"He is jealous for me.
Loves like a hurricane, and I am a tree,
bending beneath the WEIGHT
of His wind and MERCY."
Lyrics from How He Loves, by John Mark McMillan.
It's amazing to think... that God of the universe is so jealous for us... that He would die for us...
That His love is devastating (in a good way)... as powerful as storms that have destroyed the southern US and Caribbean islands... He wants that love to blow us away...
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Friday, March 12, 2010
What I Do & Where
This more or less explains my job description and what I do. Also, I like flow charts, so I couldn't resist. Enjoy.
Click the picture to see it bigger.
Source: http://xkcd.com/627/
And some pictures I found from Flickr of the Castle the base is housed in and where I work.
Picture one source and picture two source.
Click the picture to see it bigger.Source: http://xkcd.com/627/
And some pictures I found from Flickr of the Castle the base is housed in and where I work.
Picture one source and picture two source.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Sabbath
I want to confess I haven't been faithful in keeping one of the Ten Commandments, specifically. I have not honored the Sabbath by keeping it set apart. The past six months or so, every day of the week has looked the same: busy, full of work, not refreshing or life giving, not focused on God... And He wanted to address that.
• • •
The reason for taking a Sabbath, for stopping and resting, seems strange. In Exodus, the reason God gives seems to be that His people are supposed to set apart a day for rest because He rested after creating everything. (Why God rested is another blog all together.) "Six days the LORD made... and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [set apart]" (20:11). Since we are created in God's likeness, it makes sense that we should imitate Him.
But when the Commandments are repeated in Deuteronomy the reason changes. Moses told the Israelites to rest and remember they were slaves in Egypt and God brought them out of slavery. They must rest because they can't go on living under slavery any longer. (Deut. 5:15.)
I think this second reason is key. People are naturally creative and it's easy for me to get caught up creating, doing, working. Sometimes I don't stop going, going, going, doing doing doing. It's like I'm a slave to work. I forget to rest. Eventually I end up hiding from God instead of walking and talking with Him (see Genesis 3:8...). I neglect to set aside a day to stop and rest and hang out.
• • •
Even today, when I know I will go back to work tomorrow morning, I freely offer people that I can fix their problems while I've promised to sit back and be still. Some people got back to the Castle and found they couldn't log in to the network. I said I could fix it ASAP, and immediately thought, "Oh dear, I'm actually not working today... oops."
• • •
My remembered last night I needed to take days of rest again, and set today aside. And early this morning, my mind was on Sabbath and I decided I would write something about taking Sabbaths for my next update.
I went to church this morning were a number of folks from YWAM Herrnhut are part of, and while I was worshiping, God reminded me of Psalm 46:10 – "Be still, and know that I AM God." I rolled this around in my head, contemplating that I can be set at rest in His presence, and know the I AM WHO I AM. That I find peace and stillness. And then the sermon was on Sabbath.
I laughed. All I could do was laugh when I realized God had set me up, that the Holy Spirit set my mind on taking a Sabbath knowing that I would go to the service about the Sabbath. I felt a peace rush over me that made me know God has me on His heart when He says "Be still."
The whole verse is
Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
When I stop to rest, when I am still before God, when I remember the Sabbath day to set it aside, I am also glorifying God, exalting Him for the world to see His love. By focusing on Him for a day each week.
• • •
I have more thoughts on this, but I've written plenty already. I am refreshed after a good day of rest, and I pray a day of exalting God. I am ready for this coming week. I will have plenty of network and computer problems to take care of the next few days. The teams that returned from outreach yesterday and today are doing well and happy to be back.
Please pray that the will have a joyous and productive time debriefing and processing the last three months they have been on outreach; for the DTS students presently doing their lecture phase and staff (like me!) to welcome them back and listen well to their stories; help for me fixing IT issues; and most of all for God to be Lord of everything we do.
Soli Deo gloria.
