Now, forgiveness in hand, on with the update☺…
November. Wow. I’m not sure where it went. I’ve included two photos from November that I hope take your breath away. One is from Istanbul (note the Hagia Sophia in the background) and the other from London (note Big Ben). I spent almost half the month of November out of the country. It was great. I learned a lot. It wore me out, but I loved every minute of it.
I went to Istanbul to attend a conference on focus ministry (for more information on the content of this conference, see the upcoming newsletter, as the material is sensitive). The conference was amazing, and challenged me beyond just about any conference I’d been to. For about four days, we spent somewhere around ten or eleven hours a day together, talking and listening, sharing and receiving from over one hundred missionaries from all over the focus world (only three of us were ECC). I loved it. As I said, I’ll touch more on this conference in my upcoming newsletter, as it involves another step in my time as an STM.
I then returned to La Coruña for a two-day breather and then headed to London for an Alpha conference at Holy Trinity Brompton (www.alpha .org). Alpha is a course that is used around the world in dozens of countries as a sort of introductory course to Christianity. It’s very basic, and very non-threatening. Millions of people around the world are using it and going through the course.This conference was completely different from the last one, but just as exciting, adventurous and tiring. I had the great privaledge to attend the conference with seven other adults. Working with youth is great, don’t get me wrong, but every once in a while, a guy likes some good ol’ quality time with people who’ve been around the block. Getting out of our normal routine and into a country where the language was foreign (even to me at times) gave us a lot of time together (some might say a little too much time together), but I was able to get to know some of the leaders in our church better in a week than I have over the past ten months. Then man pictured with me is Raul, a Spaniard and missionary. He and I are in a discipleship group together, and love this and really admire him. One time, we were praying together, and I asked how I could pray for him, and he asked me to pray for wisdom to be a good father to his kids, to raise them well, that they’d be protected, that they’d follow Christ. I about bawled.
This month, December, also includes a birthday. Yes, Jesus’ too, but only slightly less monolithic, mine. My mom was able to come out for a week and a half and take me to dinner and spend some good quality time together. I was really glad she got to see who I talk about when I say things and a little more of what I do. She was also here for the above picture: a “surprise” party. I was told to leave my Saturday night dinner open, that I’d be having dinner, and was told to dress nicely. I dressed all right, and left my stomach to wonder. I was picked up by my friend and co-worker, Laura (as it had hailed twice that day, and I had been riding the moto both times!), and we headed to “the spot”. As I got out, I tried to guess what we were doing, and lied that I’d already eaten. I spotted a familiar car in the parking lot (there were two, and I totally missed the bigger one), and had a hunch. But, when we got to our table, there were a bunch of folks there. I had no idea there’d be more than maybe five or six, but there was about fifteen in all, all the people (except a few who couldn’t make it) who I’ve spent close to a year growing with, loving, praying for, hurting with, etc. I was a little surprised, but very, very deeply touched.
And, here it is, what I’m learning: love. I am learning to love people. Really love them and be loved by them. I don’t think I did a very good job before now, maybe even a really bad job. But I think (I hope) I’m changing. Love God with everything and my neighbor. If I can’t do those two things, maybe even do them poorly, I don’t know why I’d call my self a Christian.
“Give us faith to be strong, give us strength to be faithful;
‘Cause life is not long but it’s hard.
Give us grace to go on, make us willing and able;
Lord, give faith to be strong.” –Andrew Peterson
As I said, I’ll be send out my newsletter shortly. Please pray that I make wise decisions, as I will be applying to seminary for the fall of 2007. There are a lot of opportunities, which I thank God for and also spend too much time worrying about. Pray that I would know God’s peace, trust for Him to provide like He says He will, and that I would love. Thanks. If you’d like to receive my newsletter, email me at the address in my profile.
Grace and much Peace,
Nate
