Building For the Master

The Big Easy

2008-05-19T13:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I've been accused of dropping off the end of the earth, so I figured it was time to post an update.

Actually, I was home for only 8 nights during April, and my access to a computer was limited, but in any case, I am alive and well, for the most part!

A highlight for me was serving in New Orleans for a week with a group of 7 incredibly passionate people who poured out themselves for the sake of the Gospel and the good of others!

We were able to encourage our brothers and sisters at the Living Witness Church of God and the Nehemiah Restoration Program with our words, our work, and our very lives. We can't wait to go back and continue building the Kingdom of God together!!

By way of announcements ... we will be switching our blog site over in the next few weeks, so start checking both this blog and our new one - http://www.nextinternational.blogspot.com/

Comin' Home

2008-02-16T13:03:00.000-08:00

Mark and Cathy Jensen and I arrived home to Wisconsin late last night. Our "transit" was uneventful (other than some "confiscated goods" in the Amsterdam Airport ... ask me to tell the story!!). Joyce met us at the airport and transported us to Menomonie.

Honestly, we are all a little "road weary" ... but certainly not feeling like the guy in front of the National Theater in Budapest. We're holding our heads much higher!

Again, this was an incredible trip and we were able to accomplish a lot ... and much of what we did was directly related to all of your thoughts, prayers and encouragements. Without those, we truly feel like our efforts would have been significantly diminished. Thank you so much!!

So, we're on to "decompress" and make plans for whatever comes "next." Stay tuned to the blog, and check the web album link for more pictures and video.

Givin' It Up!

2008-02-13T07:23:00.000-08:00

The last couple days have been filled with work on the Mozi Ministry Center by day and visits with great friends by evening. Rise and shine is around 6 to 6:30 AM, breakfast and morning devos are finished around 8:oo and work starts. We've done a variety of jobs, with the primary focus on the reconstruction of the kitchen.

Today (Wednesday) the team "tithed" their efforts to another missionary family who is renovating an apartment in the center of the city. John and Jofi Wilson are working to plant a church, and have purchased an apartment. Along with the help of some friends, they've done a significant amount of demolition. Our job was to haul over 100 - 50 # bags of debris down 7 flight of stairs. We figured that each person made 10 trips up and down, nearly filling a dumpster with debris.

So, whether we are laying tile, carrying debris or praying on the sidewalk, it is truly our joy to love God together, and serve Him by serving our brothers and sisters as they carry out ministry in this great city.

Thanks so much for your thoughts, prayers and encouragements during our time here. We sense the light of Christ shining through us.

Worship with the Nations!

2008-02-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

Today (Sunday) started out with the team praying over this area of Budapest (Kelenfold) from the roof of the Olimpia Mozi Ministry Center. Standing there, you can rotate 360 degrees and see row upon row of communist style apartment buildings, housing over 100,000 people ... and all within a couple kilometers from where we stood. Keeping this in mind, along with the new metro line ending just below the entrance to the Mozi prompted us to pray for laborers for the harvest field and for the gospel to penetrate the lives of the people who live here.

Then it was our privilege to worship together with the KeGy church at the ministry center. We sang songs in Hungarian (well, we tried) and English, and heard a message from pastor Mate'. We listened to a simultaneous translation on wireless fm receivers (hearing for the "old guys!")

The next "stop" was the train station to buy tickets for public transportation around Budapest.

We rode to the base of the castle hill and then climbed up for a beautiful view of the Danube and the Pest side of the city.

Of course, a "touring trip" would not be complete without trying on a couple of Russian army hats.

It was a great "low key" day ... praying, worshiping, and enjoying one-another's company. Tomorrow we'll be hitting it hard ... and probably into the night, as we begin to put the kitchenette together.

More than Two Times the Fun!!

2008-02-09T12:14:00.000-08:00

Well, the Rhinos certainly hit the ground running! We worked last night until almost midnight, and completed the demolition work necessary to begin reconstructing.

Because of some needed "preliminary rough-in," we split into two groups to do ministry at different locations.

Mark and Dave were the plumber and concrete worker at the MOZI Ministry Center.

Chris, Joe, Aaron, Lon and Rob went to the home of a family from the church who is in the process of redoing their house in order to make it more usable for ministry. They worked on insulation, framing and sheetrock. Rob really appreciated the ministry of food, today. It started with fresh hot pogace from bakery just down from the ministry center, and continued with warm apricot cobbler from Zuza's oven. It ended with authentic Italian pizza and "buffalo cheese."

The work that the team did on the family's house was a great encouragement. It would have taken month's for this family to do this amount of work.

Tomorrow we will be worshiping with our Hungarian brothers and sisters and doing some sightseeing in the afternoon. We will be praying for many of you as well, as you attend worship services tomorrow. May God be especially close to each of you!!

How Far Have You Come?

2008-02-08T06:50:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Budapest, Hungary. Mark Jensen and I arrived here this morning (Friday) on the EARLY!! train from Kosice, Slovakia. I am writing this from "the executive suite" in the Olimpia Mozi ... the former communist movie theater which is now better known as the ministry center for a number of ministries in Budapest. This will be our final "home-away-from-home" before we return to the US next Friday.

The Rhino Team from Northern Wisconsin arrived a couple hours after we did, and seemed in pretty good shape. During the team orientation meeting, we did notice a couple of nodding heads, but it wasn't long before these guys (and gal!!) were going at it full strength!
Mark and I almost feel like we need to apologize for repeating ourselves, but once again, the last couple days have been totally incredible. We've met some people in places we hadn't planned to go, and have seen God's hand using us to encourage people all along the way.

We've prayed with leaders of organizations who were feeling alone. We've played with and read stories to missionary kids who needed a couple more "uncles" to love them. We've shared a word of encouragement with congregations who often feel like they are the only one's in the world struggling against opposition and oppression, and we've seen young leaders taking a key role in outreach and service. There is much more to say, but for tonight, this will have to suffice. Mark and I are extremely grateful for all the prayers and words of encouragement from so many. Keep on prayin'!! I'm sure that this week will be full of God sightings and lives being touched by His power, love and grace. Stay tuned!

Dave, Mark, Cathy and 2008 Hungary Rhino Team!!

Schemes and Dreams

2008-02-05T10:45:00.000-08:00

It's Tuesday evening and we're winding up our time at the Ellenwood's in Czech Republic. Our time here has been great, and we certainly have lots to think about. Our efforts for the last 2 days and for the next 24 hours will be spent dreaming and scheming for "next steps" for teams to come to Central Europe and help with a number of potential service projects in partnership with Josiah Venture.

Yesterday (Monday), Mark and I went with Mel across the boarder to Poland to visit a camp which Josiah Ventures recently purchased. The camp was previously owned by 50 different coal mine companies, and had been left for sometime with a very "short-term" owner's attitude.

Since being purchased by Josiah Venture - Poland, the camp has been redesigned to be attractive to students of a twenty-first century generation. A Polish construction company has been hired to do phase 1, and they've started some initial renovation. A number of American teams came last summer to help on demolition and site work.

Hearing and feeling the vision and passion of the leadership of Josiah Venture as to how strategic this camp is and how it will be used to touch the lives of Polish young people was incredibly inspiring and we're hoping to someday be able to help by sending groups there to serve. It may be a ways off, but this project certainly has plenty to do for a while!! And even though the camp facility will be "under construction," they will begin to use the camp as soon as this coming summer. Please pray with us for this project called H2O (like the water).

Today, Mark and I had the great privilege of taking the short bus and going "back to school" with Amy Ellenwood.

Amy teaches a class of "seniors" who are preparing for their "maturita" ... or graduation test. They do things a little different in Europe, as the students need to pass a final oral test on at least 4 different subjects.

This is a tough test and the kids begin studying now for the test in May! Our time with the kids was to help them in their English pronunciation. It was really fun as they asked us questions to determine what our jobs were, what our wives did, what our favorite cars were. I think that our time with them was profitable, as well as being an influence for the sake of the kingdom!

Tomorrow we are going on to Presov, Slovakia. We thought we were going to take the train, but its worked out that we can ride with one of the Josiah Venture workers who is going to Presov by car, so we'll ride with him! While in Presov, we will connect with Pastor Daniel Jurco, who is a friend of mine (Dave's) from when we lived in Czech. Daniel has asked me to "bring a word" to his church tomorrow evening, so pray that I can be inspiring and relevant to this congregation in Eastern Slovakia.

I'm not sure when I'll be able to blog next, but, as far as schedule goes, we'll be in Hermanovce, Slovakia on Thursday, and Thursday night, then on to Budapest by train early Friday morning to meet the team coming from Wisconsin! So, we very much appreciate your prayers, and your encouragement. We'll update as soon as we can!

