Looking Forward

“God is not looking for men of great faith, He is looking for common men to trust His great faithfulness.”

- Hudson Taylor

“Here is a test to find whether your mission on earth is finished: If you are alive, it isn't.”

- Richard Bach

“Unless I am sure I am doing more at home to send the gospel abroad than I can do abroad, I am bound to go.”

- A.B. Simpson

Despite Bremen's religious history, 97-99% of the residents
have never experienced the wonderful salvation of God.

In terms of missions, I will spend the next year or two preparing for work in Bremen. I am planning to stay in the US next summer to take some summer courses and ideally work a job. However, I'm open to the possibility of going to Bremen, though I'm not specifically seeking it out. I've already made some good contacts in the city, namely Wilfried and the Vengas. I came to know David and Robin Vengas in a way that could haven been arranged only by God.

When I was visiting my cousins in Ocala, I was on FaceBook and accidentally clicked the wrong button. This button took me to a page I'd never seen before (or since) containing a list of seemingly random messages. As I was trying to decypher this strange page, I noticed a message listed from two weeks prior. The message was marked as having been read, but I was sure I had never seen it before. It was from a woman named Robin Vengas. Curious, I opened the message.

In the message, Robin introduced herself and her husband. She had stumbled across a link to my blog on FaceBook. Strangely, I have my FaceBook profile configured so that it is impossible for those I don't know (e.g., Robin) to see what I have posted. However, there is no such thing as a coincidence. (That was confirmed when God sent the mailman to pray with me in 2010!) Robin shared hers and David's testimony with me and gave me permission to publish it here. The testimony is amazing, and their work in Bremen so far through their house church Revive Germany is very spirit-filled. Below is the testimony shared with me.

On February 6th, 2013 David, the kids and I arrived in Phoenix. We went back to my home because of a much needed break from the hardships, oppression and overwhelming stress that we had been facing in Germany that were extremely intense for about one year. There had been so much that had happened in our personal lives, church lives, the lives of our children and the extended family that just had been too much to bear any longer. It took a heavy toll on all of us. Every aspect of all of our lives had been attacked and we needed to escape. I needed to go home, to my family, to the sunshine and to the life that I had left 11 years ago when we moved to Germany. I fell into a deep depression during the last months before our trip to the states which threw me into hopelessness and despair. The enemy tried to rob us of all of our joy and of our calling.

During the time where we didn't think things could get any worse, David was informed of a special leave that his company was offering through a co-worker that he "accidentally" bumped into one day. This leave gave him the opportunity to combine the leave with the vacation that we had already scheduled and gave him a time span of 2 months that we could leave Germany to try to recharge our empty batteries. Due to the desperation that we had faced, we had already decided to remove the kids from the German- Social school system and try out homeschooling in the states. David had also "coincidentally" encountered another co-worker that had just applied for a part-time position with the company. During their conversation, David learned of the great part-time plan the company offered which would allow him to combine his vacation days to give him anywhere between 20 to 30 days off every 2 months for a slight reduction in pay. Due to the overwhelming situation we were dealing with,  David made the decision to apply for part-time allowing us to leave Germany whenever we feel the need and would also allow us to set up residency in America.  At that time we didn't realize that God was already feeding us ideas and putting His plan into motion!

We were already aware that we had a call on our lives to proclaim the word of God. There had been many godly men and women that had prophesied or spoken a word over our lives over the previous 4 years. We had the desire within us to evangelize and also felt led to do mission work. And although we faced much persecution from friends and churches in Germany about our radicalism for Jesus and the gospel,  we attempted to march forward and pleaded with God to use us in whatever way He wanted to, surrendering ourselves. But it was as if God was not giving us a suitable assignment or confirmation thereof.  The trials that we faced along the way seem to aid as a distraction keeping us from our true purpose. Although it was a distraction, we know now it was also our training! Just 2 weeks before we left Germany, I was watching a teaching on TV from T.D. Jakes, on how God uses desperation to push you out of the place you are in and into your calling by using the bible story of Ruth and Naomi. I just KNEW that God was speaking to me through that message! But I had NO idea what we were in for!!!

