Regional Conference--700 students expected

Please be in prayer for the 700+ students that will be descending upon Portland for the annual Winter Conference Dec 28- Jan 1. Pray that God's spirit would move mightily in our midst. Pray for those who don't know the Lord who will be attending that they would make their decision for Jesus this week. Pray for those who have fallen asleep in their faith that God would awaken them to a life of unreserved committment to Christ. Pray also for those whom God will call into ministry as they are challenged to consider the needs in world missions. I will be leading the Moscow seminar and sharing about the needs there. Pray that God would raise up enough students to fill up all of our summer project and one-year missions teams. Oh, and Happy New Year Everybody around the world. We love you!!

Santa's On His Way

We'll, here he comes. I'm so glad NORAD takes care of this for us common folk. Not sure why he skipped Russia though...oh, I guess its because that territory belongs to Ded Moroz(Father Frost). But at least Ded Moroz could have allowed Santa to use Russian Airspace. I guess these guys have strict rules about how they do business with one another.

Don't Waste Your Life!!! Piper is one of my heros. This clip is just what we need to hear. It motivates my heart to continue to move against the strong current in our American culture to coast through life, pad ourselves with comfort as a generation slips silently into a Christless Eternity. This should not be. We all are in the fight for our lives. Don't let yourself become a dull edge. Keep yourself Sharp! Don't Waste Your Life!!

A visit with Santa...Seaside, Oregon

On Saturday the Krieg's went out to Seaside. We decided to refuse to allow the weather to dictate our activity for the day. We met Santa in the Carousel mall. The kids had a funny conversation with him that went like this.

Santa[to Madison}: Ho, Ho, Ho,..we'll little girl, what would you like for Christmas?
Madison: I want lot's of princess stuff!
Santa: Ho, ho, ho...that's wonderful [to Brennan] and what would you like for Christmas young man?
Brennan: bad guys
Santa: oh! uh, er. we'll ok.

Overheard in Portland (PDX)

Oh ya just gotta love this town. Here is an overheard conversation in Portland from the poplular blog "Overheard in PDX"...great stuff!

Man with White Box, on phone: "Hey, it's me. I just got off the plane from LA, and I've got your In and Out burgers. So I'll see you later, or I'll just break into your house and put them in the fridge.- On the 12-Barbur to Sherwood--

visit to Kaunas, Lithuania

Matt, Krista, and I visited Lithuania this past week and had a very productive time with the campus team there. We were so encouraged to see how the team boldly is proclaiming the gospel among students. Wednesday night several students turned out for the bi-monthly "Agape" night. The gospel was presented in a way that really impacted me. The four points of the gospel presentation were as follows 1) God created you, 2)God loves you, 3) God lost you (i.e. discussion of sin and its consequences), and 4) God wants you back. Point #4 really touched me and reminded me just how passionate Jesus pursued me and continues to pursue me today. His love is magnificent!

The Chocolate Soldier

In honor of Veteran's Day here is a sample of one of my favorite pieces of revolutionary Christian writings entitled "The Christian Soldier" by C.T. Studd...wow! What a man!

Heroism is the lost chord; the missing note of present-day Christianity!

Every true soldier is a hero!
A SOLDIER WITHOUT HEROISM IS A CHOCOLATE SOLDIER!
Who has not been stirred to scorn and mirth at the very thought of a Chocolate Soldier? In peace true soldiers are captive lions, fretting in their cages. War gives them their liberty and send them, like boys bounding out of school, to obtain their heart's desire or perish in the attempt. Battle is the soldier's vital breath! Peace turns him into a stooping asthmatic. War makes him a whole man again, and gives him the heart, strength, and vigor of a hero.

EVERY TRUE CHRISTIAN IS A SOLDIER of Christ - a hero "par excellence"! Braver than the bravest - scorning the soft seductions of peace and her oft-repeated warnings against hardship, disease, danger, and death, whom he counts among his bosom friends.

THE OTHERWISE CHRISTIAN IS A CHOCOLATE CHRISTIAN! Dissolving in water and melting at the smell of fire. "Sweeties" they are! Bonbons, lollipops! Living their lives on a glass dish or in a cardboard box, each clad in his soft clothing, a little frilled white paper to preserve his dear little delicate constitution...

"God's foolishness is wiser than mans wisdom..." 1 Corinthians 1:25
Man, aint that the truth! Recently I was thinking about the many ways I have seen this to be true in my life. I'm convinced that one of God's hobbies is to confound the wisdom of man and showcase the emptiness of it, while simultaneously displaying the brilliance of his own 'foolishness'.

Man says that if you want to be married, go to the church or the bar.
God says "Don't worry, just follow me. I'll take care of it."

I met my wife following God to Siberia.