Over and Above!

2008-02-03T12:34:00.000-08:00

Our last 2 days are really indescribable. On Saturday, Mark Jensen was able to see Hradčany (Prague Castle) for the first time. Walking through the 700 + year-old castle hill and into St. Vitus Cathedral was a time of reminiscing and reflecting for me, and a time of awe and wonder for Mark.
We've posted a bunch of pictures in a web album. Simply click the link near the bottom of the right-side panel. -------------------------------->>>

I was struck by God's amazing grace in my life and the life of my family from 1993 - 1996 when we lived and worked in Czech Republic. I remember Zach and Abi at ages 11 and 9 giving tours of Prague to construction teams who had come to work on our projects in Central Europe. I remembered the times of prayer with missionary colleagues for the people of Czech Republic, and I remembered the ways that God kept our family and used us to enhance and advance his kingdom. For these memories, and for God's work in our lives that is over and above our greatest expectations, I give Him all the praise!

On the way out of the castle grounds, we ran into some old "friends!" As we gave tours through Prague in the 90's, we would often see this small "orchestra" playing just outside a gate. Well, much to my surprise ... and joy! ... they are still playing there today! If you want to hear a little clip of their music, simply click on this link!

In the afternoon, we rode the train to Cesky Tesin and were met by the Ellenwoods. They welcomed us into their home with wonderful hospitality and after some great conversation, we were finally all tired enough to settle in to some very nice accommodations in their guest apartment. What a great day ... but more was in store!

Today, (Sunday) Mel took us to the Josiah Venture retreat center/hotel Malenovice. This former communist hotel is nestled in the Beskydy Mountains in Eastern Czech. It was refurbished primarily to accommodate campers who come evangelistic English camps run by Josiah Venture. The little yellow dot in the beautiful mountain photo is the hotel/ retreat center. (click on the picture to see their website).

There we met Peter, the hotel manager, and he shared with us the plans for building some cabins and other "out-buildings" that would be used to expand the ministry of this facility. At this time, hundreds of students are coming here to learn English, and at the same time, they are exposed to the amazing love of God in Jesus! "JV" has a reputation in Czech of offering one of the highest quality English camps in the entire country! What a joy it would be for people to be raised up and come alongside this already thriving ministry and see their efforts produce even more fruit for God's glory! We are praying that this would become a reality for a number of groups, starting this summer! We left Malenovice very inspired and pumped for the possibilities!

OK, so if that wasn't enough, we drove to the other side of the valley, and up another mountain-side to a retreat house that Josiah Ventures wants to renovate. This place of respite, relaxation and refreshment would provide JV staff a place where they could come and step out of the mainstream of ministry and get the much needed "in-filling" that is so necessary for people in full time ministry. You can click this link to get more information on the Ellenwood's website.

Beskydy Retreat House

Mel shared his vision as to how this place would be used to touch hundreds of lives, through those who would come here and be refreshed. Again, short-term construction teams could play a big part in this renovation! Mark and I were overwhelmed by the potential impact on ministry that this place could have! So, what can we say??? ... Well, what comes to mind is that God is continually at work all around us in some ways that are above and beyond our imagination, and that He wants us to join Him in what he's doing! Would you consider joining Mel and Dave and Mark and others? The opportunities are here!!

Stroll Around the Grounds Until You Feel At Home!

2008-02-01T12:55:00.001-08:00

A most amazing day is coming to an end in Central Europe!

After a wonderful night's sleep we had a delicious breakfast (chleb, or Czech brown bread topped with slices of cheese, salami, cucumber and tomato was certainly my favorite!). Marek Susta arrived and took us to visit his workplace, the Prague Psychiatric Center where he does research. This center is a part of Charles University, where I studied the Czech language in 1993. We had a very engaging conversation with Marek and his colleague Petr on the inter-relatedness of psychology and theology. They gave us a "mini-tour" of the grounds, prefaced by the warning from Marek S ... "I'm gonna show you around a little, stay close if you want to get out!" I as able to snap a picture of the 2 Mareks and Peter "strolling around the grounds" ... hence the title of the blog ... and they did let us out!! We then joined a former colleague of mine, Ritch Trca, for coffee and more conversation about what God is doing in and through our lives. I think it was a very encouraging morning for all of us ... but, there was more to come!

During our time with Ritch, Marek Susta received a phone call from one of my dearest Czech pastor friends, Jiří (George) Hofman. Jiří was the pastor of the Liberec church in Northern Czech Republic; which hosted many construction teams from 1993-1996. This picture of the "tower ceiling" and the cross are projects which God allowed me to work on. Actually, my Dad, Al, and I built the cross! Ask me to tell you the story of installing the ceiling in the tower!

Pastor Hofman and I became very close, and since I had seen him last, his wife had died of cancer. It was a joy to reconnect, and he invited us to come to his apartment just a short ways from Prague and join him for a bowl of soup and more conversation. My Czech was beginning to show signs of hope after a very long lay-off!

Reminiscing and praying with Pastor Hofman was, once again, very encouraging for all of us, but especially for Jiří and I. Bless Markie J's heart for putting up with hours of Czech conversation. If you ask him, he'll probably say that his brain is ready to explode!!

I believe that those of you who are praying that we would be a "Barnabas Team" are having your prayers answered as we move through these days. It seems like the opportunities to encourage are popping up everywhere and we're able to engage in some very worthwhile conversations! Tomorrow we will spend a little more time with Marek, and then take the train to Český Těšín, where we will meet up with Mel Ellenwood and his family. Keep watching for updates, and you can click on the link on the right for more pictures!!

Thanks and blessings,

Dave & Mark

Familiar Faces and Places

2008-01-31T10:53:00.000-08:00

Greetings Blog-Land friends!

Mark Jensen and I arrived safely in Europe on Thursday morning!

Wednesday was a great day of getting hauled around, prayed for and traveling through the night (albeit, very short!!). The Cedarbrook Church staff sent Mark and I off with wonderful prayers of blessings for God's protection and leading for us, and for our families! It means a lot to us to have so many people holding us up in prayer. After the prayer send-off, my good friend and New Orleans Outreach Team Leader, Steve Jensen, took us to the airport in Minneapolis. We arrived in Amsterdam at 6:00 (Europe time) ... having very little sleep, but excited to be on this side of the pond!

With lots of time to spare, we took the train to the center of Amsterdam to hook-up with some folks that I met last year at the YWAM base. Click on the link and see how this committed group of people is having a huge impact on this notorious city. Unfortunately, the people I had hoped to see weren't around, but instead, Mark and I met a new brother in Christ, Franz, who we were able to encourage in prayer for his ministry to Muslims. This is one of the purposes of our trip, simply to be an encouragement to the body of Christ wherever we go!!

From there, it was on to Prague where Markie J was introduced to my closest Czech brother, Marek Susta. Friendships were forged even stronger as we relished the flavor of some home made venison jerky as we drove from the airport!! We checked into our hotel and then, Mark J got Marek S's 45 minute whirlwind tour of all the important tourist places in Prague. The quote of the day came from Marek "Well, that's about it for the tour. Anything else will cost you!" (sorry for the blurry picture, the camera phone had fingerprints on! We'll have some crisper one's tomorrow!

We are now settling in to our hotel in Prague, resting after an amazing day and seeing God's hand in a variety of ways.

Please pray for these items as you finish your day!

- Pray that we rest well tonight.
- Pray that Mark J's foot doesn't hinder him getting around (he has a torn ligament)
- Pray that we will continue to encourage those we meet!

Stay tuned for more adventures!! ... and keep in touch, we love hearing back from you on the blog!

Dave Johnson & Mark Jensen

Familiar Journeys

2008-01-28T06:32:00.000-08:00

Hello to all my faithful (I think there are at least 3 or 4 of you!) readers of my blog! Please try to restrain yourself, but a few "whoopees!!" and high-fives might be in order as I return to the blogosphere!

On Wednesday, January 30, my close friend Mark Jensen and I will embark on a 17-day "project development and encouragement" trip to Central Europe. We will land in Prague, Czech Republic on Thursday, spend a couple days there with a very dear Czech "comrade," and then "train on" to Eastern Czech. There we will spend 5 days with Mel Ellenwood of Josiah Venture, looking at some projects, and dialogging with him about what kinds of things he could use help with.

On Wednesday, February 6, we're on the train again (click the link to hear Willie sing! ... I'm gonna re-write the lyrics and publish them in tomorrow's blog!) to Eastern Slovakia to visit some very special people we've known for over 8 years ... and encourage them in their work!

