Friday, July 27, 2007
This Week's Prayer Requests . . .
2. I will be spending time with my newest D-Team (Leadership Discipleship group) at the Leadership Summit - August 9-11. Pray for a deep connection for this team of 6 other men
3. Pray for a sorting through of potential resources, experiences, and dialogues I could yet engage (or not) in these final days of the sabbatical journey
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Back in the States
Evee content in her Papa's arms
She's so happy now!
Friday, July 20, 2007
This Week's Prayer Requests . . .
1. Final days in Croatia with Kent & Cheri Pickslay
2. Times of debriefing Block Two
3. Travel on July 24-25
4. Time in Indy with Evee, Jamie, Clint and Julie
5. Preparation for Block Three
Thursday, July 19, 2007
More Thoughts From the Middle . . .
- Gratefulness – I still can’t believe that my church loves me enough to grant me this time away and that we have an amazing team to make it all work!
- Grace – I’m overwhelmed at how giving God is . . . How forgiving . . .How loving . . . How caring . . . How amazing!
- He is my Shepherd. He chooses this. He cares for my needs. He makes me lie down. He leads me. He restores me. He guides me into paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake.
- I have more clarity of call and calling.
- I love to grow – this has been a wonderful time to think and process and write and journey deeper with God and His mission assignments for my life.
- I’m so grateful for people – the church – who seek to be used by God to make a difference in hundreds of little and big ways.
- I’m so thankful for a group of men and women who team to lead this adventure we call SLW – people who partner with each other, with me, and most importantly with God.
- I love being married to Gwen who loves me in spite of my obvious warts (working through a couple of long-standing warts of mine while here in Croatia).
- My passions are growing and renewing for God and His passionate love for this world.
- I’m thankful for His faithfulness – and hundreds of other small thoughts . . .
Hey – check out Gwen’s Blog to catch her personal reflections on my first Middle Thoughts Entry at http://www.gwenjackson.blogspot.com/ or touch on the link under my face to the right.
Here are a few new pictures
Dennis took a night off cooking
Gwen standing on the Terrace outside of our studio apartment
Our Friend, Ivan, at the ice cream shop!
So far, our favorite swimming spot
Born to be WILD!
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Middle Thoughts . . .
Typical days contain the same basic elements:
- I journal daily
- I average 6-8 hours of sleep (2-3 more than my usual pattern)
- I walk 2-4 miles
- I read books (1-2 per week)
- I pray - mostly for family, the team, the church (Day 1 and especially Youth camp and VBS over the past couple of weeks) and individuals as God brings them to mind (those who have suffered losses - Helen, Kass, Dale's family)
- I eat yogurt with peaches every a.m.
- I cook a meal usually every day (we usually catch one out every other day)
- We eat ice cream at the same place every night with Ivan who welcomes us with laughter (I usually get a dip of blueberry, strawberry, and lemon)!
- I listen to worship songs that you all are singing back home . . . this has been more filling to my soul than I could have imagined (thanks Pastor Jon for My Savior Loves, My Savior lives, My Savior's always there for me. My God He was, My God He is, My God is always going to be).
- Gwen & I share deeply . . . about what we are reading, about family and friends, about deeper works we both sense God is doing in our hearts. We celebrate intimacy. We talk through growth points in our marriage. We laugh and usually watch portions of a movie (Lord of the Rings, Sleepless in Seattle, Count of Monte Christo).
- We pray and take communion together.
- I reflect on Psalm 23 and seek Him . . .
Friday, July 13, 2007
Island Life
Bethany Karish lined up a vacation apartment with her friend Natalaje. It is up on a hill overlooking the community.
Here are some pictures . . .
In a back courtyard in Stari Grad - Beautiful!

Overlooking the Town of Stari Grad from a cross on the hillside

The city and harbor of Hvar from an old fort - I loved this place!
The two of us are having some great times - I rented a scooter yesterday and we drove around more parts of the island including a tunnel nearly a mile long without any lights! Amazing views and wonderful times in the sun.
We have had some great couple discussions and I am taking time to reflect and journal about areas of life change needed. God has been meeting with us in all of this.
Thanks again for your partnership in prayer! We have one more week then a few days in Split, Croatia before heading back to see Evee!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Great People, Great Partnerships
One of the cool "side benefits" has been the connection with individuals who have been impacted by our partnerships . . . to hear their stories and to sense how much they are being used to impact others . . . Reproduction taking place.
Makes our hearts fuller as we experience this time with our friends and partners!
Friday, July 6, 2007
Our Time In Bosnia

- It has been so good to see our "other daughter" Regina (see picture above). Regina was in our daughter's Jamie and Joni's weddings and was an intern at Spring Lake and lived with us. She really is amazing and has been a wonderful host to our time here.
- We have loved expanding our friendship and partnership with Frank & Sue. They are coming to Spring Lake for the next several months (pray for housing). We so enjoyed connecting and can't wait to deepen that in the months ahead.
- Trent & Nikki are new connects for us as they serve World Hope here in Bosnia. We have had some wonderful times laughing and sharing and gaining greater insights into the excellent work they are doing here. It's been so great!
- We met other new friends - Adam & Kristen & Matt & Anna and 5 very special children we have connected with deeply.
- We heard of the difference that Daine & Becky Shannahan made while they were here (we just missed them by a couple of days) working on a transforming a school classroom - bringing hope to this community. Thanks Daine & Becky for being such an encouragement to the team here!
Saturday we leave the time with friends to share more significantly as a couple during our stay on Hvar - an island off Croatia. The prayer requests below will be significant for us in the next 2 weeks.
We love and miss all of you who read this and are so grateful for your prayers.
This Week's Prayer Requests . . .
1. Growth as a couple
2. Direction for Gwen as she dreams, listens, and looks ahead for God's assignments as she has now completed the season of completing her degree
3. Times of study, meditation, prayer, and listening
Monday, July 2, 2007
This Week's Prayer Requests . . .
1. Connection with Trent & Nikki Nettleton, Frank & Sue Majors, Regina Freeman and the team in Bosnia - this is a very busy time for them and we want to be sensitive to their needs
2. Couple connection time
3. Enhancement of our mission partnerships and research into potential team trips to this region
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Europe with the Kilbry's
Cottage in the mountains in the small mining village of Spania Dolinka (15 minutes outside of Banska Bystrica where Steve & Jo lined us up to stay!)

Looking down the pathway from the waterfall outside of our cottage (on right of picture) into the village
The Roman Catholic Church in Spania Dolinka
Slovakia, a former Eastern Eurpose communistic country, is a largely Roman Catholic - with approximately 80% adherents but much fewer members with a living engaging faith. Steve & Jo have the privilege of working with large groups of inter-confessional Christians - baptists to pentecostals to Catholics to Brethren to Lutheran and everything in between - making a difference to see many Slovaks become followers of Christ.
We had a blast hanging out with the family talking, sharing, visiting castles, eating amazing ice cream (even Gwen was addicted to their ice cream - and she hardly eats the stuff normally)! It was great to enhance our friendship and our partnership with this family and their minstry.
Off to Bosnia
We are now on our way Monday to Bosnia to join our team there. We are overnighting in Budapest, Hungary which has to be one of the loveliest river fronts in the world - highly romantic - so this blog will have to be complete!