I am so glad I serve a God who sees me and knows my every need! I am thankful, I have His Word to hold onto and from which I can gain strength and when needed real courage.
If you read my newsletter, you heard about the wily weasels some people must contend with in Switzerland....it's amazing what one learns from spending time in another country. You also heard about the wedding with 400 guests on the yard of our base here in Chatel. The picture on this page is of yesterday's wedding reception.
Today is a quiet Sunday. It gives me a chance to catch up on my blog and newsletter. I will attend church tonight with friends in the town of Nyon. The new pastor at this church is from New Zealand. There are many English speakers in attendance there...you just need to figure out where they are from...New Zealand, Australia, England, America, South Africa or whether or not they are English speaking Swiss.
Tomorrow we are going to visit a castle....actually tour it inside and out. I have been to several castles since coming to Europe, but this will be the first time I have actually been able to tour the inside.
We have Tuesday as a day off, since the rest of the week will be spent cleaning the entire base inside and out. On Saturday, this base is hosting the community for a 20 year anniversary. That means we need to be spotless as is the Swiss style. I think we even need to check under our beds!! :>)
I will share next week the stories that take place between now and then.
Blessings to you!
Elizabeth
Sunday 31 August 2008
Sunday 24 August 2008
Keep Looking Up
If I am learning anything these days, it is to "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5,6
I cannot tell you how absolutely beautiful it is here at Chatel. Unless you have seen the way God has put together the mountains, the lake, the hillsides, the wild flowers, the blue sky(much of the time), even the thunderstorms...it is hard to describe. I could have never believed that one place could be so amazing...and I am allowed to wake up to it every single morning! I would love to share it with you all. I will forever carry memories of this place in my heart. Another reason why it is so special here is because I have met God in an entirely new dimension. I have been given this time to totally concentrate on my relationship with Him and His plan for my future.
Well, as some of you know, I received more directions to Burtigny than what I had embraced in my mind last week. Yesterday, I reached my destination on my walk over hill, dale and through the rain....thank God for the umbrella Sarah and I purchased one day last spring! (I really do miss my kids....just wanted to share that. :>) I met a friend for lunch on a bench in the woods and then we walked back to Chatel. I really am praising God for allowing me to succeed at this. As many of you know, I have struggled with fear in my life..but God is showing me new insights. You are familiar with the scripture, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." I John 4:18 I have been experiencing God's direction and I am gaining in my understanding of hearing His voice. Last Saturday, I went on my hike to Burtigny with limited understanding of how to get there...I only had partial directions. During the week I sought out more detailed instructions, and I reached my destination. It's like calling to God, waiting for His answer, and allowing Him to tell us great and mighty things that we don't already know.
We have an additional group of people here with us this week....a group of older and a little older yet. We are hosting the In-Touch camp. Some of the guests are those who have been involved in YWAM from years past and also those who are interested and want to stay in touch. We have 25 visitors with us..living, eating, and learning together.
I heard a quote this week that I am embracing..."You can't serve the LORD without Joy!"
Love you all...
Elizabeth
I cannot tell you how absolutely beautiful it is here at Chatel. Unless you have seen the way God has put together the mountains, the lake, the hillsides, the wild flowers, the blue sky(much of the time), even the thunderstorms...it is hard to describe. I could have never believed that one place could be so amazing...and I am allowed to wake up to it every single morning! I would love to share it with you all. I will forever carry memories of this place in my heart. Another reason why it is so special here is because I have met God in an entirely new dimension. I have been given this time to totally concentrate on my relationship with Him and His plan for my future.
Well, as some of you know, I received more directions to Burtigny than what I had embraced in my mind last week. Yesterday, I reached my destination on my walk over hill, dale and through the rain....thank God for the umbrella Sarah and I purchased one day last spring! (I really do miss my kids....just wanted to share that. :>) I met a friend for lunch on a bench in the woods and then we walked back to Chatel. I really am praising God for allowing me to succeed at this. As many of you know, I have struggled with fear in my life..but God is showing me new insights. You are familiar with the scripture, "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love." I John 4:18 I have been experiencing God's direction and I am gaining in my understanding of hearing His voice. Last Saturday, I went on my hike to Burtigny with limited understanding of how to get there...I only had partial directions. During the week I sought out more detailed instructions, and I reached my destination. It's like calling to God, waiting for His answer, and allowing Him to tell us great and mighty things that we don't already know.