On Friday, February 8, we'll jump one more train and make our way from Slovakia to Budapest, Hungary. There we will rendezvous with a work team from Northern Wisconsin, which will included Mark's wife Cathy! While in Budapest, we will work on a variety of projects on the Olimpia Mozi, the ministry center where we've worked in the past and where Mark and Cathy lived for 3 months in 2004!

Our main goal for this trip is to "look and listen" for service opportunities for people to become involved in as we dialog with a number of leaders in Central Europe! If God would open up a door for our organization (NEXT International) to partner with some of these groups to help advance their vision and mission, we'd be delighted!

So, keep posted, we'll be sure to update as often as we can!

Bridges

2007-08-03T13:32:00.001-07:00

I'm back in the "blog-zone" ... at least for a while. Life has been coming at us pretty fast these days, and blogging has had to take a back seat ... but not to worry, we're still here ... and we have, what we thing are some "newsworthy things" for people to engage with. So, thanks for keeping up with us.

The news of the collapse of the 35 W bridge in Minneapolis has captured the attention of many of us these past few days. People throughout the country and even around the world have been impacted by this most recent "reality check" regarding the fragility of our lives.

But, I'd venture to say that if we all take a close look at the world around us, we must admit that we truly live on a fragile planet, and that we need to recognize even each breath we take as a huge gift.

As this news has been on the front page this week ... another kind of "bridge work" has been going on. Over the past 3 months, we have been involved in helping to mobilize and equip people from our church, Cedarbrook, in Menomonie, WI for some summer outreach and service teams to New Orleans. It has been a real joy to see 29 people step up and commit to going to the Central City area of New Orleans and continue to serve and build relational bridges with our dear brothers and sisters in that area. (See my April post for a recap of our partners and work there).

Right now we have 27 people on the road!! 13 are returning from a hugely impacting week of God sightings and bridge building! They will be driving through the night to arrive back in Menomonie on Saturday afternoon.

You can follow all of these two teams' escapades on their blog ... and on Picture Album 1 and Picture Album 2 as well! Enjoy

There are another14 people making their way to St. Louis ... for a great overnight with our dear friends, Bill and Lori Younker in Farmington, MO. Bill is a pastor of a church there, and has been a gracious host for our groups over the past year!

These teams of willing servants amaze me! They take time off from their daily work in order to work even harder; serving others. And the bridges that are built are not prone to decay, deterioration or collapse, because they are being built on the firm foundation, the Cornerstone, which is Jesus himself!

So, for all of you who wonder what may happen next, take heart ... bridges between hearts are being built between the likes of "Stretch" and "Sarge" and "Deacon" and "Mama-Bear" and "Digga" and many others who are giving of themselves to make someone else's life better.

For these and many others like them who are building bridges with Living Stones, you are my heroes!! I can't give enough praise or thank-you's! Your reward will truly be great!

Road Trip to Colorado

2007-07-15T04:53:00.000-07:00

Yeah, it's been a while since we put anything up here. But, the time has come.

We're on a road trip with my mom and dad (Mary and Al Johnson) to Frontier Ranch in Buena Vista, Colorado. That's where Zach is working and where we visited in April.

Already this has been a fun-filled trip ... complete with an adventure sliding down a slide (with my mom, then my wife!!

Stay tuned for more! (oh, and you can check out more pictures at:

Road Trip to Frontier Ranch

See you on the road!!

Keepin' The Shine On!

2007-04-27T06:16:00.000-07:00

I've just returned from a 3 day "whirlwind return tour" of Central City New Orleans. This time, Pastor Remy Diederich of Cedarbrook Church, and another leader, Amy Burns,were with me. The purpose of our trip was to seek out some possibilities for our church to be involved over an extended period of time in a "partnership" of sorts with some of the work going on in New Orleans.

As "whirlwind tours" go, this one didn't disappoint anyone! With all that we heard and saw in less than 48 hours on site ... well, it seemed like we were there 2 weeks! I'll outline a few highlights, with pictures.

Pastor Remy and Amy were able to meet Elder John Pierre of Living Witnes Church of God in Christ.

Elder Pierre is pastor of that church, as well as the director of the Nehemiah program, which is a drug and alcohol rehab program. Our team in February worked on starting the renovation of a facility that will eventually provide housing for 30 men who are in the 6 month resident program. It is our hope that we can come alongside with some practical help in this work.

A second highlight was Amy and Remy and I encountering an amazing work at Cafe Reconcile, just a block from Living Witness.

First of all, the food was incredible ... cajun catfish, shrimp etouffee, creole smothered okra, and good ol' fashioned gumbo were among the treats we tested. And, the desserts ... well, sufffice it to say that the South Beach Diets went out the window!!

But not only is the food incredible, but, this entire operation has been established and is being run in order to help teach kids "life skills" through positive influence and hard work.

And the coolest thing of all is that the foundational principles being taught are straigtht from the Bible, and straight for the hearts of those, like Craig, who have given their lives for the purpose of helping to reverse the cycle of poverty and all its effects on the lives of wonderful young people ...

... like Jeffrey like our waiter... who's momma and grandma are both drug dealers, but he wants to get his life on track and break the cycle that has enslaved the previous 2 generations of his family. But watch out!!... Jeffrey's smile alone is enough for you to order another helpin' of bread puddin'!!

And lastly, but certainly not least, we had the extremely humbling experience of sharing a meal with the folks at Castle Rock Church and their special guest, John Perkins.

Dr. Perkins is one of the most well known advocates for spiritual renewal and reconciliation in the world. His story has been told many times in many places, but to personally sit and listen to him teach from God's word, and then speak to him face-to-face was an unbelievable experience which I will remember for a long time, probably for ever!

For me, this truly was one of the most memorable people I've ever met. If you don't know much about Dr. Perkins' story, may I suggest that you start here by reading his biography and then, continue to read more about his organization.

His book, "Let Justice Roll Down" is a classic and a MUST READ in the area of spiritual, social and racial renewal and reconciliation.

So, we certainly came away from this trip with plenty of new ideas floatin' around in our heads! But, there is perhaps one "summary statement" that was spoken during one of our many meetings. We were reminded from Matthew 5:16 to:

"Keep the Shine On!"

And, by God's grace we will!!

Return to New Orleans

2007-04-24T10:54:00.000-07:00

I am in an internet kiosk in Chicago on my way to New Orleans.

For the next 3 days, I will be a part of a 3 person contingency who are meeting with community leaders in Central City (a western urban area of New Orleans) to see how Cedarbrook Church may be able to come alongside the folks there to "help create a neighborhood where its safe for kids to ride their bikes." Take a look at www.urbanimpact.org for further information and watch the blog for updates.

The Rock

2007-04-19T05:35:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I received word that the father of a dear friend passed away. My friend's words reflecting on his dad are simple, yet powerful:

"Dad was quiet, diligent, faithful and loved his God and God's word. He was a wonderful dad.

Dad's are often "rocks" in our lives. They provide the stability and strong foundation which holds in the midst of life's storms. A father's passing can shake our world, but ... for those whose hope and confidence is not in this life alone, we can all take comfort and be joyful when one whom we love has stood upon the Rock of Jesus Christ, and is now freed from this world and the temporary shell which imprisons us.

Guy Johnson was not only a wonderful dad, he was a man of quiet strength and stability.

He was a rock.

May we sing with Guy today!

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly trust in Jesus’ Name.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

When darkness seems to hide His face,
I rest on His unchanging grace.
In every high and stormy gale,
My anchor holds within the veil.

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.

When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh may I then in Him be found.
Dressed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne.

On Christ the solid Rock I stand,
All other ground is sinking sand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

Mountain Reunion

2007-04-08T16:59:00.000-07:00

As our family has grown and started to live in different places, we have discovered just how much we mean to each other and how much we enjoy being together. At this Easter season, we had a hugely enjoyable visit with Zach where he works in the beautiful mountains of Colorado!

Joyce and Christi and I drove from Wisconsin on Saturday, March 31 and left Colorado to return on Friday, April 6.

Abi was able to get a couple days off for Easter and drove from Wichita on Thursday, so the whole fam was together for one day!

Our time with Zach was absolutely great! ... we did tons of stuff, and can't wait to return to Frontier in July as "Adult Guests" for a week when camp is in full swing! Oh, speaking of "swings" ... check out the blog posting below this one to see Dad and Christi on "The Screamer!" This, among other "high ropes" activities, will be Zach's responsibilities for the summer. If you want to learn more, just click HERE > (Frontier Ranch)

Oh, and if you really want to view the "Family Pics from Colorado" ... click on the words.

