Preparing For The Big Retreat

Thankful

This past week was a much slower one than the two previous.  I was quite thankful for that.  After the week of pushing really hard to get things prepared for the meeting of the youth groups and preaching I was feeling a bit under the weather to start last week.  After a good day of rest I was back at it, preparing for youth group last week and for the English conversation group.  On Thursday, I found myself half way around the world away from my family for the first time on Thanksgiving.  It was a bit sad to spend the day away from them, not enjoying my mom's amazing macaroni and cheese, and mash potatoes and homemade gravy, but I was invited to have some Thanksgiving chicken for lunch with Petr and Petra at their home.  I also got to spend some time talking to my parents on Skype and watching the Eagles destroy Dallas.  The previous day the Lord blessed me with some wonderful letters from Vine and Branches and the Kurtz's small group.  I don't know if they played it this way or if it was just God's timing that I got those letters the day before Thanksgiving but it was definitely a blessing to take some time and just read through them.  On Friday, the youth group time went well and afterwards I got to hangout with Matouš and watch The Walking Dead.  On Saturday I spent time with the Navratilovi family and afterward Dave Culbert and I caught up over Skype.  Since I spend most of my time working from my apartment it is always great to spend time with others either in person or over the internet.  Praise the Lord that I almost never feel lonely despite being an extravert and spending so much time by myself.  He has me very focused on the things that need to be done here for His Kingdom.

The Christmas season is upon us.  This is a tree that I can see from my apartment window a block away.  I was also told that for the first time ever, Black Friday was advertised here in the Czech Republic.  I wonder if it is my presence here...

The First Youth Retreat For Youth Revolution

This coming Friday afternoon, about 15 of us will leave for a cabin about an hour away in the mountains.  I am tasked with putting together my first youth retreat and it is a task.  Props to Matt Carter, this is a lot of work.  I created the schedule of activities and am putting together the lessons this week.  I hope to complete the final two lessons tomorrow so that I can tie up any loose ends and shop for the food for the weekend with Petr.  I will be talking about the work that Christ can do in a person's life by looking at the life of Paul.  Please pray with me that the message of Christ's transforming power would reach the hearts of each person there.  Pray for safety over the weekend.  And pray that we would grow together as a group.  I expect that next week there will be a lot more pictures to add to the blog and hopefully some great stories but until then, thank you for keeping me in your prayers.