Man says that if you want to make a living, get skills, be marketable, find a niche.
God says, "Follow me and I will provide for you abundantly."

Man says that he who dies with the most toys, wins!
God says to lose your life in this world and then you will gain it back in eternity.

As believers, we all have the privelage of impacting people for Christ. And we get to do that every day God gives us on this earth!!

Please add a few of your own if you want. I'm discovering that mans way is actually pretty dull. The real adventure is to live foolishly, following Him without any reservation whatsoever.

IWAN's song

For those of you who are familiar with Iwan Surna, the POWERHOUSE of Indonesia. (OK, Cheryl, since you're the only one who reads my blog, this is for you...) Recently a group doing Tsunami releif visited and wrote this song about IWAN...oh, it goes to the song Louie, Louie..

Iwan, Iwan
Oh Baby I said
We need Iwan

Every day at four he translates some more
Indonesian into the English
Sometimes it’s confused, sit sighting keeps me amused
It’s Iwan, Iwan
Oh baby
We need Iwan

He tells us what they say, takes six showers a day
It’s Iwan, Iwan
He likes Durien & Dog, he sleeps like a log
Untill his wife calls, I hear through the walls
It’s Iwan, Iwan
Oh baby I said
We need Iwan

Move To Portland

Ok, I haven't posted in quite some time so here goes. We'll we did it. We moved to Portland. 9 months ago we thought the idea of moving to Portland was CRAZY! We had other ideas about how our life would look. BUT, we felt the SPIRIT urge us. Ever had that happen? Has the SPIRT ever urged you to do something that didn't make human sense? Portland made NO sense to us! It was risky. It defied what we felt would be "good" for our family. Yet this is how GOD works. He loves to defy human imaginations. "The intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate". He does this to show us that we must trust only HIM in this life. "Trust not in your own understanding, In all your ways acknowledge Him and he will make your path straight". And we are discovering that this is exactly what he did in this move to Portland. There are blessings here literally around every corner. In fact, the Pastor of Southwest Bible Church is my neighbor. Literally, I chat with him almost every day. He is an incredible man of God who has an IMMENSE passion for God's Word! Also, I am meeting Russians, Iranians, Greeks, and people from all over. God is faithful. He called us to do something we initially thought was impractical...stupid...nonsensical. And now we see afresh that He indeed is worthy of following. God knows best where to take us in this life. I shudder to imagine where my life would end up if I were calling the shots. YIKES!!

Africa At Its Best

This is definitely the coolest You Tube video I have ever seen to date. You absolutely must watch this in its entirety. WOW!!!

Awkward Good Samaritan

Ever find yourself in a situation where YOU have a chance to be the good samaritan, but you don't know what to do? The other day I was in such a situation. I was at a popular theme park in the area cruising with my son (pushing him in his stroller) toward the exit. The crowds were too much that day and I couldn't stand it anymore. I had to leave, and NOW! In fact, I was in such a hurry that Kristen didn't see any of which I am about to explain, she was too far behind me. I was on Disney's Main Street when, ahead of me, almost in slow motion, I noticed a VERY rotund man on a mechanized wheelchair up on the sidewalk make a costly miscalculation. He got too close to the curb. His left front wheel went over and then it was all over. Horror filled his eyes as he felt the wheelchair tip in the direction of Main Street. A girl nearby screamed. The man's wheelchair turned on its side and ejected the man into the street. I was one of the first people on the scene. But, when I arrived, I immediately grabbed the wheelchair and began to lift. The man was too big for me to handle by myself. He also had the wheelchair pinned down so my feeble attempt to wrestle the wheelchair free was totally ineffective. Finally, a crowd had gathered and a group of people lifted the man and his wheelchair back to sitting position. A lady behind me was coaching me and the rest of the group through the process. I hadn't a clue as to how to handle the situation tactically, all I had was a will to help. After the whole scene was over I felt good about being able to help, but a little perturbed that I was so awkward in that moment. But, like I said, the will to help is what counts I guess, but I would like to be more "effective" the next time...and perhaps a little stronger.

Brave German Kid

Ok, I heard about this, but here is the whole story. What guts!

