Team Meeting in IKEA
I had a great time shopping in IKEA with this team as the guys were very helpful in picking out items I would need in my new home. I especially enjoyed that they also saw beyond the logistics of getting cooking supplies and bedding and wanted to make my new place "homey." They encouraged me to pick out flowers, plants, throw pillows, wall decorations, and candles to "dress up" my home.
Return from IKEA
Throughout the week, I spent some time preparing my new home, and it really does feel like home now! I am excited to invite guests over to enjoy time together the living room and to begin cooking more in my kitchen. I am very thankful for the support from FaithPoint church in helping me financially to purchase all these items to make my living here very comfortable.
Living Room
Bedroom
Dining Set
Bathroom
After shopping at IKEA, we also went to another store to get a couple more items for the new club location. As we were shopping, it occurred to me that we still did not have a soccer ball to play soccer with at club this week. So the youth pastor and I went and picked out a soccer ball so we could play the following day at club. There was enough people at club on Thursday to play four-on-four. Maybe we had a really intense game of soccer, but after three hours of playing, our new soccer ball died... a few of the seams tore open and the ball basically exploded. Right when we thought our game would have to come to an end, a couple friends who occasionally come to club showed up with another soccer ball! We played for about another hour; by the end of the time, we were all pretty tired and just sat on the field for a little bit before we walked home. I really enjoy soccer days with club because we frequently get new kids who join in - the teams are never the same for long!
Our Soccer Ball...
Having Fun Between Games
More Fun at the Field
Yesterday, the youth pastor asked me if I would share the talk for youth group. I talked about being rooted in God as stated in Jeremiah 17:7-8 - "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when the heat comes; its leaves are aways green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit." During the talk, I shared a story of how when I was really little, my dad planted a tree, and I essentially grew up with the tree. My dad even started growing another tree near the first tree to one day put a hammock between the trees. When the second tree was finally big enough to hold a hammock, my dad went out and bought two hammocks in case one broke. In the following spring, the big tree went down in a wind storm - so we were left with two hammocks and one tree! I shared that sometimes storms can come in our life, and if we are not deeply rooted in God's love, we will fall over like a tree in a storm. After the talk, one of my friends from youth group told me he understood what it means to have roots deep in God and that even after going through a hard time, he said he still feels like he can rely on his roots in God. I am so glad God could use this story from my life to share his Word and demonstrate his longing for a deep love with each of us.
Talking at Youth Group with my Translator
Growing with the Tree
Some of my favorite times during the week are the times I simply get to be with friends. I see so much of God's love through these friends as they are always up for some games, patient Czech language teachers, and many of them are regular encouragers in my faith as well. It has really been a joy to watch many of these friends grow up in the past couple of years and to see how they have also been growing into young leaders for Christ - and to also reflect on the ways God has been growing in my life as well.
Playing Games at Club
With a Good Friend
Games at Youth Group