We have an additional group of people here with us this week....a group of older and a little older yet. We are hosting the In-Touch camp. Some of the guests are those who have been involved in YWAM from years past and also those who are interested and want to stay in touch. We have 25 visitors with us..living, eating, and learning together.
I heard a quote this week that I am embracing..."You can't serve the LORD without Joy!"
Love you all...
Elizabeth
Saturday 16 August 2008
Over Hill, Over Dale and all the Way to Burtigny
Oh my goodness, this was a day! I had decided a while ago to try to walk from the Chatel YWAM base to the Burtigny YWAM base. I had a crude map plus some directions and a friend had walked it last week. How hard could it be? HARD and long is the answer. But I did make it! The short way was 1 hour 7 minutes....I walked through dark forests, mucky mud (It pulled my shoe off at one point.) touched stinging nettles, prayed, talked to a girl on a horse 2x ( was actually on the horse path, not the people path)asked a man who was jogging and got directions from 2 cyclists, plus a mother reading to her children before I arrived at the base.....2 1/2 hours later. Everyone who heard my story had a good chuckle...
We studied the Holy Spirit and Forgiveness in class this week. Our teacher was Reona Joly, a YWAM teacher since the 70's. It was a good week with new insight.
We also visited the chocolate and cheese factories yesterday.
Hope all is well on the home front....I am tired tonight!
Blessings!
Elizabeth
We studied the Holy Spirit and Forgiveness in class this week. Our teacher was Reona Joly, a YWAM teacher since the 70's. It was a good week with new insight.
We also visited the chocolate and cheese factories yesterday.
Hope all is well on the home front....I am tired tonight!
Blessings!
Elizabeth
Sunday 10 August 2008
My 6th Sunday in Switzerland
It hardly seems possible I have been here for 6 weeks. I am half way through with my teaching phase for this Crossroads school. I have learned a lot and experienced more than I had expected. There has been pain in the growth that has taken place, but as I shared with one friend, "No pain, no gain". I came here to learn and that is what I am doing!
We will be going to Romania for our 2 month outreach, leaving here on September 20. We most likely will be staying at the YWAM base in Constanta, Romania. There will be 15 of us leaving from Switzerland. We have 10 in our class, 2 leaders, 2 nannies for the children of students, and one translator. That is about the extent of the details I know.
As this is Sunday, it is a very relaxing day. Since most of us are English speakers, we attend the English speaking church service about 30 minutes away. We leave the base around 4:15 pm and return around 7 pm. We generally east breakfast at 8 am and have lunch at 1 pm. At the midday meal on Sunday, we pack a meal to eat after the church service since only 2 meals are provided for us on Sunday. This morning after breakfast and after checking my email :>), I had a visit and prayer time with one of the staff. Following that and since it is a beautiful day in Essertine sur Rolle, the lake is peaceful and Mont Blanc is gorgeous, I went for a walk. I passed the cornfields and the already harvested wheat fields. The corn looks like it is ready to be harvested. I saw something unusual for this part of Switzerland, and that was to see farmers baling and hauling hay. Hardly anyone works on Sunday with all stores except for gas stations and minimarts closed Sundays. It is also unacceptable to have clothes hanging on the lines on Sunday. (It is customary for us to hang the wash on the line if the weather is permitting. This too, brings me back to my childhood. :>)
For those who read my newsletter, you know that I took a ferry to Yvoire, France yesterday. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful part of France. I have so many pictures of many gorgeous parts of our world. I also am very thankful to my three children for the camera they gave me at Christmas and the laptop computer they gave me for my birthday before I left. I feel spoiled, but so blessed.
Last week in class, we were honored to have Donna Jordan as our teacher. She has been in YWAM with her husband since 1976. She taught on "Listening to the Voice of God". It was a life changing week for me. This week, our teacher is Riona Jolly. She too, has been in YWAM for many years. She will be teaching on Forgiveness. Each day is filled with new understanding from God.
I thank you for your prayers, encouragement and your support...don't stop! :>)
With much love,
Elizabeth
We will be going to Romania for our 2 month outreach, leaving here on September 20. We most likely will be staying at the YWAM base in Constanta, Romania. There will be 15 of us leaving from Switzerland. We have 10 in our class, 2 leaders, 2 nannies for the children of students, and one translator. That is about the extent of the details I know.
