August Update

 Another Bronze Boar!

 Yes, Germans dress like this on occasion.

Bratwursts!

This is No Coincidence

The trip to Germany went well, but was very different from Italy. Immigrants that are in Germany MUST have their legal documents because without them you cannot stay in Germany.

Everything was very orderly as expected, and Brook, Parker, and I felt a little funny blending in with everyone around us. We could’ve easily been German and people would even go up to Brook and speak German to her! We just laughed.

While we were in Stuttgart learning about Spanish speaking churches, we met up with one of Brook’s friends from Arkansas who is working at the International Baptist Church there. Through his group of friends we met a Mexican girl my age who is working and studying in Germany.

We shared what our work was about– finding Latinos, evangelizing them, and then mobilizing them to other immigrant populations. She got it. She’s doing it.

My friend, K, actively shares the Gospel with her Muslim friends and is always looking for ways in which she can tell them about Christ. We had an amazing conversation about her friends and how they have even said she could be from their home countries because of her darker skin color. In some ways they are even culturally similar. Go figure, right?

The beauty of these similarities is that they are comfortable with her. She loves them deeply.

We talked more about her relationships and she shared with me that she was at her wit’s end with sharing with her friends. I got very excited because I told her I have resources in Spanish explaining ways to share the Gospel with Muslims and how to point them to Christ.

After I emailed her these resources she told me that this was the answer she had been waiting for!

What’s even more crazy is that as we were talking and sharing about our life we discovered that we both had been in accidents about 2 years ago that have required intense recovery and continues to affect us..She looked at me in the midst of this and said this is no coincidence! Our meeting each other was not by chance.

I had been praying for God to show me how big he is. He showed me a friend who needed a way to share the Gospel with her friends who badly need to hear it.

God is moving among his people. He is going before us and working in ways we cannot imagine. With our God there aren’t coincidences. We discover that his fingerprints are all over lives.


He Must Be Looking For You

At our hotel in Germany we made friends with the receptionists. They were around our age and had really excellent English. One girl in particular, K, was especially open to us and sought us out to talk with her. So of course we did.

We shared what our job was. We shared about how God has worked in each of our lives. We shared how we’ve seen him work in the lives of others. It was amazing because she listened intently.

One evening Brook and I were able to share in depth about Christ and the things of the Bible with her. She listened. She had questions, so we talked through that.

She told us she had been attending a Bible study at a German church, but she had so many questions. She said whenever she was there she could feel the darkness pulling her away. She has since stopped going.

As she was explaining this, I felt the urge to tell her how much God loves her. I said, “You know how much he loves you? He loves you so much, K! He loves you enough to send us here to talk to you about him. He must be
looking for you since we are here having this conversation right now.”

Her crystal blue eyes lit up and a sweet smile changed her entire countenance. “Yeah?” she asked. Then she told us that she is waiting to hear from him. We told her we’d pray for her to hear from him in a powerful way. We encouraged her to read the Bible because we know he talks to us through his Word.

Please pray for my friend. Pray that God speaks to her so clearly and that she receives the message of his love and salvation. Pray that she reads the Bible and especially that the spiritual darkness will stay away from her. She reminds me how we only see a portion of the battle that wages. Her soul is at stake, We must intercede for her!

Prayer Requests

For the Trailblazer team– preparation for France– September 18-30
My legs-swelling to be minimal/ for my tendon to not be painful
For my friends who help me at therapy
For the people (believers and non believers )we met in Germany

Praises!

My continued improvement
The good relationships made on the Germany trip
I only have a month and a half left in Spain before I’ll be home!

Keeping the Silence

I returned home from Germany this past Tuesday. Exhausted. My body was tired throughout the trip, then I'd get angry at it and push it further. When Brook and Parker would slow down for me I would throw my arms in the air waving them on. No way I want anyone waiting on me. My legs were aching. Knees were stiff. Emotionally and spiritually I was done. My fellow team members and I had been together for almost 2 weeks straight. I was ready to not see anyone even though I love Brook and Parker. I felt like hitting my head against the wall because the trip had been slower than Italy, even though God had some very important contacts we made. God had also been speaking to me about some really difficult things. In the midst of all of that I was just done. Emotionally and spiritually raw. Physically finished.

