heylo.
i'm still alive. just been busy and i've now gotten a myspace(so sad), but i did do it. so i've been trying to update that and chat w/ a lot of people that way as well.
it's been going very well here. we're constantly meeting new people and really making lasting relationships.
we've been busy w/ prayer meetings, waffle outreaches, we went to a debate regarding "Intelligant Design" last night at the student center, and we've really had some great times talking and hanging out w/ norwegains. they're so great. i say this almost every day i think, but it's really true.
**funny story**
so we were so kindly invited to go to a tea party after the friday service. my 1st question was, is this going to be lame? haha i was invisioning a bunch of girls sitting around drinking tea. which would be fun, but i was up for something a bit different. but to my surprise, all were invited and it wasnt' going to be 'lame'!! so we walk in the door and there are 50 people packed into this living room. ALL DRESSED UP! we were the only ones not dressed up. so...apparently we didn't get the memo. 'cause it was a "T" party. everyone was dressed up in costumes that started w/ the letter "T". HAHA it was great. so...to improvise, we were the "TEAM", dorky i know, but i guess it works... regardless of our lack of goofy apparel, we had a great time!
i do have to say that we're still in the process of adjusting though. sometimes i forget that we've been here for 2 months already! yet other times it seems like there is so much more to go w/in a 2 year period. there are obviously challenges all around the board, but I've really been learning from everything that has come our way, good and hard.
we're truly wanting what God wants. and we have no real idea what that looks like, sounds like, or how to go about it. we've hit some walls, but we've had some amazing times in prayer and vision casting as well. it's always a process. back to the drawing board after a divine conversation w/ someone. back to the drawing board after you're feeling burnt out already. back to the drawing board when you're longing for intimacy w/ God and it's hard to make time for it...
these are all things that we wouldn't have known prior to actually being here. maybe faced back in the states, but it's simply just a different feel here.
so overall, it's been good. it's a journey, and i guess we can choose to enjoy it regardless of what happens or complain and ask God why or why not? i don't think these questions are bad to ask, but sometimes i need to realize He's truly in this, even if i can't feel it or understand it. but...We're here. He made a way. HE's provided! He's been so faithful. HE's given us amazing blessings since we've arrived. friendships that are awesome! HE's SO GOOD! This IS for a reason, and HE knows. I can have faith and trust in HIM. He is my strength.
PRAYER REQUESTS!!
*we're having a block game (Kubb) competition this Saturday. Pray that the weather will be nice for people to come and hang out.
*direction, wisdom, strength, and unity for our team
*patience, perserverance, and discipline for learning the language
much love to all.
ha det.
kelly
some shots from the Heart Corner @ Dragvoll. We cut out about 750 hearts with different encouraging phrases on them and handed them out as students walked by our table. as you can see, we also had a large heart costume! so fun! it was so great to see people's faces light up as they read "you are loved"! I hope it made a difference in their lives.
some fun, yet random pics. trondheim is so fitting for my crazy personality, i've really met some amazing people who i adore!
Samuel(Ole & Annette's almost 2 yr. old) He's SOOO CUTE!
Brett & Cort:a romantic evening...& i was there too! haha. hanging out, being goofy!
Karen, Me, and Rebbecca making boller(sweet buns!)
Making cotton candy, i wonder if i feel better about consuming straight up sugar if it's in a fluffier form?
My artwork! highlighting Annette's hair, who's next?
Merry September 1st!
hvordan gar det?
unnskyld jeg har ikke skrive. (sorry i haven't written, i think!)
we've been pretty busy the past week and it's been great! i have to go through the whole week to help myself remember what we've been doing.
monday we were on gloshaugen's campus meeting w/ students. we were able to plan some events which is always exciting.
tuesday we were on dragvoll's campus meeting w/ more norsk students. we have better relationships w/ these students just because some of them already go to Betel church, so we've been in more contact w/ them. again we were able to pray for the campus and plan more events w/ them.
wednesday we had some friends from our lang. class over to our house. it was so much fun. i love them! they're so fun and great to be around! we learned a new card game, kinda like nertz. i'm pretty competitive(in a healthy way), and this game is all about speed and who can get rid of their cards 1st, so...i went crazy inside!! haha it makes you all nervous and intense! at least for me! haha it was real fun. i'm excited to hang w/ them again sometime real soon!
and today we helped an on campus christain group Ny Generation make waffles and hand out coffee on campus. i have to say that mixing 10 liters of waffle mix in buckets is a workout! haha
so..that's what we've been doing recently as well as resting and spending time together as a team praying for God's leading as to where we're to go and what we're to 'officially' do. we'll be meeting w/ a few students and leaders this coming thursday to dream together and get a grid for what our purpose is here!
my heart has been so encouraged by many people from back at home as well as from some sermons i've downloaded from ihop. so thank you for your encouraging words, it means so much!!!
i've really felt like i've been in a rut lately, actually for a while, but it's been good in a weird way too. i've met God in ways i wouldn't have ever been able to if i wasn't going through what i am. (did that make any sense?)i felt that i've never had a harder time in my life than right before i came here to norway, but yet God was so close and leading me the whole time. it's a strange feeling. the only thing i can relate it to is when i was preparing to go to ihop. strange...knowing now that these 2 places are where God has wanted me to go, no wonder it's been a struggle! HAHA i just had a lightbulb go off. my destiny is being played out and yet i'm not in control! wow! but there is a true and real battle for my destiny, my heart and my soul. *ding, fries are DONE!*
He longs for us to be leaning on Him and not ourselves, SCARY, but it's meant to be! yet it's amazing to think that even when i felt so far away from Him, at the same time, i felt Him so close.
i know God has many plans to move here in norway, and i long to see them, FOR REAL! i long for Him to reveal Himself to people and for students to truly come to know Him. i want it to go past what people know, but i want them to experience this God i love!!
sometimes on the bus i watch people, think about their lives, their joys, their excitements, their hurts and pains and wonder, is it worth it? is it worth little old me flying all the way across the world to be here. there are so many people! The harvest is plentiful, especially on the campuses!
but that's it. it's not about me. it's about Him. it's about our Great God using broken and weak willing people to transform others! Pray that the Lord of the harvest would send out laborers. i'm constantly reminded of His heart.
Jesus saw the multitudes and had compassion upon them. for he saw that they were like sheep w/o a shepherd. He is the perfect leader, the sheperd that they're in need of. yet how many truly know that they're in need? or care? how often am i confronted w/ my lack? do we even realize we're lost?
His passion for His people blows my mind. Unto death for love.
His love reaches to the heavens! it's for ALL and He's called us to be bearers of this love. if that's all i do, i long to love well. i long to show people Him through love. i have to face the fact that w/out God i can't love. so my biggest prayer has been, God, give me more of you! i need YOU!! i am nothing w/o you, for real! i'm lost, broken, weak and can't find my way. HELP!
he comes every time and comforts me in times like these. not always the same ways, but he's near, i know it! He loves me well and i have the best teacher to learn from on how to love!
on a different note, one thing i've really been missing from ihop is being able to sing. i guess i didn't realize how much it was a part of who i am. i mean, i'm always singing little ditties here and there, but singing the word and having it live inside of me...man...i'm really wanting that right now!
so i was thankful for tonight @ UNBAD, it's like a youth group but some college students go, but they had some really awesome worship! and time of just singing whatever you wanted, ahhh so glorious!!! so i'm soaking up all of those times for sure!!
...i'm a wee bit tired, even though i took my daily nap and it's going on 1:30am! yikes! but thankfully i get to sleep in tomorrow!
i hope everyone is blessed and doing well. i hope to have some more pics up sooner than later!
peace out.
kel