Stay tuned for more "building adventures!"

The Screamer

2007-04-08T16:58:00.001-07:00


Dad and daughter #2 on The Screamer!

Just click on the arrow ... > ... on the left below the picture to start the video!

Its "New" Amsterdam for me!

2007-03-25T10:57:00.000-07:00

After some great conversation and "vision sharing" with Brad Mullet in Budapest on Saturday morning, Chris and I flew to Amsterdam and arrived in fine shape on Saturday afternoon. Chris continued on and is already home! Way to go, Chris!! Unfortunately, one of his bags was lost in transition … oh, well … welcome to the world of international travel! I'm sure that his bag will show up today (Sunday) or tomorrow. The airlines are very good about that!

I have traveled through the Amsterdam airport more times than I can count, but never actually had the opportunity to stop and see the city. I have always wanted to stop and learn more about this beautiful city ... the home of Tyndale and Wilberforce ... and finally, because of a "divine appointment" at Cedarbrook Church this past December, I was able to arrange a 2 day stop-over to visit with some people from the YWAM (Youth With A Mission) organization here in Amsterdam . The people at Cedarbrook connected me with the YWAM people, encouraging me to stop and find out about some needs they may have in the reconstruction of one of their 4 ministry facilities here in Amsterdam.

Once again, God has gone beyond my expectations and provided some amazing opportunities … not only to see potential ministry projects, but also to meet some extraordinary servants of Jesus Christ. I was able to attend a "YWAM Revisited" event at their "base facility" called DePoort. The purpose was to cast some vision with YWAM alumni in Holland for what was going on. You can check out more of their work on their website.

In addition, I am being hosted by Johan and Carolyn Ros, an incredibly gifted couple who work with YWAM. Johan served in the military special forces as a "Dutch Seal." Carolyn has written a book about this couples' story, focusing on Johan's life and their battle with a severe brain tumor. I am going to recommend the book as "required reading!"

Also, I was able to attend a church service at Crossroads International Church Amsterdam. The worship service was exhilarating and inspiring, and the message from the book of Job by pastor Jerard Kelly (an Englishman) pierced my heart. You can read more about this exciting church on their website: www.xrds.nl.

So, I have part of one more day to do a little sightseeing in Amsterdam (Anne Frank's house?) and I will be flying back to the states. This has been, yet another, incredible journey, and I can't wait to see what things God will bring from it. Stay tuned for future developments!

Side Trip

2007-03-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

Being part of a cross-cultural ministry changes a person's perspective on a lot of things ... especially God, people of other cultures and themselves. For many people living in America, crossing cultures is often limited to going out to eat to an ethnic restaurant. This is not the case for those who participate in a cross cultural ministry, whether its to an inner city context in the United States, or on the other side of the world.

Yesterday (Friday) it was the privilege of Chris and I to join with Gergu, a 20 year-old Hungarian, and take a train to Slovakia to visit some of my dear friends in that country.

The train left Budapest Keleti at 6:00 AM, so it was an early morning "get-up-and-go" for us in order to catch a bus and take a 15 minute ride to the station. Gergu brought some "cookies" that is mom made (actually they were kind of like buttermilk bisquits) for our trip. 4 hours later we arrived in Kosice, Slovakia. Pastor Peter Pristiak met us and we continued on by van for another hour to our destination; Hermanovce, Slovakia.

We spent a wonderful afternoon renewing old friendships (actually, Chris and Gergu spent much of their time listenting to Dave trying to recall his 10-year-old, mostly dormant Czech language abilities!).

Our "outing" for the day was a short walk up to the the "camp area" which the Hermanovce church is developing with the help of Timberlee Christian Center in southern Wisconsin. Watch this blog and the NEXT International website: (www.nextinternational.org) for future updates.

The Hermanovce church is truly an amazing place. God is using this church to literally touch the world. It will be exciting to see what things will be in store for people to engage in the future.

Chris will be back in the US today (Saturday), and I will be staying in Amsterdam for 2 days to meet with some people with YWAM. Hopefully I will be able to make one more blog entry.

PK's, MK's and Happy Guys!

2007-03-22T15:09:00.000-07:00

Over and over again we've seen some amazing things happen in the course of being on a cross-cultural ministry team. Existing relationships are strengthened and new relationships are built between people who had never met a few days before. That's why we talk about "building with living stones!"

While Chris and Brian worked together for the first time, Geza and Dave renew an old friendship!

Jordan Lemmons (a missionary kid "MK" who lives in Hungary) met Jeremy 1 (Mlaker) and Jeremy 2 (Olson) who are best friends in college!

... and father and son (Brian and Al Jicinsky) get to work together and enjoy their first cross-cultural ministry ... together!

All-in-all, this is turning out to be a great week! Tomorrow, Chris and I are going to Slovakia, the rest of the team is going to Vienna, Austria. Stay tuned for updates ... probably not until Saturday!!

Still serving with joy!

Rhino Hungary Team 07

Fitting the Stones Together!

2007-03-21T23:13:00.000-07:00

One thing about putting together a cross-cultural ministry team whose purpose is to do construction is that you never quite know what kind of skills people have before you start the project. It's kinda like baking a batch of cookies without a recipe. You might know what ingredients you need, but not necessarily how much of each, what order you put them together.

The amazing thing is that with nearly every team, after a couple days everyone finds a niche and begins to apply their individual talents to project at hand. Our Rhino Budapest 07 team is no different.

Today (Wednesday) Brad, (the cinnamon roll meister) treated us to those world famous home made treats and we were off! We were able to complete the floor system as well as get most of the drywall hung on the facade around the perimeter of the larger meeting room.

A real high point of the day was seeing "THE PASTOR and THE MASTER (builder) working together! What a hoot!!

Again, we want to thank all of you who have encouraged us and are praying and supporting our work here. People are expressing their appreciation each day, and we know that our efforts will produce fruit for the kingdom!!

Tools of the Trade

2007-03-20T22:23:00.000-07:00

I have worked for over 15 years with volunteers serving on cross-cultural ministry teams and I continue to be amazed by just how perfectly God seems to put each team together with just the right skills, talents, abilities and personalities that make that team unique, as well as very effective in ministry. I have often said that performance is directly related to preparation!! Our team in Budapest, as with many other teams, has undoubtedly been prepared by the Lord to serve this body of believers in this place at this time. Seeing this team come together and "sharpen one another" is a joy and privilege.

1 Peter 4:10 says, "As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another." Our desire here is to serve one another with our greatest gifts and talents, so that the Kingdom of God may be enhanced and advanced in this part of the world.

Today (Tuesday) we saw more of those "tools of the trade" used. Of course, what group of construction-type people could go without a visit to "the tool store!" Brad, Allen and Chris were beside themselves as we went to a local supply store to buy concrete wall anchors!

On the "construction-side" of things, most of the demolition and "old dust" is done, and we've taken some big steps in putting things together. We've framed a floor (with WOOD!) for a "second story" meeting room and installed steel studding for a sheetrock facade in a larger assembly area (former movie theater lobby).

Days end with some great food and lively discussions ... with people still using the "tools of the trade" ... using their tools to build the body of Christ!

It is truly a joy to serve. Thanks for praying for us and encouraging us as we're here!

Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; 24 knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.
Colossians 3:23-24

Rhino Dave and "Stretch"

Days end

"Coming Home"

2007-03-19T22:48:00.000-07:00

From 1993 to 1996 our family lived in Central Europe. We adapted to the ways and customs of that region of the world and saw God work in and through our lives. Since we moved back to the US in 1996, it has been my joy to serve on a variety of projects in a number of countries in Central Europe, Hungary being one of them. The Olimpia Mozi or Kelenfold Ministry Center is the place where most of my efforts have gone in helping to enhance and advance the Kingdom or God in Hungary. During this visit, we are helping to expand that facility for even greater impact.

Dust, destruction and demolition were the order of the day ... and the sparks did fly!!

There were a few moments of "consternation" by the "bosses" ... but, we were able to make good progress and will begin to do some reconstruction today (Tuesday).

We will build a 20 foot by 20 foot floor system for a second floor "conference room" out of WOOD!!

Each time I return to this area of the world, there is some sense of "coming home." But, each time is just a little different as well. This time it is the availability of wood! Most everything here is built from concrete and steel, but today we build with wood!! Praise the Lord!!

One of the great joys of returning this time is to bring "new eyes to see with" as Chris has joined me for his first overseas mission. As we settled into our accomodations in the Olimpia Mozi and finished our hands to the first full day of work, we reflected on the privilege of being here and serving God with those hands. Thanks to all who are supporting and praying for us. It is amazing that we are here and serving God in this way!! Who woulda thunk it!!??

