Walking in sLOVEnia

Hey friends! Thanks so much for supporting me in this awesome opportunity to serve God in Slovenia! This blog will help me stay connected with everyone and keep you all updated on the experiences that I have while serving with both my home church and my intern team this summer!

[schubydoo]

The past two weeks have been incredible! I am in awe of the love that I've seen in my friends through our experiences at camp and the life changing grace of Jesus! During our time at Fusion Camp we had one week to practice ten songs, for both in choir and in instrument workshops, for the big Fusion Concert!

So the concert was amazing! And it was so awesome to see all of our hard work pay off in the end, but what I really fell in love with was the friendships that have been made because of our experiences together. From acoustic and bass guitar workshop, to swimming down at lake milstatt, and the many late nights like Clue night and Slovene night, as well as the evening discussions about Peter and his relationship with Jesus. I love each and every one of the kids that came to camp!

Now we are back in Celje, but Fusion isn't over! And I can't wait to tell you more about our time here in the city with friends and the experiences we have together!

[schubydoo]

It has been an amazing two weeks of living life in Slovenia with my church team from Crossroads Bible Church. Camp was incredible, we have made so many new friends here and it was so hard to see them go home. But I am so happy that we had such an amazing experience with people that we have grown to love dearly in this amazing country. My friend Coleman and I had a really great time with friends like Miha, Tim and Tim, Aljaz, Jan, and Shion eating horse burgers, going to the top of a skyscraper, and walking through the castle in Ljubljana. I love these guys and I am so happy that they are our friends and that they came to camp! Now the new adventure of Fusion performing arts camp in Celje is beginning today! And we are picking up the American team from Nashville that is going to be such a blessing and I am so excited to meet everyone! It's great to be living in this country and I can't wait for what new experiences await as an intern in Celje. I miss you all who are back in the States and I thank you so much for being a part of my trip!!! Until next time :) Schubydoo

[schubydoo]

Castle Camp is here! Everybody has been so excited to start this amazing camp and even in the cloudy weather this place is incredible! Today is our first official day of camp and we will be starting our English Classes and finding out who will be those classes, which I am so pumped for and I can't wait to meet them! The days ahead are going to be filled with so many awesome experiences and I know that we all are looking forward to having a ton of fun, a lot of laughs, and some great memories that will be made with new friends along the way. It's gonna be hard to blog during camp because of all of the busy days we will have but I hope to keep you involved in what's happening! God bless, Schubydoo

[schubydoo]

Zdravo!!! Hi again friends!!! Oh man finals are done, school's out, and all of the bags are packed and squared away! It finally hit me that in just NINE HOURS my team and I are going to embark upon the great journey that we have spent so long preparing for. It's hard not to be a little nervous, the bags have been triple checked and the documents have been downloaded and printed. Everything is accounted for and now call there is to do is wait and pray. It's been so comforting to know that even in all of the change there is a God who never changes and who makes a way for us to follow. I am so thankful that God has given us this opportunity to enter into the work that is already being done in Slovenia, and I pray that we would enter Slovenia humbly with the love of Christ leading us as we build relationships with the students that come to camp. Thank you all so much for the love and support that you have so generously shown to me in this time of preparation. God has such an important plan for the nation of Slovenia! And I can't wait to tell you more as we travel on this new and exciting journey! In His service, Schubydoo :)

[schubydoo]

It's the final countdown!!! (that song is totally stuck in my head now)

"Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will life up my hands." Psalm 63:3-4

These past few weeks have gone by so quickly! School is almost done, summer is coming, and there are only 20 DAYS until my team and I from Crossroads Bible Church leaves on an incredible journey to Slovenia!!! As excited as I am to go I know that there is still time that has been given to me for preparing my heart and there is always more to learn. I know that this summer is going to be a very important one in deciding if I would really want to do something like international missions for the rest of my life.

The last couple of weeks have been filled with curve ball throws in my life. From the death of an old childhood friend, to struggles with school, and everyone else leaving for Europe with Josiah Venture while I stay behind, I was very ready to just stop everything. Checking out would be the easiest road for sure, at least for a little bit. But to stop entirely would be to let go of so many opportunities that God put before me. In Colossians 3:23-24 says "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." It speaks to the context of those in slavery, as one who would obey his master. And over and over again I am reminded that Jesus is my master, and in all I do I serve Him. In my relationships, in my workplace, in my schoolwork, and my time with Him, all of my life is to be in service to Jesus Christ. To patiently endure the difficulties and keep striving for the goals of the Lord in pure joy. There is perfect hope in loving and serving Jesus, and even in out imperfect lives we can see the marvelous light that Jesus shines to the world. And he wants us to be a part of shining that light to the world.

So, only 20 days remain. And even though my heart longs to be in Slovenia and to serve Jesus there, I know that there is still more to do where I am now. The "as you go" moments can be such incredible opportunities to see the saving grace of Jesus Christ. I pray that I, as well as my team, the Josiah Venture staff and summer interns, and my church, would recognize and engage those opportunities that have been put before us. Please keep Josiah Venture, the churches in Slovenia and their youth, and our team in your prayers as we all are preparing to and entering into new and exciting opportunities to see the glory of Jesus Christ revealed.

-Schubydoo

[schubydoo]

What you see here is the beautiful land of Slovenia, specifically in the city of Bled, Slovenia. Four years ago I was able to visit this country and experience the incredible work that Josiah Venture ministries participates in with the local Slovene church, seeking to show the love of Jesus to the youth of Slovenia and share the message of the Gospel with them, that a movement of God would happen in and by the youth of this nation, that Slovenia would turn back to God as their savior and follow Him. I am SO excited to tell you that I am returning to this country AGAIN with a team from my home church Crossroads Bible Church! We leave for two weeks starting June 20th to serve with Josiah Venture and the local church in Ljubljana (the nation's capital, pronounced loobliana :D) And on top of that, and by God's timing, I will be staying after that two weeks to continue working with Josiah Venture as a summer intern for two more months! Thanks so much for your patience, more details to come soon in my first official post! Stay tuned!