A Rude Awakening

This morning I rose just in time for the morning prayer with my house-mates. I live in the attic. On the floor in my room is a door that openes to a set of stairs that takes you to the rest of the flat. Like every other morning I opened the door and set my foot down on the first step to head to the prayer meeting. It's all kind of a blur from there. All I remember is falling backwards and watching my bible fly through the air. I twisted and bumped and banged backwards down the stairs until my head hit the hard wood floor at the bottom, with my legs twisted up inbetween the stairs. I laid there for quite a while because I just wasn't sure if I could move or if I should move. After whipmering on the floor for a bit my roommate helped me get onto the couch and put ice on my poor leggins. I am bruised in every possible place...even my toes. And I have never seen such black ones before... wierd!

I was sitting on the couch trying to figure out what happened and noticed my bible lying open on the floor. Sanne, my sweet roomie, picked it up and on the page it was opened to I had previously underlined the scripture where God tells Moses, "My arm is not too short to save." Hmm... Could it have been just a bit longer to save me from that fall? ;) If he wanted to tell me something, did he have to get my attention that way? On the opposite page I had underlined Gods instructions to the Isrealites about sending the trumpeters first into battle.

Since arriving in Dresden I have been diligently asking God for direction in starting prayer and worship gatherings and helping to work towards 24/7 prayer. Last week God really started speaking to me about this. Or rather, I probably just started listening. This weekend I wrote it in stone that Monday and Tuesdays nights were going to be the Lord's and that I would invite people to come and pray and worship in our prayer room... no other agenda but to spend time with Jesus. And that I would show up and stay even if it's only Jesus and me. The past few days since have been so crazy. Satan definately has his radar out and caught sight of this idea to gather people together to spend time with Jesus and he was going to just put a stop to it. But Jesus is so much bigger than that. I have been battling many things as I prepare these times of worship, and the Word that opened up to me as a result of the rude awakening down the stairs this morning spoke directly to me. His arm is not too short to save us from the plans of the enemy who comes to steal our efforts to bring glory to Jesus. And the way we fight is with worship. That's battle. Through worship we cut into the enemies plans, break strongholds and tear down defenses.

It kind of stinks that I had to fall down a flight of stairs backwards to be reminded of this timely truth but hey, I guess it worked didn't it! :)

ps... I had the first Monday night prayer last night. It was Jesus and me. It was GREAT! Tonight there were three of us! Praise God. He is so good.

pss.... As William Booth of the Salvation Army wrote:

While women weep as they do now, I'll fight; while little children go hungry as they do now, I'll fight; while men go to prison, in and out, in and out, I'll fight; while there is a poor little lost girl upon the street, I'll fight; while there yet remains one dark soul without the light of God, I'll fight - I'll fight to the very end!

Who knew that applying for a residence permit would take so long, be so diffult and confusing but have such exciting benefits! Upon receiving my permit I also received an offical "welcome to Dresden" letter and an offical "welcome to Dresden gift bag!!" Sweet!

At last!

Come to find out.. I am not a very faithful blogger....yet!

I'm writing this sitting here in my little attic room, listening to the sounds coming from the street below... the ongoing drum beat from the pub beneath, shouts and screams from the punks hanging out, the occasional firework.. ya know..pretty normal ;)

I'm staying warm inside the sleeping bag that I keep hidden under my covers. It has become permenant bed clothes for the winter. My tummy is full from the Thanksgiving meal I enjoyed tonight with some American friends. How nice to have a touch of home. Instead of turkey we had goose. Wouldn't recomend it! ;) Sweet potatoes, green bean caserol! Pumkin pie! Thank you, Lord!!

I'm all settled into my new home sweet home at Alaunstrasse 30 or also know as: A30. I live with two amazing people who love to speak English... wonderful for getting to know eachother...terrbile for my German! But I'd rather get to know eachother! Beneath us lives the family who owns the building. They are full of sweetness and have been so kind to me. Their daughter and I have become fast friends. She teaches me German and I teach her helpful words like Yummy and Okie Dokie! She's 3. :) Below them is the prayer room. Below the prayer room is a pub, The Purple Haze. Now how's that for a name! Two other sweet ladies live in the garden house as well. We all meet three mornings each week to pray together and we have 'community night' on Wednesday nights. It's such a blessing to be here. I couldn't be in a better place. Thank you Jesus.

welcome to dresden!

I'm finally on German soil! I believe I counted around 22 hours of travel time today. My sweet family dropped me off at SEATAC on Monday evening. It was so hard to say good-bye :( I LOVE YOU FAMILY!!!!! The trip started out with a bang when I got pulled over during the security check. I got the wand and my guitar got the royal treatment…something like it kept making these special sensors go off that detect bomb making materials. Hmmm…the last time I checked, I wasn't carrying any explosives :)

From Seattle to Copenhagen. From Copenhagen to Frankfurt. From Frankfurt to Dresden by train. All with appx. 160lbs of luggage and only two arms. Piece-O-Cake! Let me say THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! To the people who helped me carry things that I know will never ever read this blog!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You were lifesavers! My wonderful friends, Dierk and Stephan, were waiting at the Dresden Main train station to pick me up and it just so happened that I was waiting at a train station too….the wrong one! Unaware that there were two train stations in Dresden, I got off at the wrong one. Who knew! But they finally found me and got me all packed in and brought me safe and sound to the Mueller home (Dierk's parents) where I'll be staying for a couple of days until I can move into my new room.

Thank you for your prayers! I definitely felt protected and safe the whole time :) I'm so thrilled to be here and to started life here. The agenda for the week is to meet my new flatmates, meet with the ministry leaders I'll be working with, figure out a ministry schedule, find a bed and move in! I LOVE YOU!!!! HUG HUG HUG

*holly