Us on the top of the French "Grand Canyon."
A side street near the palace in Monaco.
Real Italian pizza!
Formula 1 moment =)
I made the sand castle, Daniel made the moat!
No, it´s not Venice...it´s Hamburg!
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Pictures from Vacation!
Us on the top of the French "Grand Canyon."
A side street near the palace in Monaco.
Real Italian pizza!
Formula 1 moment =)
I made the sand castle, Daniel made the moat!
No, it´s not Venice...it´s Hamburg!
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Vacay 2011
There´s something whimsical about vacation. It´s the kind of thing that gives you jittery excitement in your stomach two months before it starts. And once you´re in it, you´re reminded once more that life is more than to-do lists, deadlines, meetings, cleaning the apartment, and buying cheap yoghurt when it´s on sale. And just because you have disappointing summer weather where you live...doesn´t mean that the whole world is cloudy.
We just got back from our summer vacation a few days ago. It was GREAT. It was like we had shifted our gaze upwards and no longer saw the tedious things in life. Instead, we were memorized by the beauty of God´s creation and sovereignty. Isn´t it spectacular to know that life isn´t about our schedules but about the fact that God loves us and wants to be intimate with us?
OK, I´m getting ahead of myself. Like I said, we just got back from vacation a few days ago. We spent 5 days in Grasse, France. Then we flew home and drove up the Baltic Sea for 3 days. On the way home, we spent a few days with relatives in Hamburg. Some of our highlights include sightseeing with friends in France, swimming in the Mediterranean, standing on the Formula 1 race track in Monaco, eating pizza in Italy, walking along the coast at the Baltic Sea, and touring through the Hamburg area. Each part of our vacation was refreshing and unique.
However, one moment particularly stands out. It was while we were driving on the coast of Nice. As we were winding through palm trees and views of the Mediterranean , we turned a corner and saw something I´ll never forget. It was like a postcard. A small boat harbor surrounded by clusters of tall, pastel-colored buildings. Some were light yellow, others pastel peach or green. And each was artistically withered and aged, complete with wooden shutters and fresh flowers hanging from the windows. I remember looking from the backseat of the car and thinking, "Wow. I don´t think I´ve ever seen anything this beautiful before."
C.S. Lewis writes about beauty in his book, "The Weight of Glory"--a book in which we´re both reading at the moment. Lewis says that when we are captivated by something beautiful and realize that we can do no more than enjoy the beauty as an "outsider," we develop a longing for heaven. It´s so true. What he´s saying that no matter how long I would sit at the harbor and soak in every detail, everything would turn into a faded memory the moment I leave. No postcard or oil painting could bring the beauty of the harbor inside my soul. When we are in the presence of true beauty, we observe as outsiders. But this serves to awaken our hunger for heaven. In heaven, we won´t be spectators of beauty, but we will be a part of it.
In closing, it´s wonderful to know that God shows us beauty for many reasons--to lift our focus from the mundane, to remind us of His sovereignty, and to give us a longing for heaven. So amazing that the same God who orchestrates the big and the small takes time to shift our gaze upward.
We just got back from our summer vacation a few days ago. It was GREAT. It was like we had shifted our gaze upwards and no longer saw the tedious things in life. Instead, we were memorized by the beauty of God´s creation and sovereignty. Isn´t it spectacular to know that life isn´t about our schedules but about the fact that God loves us and wants to be intimate with us?
OK, I´m getting ahead of myself. Like I said, we just got back from vacation a few days ago. We spent 5 days in Grasse, France. Then we flew home and drove up the Baltic Sea for 3 days. On the way home, we spent a few days with relatives in Hamburg. Some of our highlights include sightseeing with friends in France, swimming in the Mediterranean, standing on the Formula 1 race track in Monaco, eating pizza in Italy, walking along the coast at the Baltic Sea, and touring through the Hamburg area. Each part of our vacation was refreshing and unique.
However, one moment particularly stands out. It was while we were driving on the coast of Nice. As we were winding through palm trees and views of the Mediterranean , we turned a corner and saw something I´ll never forget. It was like a postcard. A small boat harbor surrounded by clusters of tall, pastel-colored buildings. Some were light yellow, others pastel peach or green. And each was artistically withered and aged, complete with wooden shutters and fresh flowers hanging from the windows. I remember looking from the backseat of the car and thinking, "Wow. I don´t think I´ve ever seen anything this beautiful before."
C.S. Lewis writes about beauty in his book, "The Weight of Glory"--a book in which we´re both reading at the moment. Lewis says that when we are captivated by something beautiful and realize that we can do no more than enjoy the beauty as an "outsider," we develop a longing for heaven. It´s so true. What he´s saying that no matter how long I would sit at the harbor and soak in every detail, everything would turn into a faded memory the moment I leave. No postcard or oil painting could bring the beauty of the harbor inside my soul. When we are in the presence of true beauty, we observe as outsiders. But this serves to awaken our hunger for heaven. In heaven, we won´t be spectators of beauty, but we will be a part of it.
