“It’s a Wonderful Life”

…and not because things go the way we want, but because we are loved by God!

In my last update, I asked you to pray for several things. I want to update you on a few of those requests.

Help with the youth ministry
I asked you to pray that Richard & Julia Rudolph might be able to come back to Berlin and help me temporarily with the teens if it’s God’s will. Apparently, it’s not God’s will for them at this time. I’m trusting God with this answer, knowing that His ways are higher than mine!

Specific teenagers
I also asked you to pray for three specific teenagers.
– A young man named Lukas accepted Christ a month ago. He is sharing his testimony in youth group this Saturday! This is always a big step for a kid and I’m excited for him to have this experience.
– Lawrence is the teen boy who accepted Christ this past summer and is now undergoing a crisis of faith. He is still struggling. Please keep praying! God is obviously at work.
– Please continue also praying for Negin. God has not yet given us an assurance of her present spiritual state. Her mom (an unbeliever) is attending our ladies Bible study tomorrow morning. Perhaps God will work in another family member’s heart, making living for Christ easier for Negin . . . If you want to pray BIG, ask God to save this entire family. How amazing would it be to see a family of Iranian Muslims come to Christ!

Answered prayer!
Another request I gave you was for my parents’ trip to Berlin. As many of you know, they faced many hurdles getting here due to a volcanic eruption in Iceland which closed all of Europe’s airspace for several days. We believe it was a miraculous answer to prayer that my parents were on the very first international flight into Berlin’s Tegel Airport once the airways reopened.

God had big plans for my parents once they arrived. My dad taught a week-long youth ministry course at Word of Life Germany and then a city-wide youth leader training seminar. It’s so cool to see God use my dad to inspire youth workers internationally! His passion for the next generation is contagious.

My mom spoke at our annual ladies’ retreat and 2 women accepted Christ as Savior! Praise God with us for the salvations of Justina (from Ghana) and Chantall (from South Africa)!

Unexpected Blessing
This past Monday, I hailed a taxi to take me to the airport to pick up a BBC student coming over on a missions trip. The taxi driver and I had a 30-minute conversation in English on the way to the airport. He told me that he and his wife want to improve their English for an upcoming vacation to Florida. I invited him to attend our church to speak English with people and listen to an English sermon. This excited him greatly. He let me out at the airport promising me that he and his wife would be there Sunday. AND THEY WERE!!!! This Sunday, my taxi driver and his wife attended CrossWay. J It was so exciting to see them there. Pray for Thomas and Ilona (pronounced E-lona). I doubt they are believers. They also expressed interest in possibly attending an adult Bible study. Life’s greatest blessings are unexpected.

Salvations
God has given our church the opportunity of seeing 4 people come to Christ in the last 4 months: Anna (from Milan, Italy), Lukas (half German, half American), Justina (from Ghana) and Chantall (from South Africa). I also had an opportunity last week to take a 13-year-old girl out to lunch and talk with her about salvation. She told me she’s ready to accept Christ. I felt she may need a little more time, so I asked her to read the first three chapters of John and find the answer to the question Nicodemus asked Jesus in chapter three. She is meeting with another youth leader this week for a follow-up conversation. Pray for Arielle’s salvation. She is “1/3 German, 1/3 American and 1/3 Lebanese” (her words). She speaks Arabic at home. It’s so amazing to minister in a place with people from all over the world!

Finally, please continue praying for Sheldon Markel as he raises support with EBM to come help with the youth ministry in 2011. I’m personally very excited about getting him over here to bring in some new creativity and energy.

It’s a wonderful Life – an abundant Life!

– Kristi

Up-coming Events
Here are a few upcoming events to keep in mind as you pray for the ministry in Berlin:
June 5 CrossWay Church voting on deacons (first time ever!)
June 19 Final youth event/outreach before summer break
July 19-23 English-speaking Day Camp (for children)
July 26-30 Teen Camp

*The attached pictures are of 1) the attendees at the youth leader training seminar my dad spoke at, and 2) my mom sitting with ladies from Ghana, Italy, Honduras and the Philippines at our ladies’ retreat.