College started a month ago. I decided for a beautiful city of Olomouc, the study of english and applied economy (for now, I´m thinking of an additional field, like French language or some kind of Christian education). Well, the first week went surprisingly OK.. I didn´t get lost :) I found all my classrooms (even though i was looking for one classroom for like a half an hour). I like my subjects. It´s hard, I know.. but which good college isn´t? Leňa and I started the Bible study (the book of Daniel), and we came across the verse from Proverbs 16:9 "In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps"
And that kind of makes me calm. I always say something like "i decided", "i want to study", "i will apply for another college next year" etc.. but first, God gives me the desire to do this or that.. I make my own plans, but what are they compared to God´s plans? No matter how some of the subjects are hard or how much I am scared -- God is with me and He´s powerful :)
I have a lot of great memories from this last month :) I live in an apartment with 5 other girls.. we went to the Irish pub together to have a delicious hot chocolate of various flavors :) I went to Krizovatka english evening with Leňa! The Bible study!.. so many book stores in here! and so many homeless people who often ask for money :D I tasted the ginger beer, and I´m going to try the cinnamon beer as well :) I fell asleep during my lecture for the first time ever, and woke up shocked because I almost fell down from my chair :D I went to Studentske krestanske hnuti.. I really enjoy waiting for my train, 35 minutes delayed.. I already know how to use the gas cooker.. my nieces celebrated their second birthdays, so we had 2 big family parties! well, there´s more to tell but you know, I´m too lazy to write it all down :)
Heart is a symbol of affection/love, it´s one of the most important organs in our bodies, it´s also a nice picture J But our heart is something much more. According to the verse in the Bible, all life comes from our heart.
*Above all else, guard your heart, for it affects everything you do.* NLT translation
*Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.* NIV translation
It is the source of our lives. If we want to live a good life, having a good, pure source can be a succesful start. By ´good life´ I mean have a relationship with the living God, to me good life equals to live in Christ. So, we have to guard our own hearts, because Jesus himself search in our hearts. There are quite a lot of verses that talk about this:
* And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts.* 1 Chronicles 28:9
*O righteous God, who searches minds and hearts, bring to an end the violence of the wicked and make the righteous secure.* Psalm 7:9
* Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.*Psalm 139:237
* I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind…*Jeremiah 17:10
* And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.* Romans 8:27
* …Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.*Revelation 2:23
Alright.. but how can we guard our hearts?? HOW? We are never going to be as pure as Jesus, but at least we can try.. I believe the answer to that question we can find in Philippians 4:7:
*And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus*
Another important part comes before this verse, in Philippians 4:6 the apostle Paul says:
*Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.*Thank God, talk to God, spend time with Him, tell Him both your joy and problems… Have a relationship with Jesus Christ… And the peace of God will guard your heart.
And to be a bit more practical, *Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy- think about such things.*Philippians 4:8
These days, we can easily be distracted by so many things around us, but if we want, we can make it. God didn´t make a step backward.. we did.Do not let evil shake you and your emotions like a stormy sea. Hope these verses will encourage you the same way as I was encouraged. Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.(James 4:8) Be on your guard, stand firm in the faith, be men of courage, be strong!(1 Corinthians 16:13) BE STRONG, we´re not home yet, but one day we will be…
Since my high school studies are done and there are loads of changes before me, I´m making a list of things I´m praying for (I mean for longer time, and they´re related to me personally). I don´t like changes. I´m going to meet lots of new people, and some of my friends left - Klára, Cassie and Trevor are back in the US, e-camp is over and my friends from New Hope Church left today.. I´m going to have a new computer, two supermarkets I usually go shopping to changed their names so it´s kind of confusing now.. But apparently, changes are the part of our lives. Fortunately, God´s character doesn´t change, He stays the same.
Anyway, I share these personal things about my future with God:
1) new school, new place of living, new people, new city, new experiences - I´ll need God´s help with moving to another city, I´ll need His wisdom and confidence to serve Him and be a living stone
2) a way to serve God in the future/ next summer - JV e-camps or another way of serving anywhere else?
3) family - Our family needs the Doctor. I´d like to have good relationships with all members of our family. They need to feel joy again, they need the Lord to fill them with forgiveness, love, understanding of each other or at least respect of each other.
4) high school friendships - I´m afraid of losing touch with my girls - Stáňa, Klárka, Magda, Evča and a few more people from my class I liked. Stáňa, Klára and I are going to be in different cities, busy students who will probably see each other very rarely and I don´t want to lose these girls!!
5) activities in my free time - I mostly mean christian activities for students in Olomouc, like SKH (Studentske krestanske hnuti) or Krizovatka (Crossroad)
6) VOLANT - ohh, my dear Volant club. It needs lots of prayers! Cassie and Trevor left, Radek will study again, etc.. I pray that we would stay in touch with students from e-camp and that we would be an example for them.
*As you come to him, the living Stone- rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him-you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.* - 1 Peter 2:4-5
*My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.* - James 1:19-20
*Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.* - Colossians 3:13-14
* May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.* - Romans 15:5-6
*Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honour one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervour, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Share with God's people who are in need. Practise hospitality.Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary:If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.* - Romans 12:9-21
7) sorry, this point is really private..