As this is Sunday, it is a very relaxing day. Since most of us are English speakers, we attend the English speaking church service about 30 minutes away. We leave the base around 4:15 pm and return around 7 pm. We generally east breakfast at 8 am and have lunch at 1 pm. At the midday meal on Sunday, we pack a meal to eat after the church service since only 2 meals are provided for us on Sunday. This morning after breakfast and after checking my email :>), I had a visit and prayer time with one of the staff. Following that and since it is a beautiful day in Essertine sur Rolle, the lake is peaceful and Mont Blanc is gorgeous, I went for a walk. I passed the cornfields and the already harvested wheat fields. The corn looks like it is ready to be harvested. I saw something unusual for this part of Switzerland, and that was to see farmers baling and hauling hay. Hardly anyone works on Sunday with all stores except for gas stations and minimarts closed Sundays. It is also unacceptable to have clothes hanging on the lines on Sunday. (It is customary for us to hang the wash on the line if the weather is permitting. This too, brings me back to my childhood. :>)
For those who read my newsletter, you know that I took a ferry to Yvoire, France yesterday. It was a beautiful day in a beautiful part of France. I have so many pictures of many gorgeous parts of our world. I also am very thankful to my three children for the camera they gave me at Christmas and the laptop computer they gave me for my birthday before I left. I feel spoiled, but so blessed.
Last week in class, we were honored to have Donna Jordan as our teacher. She has been in YWAM with her husband since 1976. She taught on "Listening to the Voice of God". It was a life changing week for me. This week, our teacher is Riona Jolly. She too, has been in YWAM for many years. She will be teaching on Forgiveness. Each day is filled with new understanding from God.
I thank you for your prayers, encouragement and your support...don't stop! :>)
With much love,
Elizabeth
Saturday 2 August 2008
Three Day Weekend
The three day weekend is in honor of the Swiss Federation Day we celebrated on Friday, Aug. 1. Today our German cook, Carston, decided to continue the celebration with Swiss flags, candles and a special treat of fondue for supper.
The thunderstorms yesterday gave way to a partly cloudy but pleasant day today. As I am writing, I can hear the sound of cowbells across the countryside. The cowbells can actually be purchased in a variety of sizes. IF I bring home a cowbell, I would choose a small one :>) considering the cost involved in flying with weighty luggage these days.
Our speaker for next week arrived today. Donna Jordan will be speaking Monday through Friday on hearing the Voice of God. Donna has been teaching in YWAM for years and is well known by the "old timers".
The flu has been moving through the base. I continue to take my airborne and trust I can stay well. I am running out of those fizzy little tablets. I need to check to see if I can find any here in Switzerland.
My children and our friends the Dikihs, Illiyns, and Stefaniks are heading out for Shasta and a week on the houseboat beginning Monday. I am trying to get them to stop at Starbucks in Redding so we can all skype! Otherwise I will have to be content with pix of their daily adventures!
As I said in my newsletter, if anyone is interested in seeing pix, I will email you a website. You have your choice of seeing pix from Norway, Chatel, Geneva or now the newest... Swiss Federation Day!
I am sitting in the classroom listening to one of our staff leaders practice worship songs. Matthias, from Nigeria, was up here a little while ago looking for me since he said he had not seen me ALL Day! He always has stories to tell.
Bless you All!!!!
Elizabeth
The thunderstorms yesterday gave way to a partly cloudy but pleasant day today. As I am writing, I can hear the sound of cowbells across the countryside. The cowbells can actually be purchased in a variety of sizes. IF I bring home a cowbell, I would choose a small one :>) considering the cost involved in flying with weighty luggage these days.
Our speaker for next week arrived today. Donna Jordan will be speaking Monday through Friday on hearing the Voice of God. Donna has been teaching in YWAM for years and is well known by the "old timers".
The flu has been moving through the base. I continue to take my airborne and trust I can stay well. I am running out of those fizzy little tablets. I need to check to see if I can find any here in Switzerland.
My children and our friends the Dikihs, Illiyns, and Stefaniks are heading out for Shasta and a week on the houseboat beginning Monday. I am trying to get them to stop at Starbucks in Redding so we can all skype! Otherwise I will have to be content with pix of their daily adventures!
As I said in my newsletter, if anyone is interested in seeing pix, I will email you a website. You have your choice of seeing pix from Norway, Chatel, Geneva or now the newest... Swiss Federation Day!
I am sitting in the classroom listening to one of our staff leaders practice worship songs. Matthias, from Nigeria, was up here a little while ago looking for me since he said he had not seen me ALL Day! He always has stories to tell.
Bless you All!!!!
Elizabeth
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