When describing BFA to others, I almost always mention how much I love the community here. I am so blessed to have many adults pouring into, encouraging, and investing in me... while at the same time having the opportunity to do the same for peers and students. I love seeing people using their unique gifts (teaching, living life with dorm kids, working with their hands in maintenance, managing the library, recruiting new staff, and more!) to serve the staff and students at BFA, as well as the larger missions community.
Over the past two days, all of the new BFA staff members have shared very condensed (3-5 minutes!) stories of how God has worked in their lives and brought them to this place at this time. Some have been praying about missions opportunities and support raising for years, while others just heard about BFA in the past few months. They have different family backgrounds and interests and personalities, but they are all passionate about serving Christ here in southwestern Germany!
One new staff member aptly described our community as "a room of miracles." Every person at BFA has witnessed God's miraculous provision as He has put the pieces together according to His timing. Thank YOU for being a part of the miracle God has done in my life! I am so blessed to be serving Christ in this community.
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Class, Deutsch, and New Friends!
I've been back in Germany for just over two weeks, but it feels like a lot longer than that with all that has happened! I'm so thankful for the opportunities that I've had to jump right back into life here in Germany.
Class. During my first week back in Germany, I attended TeachBeyond Institute, a conference for members of my mission agency to learn about and discuss spiritual formation, cultural adaptation, and Biblical integration. The days were long, but it was fun to spend time with people who serve with TeachBeyond at several different schools and think together about how we can serve our students better.
Deutsch. The annual neighborhood "block party" was last weekend - the first that I've been able to attend since moving here two years ago. It was really interesting to be able to sit and chat at picnic tables with the German neighbors I've never really met beyond a "hello" every once in a while. Their English was far better than I anticipated, but they wanted me to try German! "You speak German, we'll speak English." This made for a humorous conversation, but I was quite surprised at how fluently the German came. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it definitely felt different than my timid German of my first year living overseas. One man suggested we visit his art gallery in town, while another invited my piano teacher roommate, Karen, to play duets with him. He lives just behind our house and is a very famous concert pianist from Berlin! Great connections and fun speaking German!
New Friends. Over the past week, many new staff have arrived here in Kandern. What fun it has been to match faces with their names, hear their stories, and experience life here together. One not-so-new friend that I've welcomed to Germany is Rachel, a fellow Grove City grad and friend of mine from my college days. In addition, Karen has joined the apartment (with Brittany and me), and we've enjoyed meals, travels, shopping together with other new friends this past week. We anxiously await our fourth roommate Justina's arrival when the Lord provides the finances she needs!
In the next two weeks:
-- Shopping trips with new staff for furniture and classroom supplies
-- Local traveling to introduce new staff to the area
-- Various staff meetings in preparation for the school year
-- Classroom cleaning and decorating
-- Lesson planning and preparing materials
These days are full - and my heart is full as well! I'm anxious to see how God works through new friendships, connections with the Germany community, and my new role as a middle school teacher this year!
Class. During my first week back in Germany, I attended TeachBeyond Institute, a conference for members of my mission agency to learn about and discuss spiritual formation, cultural adaptation, and Biblical integration. The days were long, but it was fun to spend time with people who serve with TeachBeyond at several different schools and think together about how we can serve our students better.
Deutsch. The annual neighborhood "block party" was last weekend - the first that I've been able to attend since moving here two years ago. It was really interesting to be able to sit and chat at picnic tables with the German neighbors I've never really met beyond a "hello" every once in a while. Their English was far better than I anticipated, but they wanted me to try German! "You speak German, we'll speak English." This made for a humorous conversation, but I was quite surprised at how fluently the German came. Of course, it wasn't perfect, but it definitely felt different than my timid German of my first year living overseas. One man suggested we visit his art gallery in town, while another invited my piano teacher roommate, Karen, to play duets with him. He lives just behind our house and is a very famous concert pianist from Berlin! Great connections and fun speaking German!
New Friends. Over the past week, many new staff have arrived here in Kandern. What fun it has been to match faces with their names, hear their stories, and experience life here together. One not-so-new friend that I've welcomed to Germany is Rachel, a fellow Grove City grad and friend of mine from my college days. In addition, Karen has joined the apartment (with Brittany and me), and we've enjoyed meals, travels, shopping together with other new friends this past week. We anxiously await our fourth roommate Justina's arrival when the Lord provides the finances she needs!