Stay tuned,

Back to Life in Budapest!

2007-03-18T12:18:00.000-07:00

Chris and I arrived safely on Sunday afternoon in Budapest ... just a little over 24 hours after when he had intended to arrive. It's a long story, but suffice it to say that God met us in some huge ways during that time.

We joined up with Pastor Joe Mlaker and his group of 5 (who arrived on Saturday) for a quick and fun tour of Budapest,

We are now settling in at the Kelenfold Ministry Center (KEGY), preparing for the start of our work week on Sunday.

Please pray for the team and our Hungarian friends as we serve them this week. Watch for more updates!

Rebound - Up, Up ... and Away!

2007-03-14T11:26:00.000-07:00

It's been just a month since the team from Cedarbrook Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin set their compass bearings for New Orleans (pretty much due SOUTH ...).

The impact that trip had on the people we served, as well as the team members remains strong! Not a day goes by where I don't have a conversation with someone about some aspect of that experience. I can truly sense the "building" taking shape!! Regarding the "rebound" aspect of the experience, there is a "scout team" from Cedarbrook being planned to return in April to meet with representatives in Central City and discuss what kinds of things we could do together in the future. If you'd like to read more about what's happening in that great city, check out Urban Impact's website.

So, as for me and my house, well ... we're heading towards a "Fifth Dimension" time ... again. (For the "younger set" ... listen to the song and check out some "oldie but goodie" information on that singing group!).

I will be going "Up, Up and Away" from my lovely wife and family for 12 days starting Friday!

My traveling partner, Chris, and I will be flying from Minneapolis to Budapest, Hungary to work for on a ministry center in the Kelenfold district of that great city!

Over 100,000 people live in that part of the "Buda" side of the Danube River, and this ministry center is THE ONLY EVANGELICAL CHURCH IN THAT AREA!

I have seen God at work building His Church in Hungary since my first visit there 10 years ago. A number of people and ministries have worked hard together in order to have the great Hungarian people be able to not only see and understand the rich Christian heritage that nation has, but also, that they can have a personal relationship with the God who loves them so much. It is a privilege to help in the work and encourage our brothers and sisters there.

It will also be a great joy to work alongside a great colleague, Brad Mullet, again! Can't wait to taste those cinnamon, rolls, bro!!

Another one of the great joys I have in being able to do this kind of thing is that a number of people have been hugely generous in providing finances for this trip. Actually, an anonymous donor provided most of the cost of the airline ticket!

So, with great humility and anticipation, I invite you to "go with us" as we travel across the Atlantic on Friday night and arrive in Budapest on Saturday afternoon.

We're excited to be taking still another NEXT step in
Building for the Master!

Fantastic Thursday and Super Friday

2007-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:00

NOTE from DBJ:

I'm "backdating" some of these blog entries so that you can keep up with what happened in the lives of the Cedarbrook Team. Thanks so much to my "ghost-writer," Michele, for keeping the journal so we could share what God was doing in and through our lives. Last week was incredible, and I know that its going to take some time for everyone to process it all. So, we hope you are (and were) blessed by the information we've been sending out. We truly saw the Kingdom of God being built in New Orleans with "Living Stones!!"

It's Thursday, February 22 around 4:30 pm …the temps close to 80 degrees!!

We're convoying home from the site after another incredibly full day. Chris and Justin stepped up today to take the reins of "nucklehead construction crew."

Dave and Steve spent most of the day visiting other people and sites from previous trips ... Big Joe and Rita & Don. We're reminded that its not about the work, its about the people!!

Conversation of the moment…

"Is this level?" -Chris

"Is this temporary?"-John

"no."-chris

"Yeah, it's still good."-John

The rest of us worked at the site….well actually I sat with my foot in a cooler…

Jeremy C wandered off and was gone for a couple hrs…we got worried and started to pray….mid prayer Jeremy shows up…..God is faithful and in this case FAST!!!! A few of us visited the Reconcile Café again.

THURSDAY NITE

Steve found out The Camilla Café was the place to go…so we convoyed there for some good N.O. food. The host thought we were joking when we said ' table for 17'…he did admit he was up for our entertainment. We all wore our I love N.O. shirts…

As we waited on the front porch..we realized there was Christian music playing…

so, during the 45 minute wait for a table for 17, we became the "unofficial greeters." People stopped and asked who we were and what we were doing ... so we told them ... another opportunity to build the Kingdom!!

Much of the team partook in some raw oysters…..Nate almost made it…"I don't think I can swallow it."

We got back to Trinity Church around 9 PM and had our 'debrief' with one of the staff. We were all pretty jazzed up ... and maybe a little bit punchy. I (Michele) had to physically remove myself I was laughing so hard. Hopefully we will be invited back again.

FRIDAY

Dave lead the devotional this morning for all 130 of us at Trinity. Who knew Dave could transform into a local on queue…slang, accent and all. Down to the fire and brimstone yellin' of a true southern preacher!!!

Then we sang the song Pastor Pierre taught us. We profusely apologize Pastor Pierre for how badly we massacred your song!!! But as Deacon Cooper said…"Let everything that has "breaf" praise the Lord…not everything that can sing good."

Fridays are called Super Friday because all the people who are working with Trinity Church and Castle Rock Church go into Cental City (where we worked all week) to help with neighborhood clean-up. We hit the streets with shovels, brooms and wheelbarrows to help spruce up the neighborhoods. Our presence had a significant impact and again, we were able to build bridges for Jesus into peoples' lives.

We gave a photo album to the Guys and the Lord directed to us to buy flowers to plant in their yard. The day ended with one last song and prayer with Bishop Pierre and "the Guys." We're all leaving a good chunk of our hearts at Living Witness!!

Some of us are anxious to come home and some never want to leave. Pray that we will not leave anything here that God intends for us to take with us….that we all come home changed people. That we can carry on this mission that brought us to NO will continue at home and wherever else God directs us.

Reconcilers

2007-02-22T21:00:00.000-08:00

**Wednesday, February 21, 2007** (Written by Michele)

It's mid afternoon and the sun is out and 75ish? Got my feet up and ice on my foot. I unfortunately (conveniently?) pulled a tendon in my foot the first day….Wink Wink. God has given me a blessed excuse to mingle with "The Guys"…..

I spent the morning cooking in the kitchen with Lenny for "the Guys" in the treatment facility, us and whoever else showed up. We as a team were soooo blessed to be invited to eat with "the Guys" everyday around noon. Now I know it may scare some of you who know me well that I was allowed to cook. But the Creole smothered okra turned out pretty good. Ask the members on our team….I payed them all well. I was soo awed to find Jesus in a small, airless, never pass the health department in normal situation kitchen; with the true south gospel on the radio, sweating and cooking with an ex-drug user and who knows what else. I truly left a large part of my heart in that kitchen. I pray each member of our team left part of there heart with the people we encountered and I am pretty confident they did.

Despite the loss of such a vital team member on the project…the team persevered and made great progress on the demo and construction!!

We apologize to all of you that there wasn't/ isn't time for every team member to blog…so you are stuck with only my (Michele's) narrow view. There doesn't seem to be words I can find to accurately describe all that we have witnessed, shared and been blessed with…life long relationships that seem to form in moments. People who have given us more of the love of Christ than we could give them no matter how hard we tried. And we saw Jesus working through us everywhere ... From hanging out with "The Guys" at the treatment center…to the intoxicated man at the bar in the restaurant we ate in.

During a short lull in the construction, Brandee, John, Tony, and I went to the Reconcile Café…

Café Reconcile is a non-profit collaborative project. The St. Regis Hospitality Program was founded by Fr. Harry tompson, SJ, and Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church. The hospitality program not only provides on the job training in a working restaurant, but also teaches critical life skills and lands students social service agencies and helps with job placement.

After Katrina, they launched a construction training program, utilizing the same "hands-on" mentoring model and life skills training, which teaches the students building and construction skills on an actual job site. This exciting new program was developed with a number of partners; Crossroads Missions and Jericho Road, and will help provide low cost housing in local neighborhoods.

Quote of the Moment:

"The levee broke. And that was bad. But the levees between the churches broke too..and that is good." -a pastor we met at the Reconcile Café.

Please…talk to any or all of us from the team that came down….we are so anxious to share all that God has blessed us with on this trip.

We miss you all!!!! and wish we could bring back every moment in full sound, color, smell(ok maybe not every smell), and feeling.

Gotta go move my chair back into the sun and the masseuse is here for my massage. J

Same day…Later.

