August 2019
We type this from our couch, in our own apartment, with a full fridge and even a coaster sitting under an iced water, without a suitcase in sight. After living out of suitcases for nearly four months, our family is looking forward to some routine and less time spent in government offices and on eBay pick-up trips all over the city. At the end of some wild months, our family can truly say, “God did this” and “we are thankful.”
Here’s a quick update and how you can continue to pray for us! Thank you for praying for us, and for the many of you who financially support our ministry.
“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Romans 15:5-6
We recently spent one week as a family at the church’s youth retreat. Jonas did some of the devotionals and it was a great opportunity to meet people. We were able to spend time with Emil and Hannah Grundmann, friends we met in seminary, who are now pastoring a church in Frankfurt. Paige was able to have some good conversations with a few young women and hopes to begin a Bible study in the near future.
We shared last month how we have been warmly welcomed by our church.
It’s crazy to me (Paige) how I can still feel the love of Jesus from them even when I catch about 5% of what they are saying. Two quick stories about the kindness of this church:
I joked with a church member about our bath towel situation when we first moved. We were using one of our two towels as Nora’s “curtain” and sharing the other. The next day Jonas came home up to his chin with new towels from this kind lady. One of our first Sundays at the church, an elder came up to me with an envelope of cash from an anonymous church member who wanted to fund my language learning.
Today was Paige’s first day of language school.
In my class of 20ish people there are over 10 countries represented. Please pray I would be a light to my classmates and be able to have some relationship with them!
My (Jonas) two main responsibilities at the church are teaching and personal discipleship. Another trainee and I teach the Thursday night Bible study through Second Corinthians. The setup is interactive which I really enjoy as you can see how people apply the text to their lives. Starting after the Oktoberfest, the senior pastor and I will offer a course called “Bible for All.”
Occasionally I help lead through the Sunday services, the Lord’s Supper and teach the 55+ group. Next week I will travel to preach in a church about 30 minutes north of Munich (FeG Neufahrn) and the week after that I will be preaching here in the church in Munich.
God has given me the opportunity to walk alongside a couple people in discipleship. It is fascinating how different the stories of our lives are, and yet, in many ways they are so similar. At our core we all have a heart that is bent toward sin. A heart, that thinks, feels and acts out in a way that reveals wrong beliefs, motivations and commitments (see Dr. Pierre’s book, The Dynamic Heart in Daily Life). Sometimes we are ruled by outright sinful things. Other times we are ruled by good things that claimed the throne of our heart that only rightfully belongs to God. In my conversations I try to help these men understand themselves better and point them to Jesus as their only hope in this life and the one to come. By preaching the gospel into their lives I also preach it to myself, which is a great encouragement and joy to me.
Oh, and Nora is crawling, waving, clicking her tongue and making anyone who sees her smile.
Please pray:
· We would love Jesus more than anything else and God would be glorified through our lives
· We would use our home to welcome and pour into others. We are inviting our building over for coffee and cake next week. (I’m sure they can’t wait to put a face to the undies that flew all over the front lawn… Jonas’ thankfully).
· Our church’s youth would grow in their faith
· Paige’s language learning
· Relationships/discipleship