I got on the plane almost in tears because of the wall I was hitting. I'm pushing the two year mark of my accident and I can't believe my body still can feel this way. I told God that I just needed a flight without any complications. No talking to anyone. I put in my headphones and decided to disappear into the music.

My seat was the middle leaving the window seat open since Brook was in the aisle. "Oh Lord, please leave this seat open," I prayed. Then a Spanish girl came to claim her seat. She sat down talking on her phone and I could tell something was wrong. She hung up her phone and turned her face away from me. She put in her headphones. At first I could see her shoulders subtly shaking. Then I could see the tears streaming down her face. My heart started to hurt for her. I felt my stomach start to sink. I couldn't ignore her.

We find excuses. I found mine immediately. It's been about 2 weeks since I've had a good Spanish conversation. Oh, Spaniards aren't willing to talk about spiritual things because it's super private. It's none of my business. She'll be fine eventually. I put in and took out my headphones a million times trying to decide what I was going to do. All I wanted was silence. Didn't God realize that this was not the best time to send someone in my path for me to talk to? I'm on the verge of tears myself!

I had a decision to make. And I knew that because I care I couldn't let her sit by me and cry. I knew because I have the best news in the world to share with her that I couldn't keep it from her. I tapped her on the shoulder her and asked her if she needed anything. She smiled and said no. I then smiled and told her I didn't know what happened, but if she needed someone to talk to I could listen. We spent the next hour and a half talking. We talked about where we are from, our jobs, and our family. Most importantly I reached over to her, touched her arm, and told her that God loves her. That he loves the people and immigrants that I search for in my job. That I didn't believe Jesus came to this earth just to deal with the spiritual. He deals with our physical, emotional, and mental needs. He loves of deeply and wants a relationship with us.

She gave me the most sincere smile and for a moment her eyes lit up. She told me that I had a beautiful heart. Funny how my heart is actually very selfish in that I tried to talk myself out of sharing God's love with her. I contemplated keeping the silence. Then ashamed of myself I had to face some questions for my already raw, worn down heart. WHO AM I TO WITHHOLD THIS BEAUTIFUL NEWS OF GOD'S LOVE? Who do I think I am? How insolent can one be to not share this message?

She heard the news of Christ. She was told she was loved. Pray for Carmen. Pray that she accepts this message and that it forever changes her life. We exchanged emails, and after talking about American food I told her I'd send her a recipe for biscuits and gravy. She was amazed that there was a different type of gravy for breakfast. I cannot withhold this important message either :) She repeatedly thanked me for talking with her. I'm not sure when I've seen someone so sad and a few minutes later see their eyes light up at someone taking an interest in them. God's love truly captures our hearts.

Pray for someone else to cross paths with her and confirm this message. Pray that she considers the news I've told her and realizes this beautiful love is for her. Pray for my selfish heart and that I realize that keeping the silence is never an option when the world is dying to know the love of my Christ.

Never Silent,
Taryn

Once again my Isaiah chapters speak to me:

 ¹ For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent,
for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet,
till her vindication shines out like the dawn,
her salvation like a blazing torch.
² The nations will see your vindication,
and all kings your glory;
you will be called by a new name
that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
³ You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand,
a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

Isaiah 62:1-3

You're an Oak

I am looking towards the future. This is totally in my personality. Being type A I not only have Plan A, but I have B, C, and D lined up as well. As I look to going home in 2 months and a few days, I have absolutely no plans. I honestly tried to make some great plans. I came up with the idea of going to seminary, going for another Masters, pursuing career missions, or just staying in Europe. I was begging God to give me a direction or a vision. I have a vision, but I hear the Lord telling me to stop for a little bit.

