert Einstein
May 12, 2010
Lets Start Talking
The LST team made it in last night- we have Emily and Jacob Holloman this year. Jacob was here with LST last year, this is Emily's first time in Germany. Our information meeting is tonight, please pray that we will have a good turnout of possibly readers!
Things here have been busy getting ready for the LST folks to get here. Its kind of weird, thinking that was me 2 years ago. I like it though.
I had an uh-oh moment last week. It was Mothers Day, and being the good daughter and granddaughter I am I ordered my mom flowers and my grandma a candle. My grandmas candle said something like, "Miss you love you, see you soon" something to that extent.... problem: See You Soon... Not a good thing to say to someone who didn't want you to leave! I have been the completely random one in my family that will show up on special occasions, birthdays, holidays (mothers day), unexpected to say hello. Anyways, apparently I got my grandma's hopes up that I would pop in for a visit. She had seen on my facebook status that I had moved my plane ticket (to Sept 7th) and then got the card that said see you soon, so she was hoping I would show up! I called that afternoon, and she kept asking me, "Where are you?" I was very confused at first and then I remembered, I would sometimes just hop the fence and sneak in the backdoor and be sitting in the living room when she walked by, or sometimes I would wait at the door and call and tell her there was a surprise at the door. Once she really understood I wasn't there anywhere, I could hear the disappointment in her voice and then I remembered.
Just made me a bit homesick, I love being able to surprise people like that, and for them to expect it and me not be able to follow through just kills me. Alas, it wont be long and I will do it again, but never the less it makes the current time that much harder.
So there is my update- LST starts tonight, readers are slow right now, everyone is on Holiday or getting ready for Holiday so I only have a few appointments this week.
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. ~ Antione de Saint-Exupery
Things here have been busy getting ready for the LST folks to get here. Its kind of weird, thinking that was me 2 years ago. I like it though.
I had an uh-oh moment last week. It was Mothers Day, and being the good daughter and granddaughter I am I ordered my mom flowers and my grandma a candle. My grandmas candle said something like, "Miss you love you, see you soon" something to that extent.... problem: See You Soon... Not a good thing to say to someone who didn't want you to leave! I have been the completely random one in my family that will show up on special occasions, birthdays, holidays (mothers day), unexpected to say hello. Anyways, apparently I got my grandma's hopes up that I would pop in for a visit. She had seen on my facebook status that I had moved my plane ticket (to Sept 7th) and then got the card that said see you soon, so she was hoping I would show up! I called that afternoon, and she kept asking me, "Where are you?" I was very confused at first and then I remembered, I would sometimes just hop the fence and sneak in the backdoor and be sitting in the living room when she walked by, or sometimes I would wait at the door and call and tell her there was a surprise at the door. Once she really understood I wasn't there anywhere, I could hear the disappointment in her voice and then I remembered.
Just made me a bit homesick, I love being able to surprise people like that, and for them to expect it and me not be able to follow through just kills me. Alas, it wont be long and I will do it again, but never the less it makes the current time that much harder.
So there is my update- LST starts tonight, readers are slow right now, everyone is on Holiday or getting ready for Holiday so I only have a few appointments this week.
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. ~ Antione de Saint-Exupery
May 10, 2010
2 Years
Its hard to believe that I was here 2 years ago! Sunday we celebrated Mothers Day, which was the first weekend I was here for LST 2 years ago. Its crazy to think of everything that has happened in the past 2 years.
The LST team comes in tomorrow, hopefully the ash cloud won't be a problem and they will get here as planned!
Yesterday I went to a baptism coffee, one of my friends had her baby baptized, and there was a coffee that afternoon. It has been interesting seeing some of the traditions here. It was nice to sit around a living room and listen to everyone sing and celebrate together. Made me miss my family some, but at the same time it was comforting to experience such a loving family too.
Maybe this is because im from a small town in Oklahoma, but I always knew that there were people all over the world. They function, just like everyone in Oklahoma does. Its just weird at times, different. Not wrong, not good, just different. The differences are nice.
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
Its not hard to find the truth. What is hard is not to run away when you find it.
The LST team comes in tomorrow, hopefully the ash cloud won't be a problem and they will get here as planned!
Yesterday I went to a baptism coffee, one of my friends had her baby baptized, and there was a coffee that afternoon. It has been interesting seeing some of the traditions here. It was nice to sit around a living room and listen to everyone sing and celebrate together. Made me miss my family some, but at the same time it was comforting to experience such a loving family too.
