Days Two - Three

The last two days have been a whirlwind of activity.  I'm sure I'll miss parts, but I will try to put down most of it here. 

During Wednesday, we spent the day praying for Oslo and the Global Leadership Summit at Holmenkollen and made our way to he Royal Castle and Oslo City Hall where we prayed for the leadership of the country and city respectively.  Afterwards, when we went to the Akerhus Fortress I was struck not only withe beauty of it all, but of how God serves as a fortress for us.  Later that evening we met up with two of the managers of the Oslo Norwegian GLS who met us for dinner.  During dinner with Elin Marie and Birgitte we found out that they had no volunteers for the Friday GLS.  Walking back to the hotel after dinner, we struck by the scene of two women looking over a Bible in the middle of the streets of Oslo - a sight that is quite rare. 

Up until that point in time, part of me questioned my usefulness and what I could/would be doing here for the church.  We have so many volunteers at Eagle Brook that it was hard to understand and/or comprehend not having ANY volunteers to help with the GLS.  It's interesting, Elin Marie and Birgitte both seemed very concerned about working us too hard, or that we were there to serve them and to help them put on a successful GLS.  I think the "Tenets of Jante Law" which are similar to the cultural concept of the "American Dream" were really being challenged.  

The Tenets of Jante Law are as follows: 

- You shall not think you are special. 

- You shall not believe you are smarter than others. 

- You shall not believe you are wiser than others. 

- You shall not behave as if you are better than others. 

- You shall not believe that you know more than others. 

- You shall not believe that you can fix things better than others. 

- You shall not laugh at others. 

- You shall not believe that others care about you. 

- You shall not believe that you can teach others anything. 

There are approximately 270 people attending the GLS in Oslo (they are preparing for 300).  There are 7 of us.  Much of their limitations are based on the size of the church. 

So, this afternoon, we started setting up the church.  We set up the gymnasium for lunch with approximately 152 tables and chairs.  We set up 300 chairs in the sanctuary for the GLS attenders, we put together name tags, set up the resource table.  There were a couple of things that really struck me this evening.  The first was how well our team (from the States) worked together without ever really working together before.  The second was that everyone that was there had a job and knew what to do (well, except for us sometimes... we needed a little more direction!), but that no matter who we asked, we were pointed in the right direction without any attitude or annoyance.  A lot of time, in the United States, we give of an attitude that I can do it better than you or that you are annoying me, or that I have to be in first place in order to be the best.  There was absolutely none of that today.  While I was helping Lise set up the resource table (she has done this several years) she kept diverting to any ideas that those of us helping her might have as far as organization and appearance.  

But most of all, what struck me was when the worship team was beginning their sound check.  I immediately remembered how I felt attending the GLS, the powerful impact it had on me and in encouraging me to continue living out my faith in every aspect of my life.  I was struck by the fact that I was standing in a church in Oslo, listening to people prepare to worship the same God that I worship on a regular basis.  I was struck by how big our God is and how powerful he is.  I was overwhelmed by having been given this opportunity to serve others.  

After working at the church tonight for almost six hours, I was reminded of Galatians 6:9-10, our team verse; "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Please continue to keep the team in your prayers.  We have a couple of very long days ahead of us.  Tomorrow we will have to be at breakfast around 6:30am in order to catch the bus and be at the church by 8:00am ... not returning until after we tear down all of the tables and chairs in the gymansium at the church because of a double-booking.  [The churches often rent out their gymnasiums for additional income.] And then back at it very early on Saturday morning as well. 

Arriving in Oslo

The beginning of my trip to Oslo began long before I boarded the airplane Monday night.  The beginning of my trip goes back to almost 9 months ago when I listened to that still small voice nudging me to find out more about a possible trip to Norway - not knowing any of the details, or knowing that this was an annual missions trip that Eagle Brook Church took part of.  

The song "Oceans (Where Feet May Fail)" describes my journey to the airplane well...

    You called me out upon the waters

    The great unknown, my feet may fail

    And there I find you in the mystery

    In oceans deep, my faith will stand

    And I will call upon your name

    And keep my eyes above the waves

    When oceans rise, my soul will rest in your embrace

    For I am yours, and you are mine

    You grace abounds in deepest waters

    Your sovereign hand will be my guide

    My feet may fail when fear surrounds me

    You never fail, and you won't stop now

    Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

    Let me walk upon the waters where ever you may/would call me

    Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

    And my faith could/will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior

    I will call upon your name 

    Keep my eyes above the waves

    My soul will rest in your embrace

    I am yours, and you are mine

Logically, there is no reason that I should have ever made it to this point.  Many of you have heard my fears of doubt on how this trip could actually happen.  About one month before our departure date, I had emailed my the organizer of the trip to tell her that I didn't think I was going to be able to go on the trip.  I was absolutely torn, I thought that I was listening to God by applying and making myself available to be used by Him.  I was disappointed and frustrated by the support I had not received from people that I thought would support me.  what happened there? I will never know.  Our organized encouraged me to come the Tuesday night meeting, but I didn't have child care and it was a school night.  So, I brought the kids to the meeting - I had a flood of emotions that night, but mostly I was feeling great sadness for not being able to participate in the trip.  Afterwards, however, I found out that someone had heard about my troubles and gifted me the difference that I needed to be able to be sitting on this airplane to Oslo. 

