October 28th, 2012 by Kim

I’m here (Kim) in Prague at a women’s retreat and I keep telling myself, I’ve got to make a post so people know what is going on. And so people can pray for me during this special time as I make my first trip after the wreck. And so they can pray for Zac and the kids while they are home 4 days without me.

“Without me”. This is something they are used to at this point. Not something I’m comfortable about, but definitely something God is working on in me. Not a good feeling. Not good for my self -esteem. A place where satan plays dirty and baits me with elaborate lies: “they don’t need you”, “they have more fun without you”, “your not even fun” “you don’t even have joy”. And I take the bait. I take that bait and run that line so far out.

Joy. Something I have been reading a lot about this month on my favorite blog. So should I be surprised that this conference here in Prague, for missionary women (a conference I signed up for long before the wreck and long before I started this prayer blog) that is sponsored by Pure JOY International.

So, I am here with a friend from Czech (another JV missionary)  listening to the Lord, being encouraged and seeing beautiful Prague.

And now, as I leave this beautiful historic city and thinking about how I didn’t get this post finished, and how I hate to send out updates on the weekends, I still decide to send this. Even though by the time you read this I will be back home in Zilina,  I still want you to hear these things the Lord is showing me.

I am leaving this place full. Not just because they treated us like princesses and gave us gifts at every turn. Gifts that gave us a taste of home and made us feel known personally. I am full of things I want to do, things I want to change.

I want to seek God and find MY STORY? I want to be a great story teller. Like in Psalm 78: 1-4, “a teller of his glorious deeds to me”. First, I have to record those experiences, so I don’t forget them, so I don’t forget to tell them, tell them to others, to my children, to glorify God. I am excited to see what that will look like in the future.

In addition, I want to memorize more scripture. It’s been a long long time since AWANAS, since I was thirsty to hide His word in my heart, thirsty to study His word more intensely, so that each day is founded in thanksgiving for what he has done. And in that thanksgiving that I can find JOY.

 And  just when I think this place can’t get any more beautiful, the first snow begins to fall and i go and buy a hat!

October 26th, 2012 by Kim

Paris, beautiful Paris. City of love. Funny I didn’t have any of these thoughts when my first born, MY 14 year old girl, headed to Paris last week.  Nope,  it was “Hollywood Paris” I thought of. “Taken” Paris. The “6th annual european anti human trafficking paris“. Yep,  Fears. Funny how my complete view if Paris changed. Panic. At times desperate.  And for me, what did the Lord teach me through this? In addition to fervently praying for my own girl, and turning my own fears over to Him, He gave me a new burden. Prayer for these girls. These girls who are  SOMEONE’S  daughters. These 1.2 million children who are trafficked EVERY year right here in Europe. Read the rest of this entry »

October 17th, 2012 by Kim

We are middle way through the second week with Zac gone on Exit tour. Thank you for your all your prayers. We are doing well. Of course it’s not without road bumps, but that is always to be expected when great things are going on for the Lord! The Exit tour is having record responses, so much, I needed to write a separate post to report that here. Please continue to pray as they finish up their second week, now in Poprad.

Emili-  made it perfect on her train last week! It was a bit of an eye opener for her. She was very confident about her upcoming trip, right up until she stepped into the train station, Friday afternoon, full of students trying to get home for the weekend! I could see it in her eyes, never mind the repetitive questions: “what train am i going on?” ” how will i know when to change?” She did great, despite her nervousness and made it without problems.  She spent the weekend with Zac and the youth group in Presov and loved every minute. Read the rest of this entry »

October 16th, 2012 by Kim

God is doing AMAZING work in Slovakia through the Exit tour. Early this week, I received 2 reports and I just have to share them with you. If you are interested in reading them from their original sources, you will also find the links.

From Wendi, (a fellow missionary in the Eastern part of Slovakia.)