We are stuck in unbelievably aAwful traffic…bumper to bumper… standstill….

Nate, Brandee, Keith, and Michele rode together in Keith's van …they opened the side doors and talked to people and shared the pocket crosses. This team redefined 'street evangelism!!! Some of the other team members were a few cars behind the van…all of a sudden a truck pulled up next to the van and the guy had a pocket cross from our brothers a few cars back…great minds think alike!!!! Nate tried to trade some trail mix for a chicken leg….go Nate!!

3Hrs later we were thankfully back at Trinity.

The day ended with a phenomonal sharing time with people from the community who had come to the weekly "community dinner." Teams who had been working on various projects had invited the homeowners to join us for dinner. Afterward we sat stunned by the stories from people who had lost everything as a result of Katrina, including hope ... but, they are seeing the true Church, which Jesus said He would build, in action ... reconciling people to one another and to God. What a joy to be called reconcilers!

What a Day!

2007-02-21T19:40:00.000-08:00

2/21 6:35 am , not sure what day of the week it is…

I do know it's raining.

Yesterday was FAT TUESDAY!!! What an amazing God Day!!!!

We got to work demoing another part of the building. And some of the guys worked on framing the inside.

We took a devotional break late in the morning and invited Father Pierre and Peter (a guy at the Niemiah treatment facility) to join us. Father Pierre taught us a gospel song they would sing as a church out on the streets to bring in God and remove all the prostitutes and drug dealers. They can 'gospel' way better than us. The enthusiasim!!!!

We had lunch shortly after that…and invited 'the guys' to join us. They slowly filtered in. I was so (I don't have a word)..??? working along side them.

This may explain it best….

As we were about to knock down a big wall Chris said...

"We put up walls and God tears them down!"…… AMEN!!!

Michelle injured her heel…and God took her around the neighborhood striking up conversation about her lame limp. So she met the neighbors….they were on the sidewalk in front of their house with large pots and gas burners…..then he showed the truck bed full of blue crab and crawfish on ice. She hijacked one of the crabs and awed the rest of the team from Wisconsin. The neighbors invited us over when it was done…..be sure and check out the pics of the fun…..we are invited back next year!! We could almost feel the heart of Jesus rejoicing….looking at us together like we did it everyday….what a welcoming open family…

Then….at about 3 'the guys' invited us into their dining hall for NO style hot dogs and hamburgers…..after lunch at 12, crawfish and crab at 1:30, we were starving at 3. Ha Ha….it was awesome. We thanked them by singing( and I use that word loosly)…the song Father Pierre had taught us. Earlier in the day I had gotten wind that the Niemiah gang also had a choir….I put the word out and before we knew it we were in the 'Living Word' Sanctuary with our own private concert with drums, mikes and a whole lot of NO worship!!! The smiles and pride on their faces was priceless….I think we all agreed it was a definite top highlight of the trip. We all can't wait to get back today and see what surprises God has planned today!!!!

The traffic was nuts, but we made it back in time to shower and go to dinner. Yes, we all ate. The pastor from Trinity spoke…talk about in a lesson of 'God will always provide!'….It was miracle after miracle…

When we get back ask one of us about…

"the $5 lady"

"God needs your truck."

Ect….

Quote of the Day ...

"I hate so much I think I' m gonna bust!" -Tony

God Bless! ... Jesus Rocks!

Off to Work We Go!

2007-02-20T20:07:00.000-08:00

2/19 Monday 9:40am

We have divided into the showered and non-showered. We are on the road again….headed for the big 26mi bridge … with trucks full of tools and hearts full of God!

Today is our first workd day and we are headed to Central City to the "Yellow House"…where we will be demolishing an addition to a house used for men's dorms that are here for ACOA treatment. We will also be reconstructing an existing part of the house that will be used for offices and sleeping rooms. Eventually an addition will be added to house even more people whom the church in that needy part of the city can minister to. We will stay at the yellow house for tonite.

Oh, by the way, our very special brother Steve (and I mean 'special' in the most sincere way) has graciously volunteered to stay behind at Trinity Church and be on the kitchen staff there while the rest of the crew goes into the city to work. We may need to add a special section titled, "Steve's thought for the day' ... here's a starter! ...

BRING IT ON>>>Your Warriors are ready.

2/19 6:30pm…

Done with our 1^st day of hard labor…..Sore bodies and strong hearts for God.. The addition is down…be sure and check out the awesome pictures.

What amazed me is amongst all the rubble there was hope. In the addition someone had painted Jesus on the wall (see photo). The beauty was found in the most unusual places…

We did encounter some new creatures of God's kingdom…cockroaches the size of your big toe … and some cute little lizards.

We met some of the neighbors and the men staying at the treatment center. They express such gratefulness to us…..but I feel so blessed they have invited us into their lives and homes.

The sun is warm and the temp close to 70.

A special thanks to Tweety Bird and Charles, two of the cutest kids ever…..for playing tag with me and giving great hugs.

Yesterday Jeremy C played , or should I say tried…to play b-ball with some of the local kids. They kinda took him to school. But bridges and relationships were built, big time!

2/20 Tuesday…..

God Bless Steve and the other kitchen staff for a deliscious meal last nite. They brought it to us from Trinity Church and stayed overnight with us! Despite all the aches and pains we decided to go an check out the Mardi Gras parade. I admit, I really debated…but they persuaded me…how often will you be in NO and 3 blks from the parade. It was AWESOME!!! We all got beads thrown from the floats and met lots of way fun locals. Jeremy B got all the history from a family we were standing near….so ask him all about it. Jeremy C won for most beads caught.

Who would of thunk….Cedarbrookers evangelizing at Mardi Gras …

We hobbled home around 9 and fell into our warm beds…graciously provided by the Castle Rock Community Church….Brandee met Emily on a previous trip down…so cool the long lasting relationships that have been formed!!! Small world, Big God.

Time to walk across the street and start at it again….."What surprises does God have planned for us today?"…reiterated by Steve, … heard originally from Tony.

Thanks for all the prayers…we miss all of you!!!

More updates to come!

Jeremy C
Nate
Justin
Dave
Jeremy B
Michele
Brandee
John
Bill
Andy
Tony
Keith
Steve
Chris

And the Northwooders

Brent
Ken
Chuck

Oh, and here are a few of our nicknames…see if you can match them with the person they go to…

Buttercup
Daisy
Stretch
Bubba Uno
Blondie

(tune in again for the answers)

Cedarbrook Team On the Road!

2007-02-19T05:34:00.000-08:00

Saturday 2/17 8:30am….somewhere close to the Dells.

I know, your thinking, 'I thought they left at 6?' We did! I am just officially awake. By the way this is Michele, your official guide to the 2/07 Katrina Trip.

Chris is as of now our faithful leader and we haven't lost anyone yet. I am just amazed at what a diverse group God has brought together for this trip. Let the adventures begin!

Quote of the moment: "Nanos rock!" -Brandy

Still Satuday 9:55am….honestly I don't know where we are.

But I do know God is amazing. Dave has been filling Brandy and I in on his new non-profit venture. I have dreamt of starting a 'make you house a home' non-profit…and it may fit well with Daves !! Cool!!

12:24 still driving. The roads aren't great. Brandy called Jayne to start up prayer chain. The good news is if we get stranded, we have enough non perishable food to last a long time. Learning lots about fishing and hunting. Oh goody…we are now onto cars.

1:43 Saturday and guesss what?? Yes we are still driving. A great big thanks to Sandy B. for the snack bags!!!!!!!

Quote of the moment: "Do you want some lotion? It’s Mary Kay."-michele

Still Saturday…still driving.

Saw the arch in St. Louis…after 4 tries, finally got a photo.

Quote of the moment: "Did you know flip flops are back in."- Jeremy B.

Still Satuday…8pm.. Farmington, MO!! ... finally NOT driving!!!

God bless Bill Younker for the Homey accommodations and wonderful company.

Ate our weight in food at Rays Buffet.

A time of devotion. A good protion of our team has been to NO on Katrina relief before….they are excited to see some of the work they have done come full circle. How cool for them.

Jeremy C. shared his gift of music with us…on his guitar and we sang. Not quite the Cedarbrook band….but still awesome.

Some "Quotes of the Moment" from other vehicles:

"We're in the lead?" - Steve

"Are we following the right van?" -Dave

"If we are, I don't know who on our team has a walker." -Michele

Sunday, February 18 - 7:56 am…leaving Bill's.

God thanks for our good rest and getting to know your wonderful friend Bill. God bless him and his family.