That gift, is so very undeserved.  I am so humbled and blessed by it.  No one has ever done anything so generous for me like that.  I never expected that.  Even typing about it now is overwhelming.  You see, the night before that Tuesday, I had told my small group that I didn't think I was going to be able to go either.  They had the faith that I lacked and I held onto that glimmer of hope that they provided for me.  Before I left that evening to pick up the kids after small group I posted a prayer to PrayerWorks. I didn't know what to expect after I posted the prayer, but after my 30-day prayer challenge earlier this year, I know that there is power in prayer. 

So Spirit, continue to lead me where my trust is without borders.  Let me walk upon the waters wherever you call me.  Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander and that my faith will be made stronger in the presence of my Savior.  Use me Lord to share Your love and the underserved gift of Grace to those that I encounter while I am in Norway, but also where you may see fit. 

Afraid to Hope

My first email to church about going on a missions trip was in early spring of this year.  I had recently had the privilege of hearing stories from the Norwegians that were visiting Minnesota, and I just knew that if there was any place that I wanted to go it was Norway. I feel as if God has placed a desire in my heart to go there. 

But, there were some logistical things... primarily the dates of the trip.  Financing was obviously a big concern, but at the time I was assuming I would have a full-time job and have saved enough to cover the cost.  Little did I know that I would end up having to rely on the help of family to pay my bills over the summer in order to make ends meet.  

So, my first email to the Global Impact team was simply to ask about if there would be a trip. (I didn't know that EBC had been sending a team since 2006!) So, I found out that yes, in fact, there would be two trips, and the dates were 10/28-11/4 and 11/4-11/11. Well, the second week would conflict with my formal concert for the Army; so that only left the first week!  I filled out my application and waited to hear more.

Throughout this time, I was transitioning between jobs.  I left the company that I had interned for and took another position working with adults.  What sounded like a good opportunity quickly became stressful and ended up significantly impacting me financially.  I didn't have the money to put gas in my car, drive to clients' homes, pay for daycare, and then not get paid when my clients didn't show up.  I was devastated and I didn't know what to do.  This was the first time I considered not going on the missions trip to Norway.

Sometime before I left for my two weeks of active duty; I listened to how excited some of the people in my life were for me to be able to go on this trip.  I didn't have the heart to tell them that I was considering not going because I didn't know how I was going to pay for it.  I wasn't feeling the same excitement, anymore. 

This looming feeling of sadness and frustration and disappointment in having to pull out of the trip was always just underneath the surface. Finally, it became evident to me that fundraising wasn't working for me and I had no way of paying for the difference of the trip.  I sent an email to the trip coordinator and told her that didn't feel that I could go on the Norway trip because fundraising wasn't going well and I couldn't afford to pay for the difference of the trip.

Fortunately, she said that she still felt that I should come the next day to the meeting and we could talk more then.  Then I told the ladies in small group that I didn't think I was going to Norway. They overwhelmingly supported me going and reaffirmed that God would provide a way.  After small group that night, I sat in my car and prayed. I posted a note on the PrayerWorks website.

Tuesday came, and I still didn't know if I was going to go to the meeting.  I didn't have child care, so I would have to bring the kids with me to the meeting.  Later that afternoon I got an email from my prayer partner encouraging me to come to the meeting. So I went to the meeting, half distracted because of having the kids there, and trying not to cry because I was realizing that I really did want to go on the trip and I didn't have a way to make that possible. After the meeting I was approached by another EBCer that was going on the trip and asked me how things were going.  I was honest about how I was frustrated with life and fundraising and it wasn't going as I expected.  I then was informed, that regardless of how fundraising was going, that I would be going on the trip.

I was am so overwhelmed by this gift.  I don't deserve it and I did absolutely nothing to earn it.  But then, as I was driving home that night; I realized how much that paralleled what Christ did for us.

After speaking with my small group pastor at church, I was telling him how there was this excitement that seemed to be unleashed within me for going to Norway and building relationships with the people that I meet there.  He reflected back to me that maybe there were some defense mechanisms holding me back.  He was absolutely right.  I was afraid to hope that God would provide a way for me when I knew I couldn't do it myself.

Through grace, prayer, and blessing though, God has once again proved his faithfulness to me... even though he doesn't have to.  I am now looking forward to what God has in store for me once I get there! 

I still need your help, though!  I have raised about 26% of the cost of the trip.  And would love to have your support and encouragement.  To support me financially, go to http://ebcgiv.convio.net/goto/Becky.  To support me with prayer or words of encouragement, feel free to post them on my FB page or via email!  I also LOVE getting real mail, as well!


P.S.  Recently published in EBC's annual publication Canvas an article entitled, "Why Norway" was written.  Read it here, on page 54!