Maybe this is because im from a small town in Oklahoma, but I always knew that there were people all over the world. They function, just like everyone in Oklahoma does. Its just weird at times, different. Not wrong, not good, just different. The differences are nice.
Be good and do good!
Sarah B
Its not hard to find the truth. What is hard is not to run away when you find it.
May 6, 2010
Focus
I am really not a fan of money. It seems to dominate not only my thoughts these days, but also my dreams apparently. Good dreams though, for the past few days I have been having dreams that I am fully funded! Great! However... I'm not, and then reality hits! Uhhh money!
Im torn at times, do things as I normally would, or dont do things because they cost. Tomorrow for example, I am visiting my friend Janine in Dresden for brunch. That is a $20 ticket (well, euro) for the ride there and back, and then brunch, so about $30 total. In the evening we are doing dinner, and then after EBS we are watching a scary movie- so drinks, snacks, and salad stuff for supper. There is at least another 15. So thats almost $50 euro in 1 day. Small things, but I wonder, should I be going to visit Janine, should I be hosting movie nights and what nots if I can't really afford it? And then I remember, thats why im here! I am here to encourage my brothers and sisters, to provide fellowship with people, to share the love of Christ with folks.
Oh what a tangled web we weave. I know that was out of context, but it seems to fit it its out of context :). Saturday is cleaning at the church, and then singing, Sunday I have a coffee in the afternoon for Miriam. Monday is getting last minute things ready for LST and tuesday the LST team gets here! Crazy crazy!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Be good and do good!
Sarah B
I'm going to a special place when I die. I always want to make sure my life is special while im here. ~Payne Stewart
Im torn at times, do things as I normally would, or dont do things because they cost. Tomorrow for example, I am visiting my friend Janine in Dresden for brunch. That is a $20 ticket (well, euro) for the ride there and back, and then brunch, so about $30 total. In the evening we are doing dinner, and then after EBS we are watching a scary movie- so drinks, snacks, and salad stuff for supper. There is at least another 15. So thats almost $50 euro in 1 day. Small things, but I wonder, should I be going to visit Janine, should I be hosting movie nights and what nots if I can't really afford it? And then I remember, thats why im here! I am here to encourage my brothers and sisters, to provide fellowship with people, to share the love of Christ with folks.
Oh what a tangled web we weave. I know that was out of context, but it seems to fit it its out of context :). Saturday is cleaning at the church, and then singing, Sunday I have a coffee in the afternoon for Miriam. Monday is getting last minute things ready for LST and tuesday the LST team gets here! Crazy crazy!
Have a wonderful weekend everyone! Be good and do good!
Sarah B
I'm going to a special place when I die. I always want to make sure my life is special while im here. ~Payne Stewart
May 3, 2010
Oh the Daily Life
Sometimes its hard being here. Sometimes. My brother is about to graduate from college, my nephew is marching in a big parade next weekend, my niece just turned 1. There is so much going on that I feel like I'm missing. At the same time however, there is so much that I am able to experience here. Tonight was our monthly English Movie Night. We watched The Pursuit of Happyness. Great film which of course led to a great discussion. We had a nice size group this time, we had 8/9 (Karen came in for the last 20 minutes and the discussion). We were able to have a great talk about what happiness is, how we reach, and what our obligations are to others.
Tomorrow we are going to hand out LST materials downtown. Going to be a fun day! I have readers in the afternoon and then working at the church building with Jan.
You know, I was making banana pudding this morning for movie night, and I was really worried about it as it was cooking. The instructions said to keep stirring for 20 minutes, and it had been 17 and the liquid was not getting any thicker. However by minute 18, it started to thicken and was just right on the 20 minute mark. Crazy! In life, we put everything together, and God has the recipe. I dont know about ya'll but after a while, I start to wonder if its the right combination, and then sure enough! Tada! God's a great Ta-Da'er!
Just my thoughts... Be good and do good!
Sarah B
To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special. ~ Jim Valvano
Tomorrow we are going to hand out LST materials downtown. Going to be a fun day! I have readers in the afternoon and then working at the church building with Jan.
You know, I was making banana pudding this morning for movie night, and I was really worried about it as it was cooking. The instructions said to keep stirring for 20 minutes, and it had been 17 and the liquid was not getting any thicker. However by minute 18, it started to thicken and was just right on the 20 minute mark. Crazy! In life, we put everything together, and God has the recipe. I dont know about ya'll but after a while, I start to wonder if its the right combination, and then sure enough! Tada! God's a great Ta-Da'er!
Just my thoughts... Be good and do good!
Sarah B
To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something special. ~ Jim Valvano
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