"on the road again…"

10am Sunday 2/18

Stopping at 'Loves' travel stop…fuel up and stretch. This place is awesome!!! You can buy an oven to plug into your car!!! And it's 38 degrees.

All cars now have radios to communicate….good idea?? I'll let you know.

Tony broke out the shorts.

10:36am…first cotton field.

Quote of the moment:

"Can we speed up? A guy walking just passed us." - Jeremy C

"Put the hammer down rubber ducky." - Steve

12:30 Sunday 2/18

We invaded and took over Quiznos somewhere in Mississippi. Got it to go….picnic at The Mississippi Information center….44 degrees….."it’s just like coming home."

Quote of the moment: "oh man, I left my pants at Quiznos." - Jeremy C

So he and Andy back track to get the pants….and catch us at the next fuel up stop.

Thanks you God…for the safety thus far, the laughs that make the miles fly by and the awesome bonding that is taking place.

2:30pm..Sunday…Oh we all sure missed you guys at church.

Somewhere in Mississippi…just passed the 1000 mi mark!!! And it 50 degrees!!!!!!

6:09pm Sunday 2/18

LOUISIANNA!!!!!!!!!

7:13 pm….

Well we made it …..thank you God for a great trip!

And we are all anxious to meet the rest of the people….get our work detail…and find our sleeping space.

Thanks to all of you back home who are praying and supporting us!!! We miss all of you….and promise to share Cedarbrook' s love of Christ with our brothers and sisters in New Orleans.

Tune in later for further up dates!!!God Rocks!!!!!!!!!!!

Michele
Brandy
Dave
Jeremy C
Jeremy B
Tony
Justin
Andy
Nate
Keith
Chris
Bill
John
Steve

And Now...

The guys from the "Northwoods!"

Animal
Big Mack
Brent

Stay tuned for the team nicknames to come in our next episode of

"As Cedarbrook Katrina 2/07 Turns"

God Bless!!!!!!!!

What's NEXT?

2007-02-09T08:54:00.000-08:00

The silence is over!!

After a number of months of silence and seeming inactivity, I am jumping back into the blog world! Although I can't make any promises, hopefully I will be able to post thoughts and pictures in a more regular and intentional fashion ... we'll see.

In any case, I do know that there will be a significant amount of activity on this site in the "NEXT" few weeks, due to the fact that I am heading to New Orleans once again. This time I am leading a team from Western and Northern Wisconsin to work on some reconstruction projects in the continuing efforts to help people on the Gulf Coast get their lives back on track after Hurricane's Katrina and Rita. This group is primarily from Cedarbrook Church in Menomonie, Wisconsin. We'll have 4 vehicles, 17 people, 3000 miles and who knows how many sandwiches, jars of peanuts and bags of Twizzlers!! Just for grins, here's a "route map" of our trip.

Stay tuned for future "blog-casts" regarding this team's adventures!

NEXT ... OK, you may be asking, ... what's with the "NEXT" thing? ... Well, Joyce and I have launched a brand-new non-profit organization called, next international. Our mission is to "mobilize and equip people for global impact" as we encourage them to "make their mark on the world!"

Our conviction remains strong, that God has gifted people in incredible ways for the purpose of investing themselves to bring help and hope to those in need. We truly believe that God is building HIS KINGDOM with "Living Stones" and He has given us the desire to help shape the lives of those whom He brings to us by walking with them and coaching them for a part of their journey. We're excited about this new venture and the potential it holds for impact!

Extreme Cedarbrook Makeover - Mall Edition!

2006-08-28T08:47:00.000-07:00

It's been some time since my last post ... months, in fact. But, I'm planning on getting "back in the groove" and put some stuff out here on a regular basis so you can check up on us!

We've continued to "Build For the Master" as a family, with the latest venture being a return trip to New Orleans with Joyce and Christi accompanying Dave this time! We worked on Don and Rita Michna's house.

The renovation of this completely devasted house had been going on quite well, but there was a need for some "plumbers" to install two fiberglass shower/tub modules. One was a walk in shower module for Don, who suffers from the results of a stroke.

So, on Monday, July 24th, the "plumbers" arrived to start their work!! ...

The week serving in New Orleans was great experience and we were able to finish the work on the shower and tub. Dave even "christened" one of the showers on the last day!

Building for the Master is taking on a new "wrinkle" for the next month or so. I have been asked to take on the project management responsibilities for local church who is engaged in a renovation project at a local mall. Cedarbrook Church is 4 years-old and has met in a local movie theater in Menomonie, Wisconsin during that time. Due to expanding attendance and additional ministry/space needs, Cedarbrook will move to a space in the "Shops Off Broadway" shopping center in North Menomonie.

I am excited to work with a group of volunteers who not only want to invest the time, talent and treasure in helping to create the physical changes necessary to help Cedarbrook fulfill its mission, but also want to invest in "building with living stones" as they work together to build a stronger community at Cedarbrook. So, if you have an interest in helping out, we're seeking volunteers! As you can see from the picture below, I need all the help I can get!

You can email me at this email address: johnsdb@gmail.com

... or ...

You can check out Pastor Remy's Blog

Stay tuned and check in often for progress reports on how the
"Extreme Cedarbrook Makeover - Mall Edition!" is going!

Keep Building!!

The Block Party

2006-03-29T20:40:00.000-08:00

This has been an unbelievable week. Writing a blog about it will be nearly impossible. You'll have to compare the stories in Mark Jensen's blog with mine, because we've lived the last 3 + days together with some huge "God sighting" moments, … seeing Him building with some incredible "living stones."The train ride included meeting Rob, Bob and Jason, with whom I had dinner and laughed so hard my stomach hurt; as well as Frank "Buff Phoon" Bunton, the Christian clown and "balloon artist." It was quite a ride.

But today was a real highlight! Today, Joe (Big Hop) Hopson (aka; Big Joe 3:16) hosted a block party, and he didn't even know he was gonna do it. He didn't plan it, he didn't buy any food for it, he actually didn't do anything but sit in his wheel chair on the porch of his FEMA trailer while a team from Fairmont, Minnesota finished re-roofing his hurricane and flood damaged home in Slidell, Louisiana.

This team worked on Joe's house all week to bring hope and help to one of hundred's of thousands lives, ... by rebuilding one of thousands of homes ... in one of hundred's of neighborhoods that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina last August. There were 2 crews in this neighborhood working on re-roofing homes and our plan was to visit these teams and encourage them with a hot-dog feed.

Right at 12:00 noon, Mark Jensen and I rolled up to Big Joe 3:16's house in Mark's pick-up with a gas grill tied in the back and a cooler with 100 hot-dogs, buns, and all the normal "hot dog fixin's." As the grill got going, we started playing Christian rock (with a little Bob Marley reggae thrown in) through the truck's stereo system.

Team members began to come and get a "disaster dog", as well as go around the neighborhood inviting people to join in. Big Joe simply sat and took it all in. Soon we started to see that as more dogs got grilled, the more the party began to come to life. Another team from another church who were working down the street came by, then guys who were picking up old appliances stopped in, then some neighbors came with boxes of catfish, fried chicken and a big sheet cake! This was true "disaster relief."

The high point of the party came when we presented Big Joe with his new sign; John 3:16, accompanied by an American flag. You see, Big Joe is an avid sports fan and as he watches games on TV he often sees someone in the stands holding a sign that says, John 3:16. But, he never knew what it meant! … until yesterday, when a team member gave Joe a Bible, showed him where John 3:16 was, and what it meant. Big Joe beamed with joy when he heard the true meaning of the sign he'd seen in the football stands. Now, Big Joe has his own John 3:16 sign, and he's telling others what it means! Yes, even hot dogs can be used to build with living stones. And Big Joe can tell you that hope is returning to his neighborhood because of people who know what John 3:16 means.

Different Perspectives

2006-03-26T17:23:00.001-08:00

When I formally studied construction many years ago, I took a number of courses to learn how to draw and read architectural blueprints. One thing they taught us early on was how important it was to get "the big picture" before you worked on the details. In order to do this, we started by making some preliminary drawings which had a number of different perspectives. There were views from front, rear, right and left sides. Often the early drawings also included a proposed "footprint" which showed the general size and shape of the building from "above." From these perspectives, a person could begin to get an idea of what some of the details for the building might eventually work out to be, as well as some of the processes involved to get to the final product.

Most of my "long distance" traveling (anything over a day's drive) was done by airplane. I've gotten pretty used to airports and moving between cities from 35,000 feet. This latest trip is different. Because I didn't decide to go to New Orleans until early last week, airfares were out of the question. Also, there wasn't a real "time crunch" for me to arrive. Arriving on Sunday or Monday was fine with Mark. So, I opted to take the train.