In His love,
Chris
• • •
The reason for taking a Sabbath, for stopping and resting, seems strange. In Exodus, the reason God gives seems to be that His people are supposed to set apart a day for rest because He rested after creating everything. (Why God rested is another blog all together.) "Six days the LORD made... and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy [set apart]" (20:11). Since we are created in God's likeness, it makes sense that we should imitate Him.
But when the Commandments are repeated in Deuteronomy the reason changes. Moses told the Israelites to rest and remember they were slaves in Egypt and God brought them out of slavery. They must rest because they can't go on living under slavery any longer. (Deut. 5:15.)
I think this second reason is key. People are naturally creative and it's easy for me to get caught up creating, doing, working. Sometimes I don't stop going, going, going, doing doing doing. It's like I'm a slave to work. I forget to rest. Eventually I end up hiding from God instead of walking and talking with Him (see Genesis 3:8...). I neglect to set aside a day to stop and rest and hang out.
• • •
Even today, when I know I will go back to work tomorrow morning, I freely offer people that I can fix their problems while I've promised to sit back and be still. Some people got back to the Castle and found they couldn't log in to the network. I said I could fix it ASAP, and immediately thought, "Oh dear, I'm actually not working today... oops."
• • •
My remembered last night I needed to take days of rest again, and set today aside. And early this morning, my mind was on Sabbath and I decided I would write something about taking Sabbaths for my next update.
I went to church this morning were a number of folks from YWAM Herrnhut are part of, and while I was worshiping, God reminded me of Psalm 46:10 – "Be still, and know that I AM God." I rolled this around in my head, contemplating that I can be set at rest in His presence, and know the I AM WHO I AM. That I find peace and stillness. And then the sermon was on Sabbath.
I laughed. All I could do was laugh when I realized God had set me up, that the Holy Spirit set my mind on taking a Sabbath knowing that I would go to the service about the Sabbath. I felt a peace rush over me that made me know God has me on His heart when He says "Be still."
The whole verse is
Be still and know that I am God.
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth!
When I stop to rest, when I am still before God, when I remember the Sabbath day to set it aside, I am also glorifying God, exalting Him for the world to see His love. By focusing on Him for a day each week.
• • •
I have more thoughts on this, but I've written plenty already. I am refreshed after a good day of rest, and I pray a day of exalting God. I am ready for this coming week. I will have plenty of network and computer problems to take care of the next few days. The teams that returned from outreach yesterday and today are doing well and happy to be back.
Please pray that the will have a joyous and productive time debriefing and processing the last three months they have been on outreach; for the DTS students presently doing their lecture phase and staff (like me!) to welcome them back and listen well to their stories; help for me fixing IT issues; and most of all for God to be Lord of everything we do.
Soli Deo gloria.
In His love,
Chris
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Address and Work
So, in case anyone has mail for me, my address in Germany is
Chris Wolf
Untere Dorfstr. 56
02747 Herrnhut
GERMANY
I'm trying to write letters home to a bunch of people... If you think of it, even a note saying "Hallo!" would be appreciated.
• • •
I've been working a little with some maintenance guys fixing up rooms in a building next to the Castle, getting it ready for ~40 students coming back from outreach this weekend. Mostly I've been painting. When I haven't been working on that, I've been working with the IT guys in the Castle. One of the guys left for an outreach today and will be gone for one and a half months, so I'm stepping in to help with the work while he's gone. But I think I will be trained to run IT stuff for the long-term. The second primary IT guy is moving back to CO in April. So to answer the long unanswered question of what I'll be doing until staffing DTS, I'll be doing IT stuff. I think God has put me in a position I'll work well in and really enjoy.
• • •
Things have been good so far. There is either worship, staff meeting, or Bible study that the staff meet for every morning, and that time before working for the day has been invaluable. It will take some time for me to get back into the hang of participating in community worshiping/study/prayer, but I am ready for it. Tomorrow will make a week that I've been in Herrnhut. Not much else to say, so if there is soon I'll let y'all know.