8) traveling or living abroad
- I´m fed up with living in Czech (sometimes), and I feel it would be better to change a place of living for a while.. seriously, I´m tired of our culture - there are several options/reasons of moving abroad: studying (normal or bible college?), au-pair, job, being a part-time/full-time missionary, or just having a break,traveling and getting to know different places and cultures
9) education - I´m going to study a college and I know it´s hard and I´m pretty scared, but it´s important, and "everything is possible with God"
10) growing in faith - I want to live in Christ, to spend time with God, to praise Him, serve Him, I want to read and understand the Bible, to grow in faith and please God
It´s over!!! :( I just came back home from english camp, after amazing week spent with old and new friends! We had fun, we played crazy games (crowd breakers), made bracelets, we went through several english lessons, czech people tried to teach americans some czech words (and the americans rocked!).
This year we did a new style of evening programs, called The Story of God. I know that this story is very powerful itself, but I was kind of afraid that it would seem like forcing for some students..but I think most of them were OK with it. I´d describe it like a huge one-week bible study. Sometimes students didn´t want to answer the questions either because they were too easy or because of no privacy (3 other discussion groups were in the same room with us). But I was quite satisfied in the end.. You know, that Story of God is really amazing! And it has the power! God will use this story, I´m sure! However, I missed the old style of camps.. Thinking about all the stuff around e-camp reminded me my first e-camp 2 years ago, where I met many american friends but especially two wonderful girls became really close to my heart, two beautiful american sisters - Jess and Abby!! Since Underground e-camp 2007, God has made it possible for me to meet these girls again, and I´m so thankful for that.
I PASSED!!! Yay!!! Kind of an old information, but i decided to post it on my blog anyway. It was hard for me and my classmates, especially Stana and Klara. But God was with us in that room full of nervosity :) He gave us Meg, who was encouraging us all the time, for around 11 hours (because we all did that exam on the same day, but in different times)!!! Thank You God and thank you Meg! Another point - college! I was accepted to all universities and fields I applied for!!! I was so amazed and thankful that God opened so many doors for me! There were so many ways how to serve Him in next few years, different possibilities.. Surprisingly for me, I started feeling great desire to go to college in Olomouc (a city about 50 minutes drive from my hometown). Even though I´m a bit scared, I believe I can make it, because "with man this is impossible, but withGodallthingsarepossible" (Matthew 19:26, Mark 10:27). I think this is the place He wants me to be, to live and serve Him..
The two following months will be really hard and busy for me, so probably there will not be posts during this time (i don´t know). I have the first part of entrance exams in Brno on May 9. I´m going to sit my school eaving exam, maturita, between May 18 and May 21. Then another entrance exams in Olomouc on May 25. The second part of exams in Brno takes place on June1 or 2. And finally the last entrance exams on June 3. I feel like I´ve been living in a "bubble" since last summer, and it´s very difficult for me to concentrate on learning.. I started fear for my future life even if I know I shouldn´t because God is with me. What is really important for me now - I always give Him my worries (not only them, joy too :)) and I know He will not lead me through the tests I wouldn´t be able to bear. Also, I got a new version of Czech Bible, the translation of 21 century!! :) I was "exploring" it quite a long time.. and I suddenly came to a verse from Proverbs 3:5-6 and I felt like God spoke to me in that moment and told me: Calm down and trust me.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." NAS version
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths." NLT version
Thank you for your prayers (Cassie thank you for praying for clear-thinking mind!) and other support!
Our VOLANT e-camp team went to Cesky Tesin last Friday (March 20) to English Camp Training!! I was there for the first time and was excited to be part of the team. We had really great time there. We tried new evening program, we learned to sing and dance the camp song for 2009, we could go to several seminars. I enjoyed the evening worship and prayers the most (prayer is sooo powerful :) ) I felt so sick, I was tired, there was extremely cold -- but that time was the best for me.. just spending time with my Father, praying about e-camps and Czech students who have never heard the Gospel or haven´t accepted it, believed... God has done so many amazing things among students in Sumperk (look at me :) ) and I know this is not the end.
Trevor had a seminar about being the part of the camp team and since I will be a part of the camp team for the first time, I went there. As Christians, we are the part of the Body.
"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no-one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
And as various parts of our body cooperate, we should cooperate too, as a TEAM. We can pray and encourage each other, we can advise or lecture each other.
The two main points Trev told us:
1. each team needs strong goal, purpose-- so what purpose does our camp team have?
- to make people interested in faith
- to meet new people and build relationships with them, encourage them
- for everybody would have the opportunity to hear about God, what´s He like and why we need Him
2. there are two "cancers" that can destroy e-camp (and camp team)
- competition
- comparison
English camp is not about victory in games, or if my english is better than any other´s.. it´s about building relationships and simply being "livingstones" for Czech students :) Well, I hope I´ll be able to come to Volant e-camp and that God will lead us through the discussion groups, give us patience, and open the eyes and soften the hearts of the lost.
I have a lot of great memories from this last month :) I live in an apartment with 5 other girls.. we went to the Irish pub together to have a delicious hot chocolate of various flavors :) I went to Krizovatka english evening with Leňa! The Bible study!.. so many book stores in here! and so many homeless people who often ask for money :D I tasted the ginger beer, and I´m going to try the cinnamon beer as well :) I fell asleep during my lecture for the first time ever, and woke up shocked because I almost fell down from my chair :D I went to Studentske krestanske hnuti.. I really enjoy waiting for my train, 35 minutes delayed.. I already know how to use the gas cooker.. my nieces celebrated their second birthdays, so we had 2 big family parties!