As I write this blog on Sunday evening from Union Station in Chicago, I can tell already that this was a good decision. For one thing, going by train is giving me some "space between the structures" that compose my life. But, more importantly, I am recognizing that traveling by train is giving me a very different perspective on life, people and ministry. What God is showing me is that when you fly and see the world from 35,000 feet, everything is a great distance away and looks pretty nice. Even when you travel by car, especially on interstate highways, things still look pretty nice. But, when you travel by train, you get to see the "backside of the tracks," especially in some of the large cities.

Today and tomorrow I am traveling on Amtrak trains, "Empire Builder" and "The City of New Orleans" … remember the song!? This is the real world. This is where people live. The places where trains go aren't always in the best of condition, and sometimes, the people's lives who live in those areas aren't always in the best condition either. To me, that's a good thing to get a perspective on.

I think we often live our lives from 35,000 feet. We don't enter into, engage, and even enjoy the perspective that traveling by train is giving me. Just like the blueprints that I learned to draw and read, the "view from above" isn't enough. You need "ground level perspectives" in order to effectively "build lives." The train is helping me regain some perspective that I haven't had in a while and I'm looking forward to more. Stay tuned.

Rolling Stones

2006-03-24T05:07:00.000-08:00

Most of us have heard the saying "moss doesn't grow on a rolling stone" … or another, more original version, "a rolling stone gathers no moss." (from a 1^st century BC poet named Publilius Syrus, who also said, "Let a fool hold his tongue and he will pass for a sage." … (I think I'll have to use that quote at a different time! ... thanks, Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org).

At various times in my life I have recognized that "living stones" are often on the move. People may move physically and geographically from place to place, but more often, the "living stones" I have been privileged to work with are changing, adapting, growing … yes, "moving" in their own lives as they expose themselves to new ideas, new challenges and new experiences.

For me, the "movements" in my life have often been accompanied by geographic change. In the past 13 years, I have flown over ¾ of a million miles, as well as traveled countless miles by bicycle, car, boat, subway, trolley car and … train. Many of those miles were part of a "trip" which I was taking to look at a project, or consult with someone about their facility needs, but, in conjunction with the physical needs which were being addressed, there always seemed to be an opportunity to help in the "movements" which were going on in the lives of the "living stones" around me.

This coming Sunday morning I am embarking on another "rolling stone" trip. I will board an Amtrak train in Tomah, Wisconsin and travel to New Orleans to meet up with my good friend and colleague, Mark Jensen. After a few days "on-site" with him (where we will be doing some "living stone building"), we will drive back to Wisconsin together.

I am looking forward to this next "moving experience." Recently, I have been sensing that some "moss" is starting to think about growing around here and this living stone wants to keep moving in a direction that continues to help shape me and use me in the way that the Master intends. Stay tuned for more on the "Rolling Stone Trip."

The Stone Mason

2006-03-08T11:33:00.000-08:00

One of the earliest areas of building I can remember being involved in when I was a young boy was masonry. My Uncle Duane was a bricklayer and stone mason and my dad had a special interest in stone work as well. Stone work has always had a special appeal to me. I can remember going to a quarry or out along the roadsides with an old trailer and picking up stones that would be used for a fireplace, or a decorative façade, or some other part of a building.

The selection, preparation and placement of stones has always fascinated me. Often the stones were placed in a huge pile outside and we boys brought them one-by-one to Dad or Uncle "Dudie." They would reach down and pick up a particular stone, turn it over in their hands, imagine its placement in the project and then either accept or reject it. Sometimes, even though the stone was accepted, it needed a little extra "forming" in order to fit just right in the spot which "the master" had determined. Uncle Dudie would ask for his stone hammer and chisel and would go to work on the stone until it fit just right.

Interestingly, at the end of the project, seldom were there very many stones left which had been either rejected or unused. Those that knew how to work with stone usually found a place for nearly every one.

As I look at our lives, I often wonder if each life isn't quite similar to each of those stones. For the untrained eye, each stone is indistinguishable from the others, and often they're seen as simply being in one big pile. But the "Master Stone Mason" knows that there is a place for each stone in the final product and at the right time, it will fit into just the right place. Yes, sometimes the Master must "take off a few unnecessary bumps" in order for the stone/life to fit just right, but then, the fit is perfect alongside all the other stones and "the project" is one step closer to being finished. I'm thankful for the careful way that the Master Stone Mason selects, prepares and places each of us in "His Building!" I want to continue to allow the Master Stone Mason to examine my life and fit me for just the right place alongside all the other beautiful stones so when it's all done, the final product will truly be a wonderful thing of beauty to behold!

Support Structures

2006-03-04T06:21:00.000-08:00

Even the firmest of foundations is insufficient to build a complete life. Throughout my life I have seen that the "supporting cast" of people around us forms a sort of support structure for our lives. Not all of those structures necessarily provide strength. But those that do give strength are essential in the building of a life of strength … one which has direction, purpose and mission.

For a while I'm going to share some personal vignettes which look at the way people provide support structures for our lives. I'm not sure how many I may be inspired to write about, but I do believe that one of the most important issues of "building with living stones" is to recognize how the people around us provide the support structures which, in turn, give strength to our lives. The following "building maxim" is one way to look at the strength which other lives give to ours: "Strength always provides more strength to the components around it." Here's the first "support structure" story.

Family is the place where many of us gain our first support structures. As I mentioned earlier, parents can be a part of a strong foundation, but there are other "support structures" in and around families which build lives. From my earliest recollections, family and faith were inextricably tied together. Grandparents can have an integral role in the support structure of lives. One person who, although physically frail and weak, gave support structure for my life was my maternal grandmother, Martha Onsrud. Her life of faith, love and devotion to her God and her family left an indelible imprint on me as a young person. Her faith had remained strong throughout her life, even through the premature death of her teenage son and later her husband, my grandfather. As a teenager myself, I watched her suffer and eventually die from the debilitating disease of rheumatoid arthritis. Even before she passed from this earthly life in 1973, she had shown me that we could have strength to face incredible challenges, both physical as well as emotional, as life brings them our way. In addition, she gave me a strong picture of the potential for “new life” that was available to those who loved God with all their heart. I truly saw that “new life” in her and it gave me strength that continues today. Thanks, Martha Onsrud, for your life. It's still providing strong support for other lives.

Dig Deep If You're Gonna Build High!

2006-02-28T14:57:00.000-08:00

A strong foundation is an essential part of any building. I have worked on many buildings with weak foundations which in the end cannot support the building and it crumbles. To effectively build lives that are strong begins with building strong foundations. One component of building a strong foundation is the family.

Building has been a part of my family's life for as long as I can remember. From my earliest recollections, our family was always together. We often looked out for one another and cared for one another. We enjoyed one another's company and spent many hours playing and working together. My two brothers and I worked together with Mom and Dad as a family in building since we were old enough to swing a hammer or lift a trowel. Each of us has a love for construction and woodworking that continues today.

As young boys growing up in the 1960’s, there were ample opportunities to explore life together as brothers and "build" with a host of neighborhood friends. Organizations like Little League, Boy Scouts and church groups provided some additional “bricks” for the foundation which God had established through my family’s heritage. Certainly there were the occasional questionable "building projects" and of course, “sibling rivalries” . . . which, when we got out of hand, we were duly recompensed with appropriate discipline. But, even so, we knew a healthy and loving relationship with our parents throughout our childhood that provided the strong foundation upon which to build our lives.

My parents are truly two of the most important people in my life’s journey, and continue to this day to be great friends who are always available with a listening ear and/or counsel. They are great encouragers to me and my family, as well as many others. Thanks Mom and Dad for helping to build a strong foundation!

Start Building

2006-02-27T07:01:00.000-08:00

I am fascinated by the building process. Since I was very young, the process of taking a pile of raw materials and putting them together to create something useful, beautiful, attractive and beneficial to others has been a passion.

It has been my joy and privilege to be involved in the building of structures and facilities for over 40 years! This passion has opened doors for me and taken me to places which I could have only dreamed of as a boy.

Interestingly, as I have grown older, I have experienced the same wonder in the building process as lives are "built." Over and over again I have seen that each person is, at the start, a "pile of raw materials" which can be "put together" to form something useful, beautiful, attractive and beneficial to others. Then when individual lives are built, they help build and strengthen the lives of those around them resulting in an even more attractive and useful "building" ... made up of people, who are being built together for a greater purpose.

My hope is that those who read this blog will benefit from these musings and see their lives "being built" inwardly, and then building with others in an outward manner, for the benefit of others.