Stopping is not what I do! However, EVERYONE that I have sought advice from as I look to my future has given me the same advice. Slow down. Rest. Let your body heal. Take your time. It has never occurred to me to take my time doing anything. I want to face the world at full force. And that is exactly what I've done. Quite frankly I have worn myself out doing this. I'm coming home to the possibilities of more surgeries. My body is STILL healing. My reality is I need to slow down.

So this is me being obedient. Slowing down sounds like the worst idea in the world to me, but I have to. I have realized that I need this time to be in Arkansas. I need this time near my family. My family needs this time with me. My brother is getting married, and I want to spend time getting to know him and Jeannine as a couple. I want to reacquaint myself with my world as it is in the States. We all know that it won't be long before I jet off again. But this season is for resting. It's for healing. I gave God a timeline (I'm sure He's cracking up at my best attempts at controlling my "sabbatical") and this timeline is a year to a year and a half. In His mercies, I know He is considering this of me, so that I don't go crazy waiting and resting. But then after this rest, I must go again.

Go where? I don't know. With whom will I go? I'll find out. How? Only He knows. When? Um, remember? I told God a year to a year and half (I pray that it's no longer!) I think He loves me not knowing, and I love relinquishing this control to Him.

Until recently I didn't realize how badly I need this break that's coming up. I do know one thing. Something big is coming. A few months ago, God used Isaiah 61 and 62 to speak clearly to me. I had been almost obsessively pouring over Isaiah in the days previous to this very clear encounter with God. I'm not sure why, but I had been reading this book each day all day long. During this time I had to have a difficult conversation with someone. I shared this experience with my friend Amy, and she looked at me and said, "You're an oak."

I smiled because I hadn't heard that expression before, but I knew what it meant. She was kind to say that and was being an encouraging friend. That same night I came across Isaiah 61 and these verses have set the stage for what this next season of life will be like for me and what my life will be like. The chapter starts off:

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor and the day of vengeance of our God to comfort all who mourn and provide for those who grieve in Zion- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called OAKS of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

The same night my friend called me an oak is the same night the Lord calls me an oak and spoke to me through these chapters. I will be a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor! Hallelujah! Amen! How lovely is that? I will preach freedom to the captives! This will be the year of the Lord's favor! Now, I have no idea what that will mean. But I have felt the Lord saying, you have walked through fire. I haven't left you. You are my beloved, enter Isaiah 62:4-5:

No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the Lord will take delight in you, and your land will be married. As a young man marries a maiden, so will your sons marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you.

This is the time of His favor. It may be in something so small that only I will know it or understand it. Or it may be huge in the eyes of all to see how wonderful my Father is. All I know is that it's coming. And I'm waiting expectantly as a bride waits for her groom. I have this excitement which is crazy since I know I am entering a time of rest. I have this great burning in my soul even though my soul burns most brightly when I am at work and busy. I can't explain it, but it's upon me. So I am waiting. The thing I'm the worst at. I'm allowing myself to finish in Spain strong, but recognizing I must rest and heal some more as I prepare for home. And I'm getting excited.

My Lord loves me, never leaves me, delights in me, finds me lovely, uses me for His glory and splendor, and lets me live the most exciting adventure there is: following Him.

Pray for me as I wait. Pray for me as I face health concerns and as I look towards jobs as I heal. I am facing some very practical things as I return, but for right now I'm dreaming about the possibilities He has before me. He's the only one I can share my wildest dreams with and lay these things at His beautiful feet.

I know some people challenge whether Song of Songs can be about a husband and a wife, but also about our relationship with God. I think it can be both in different ways. Who else knows us more intimately than God? So I believe the intimacy of this book can be used to describe our relationship with Him. I do know that He spoke to me once again this past week using this book:

My lover spoke and said to me, "Arise my darling, my beautiful one, and come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come my darling; my beautiful one, come with me."

Song of Songs 2:10-13

He beckons me. I must arise and go to Him.

Taryn