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/05/25/003.html

Moscow 1941

I'm reading a book right now written by Rodric Braithwaite, English Ambassador to Russia from 1988-1992 about the Battle for Moscow during WW2. Absolutely a fascinating read about the advance of Hitlers "Wehrmacht" (War Machine) into Russia. What's fascinating is the sheer numbers of men that were involved. Russia was unprepared for the invasion mostly due to Stalins deluded belief that Hitler was bluffing...big mistake! But Russia still had 4 million men available to throw at the Wehrmacht. 4 million men! Wow! But get this... within the first 2 weeks, Germany had taken 2 million prisoners of war! I just can't imagine those kinds of numbers! I wonder what this would have looked like if you could get a satelite picture of the area in 1941. I'm sure it would have been clearly visible from space, just like Napolean's army of 2 million would also have been visible. It would have appeared as huge dark mass moving across the terrain like a storm cloud or something. Another interesting fact: the Germans had taken so many prisoners that it severely impeded their ability to fight. They had absolutely no plan to feed their prisoners which meant huge numbers simply died of starvation and disease. Nevertheless, Hitler repeats Napoleans mistake and underestimates the will of the Russians and the geography of Russia. If you were to compare the Russian Army with the German Army, clearly the Germans were superior. But, in this book one gets the impression that the "Rodina" or Mother Russia herself is the factor that both Hitler and Napolean underestimated and eventually led to the demise of their vast armies.

The gospel according to Anna Nicole

What the spank is wrong with America that we are so engrossed in the tragic life of Anna Nicole? What did this woman give to our culture? Did she write a book I should know about? Did she create a famous work of art? No. So what is it then? We'll I have a theory on this and I would love to hear yours. But its my blog, so I'll tell ya my thoughts on the matter. America is fascinated with Anna Nicole because America finds a sort of sadistic comfort in the whole affair. Sadistic because America is fascinated with death right now. (Note the pleothera of crime scene investigation shows that open with some "joe" dead on the floor. ) But Anna Nicoles pursuit of significance and love is the real locus of the fixation. Here is a woman who was filthy rich. Her net worth was somewhere around 400 million, yet she still couldn't get away from the pain in her life. She turned to drugs, materialism, escapism, and other isms's to find comfort for her wounded soul. Anna Nicole is a metaphor of the psyche of many in America today: we are desperately seeking to be loved and accepted yet frustrated when we discover that money, wealth and power aren't enough. One more time I'm reminded of the words of Jesus who said, "Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest for your souls." Until we do just that, I'm afraid we'll keep repeating the tragedy of Anna Nicole millions of times over in America. What do you think?

Bus

Fur hats, long coats on a raggled old bus.
The smell of exhaust, and the sights of rust
Zooming past wood houses decrepit and aged.
Not a word is spoken, not hardly a gaze.

Over the bridge into the city, the churches can be seen.
What a marvelous sight, from this stoic scene.
By the school, and now past Kirov Square.
Grimaces seem audible by the nip in the air.

Pushing and shoving his way over to me.
“Here, show your ticket,” the conductor pleads.
Two rubles the fair, a bargain indeed.
Unless you have a pension and the economy recedes.

In my mind I turn to matters at hand.
My visa, the ministry, and the struggles of this land.
Days have at times just dragged so long.
Yet inside there’s peace, His strength my song.

When moments are compared how wild it seems.
One day on a train, alone, and reamed.
On other as I stroll my heart on the heights
Thankful to God, in his will heart delights.

On to the circus now, the ol’ beast wobbles on.
A turn and a jerk, and a blast on the horn.
From our path they escape to the safe of the walks.
No mercy, no fear the drivers eyes-locked.

What a ride I sigh as I step off to leave.
Brushing by faces all down and bereaved.
That old great beast now barrels away.
I, into the city, to the plans of the day.
-MEK

Distance

From Iberia to Siberia His love will reach.
From the shores of Baikal to Spains farthest beach.
In the heart of Mexico, in the jungles therein,
Even there His Spirit rustles within.
30,000 feet above Greenland his glory is known.
Her astral peaks in dawns pink glow.
In the streets of Tallinn, among the spires of Prague
His love is there, it carries me along.
In the Paria near a fire, in a dry and rocky place.
Even there his whispers speak glimpses of his face.
On the edge of the Grand Canyon his beauty is displayed.
In the Rockies of Montana the creation he has made.
From the back of that pickup, the eyes of a young boy did gaze,
On all of that celestial magnificence, and questions were raised.
What is He like? Does He know who I am?
Would He hear me if I call? Would He understand?
Through the taiga, on that train to the east I did sense
Once again His hand guiding us hence;
To bear forth his Word like so many times before
That they might believe, His Spirit we did implore.
And again, once more I experienced this anew,
that this God of ours is faithful and true.
-MEK

Re-entry

A tired wearied soul, timid and meek.
Sittin in his box in his 5-day work week
One moment fighting fires on the border of hell
The next he’s pushing paper-waitin for the lunch bell
These two realities just don’t relate.
He’s a commando at heart, a warrior by trade,
forced behind the beat of the commuting parade.
Confusion of the heart, a wandering of the soul,
Trying to find his way in this world gone cold.
Nobody gets him, he feels all alone,
All he wants right now is to find his way home.
But in this mess a lesson to be gained
Significance is in the cross and not in the game.
The war wages on-the rules remain the same
The only difference is the scenery has changed.