birthday pics

the girls preparing my beautiful birthday dinner!










from left to right:
Emma
Jenn
(me)
Elizabeth
Petra
Simone








Simone, me, and Petra in Schaffhausen with the backdrop of the Rhine at night

~birthdays~

I'm 23. My friends reminded me several times of this.

Tuesday was a good birthday. (You only turn each age once!)

Some 23rd birthday highlights:

• prayers
  
• cranberry-almond muffins (I LOVE MUFFINS!)
• the last 4 of 23 beautiful roses
• 17 birthday hugs
  
• tea with friends
• tea with myself and 2 amazing chocolates
• CANDLES galore!
• girlie food and stories
• an "almost" movie. maybe next week the devil will wear prada.
• an amazing phone conversation with my sister
• sleep

Thank you Jesus for love and life! And 363 days until the next 28 November...

***pictures soon to come***

Teams... gotta love 'em.

This week, a Work and Witness team showed up. (For those of you not schooled in Nazarene-dom, W&W is a team that comes to do work and pays for it! It's really an amazing concept.)

Providentially, at least for my kitchen, my dad met the leaders of the team at a meeting earlier in the fall and asked if they would bring anything in for me. Thus, the list began and two nights ago I got a GREAT fall gift.

• Brown sugar -- 10 lbs of it!! My baking adventures have only just begun. (Real brown sugar, contrary to what Europeans seem to think, is NOT colored white sugar!)
• Enough dryer sheets to make my tiny room (2 m. by 3 m.) smell fresh -- almost too fresh -- almost my own laundry room. :-)
• Over-the-counter Tylenol. Germans can't get it at Wal-mart, only at the pharmacy. That's annoying.
• Pecans and corn syrup for a pecan pie and pumpkin for all of my pumpkin cravings!!

Happy fall. Thanks to the team, it has arrived. As has TONS of noise above our heads in the communications centre, but for 2 weeks, we can handle it. I hope. :-)

Jenn

My sister is 18!!!

I miss you Jenn!

bored in Buesingen

it was one of those days.

i sat in the office all day, trying hard not to fall asleep as i watched the gigantic clock tick away at the kirche (church) across the street from the centre. the afternoon was better -- i made my first page design. it wasn't exactly what i wanted, but it was a good start.

but the day's activities just didn't kick it.

21:00 comes around and i'm in my apartment, full of energy, needing to get out, and sitting with that feeling. when this happens in Buesingen, sometimes it's helpful to be a kid and be crazy.

so we did. celebrating the first day of short term, we welcomed everyone on-campus who was willing to listen to our short-term ditty and our crazy antics. yes, this is what we do when we get bored in Buesingen.

needless to say, we kicked the boredom AND the need for getting out. plus, we made a few people happy.


(in the pic: me, Luci from Romania, Elizabeth (roommate and volunteer), Victor from Brasil, and Gemmeke from the Netherlands.)

P.S. there is an increasing lack of bugs in my life. woo hoo!

Swiss-German Spiders

Spiders ... in September they are EVERYWHERE here! Criss-crossing bushes, windows, doors, and my bedroom curtains; invisible webs find their way into many corners and unexpected places.

All different kinds of spiders grace the windows and walls inside and outside of our apartment and on campus. My roommate was pretty sure she killed at least 10 the other night in her bedroom. My window has a screen, but I'm pretty sure that my window is one of the only ones on campus. Europeans believe in fresh air, no air conditioning, and no screens on the windows. This is fine, until the spiders (and grasshoppers, moths, and mosquitoes) find their way into your room.

A little, fat spider has made his home outside of Kapellenweg 1 (my apt. building) and several bugs have met their demise in his web.

Last week, I discovered a five-legged creature hanging in a web by the toolshed. I wondered at his past encounters, supposing he started out with the conventional 8 legs... The next day, he was gone. (*sigh)

Winter and frozen temperatures will send all the spiders into hiding until next spring (except, perhaps, the ones hiding out in our apartment). That will be a good thing, except that means no more sunshine, swimming, or summer weather. Will the trade off be worth it?
We will see.