We arrived in Phoenix where we were greeted by my family. We spent a couple of weeks in Phoenix. Then we traveled to Idaho where we spent another 2 weeks with more precious family. The time was wonderful. We laughed and cried! We got to know their new church and pastor and wife whom we connected with right away and were told again that we have a gift and a special  call on our lives. We were sad when the time ended but knew that we needed to go back to Arizona. We needed to get the kids started with school. And we also planned to visit a Patricia King service for a much needed, filling-up. And we also had planned ahead to visit a church by the name of Skyway that we had seen on God TV several times. And that I had visited once as a child in their old building. Their name was familiar and we knew we needed a home church that we could connect to when we are in Arizona. So, the first Sunday that we were back in Goodyear, we went to the second morning service. We walked in, not knowing a soul and sat down on the 4th row from the front. It happened to be the 30th wedding anniversary of the Pastor and his wife. There was a special guest that presented her testimony and gave information on a play that she would be producing at the church. But before all of that took place, the Pastor gave his opening statement as he looked into the camera, he asked God to bless the nation of Germany?!! Then during his opening devotional, he stated that Cindy Jacobs gave a prophecy back in 2006 of how Skyway would be used directly in the re-evangelization of Germany. And that there would be a connection to Germany...!!!! We were in shock! David and I looked at each other surprised and thought "what is going on here?? Is he talking about us??"!!! And then I instantly thought of a friend,  Zach (from Florida) that we had met in Germany the year before that had also visited Skyway to share his ministry during the time we were in Idaho! There was definitely connections! After the service, we waited in the front to introduce ourselves to the Pastor as we usually do when we visit a new church. He eventually made it over to us and asked us who we were. We introduced ourselves and told him that we were from Germany.  His jaw almost hit the floor! He told us that we were the only connection that the church has had to Germany since the prophecy was given! He said he had a gift to see into the lives of people. And he said that he believes we are the special connection and carefully mentioned the possibility of a home church....

We were then invited to meet privately so that we could share our testimony and lives with Pastor Greg Brown. As we shared, he prophesied that we have a high level call of leadership on our lives. He said that he sees us in  a spiritual leadership role. He believes in his spirit that we are the link  to the prophecy that Cindy Jacobs gave back in 2006.  He offered full support in leadership training and providing us with a spiritual covering needed to begin our call to start a house church in Germany.

There were many prayer meetings and leadership meetings that we attended in the time we were in Goodyear where the church leaders prophesied many words over us. One being that we would bring the fire of the Holy Spirit back to Germany and that fire would spread to affect the nation and Europe!

The Prayer Director, Jeanie of the church gave us the actual CD recording from Cindy Jacobs on Easter morning.  Later as we drove to our friend's house for dinner, we popped the CD into the player. We were blown away by what she had said. It was though if God was speaking directly to us! She spoke to the church and said that God is going to use Skyway in the re-evangelisation of Germany. That there would be a direct connection to Germany. Then she said the name Lufthansa.... And said she is hearing the word "here"! Then a man in the audience shouted out that there is a Lufthansa flight school there in Goodyear, the same city of the church that she was speaking in! She said there would be a connection with a pilot from that school and that the name of the church "Sky-way" has significance! With David being a pilot and having trained at the Lufthansa flight school in Goodyear AND us being from Germany we align perfectly with the prophetic word that was given! The fact that we have already set up our children with home schooling , have established residency in Arizona and plan on commuting back and forth to Germany in the near future fits exactly into what we believe God is calling us to do.  In close connection with Skyway, having Pastor Greg and his leadership team as our covering and support, we have decided to branch off and begin a home church in Germany. We firmly believe that this is God's call on our lives. And although, we don't know with our human minds and strength how everything with unfold but we are believing in faith that God has a perfect plan and will use us to carry out His will in the nation of Germany.

During our most recent trip to Arizona, we received spiritual counsel, prayer assistance and other ministerial sessions to aid in the launch of our church in Germany. Amongst the many other incredible experiences we encountered and blessings we received, Pastor Greg anointed and appointed us as Pastors of the new up and coming [Revive Germany]!

Please stand with us in prayer. We need powerful intersession as the principalities over Germany are strong. We know that we will be faced with resistance and most likely persecution. But we also KNOW that our God is GREATER than any adversary! "They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony..." Rev. 12:11

The Vengas have such an incredible testimony, and I found it very inspiring. It reminds us that God will always give us guidance, even when we feel as though we hit a brick wall. This testimony makes me look forward with excitement about what God will do in Bremen the next few years. However, I must still share the Gospel here at home. It would be hypocritical and un-Christlike to ignore the lost in Alabama while boldly proclaiming the Gospel in Germany.

Besides trying to share more about Jesus in my everyday life, I want to start searching out specific opportunities to share the Good News. I have heard about a possible way to do so through some students at the BCM. A few of them participate in a UAB program that pairs  native English speakers with international students who need help learning English. Once or twice per week, the pairs meet to have a guided conversation so that the international student can practice speaking English. This not only allows the students to build a genuine relationship, but it also opens a door to possibly share the Gospel. I hope to get involved in this program next semester.

I have also considered hosting a no-pressure, casual "What do Christians believe" get-together with some food. It would provide an opportunity for foreign students, many of whom were never exposed to Christianity until coming to the US, to learn intellectually about the Gospel without ever setting foot in a church or starting an awkward conversation with a (nominally) Christian friend. While it is certainly not my goal to disguise the Gospel or sneak it into someone's subconscious, I do believe that the Spirit can work in someone's heart, even if the person's knowledge of the Good News is purely intellectual. I have not decided when I would have this get-together. I need help from others in planning and hosting it. I will post here about my experiences starting next semester.

Please pray for me over the next few months. Pray that God will guide me and use me to reach others with the Gospel. Pray that I will driven by an unexplainable love for the lost and that I abandon any fear I have to be "all in". Thank you so much to everyone who has supported me and prayed for me over the course of my short ministry! Your continuous support means very much to me.