In the next two weeks:
-- Shopping trips with new staff for furniture and classroom supplies
-- Local traveling to introduce new staff to the area
-- Various staff meetings in preparation for the school year
-- Classroom cleaning and decorating
-- Lesson planning and preparing materials
These days are full - and my heart is full as well! I'm anxious to see how God works through new friendships, connections with the Germany community, and my new role as a middle school teacher this year!
Sunday, August 5, 2012
The Marathon
My eyes were glued to the screen this afternoon as I watched the marathon racers cross the finish line one by one. Some collapsed in utter exhaustion, while others enthusiastically waved to cheering fans. I was intrigued by this race of longevity and perseverance.
Perhaps my recent experience with running has given me a greater appreciation for the Olympic races. You may know that I participated in a 5K race in Philly this summer with several of my good college friends. I'm not really a "runner," but The Color Run isn't your normal race! Anyone can participate, even non-runners like me. (I think you'll understand from the picture below!)
But I was drawn to more than just the excitement of the marathon race itself. I considered how I could relate to these competitors - not as an athlete, but as a teacher.
Looking ahead to the coming school year, I see not a sprint, but a marathon. There's no option to quit at the 5K mark, but rather a commitment to finish the race. This isn't a week of having fun at summer camp, but nine months of investing in lives.
While navigating the streets of London this afternoon, marathon runners endured rainy conditions, cramps, thirst... But they pressed on. I could sense the discouragement and frustration in their faces, but they kept their eyes ahead, yearning for the finish line. What pride in the sense of accomplishment when they crossed it! Whether an Olympic record or a personal worst, they had finished the race. My "finish line" seems far away, but my deepest desire is that I can say along with the apostle Paul, "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
There is one significant difference between that marathon race and my job at BFA: teamwork. Although some athletes in this race trained together and even kept the same pace during most the race, there was inevitably one gold medal winner. I'm so thankful that I'm not alone in the BFA marathon, with Christ as the ultimate Sustainer, colleagues as co-collaborators, and supporters as our greatest fans. When someone's pace slows, we'll link arms and keep running toward the finish line together. And we'll strain our ears to hear your voices in the crowd, cheering us on!
In First Corinthians 9, Paul writes, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." I'm itching at the starting line, greatly anticipating all that God will do at BFA this school year! Let's go for the gold. Together and for His glory.
Perhaps my recent experience with running has given me a greater appreciation for the Olympic races. You may know that I participated in a 5K race in Philly this summer with several of my good college friends. I'm not really a "runner," but The Color Run isn't your normal race! Anyone can participate, even non-runners like me. (I think you'll understand from the picture below!)
But I was drawn to more than just the excitement of the marathon race itself. I considered how I could relate to these competitors - not as an athlete, but as a teacher.
Looking ahead to the coming school year, I see not a sprint, but a marathon. There's no option to quit at the 5K mark, but rather a commitment to finish the race. This isn't a week of having fun at summer camp, but nine months of investing in lives.
While navigating the streets of London this afternoon, marathon runners endured rainy conditions, cramps, thirst... But they pressed on. I could sense the discouragement and frustration in their faces, but they kept their eyes ahead, yearning for the finish line. What pride in the sense of accomplishment when they crossed it! Whether an Olympic record or a personal worst, they had finished the race. My "finish line" seems far away, but my deepest desire is that I can say along with the apostle Paul, "I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me a crown of righteousness..." (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
There is one significant difference between that marathon race and my job at BFA: teamwork. Although some athletes in this race trained together and even kept the same pace during most the race, there was inevitably one gold medal winner. I'm so thankful that I'm not alone in the BFA marathon, with Christ as the ultimate Sustainer, colleagues as co-collaborators, and supporters as our greatest fans. When someone's pace slows, we'll link arms and keep running toward the finish line together. And we'll strain our ears to hear your voices in the crowd, cheering us on!
In First Corinthians 9, Paul writes, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize." I'm itching at the starting line, greatly anticipating all that God will do at BFA this school year! Let's go for the gold. Together and for His glory.
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