Swiss dumpster diving

Last Thursday we (the campus residents) realized that it was one of those days.

Twice a year, the Swiss people have a LARGE trash day. The night before, everyone down Junkerstrasse -- the main street here in Buesingen -- and the smaller roads put out great piles of "trash". When the students and volunteers catch wind of these days, dumpster diving is in order!

So, my roommate Elizabeth and I decided that the only right thing was to go out and look for some great accessories to outfit our apartment. She had just come back from discovering a shelf that fit perfectly into the door corner and a few other odd pieces, and we decided to venture out again. Mind you, it's dark, so until you actually get it into a well-lighted room, you may not be sure what you have happened upon.

Litzy, my friend from Spain, has a great picture hanging in her living room. Discovery: fall trash day 2004. Sonya, my friend from Russia, has a hand-me-down computer chair also uncovered in 2004.

So as for dumpster diving 2006, we came upon a great trash corner. Everything from brand-new silver window blinds from IKEA to a perfectly good trash can (for me), a street sign, aqua blue painting canvases (for Elizabeth) and a tube of pretty wrapping papers.

Oh the joy of diving in Switzerland! :-)

Lisa's Summer Adventure Journal #37

Hurricane Ernesto:

hurricane shutters, extra water, forecast watching .... rain, wind...

our first tropical storm, ooooo.

(so much for a Miami tan! haha, oh well. family is better.)

"coincidences"

I don't really believe in coincidences. No, I am convinced that God wants to work and show Himself in the details of our lives.

Take this last weekend for instance. Thursday night I all of a sudden realized that I was breaking out in hives and we concluded it was an allergic reaction (which I've never had a day in my life!). Unfortunately, I decided to "test" out the only new thing that I had eaten that day and on Friday night I found myself in the ER because the hives were back and worse than before.

Crazy that a few days earlier, I found out that Mary, the former missionary that I am staying with this month, had a speaking engagement scheduled for the same week. Oddly enough, we realized that we were both headed to Springfield, MO. Same weekend, same services, and the same hotel! (Coincidence? Not likely.)

After I was in the ER, they put me on some super drowsy medicine that I couldn't have driven 3 hours with ... but I didn't have to because Mary already was driving. So not only was I able to go because I had a ride, I had company and some encouragement over the weekend even though I really wasn't feeling well.

God is so good!! Putting that all together was COOL.

Funds Update #2

i called Mission Corps today and they gave me the update...

*drum roll*

officially, i have a little over $3,000 in my account.

That's not half, but two great things:

first, i have a church sending in what will bring me over half (!),

and they are about a week behind in finances at MC,

which means that more is enroute to my account.

Go God!! i have half. i can go Sept. 4!!

awesome.

"missionary"

The word "missionary" just has so many connotations in the church -- so I'm really resisting calling myself one. While, technically, it's true, I'm feel that it's just 'Lisa Koster acting out of who she is' rather than doing something outrageously great. Really, we are called to be like Christ wherever we go. So whether that makes us all missionaries or all just disciples, the distinction doesn't really matter. Still, I'm not sure why it bothers me... maybe I should let what is just be.

Speaking yesterday went so well. I got up early, travelled almost straight south to Baxter Springs, Kansas, and spoke at the Nazarene church there. As soon as I stepped into the building I felt comfortable and so welcomed. This tiny church has as many kids as adults (amazing!) and I was able to tell the kids about Haiti and then share in the service my story and what God has been doing in my life over the last few months.

Amazing thing #1: I had no anxiety.

Praise Jesus... the stress and anxiety has been high the last month and to feel comfortable was really foreign. I was actually afraid of feeling TOO confident ... but the night before I listened to one of my favorite Shaun Groves songs ("Jesus") and was really challenged to look at each one of these as Jesus. Speaking to Jesus isn't like speaking to a stranger... and these people weren't strangers. I loved every minute of it!