(http://www.rumbold7.blogspot.sk/2012/10/exit-tour-comes-to-bardejov.html)

Zac Shepperson (our fellow American team member on the right) gave a seminar on “The Road to a Healthy Family”.  This was an amazing talk full of foundational Christian values including purity, character, marriage, integrity, and raising children.  He was able to share the Gospel with the students who choose to stay afterwards to hear…and they stayed…and heard…and many accepted Jesus into their own lives!!!

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October 10th, 2012 by Kim

Everyday my friends are asking me how I am recovering these days. The truth is, I can not (should not) complain. Looking back there is such a vast difference from where I was to where I am now.  There is really nothing I can complain about. My ribs are healing. For sure, there are certain positions I can find that remind me,  I do have 5 broken ribs! Although I still have daily injections of blood thinner, i am able to take deep breaths, with relatively no pain (I suppose there will always be a reminder there as well).  The fact that I am doing so much better, and the memories of all that pain are so far away, I sometimes find myself wondering if I even remember what it was like, how painful it really was. That is good;  no,  that is amazing!

So like I said in my last post, I’m finding what is the new normal for me now. One thing that I am not embracing so well in this new land is how easily stress comes to me:  making decisions, being late, a dirty kitchen, disobedience, uncompleted homework, arguing kids. Any one of these things can “set me off” finding it hard to regain control. Look at that list again; how many times a day does something like that occur in your house? for me, multiple things and multiple times a day! It is like I have gone back in time, and everything I have learned about patience and control and a “stress-free” living, my brain is incapable of locating those files and how to respond. I crumble. I suppose being aware of it is good (even if it is after the fact). still it’s an uneasiness that plagues me and I wait for healing of this too. Stress is anxiousness and the Bible says: Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 
Philippians 4:5-7

Here are some things I invite you to pray with me about for our family:

Exit tour– Zac left Monday for a 2-week trip with the EXIT tour in the East of Slovakia. They will be doing 2 cities, Bardejov and Poprad, with a SPM training weekend in Presov in between!  A busy few weeks. I got a text from him this morning: “over 30 students accepted Christ yesterday!”  Praise God! Pray for more changed lives as they go each day into the schools. In case you need to refresh on exactly what is Exit tour, click here.

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October 3rd, 2012 by Kim

Where to start? That is a really hard question. So much has happened since that day, July 27. the day my life changed irreversibly. Hard changes. And yet I’ve had so many thoughts in my head. So many words I’ve wanted to write, to get them out. Words i think that are from God to encourage me, and give me hope. And even though i did not get them out of my head in those moments, hope was given. I was encouraged.

And today? i want to start my weekly blogging again. And it is an overwhelming task to think about what to say. Where to start? How to get it all out, what to say first. What about the things going on in life?  So many thoughts are swimming in my head. Life didn’t stop with my car wreck. Kids returned to school. Zac returned to work. Life still keeps going forward . So much to tell.  That is where I will start today, with life. And as the Lord gives me words each week, I pray I will be able to communicate and share with you the deep truths He revealed to me during the past months. Ss for today, not so much deep truths (or maybe 🙂

Monday was apple day at Hampton’s NEW class (yes new, he is not in the same class as last year. This has been a good thing. Although he misses his friends, he has made new ones, including a girl, Ema, who speaks perfect English). He hasn’t cried ONE time!

Laws have changed in Slovakia so that the year prior to attending first grade, students must learn (think Kindergarten vs preschool). Yes, it is hard to believe, and yet true, that before this change there was NOT a “Kindergarten” type learning classroom for these young children. This is a big change for me as well, as the expectations are surely different now that they are “student”. a welcomed change.

So each week, there is a learning theme and new vocabulary words he needs to learn and such. Back to Monday and Apple Day. We were given a note (in slovak of course) that he should bring something made from an apple. (even as i type this i can see the mistake in that simple little preposition “from”). We worked together to prepare for this craft and monday when he arrived at school, he added his “apple” to the table with the rest. I will let the pictures speak for themselves!

Living here, as i do, i have to be able to laugh at myself for my mistakes and pray for the Lord to protect my kids from any permanent damage I might inflict (seriously).