Prayer Requests
χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη,
Chris
Chris Wolf
Untere Dorfstr. 56
02747 Herrnhut
GERMANY
I'm trying to write letters home to a bunch of people... If you think of it, even a note saying "Hallo!" would be appreciated.
• • •
I've been working a little with some maintenance guys fixing up rooms in a building next to the Castle, getting it ready for ~40 students coming back from outreach this weekend. Mostly I've been painting. When I haven't been working on that, I've been working with the IT guys in the Castle. One of the guys left for an outreach today and will be gone for one and a half months, so I'm stepping in to help with the work while he's gone. But I think I will be trained to run IT stuff for the long-term. The second primary IT guy is moving back to CO in April. So to answer the long unanswered question of what I'll be doing until staffing DTS, I'll be doing IT stuff. I think God has put me in a position I'll work well in and really enjoy.
• • •
Things have been good so far. There is either worship, staff meeting, or Bible study that the staff meet for every morning, and that time before working for the day has been invaluable. It will take some time for me to get back into the hang of participating in community worshiping/study/prayer, but I am ready for it. Tomorrow will make a week that I've been in Herrnhut. Not much else to say, so if there is soon I'll let y'all know.
Prayer Requests
- My best friend is in Basic training with the Army. Please pray for him; he's in the Army.
- There are a lot of people coming back from outreach this weekend, the students who are here now are being displaced and going to stay in town. The accommodations for the new students are still in the works. And the Castle is going to be hectic during lunch and some other times of the day. Please pray for the students coming back that they would feel welcomed back, have time to talk and share stories, encourage and pray for us who have been here, and that everything might go smoothly.
- I am applying for a two year visa next week. There shouldn't be any problems getting it, but it is a tad bit important for me to stay and work in Germany.
χάρις καὶ εἰρήνη,
Chris
Monday, March 1, 2010
Training to become SysAdmin
Hey,
I promised to let you know what I'll be doing immediately here in Germany. It looks like I will most likely help the two IT guys maintain the network and servers at the Castle (the base is in a castle and is referred to as "the Castle" which is awesome), and help with computer related problems students or staff have. I'm excited to help out with tech stuff. I may also be doing some maintenance work or helping in the kitchen, but probably I will mostly be in IT. I have a lot to learn, and it's a big learning curve, but I find system administration fascinating and I am looking forward to working with these guys.
Everyone I've met, all the staff and students have been warm and friendly. I think I will have some good friendship developed very quickly. Yesterday a guy I live with took me around town and shared dinner with me, and tonight a staff couple invited me to dinner with them. This atmosphere of community is exactly where I think I will thrive.
I still need to get my mailing address... I'm meeting with someone for staff intake tomorrow, so I should know then and I will pass it on in my next update.
I would love to Skype with folks, so feel free to find me: topherwolf. I'll be on late morning/early afternoon (your time) when I'm not engaged or sleeping, and same with weekends.
Hope this finds you well. May you be blessed and be a blessing!
Chris
I promised to let you know what I'll be doing immediately here in Germany. It looks like I will most likely help the two IT guys maintain the network and servers at the Castle (the base is in a castle and is referred to as "the Castle" which is awesome), and help with computer related problems students or staff have. I'm excited to help out with tech stuff. I may also be doing some maintenance work or helping in the kitchen, but probably I will mostly be in IT. I have a lot to learn, and it's a big learning curve, but I find system administration fascinating and I am looking forward to working with these guys.
Everyone I've met, all the staff and students have been warm and friendly. I think I will have some good friendship developed very quickly. Yesterday a guy I live with took me around town and shared dinner with me, and tonight a staff couple invited me to dinner with them. This atmosphere of community is exactly where I think I will thrive.
I still need to get my mailing address... I'm meeting with someone for staff intake tomorrow, so I should know then and I will pass it on in my next update.
I would love to Skype with folks, so feel free to find me: topherwolf. I'll be on late morning/early afternoon (your time) when I'm not engaged or sleeping, and same with weekends.
Hope this finds you well. May you be blessed and be a blessing!
Chris
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