Amazing thing#2: I got to bless their kids.

Henri Nouwen talks about blessing people and I've never been given that chance before. But blessing their children before our Father fit so well with what I talked about -- God's place and plan for each of His children's lives and creating us all differently to fill places in the Kingdom. SO cool to pray for them specifically.

Amazing thing #3: I have a friend who picks locks.

Yeah, this is totally random (but those of you who know me aren't surprised...) but in the last 4 days I've locked my keys in the car TWICE. I don't have a spare, I don't have a Slim Jim, and I don't have $50 extra dollars to pay some kid to come out and unlock it in 2 seconds.

The first day, triple A helped. Today, I was stuck. So, I just got frustrated at myself. Where is my brain?! However, my dear friend got a hanger and tried to unlock my side door: no success. Then she tried the trunk and... POP! We were in!

Her words: "At least living on the streets does something for ya!" (ah haha!)

Thanks, God, for your funny blessings.

Story

My self, my ideas, my emotions, my will ... everything is being stretched this summer.

But this past Sunday I was blessed amidst the stretching. To have people who know you well bless you aloud is an incredible gift. To have people who don't know you affirm God's hand in your life is amazing. And then to be overwhelmed with encouragement, support, strength, and love from His body is almost too much for one Sunday.

Two churches and two talks in one day pushed me hard yesterday. I didn't realize how tense and exhausted I was until I was finished and heading back home.

But God was in it. I was able to share from my heart -- that has been my prayer. So often, in anxiety (some reasonable and some not) my mind starts imagining all of the bad things that could happen and then it is all I can do to keep calm.

Psalm 16:8 stuck out to me this week, so instead of going up to the platform alone and scared to death, I grabbed ahold of Truth and went with Him. "I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me."

Something that I keep noticing is how God uses my story. It hasn't been any life-changing response but just leaves people thinking. Even today a friend messaged me and told me that he was reminded and encouraged in his own life. In his own journey alongside God. And "Wow, that's encouraging" has been the response I keep hearing. (Yes, God, point us back to You!)

Interestingly enough, I read this last week in my devos and was really struck by what Henri Nouwen said about story:

"One of the remarkable qualities of the story is that it creates space. We can dwell in a story, walk around, find our own place. The story confronts but does not oppress; the story inspires but does not manipulate. The story invites us to an encounter, a dialog, a mutual sharing. A story that guides is a story that opens a door and offers us space in which to search and boundaries to help us find what we seek, but it does not tell us what to do or how to do it. The story brings us into touch with the vision and so guides us. Wiesel writes, 'God made man because he loves stories.' As long as we have stories to tell to each other there is hope. As long as we can remind each other of the lives of men and women in whom the love of God becomes manifest, there is a reason to move forward to new land in which new stories are hidden."

Hm.

Hope in the Church

"Hope is what this community must do because it is God's community invited to be in God's pilgrimage..."
~Walter Brueggemann

blessings...

I'm sitting here thinking about how many blessings have come my way this summer so far... let me list a few.

1. a consistent, well-paid, but temporary job

2. a good place to stay for a whole month in transition

3. so many chances to intentionally share what God is doing in my life and point to Him for it

4. a way to encourage people

5. the love and support of so many people

6. affirmation in community (Church)

7. good reasons to be VERY excited to go to Miami and see the fam. (the fam, the food, the sun, relaxing, packing finished, swimming, tanning, etc.)

8. the God-situation before me facing me daily and requiring trust.

(Why do I have a tendancy to focus on what's NOT exactly right? Oh, personalities. :-)

Hey, thanks God.

Fundraising.

Today I checked my funds. I need at least 50% before I leave the country Sept. 4 and I have approximately $1,000 to date. People have begun asking how my fundraising is going and part of me was avoiding checking. If I didn't know, I wouldn't worry.

But this is a naive and unrealistic way to go about "trusting" God. I wasn't worried... Until I looked at it and thought about just how much $10,000 really is and how far I am from that.

