June 20th, 2014 by Zac

It’s hard for us to believe too. But our house owner informed us in April that he wants to sell the rental house were we live. After only two year, it’s really disappointing for us to have to pack up and move for the 5^th time here in this town.

So we have been house searching for the last two months. So far, we have not found a suitable place. But just this week, God seemed to bring us a real possibility. It’s big enough for our growing family and a good price for our budget.

If you remember to pray for us, please ask God to keep showing us his plan on the house front.

UPDATE – The “real possibility” mentioned above turned out to be our best option. When I have more time, I will tell the whole story of how God led us to this exact place.

But for now, we’re packing frantically for our final move on Saturday, June 21. We already moved one full truckload last week with the help of our summer camp interns. So, this last move will finish us up. We’re sad to have to move yet another time, but we’re grateful for the strength to do it and God’s provision of another suitable house for our growing family.

June 20th, 2014 by Zac

When I asked the group of 15 students, gathered around in the park pavilion, why they didn’t stay for the spiritual part of my lecture during the break time, they said they were too busy. Then one student said, “Why can’t we do the second part now”. What an open door! I was delighted!

Earlier in the morning, this group of High School students had been in my EXIT tour lecture (click here for a previous post, if you don’t know about Exit tour) called “Healthy family” or divorce prevention. I usually take the opportunity to share the gospel during the break between lectures for those who want to stay.

Now, I found this same group in the park at our afternoon activity time. So, when the chance to share the spiritual part of my lecture presented itself, I responded with excitement.

The only problem was, I didn’t have a chalk board to draw what I normally draw (which is the bridge picture of the gospel). I stalled for a minute, while I scanned the area for something to draw on. My only thought was to draw the gospel in the dirt. So, I grabbed a rock, cleared away the grass and other rocks and began to explain and draw.

I started, “the real reason we can’t reach our dream of a happy family is because of a spiritual problem. We can know in our heads what good things are necessary for a healthy family, but our hearts always seem to want to go away from those principles. Those principles of healthy family are God’s principles. And we go away from God’s principles because we have a heart that doesn’t wan to follow God.  Our sinful hearts lead us away from God AND they destroy healthy families”.

When I finished the gospel, I challenged them all to let Christ change their hearts before going to sleep that night And I dreamed with them about what it would be like if ALL of them decided to follow Christ! What a radical change it could be for their school, city and future families.

I don’t know what happened to hearts that night. But I’m still having conversations on Facebook with a couple of those students. Please help me pray for their hearts as I tell them the truth that can save their souls and save their families!

June 20th, 2014 by Zac

Slovak national snack – Sausage, bread and mustard

Father’s Day bike ride

Weekly Roma kids club continues

My favorite flower (Peony)

 Youth leader training school students take Systematic Theology final exam. Read the rest of this entry »

June 20th, 2014 by Zac

Kim’s blog (www.napokonkrasne.sk) still continues to grow and spread in it’s influence. The site is averaging around 4,000 visits each week (sometimes as high 15,000) and coordinates over 15 Slovak authors! Our parent organization – Josiah Venture, recently recognized Kim for her bravery and trail blazing spirit. She is in fact remarkable in her diligence to accomplish what God put in her heart. If you haven’t had a chance to visit the site, please click here and see Kim’s work. It’s all in Slovak language, but you’ll get a good feel for what is there.                                                                                                                                                                                                    

June 20th, 2014 by Zac

Each week they meet. Sometimes in Emili’s room, sometimes at a cafe in the city over a cup of hot tea. Three teenage girls, committed to encouraging each other to walk with God. Emili, Sonya and Lenka. The first two are a part of our church family. They have grown up in the church and are testing their wings in all that Christ and Christianity is all about. Lenka is from a traditional Catholic background and recently accepted God’s call to follow Christ. She faithfully attends the local Lutheran church each week. Together they study, pray, confess, cry and care. They also attend the Lutheran youth group together each week. God is raising up these three girls to bring Christ and his truth to many in their High Schools and in their circles of influence. We are asking God to make them solid and authentic in their faith as they do life together in our context.

June 20th, 2014 by Zac

From time to time, objects from space surprise us and enter our earth “bubble”, like the one last February, that landed in Chelyabinsk, Russia. The object was about 15 feet wide, weighted 13,000 metric tons and was traveling at almost 60 times the speed of sound. To say the least, IT MADE QUITE AN IMPACT!

I often feel, when I’m speaking here in Slovakia, that there is one topic that creates this kind of impact on the hearts of Slovaks. I recently experienced this kind of impact from two different angles, connected to two different lives.

The first impact was with Kristian, at one youth leader training session. I was teaching on the topic of how God views us when we sin. And that he does not turn away from us when we sin, but, in Christ, he is always facing us in love.

Afterwards, Kristian approached me. And with tears in his eyes, he asked, Read the rest of this entry »