p.s.

just found out this morning that the retreat this weekend won't be swedes alone!

there are ladies coming from sweden, germany, denmark, finland, and even norway!! woohoo!

now i'm even more excited. leaving at 3am!

pray for us!

xo!

sverige, here i come!!

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, 

and having done all, to stand. [Ephesians 6:13]

i have a new nephew [who is already almost 2 weeks old!]- Brennan Richard! i can't wait to meet him.

i read three amazing books in the last few weeks [well, the last one i haven't quite finished yet]:

.God's Smuggler- story of Brother Andrew

.The Torn Veil- story of a Muslim Pakistani lady who became a Christian [already brought it back to the library.. but i think that's the right title]

.I Dared to Call Him Father- another story of another Muslim Pakistani lady who became a Christian

i like reading, especially true stories of people who walked by faith and knew their God!

and... i go to sweden on thursday!

here am i, send me!

this week is outreach week at the bible college! please be praying for the staff and students as they go out into all the world to share the love of Jesus.

we have teams this semester going to Rome, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Austria, East Germany, North Germany, and Iraq!

pray for: 

• safety and health
• wisdom
• opportunities to bless and serve the churches
• opportunities to share the gospel
• guidance by the Holy Spirit
• unity among each team

i'll be here this week, but next week i head to Sweden to help put on a women's retreat! really excited to go back there.

danke fuer euer gebet, und Gottes segen! [thanks for your prayers, and God bless!]

a.

make a joyful noise.

long ago, in a land far away [minnesota], i used to work with a guy named scotty. scotty was a cook, and did a decent job. and you know, scotty had a very interesting habit. it just so happened that whenever anyone even hinted at whistling, scotty would unconsciously begin whistling right along. no particular tune, just whistling. 

i am a pretty avid whistler [how's that for a sweet hobby?], and find myself almost constantly either humming, singing, or whistling throughout the day. so this morning as i walked home in the glorious sunshine, a tune sprung onto my lips and i whistled merrily along. just then i passed a man on a bicycle, and i think he must have been somehow distantly related with scotty. for as we passed, he picked up and whistled along quite merrily himself.

4dw.

thursday became friday, and now it's 4 saturdays in a row!

4-day weekend is amazing. and it's sunny and 70s all weekend.

praise the Lord for simple blessings, but mostly for His great sacrifice on our behalf!

Jesus is alive!!

spring rain isn't so bad.

the sun's been out for nearly 2 weeks straight, and my freckles are beginning to reappear, to my utmost delight. but tonight a fresh little drizzle is coming out and producing the most delicious smell upon the face of this lovely greener-every-day bit of earth. i think the smell of spring/summer rain is one of my most favorites.

life has been good, interesting, stretching, joyful, and more or less relaxed this week. i think it's the daily exposure to warm sunshine and the fact that i'm essentially done with my teaching responsibilities for my class already! i've got 3 guest speakers and outreach [thus no class one week] this month, so it's great to sit back, learn from them, spend time with people, read a good book, and enjoy a bit of a reprise. [tonight a girl who leads worship at the church talked on songwriting- and i was really encouraged.]

speaking of reading, i'm back on the missionary biography kick. i don't think i'll ever tire of stories in general, and especially true stories of real people who knew their God and and carried out great exploits in His name! i re-read Isobel Kuhn's biography, By Searching, a few weeks ago, and was once again immensely blessed. yesterday i began God's Smuggler- the story of Brother Andrew, a Dutch guy who [i'm assuming, but i'm only in chapter 6!] went on to smuggle Bibles behind the Iron Curtain, and to found the organization Open Doors.. which i often hear about at CC Siegen. small world.

4-day weekend is 2 days away, so most everyone will be gone. i love it when it's quiet and peaceful around here!

i'm learning swedish!!!!!!!!!!!! a dear girl from the church is giving me a few little "lessons" in preparation for our upcoming trip to sweden to put on the 2nd annual Calvary Chapel women's retreat in Scandinavia [Stockholm, to be exact]. i'm especially excited for this trip, for i love Sweden, and to know how to roughly pronounce a few words [and thereby to lead worship in Swedish- the main goal of studying a bit] is absolutely thrilling to me. i love languages!

family update: new nephew is to be born any day now! woohoo!

and last, but most certainly not least, 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!