"Do you trust Me?"

I have to.

One church down, 6 to go!

(*whew!*)

This weekend I traveled to Waterloo, Iowa and spoke at the Nazarene Church. Speaking went really well, I was able to share my story during the offering and actually felt comfortable on stage and loved by the people listening. I hope that will continue as I visit other churches.

However, it was a very overwhelming weekend too. On top of being quite sleep deprived and exhausted from travel, I said goodbye to family and attempted to go through my old stuff and let go of some of the 16 years I spent there.

When my family left Iowa for missionary training in 2000, we didn't really know how to say good-bye, so 6 and a half years later I still haven't processed through it. But this was the weekend for it. What made it so hard was that no one I'd been in that house with was there to bounce off memories, good and bad, and talk through it. So I just cried. Hard. And hung on to Jesus for all I was worth.

Amazingly enough, He brought me through it. I walked around the neighborhood long enough to let my brain (being bombarded with emotion and memories) to quiet down and to actually let go and extend a "You are welcome in my old home" to the current residents there.

Part of going to the community at EuNC in Germany/Switzerland is anticipating God teaching me about openness and hospitality. It is almost inevitable as so many people (extention students, visitors, exchange students, etc.) walk on that campus from week to week. God has blessed that community with the ability to remain open and hospitable and I hope to grow in that openness myself. So this weekend was a reminder of that and a good thing as my moving on has begun.

Anticipating all of the change and good-byes yet to come makes me want to run and hide, but it is necessary to transitioning well. Pray that I will be able to do this with wisdom and as well as I can as God's grace goes before me!

a twist on my story...

I find myself downsizing. Last Saturday it was a garage sale and next week I will store all but two suitcases and a carry-on full of essentials. (Essentials like clothes, shoes, pictures, and American peanut butter...) WOO HOO!

“Why?” you may ask.

This past May I planned a surprise post-graduation trip to see my dear friends at European Nazarene Bible College, where I studied fall of 2004. While the surprise was pulled off fabulously, there seemed to be another reason for my going there. I approached this with an open heart, realizing God had something for me there. The reunion and the reminder of the depth of His love would have been a great enough blessing, but He didn’t stop there.

My call to ministry has been a struggle ever since I named my two greatest passions. One is ministry/theology and the other is cross-cultural work. My experiences outside of the United States have shaped me, and a big part of my heart still beats internationally. But, I have never had peace about pursuing anything in that arena. Many friends and mentors kept telling me that God wanted to use my gifts and these passions, but I didn’t see Him doing that!

During my time in Europe, God pointed out that part of my heart and let me know that He did want to use all of me. He gave me back my heart along with the peace to pursue a position on the Eurasia Region of the Church of the Nazarene in Büsingen, Switzerland. Moreover, He has confirmed in many ways that this is where I need to be.

I’ve waited for over a year to be shown the next step! It has been a cycle of wondering, questioning, frustration, and experiencing rest only in the knowledge that I am safe in His hands. Truly, all I need to do is put my full weight on Him and jump into His arms – into the “God-space” as one of my best friends would say.

As of September 1, 2006, I will begin living and working for the church in Eurasia for at least the next year. Between now and then I am working part time, contacting churches and groups for fundraising (I’ll need $10,000/yr), and telling people my story. When I arrive in September, I will be the Southeastern Europe Communications Coordinator and help with print journalism in the new Eurasia Region Communications Center. The team of 6 (doing journalism, web design, recording, videography, and more) will join together to continue communicating what God is doing in the lives of people across Europe! I am excited to be a part of this God-adventure...

So, come along with me!

I promised myself I'd never blog.

I promised myself I'd never blog. Haha, it's funny the things that happen! But this is blogging for a different reason than just posting my random life on the internet ... I'm so glad to have you up on my life and it will make things SO much easier to communicate and keep up to date. Welcome!

"Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

~writer of Hebrews