Analogies

Hej everyone!

Yeah I'm already trying to mix Swedish and English (Swanglish??).  Sorry my blog has been anything but active, I promise I have a good excuse! And when I was thinking about it it led me to this blog you're reading or maybe skimming through.

On Sunday, my pastor was preaching on Ephesians 5:21-33 (if you don't want to look it up it's the often misused passage about how wives need to submit to their husbands and the nature of marriage).  It wasn't completely on how to be a good husband or wife but how Christ is the ultimate bridegroom to His bride, the Church.  The crux of the sermon rested on verse 32:

This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church.

By using something that some of us are very familiar with (marriage) he is able to point to the greater marriage.  That Christ is the ultimate bridegroom who looks at His weary, broken, blood spattered bridegroom and loves us despite all of that.

Some of you may or may not know (depending on our level of friendship or how much of this blog you have read) that I am going to Sweden for a year with Campus Crusade for Christ (soon to be Cru).  My original date to leave was August 26th but that has been pushed back and now I am a measly 18% of my support away from leaving on October 1st.  We had a briefing week for all of those serving with CCC overseas and it was honestly one of the most humbling experiences of my lifetime.  To meet and spend time with so many people that were passionate about bringing the truth of Christ's love to 37 different nations was incredible.  Then I left and went to the very diverse nation of Indian Trail (insert sarcasm here), to wait out my time to go.

A friend of mine sent me some encouragement through Luke 24:46-49

Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You re witnesses of these things, And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with the power from the high.

So that's what I'm doing.


Like always this strayed far from the original meaning of this post but it was a great sermon and I think that the way I am feeling at home can best be described by some analogies as well. So how do I feel?

 I feel like I just had a really killer track session and now I'm just waiting and trying to stay in peak shape for the final race.

Like I just finished classes and have a few weeks to take my final final exam so I can experience the paradise of the "real world"

Like I'm on my way home from a long journey but sitting in the thickest traffic possible only miles from my destination.

I'm ready for Sweden, I guess we'll see if Sweden is ready for me.

Interactive blog question of the week: Describe how you feel about your life in an awesome analogy.

Love,
Alex

The Baddest Blogger

I know I promised a serious post, but this will probably only partially deliver.  I'm still in the heat of raising support so it is a little difficult to arrange my thoughts for long enough to put together anything more than half interesting for you guys.  But! The serious part is is that I am only about 800 dollars a month away from being done with support.  If you feel led through prayer I would love for you to be a part of my team, just click on the little link up there (^) and it will set you right up.

The rest of the team is starting to come together and it has me completely fired up for this next year.  A young, awesome married couple got to Sweden last week to begin their time of ministry with Agape Sverige (Cru, Sweden style).  Their journey to the European mission field started with a strong calling from God, followed by an unsuccessful Google search and finally to the Cru STINT application.  Their names are Cale and Ashley and they have a sick blog ( caleandashley.wordpress.com ).  I talked shortly with Cale today and he already has 2 fika (think coffee shop with no music and about 3 times as long as anyone ever stays in America) appointments set up for tomorrow.

There are also some international campus staff that will be arriving this week for a minimum of a 3 year stay in Sweden.  So you may be asking yourself, "Alex, what is the point of this post?"  Well my friends I have an answer.  The point of this is to simply confirm that God is sovereign and He is at work mightily both in Sweden and in America.  He has raised up well over a half a million dollars in a few short (they felt much longer to us i'm sure) months to bring workers to this nation that many people mistake for Switzerland and even many more would have a tough time pointing out on a map.  He has also showed up in the midst of disappointments to show His greatness and that His plans trump us and that our short perspectives often hide the meaning of the lessons He is teaching us.

Also, this is a call to prayer.  First, for Cale and Ashley that they would continue to adjust well and that the fikas would be glorifying to God and that they would walk in boldness.  Second, that those arriving in the next few weeks (including me) would be at peace with this transition and that our families would be comforted in knowing that our heavenly Father and our siblings in Christ are still here for us and for them as well.  Finally that the Lord would continue to bring in the final parts of my support and the rest of my teams and that everyone that was involved on the STINT team would keep an open heart to what the Lord is doing in their lives regardless of where they are placed now.

I know I throw this word around a lot but God is truly AWESOME, like the literally meaning.  He is the one worthy of awe because of the way He works.  Thanks for stopping by guys!

In His Love,
Alex