In closing, it´s wonderful to know that God shows us beauty for many reasons--to lift our focus from the mundane, to remind us of His sovereignty, and to give us a longing for heaven. So amazing that the same God who orchestrates the big and the small takes time to shift our gaze upward.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
Reflecting
Hi Friends,
There are a million things we would like to write you about. The past few months have been filled with ideas, thoughts, and adventures...but unfortunately, it´s been hard for us to find the time to just sit down and write it.
For example, last month we were talking about
how much American media influences every nook and cranny of Germany. The theaters are filled with American films (translated, of course....which is annoying when your favorite actor is dubbed over with a voice that sounds nothing like him/her.) American politics are constantly on the news. Supermarkets are starting to sell things like barbeque sauce, brownie mix, and even frozen hamburger patties. Teenagers are glued to MTV and sing along to rap songs they don´t understand. We even sing (translated) American worship songs in church.
Sometimes I (Michelle) really like it. I think, "That´s right. My country really is great." I mean, the U.S. sets the trends worldwide in fashion, food, coffee shops, music.....And at this rate, it won´t be long before ranch dressing makes its way over here, too. Then, Daniel and I could eat pizza with ranch as often as we want=)
But at other times, I want to just put my head down and hide. We have to tell 11-year-olds at our Kids Cafe countless times, "Turn off your iPhone. That song isn´t appropriate."
"But I don´t understand the words, so it´s fine," they say.
"Yeah, but I do. And it´s nasty."
We also talk to teens every week who are negatively influenced by my culture--watching trashy movies, wearing skimpy clothes, and idolizing musicians/actors exhibiting low moral standards. Sometimes, I just want to say, "I´m sorry." Sometimes I feel guilty when I look at the moral filth around me...because I feel somehow responsible.
But the point isn´t feeling bad. The point isn´t pointing out America´s flaws, either. (In fact, I´m very proud to be an American.) The point is taking responsibility seriously.
If we (Daniel and I) could say one thing, it would be this: America, the world is watching more than you know. Your inventions, discoveries, art, and culture bless the world. But your misrepresentation of love, marriage, and families plague not only your own children, but also the children around the globe.
It´s time to pray for God to heal the land... and thank Him for His unending mercy.
There are a million things we would like to write you about. The past few months have been filled with ideas, thoughts, and adventures...but unfortunately, it´s been hard for us to find the time to just sit down and write it.
For example, last month we were talking about
how much American media influences every nook and cranny of Germany. The theaters are filled with American films (translated, of course....which is annoying when your favorite actor is dubbed over with a voice that sounds nothing like him/her.) American politics are constantly on the news. Supermarkets are starting to sell things like barbeque sauce, brownie mix, and even frozen hamburger patties. Teenagers are glued to MTV and sing along to rap songs they don´t understand. We even sing (translated) American worship songs in church.Sometimes I (Michelle) really like it. I think, "That´s right. My country really is great." I mean, the U.S. sets the trends worldwide in fashion, food, coffee shops, music.....And at this rate, it won´t be long before ranch dressing makes its way over here, too. Then, Daniel and I could eat pizza with ranch as often as we want=)
But at other times, I want to just put my head down and hide. We have to tell 11-year-olds at our Kids Cafe countless times, "Turn off your iPhone. That song isn´t appropriate."
"But I don´t understand the words, so it´s fine," they say.
"Yeah, but I do. And it´s nasty."
We also talk to teens every week who are negatively influenced by my culture--watching trashy movies, wearing skimpy clothes, and idolizing musicians/actors exhibiting low moral standards. Sometimes, I just want to say, "I´m sorry." Sometimes I feel guilty when I look at the moral filth around me...because I feel somehow responsible.
But the point isn´t feeling bad. The point isn´t pointing out America´s flaws, either. (In fact, I´m very proud to be an American.) The point is taking responsibility seriously.
If we (Daniel and I) could say one thing, it would be this: America, the world is watching more than you know. Your inventions, discoveries, art, and culture bless the world. But your misrepresentation of love, marriage, and families plague not only your own children, but also the children around the globe.
It´s time to pray for God to heal the land... and thank Him for His unending mercy.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Spring and New Life
Hi Friends,
Sorry for the lack of updates these past few months...We've been adjusting to a new "normal," as teaching jobs have picked up (praise God for His faithfulness!) I, Michelle, now work at three different jobs--a vocational school, a Christian high school, and a language institute. It may sound like a lot, but it's usually around 10 hours in the classroom a week (plus 10 hours of classroom prep at home). It's a blessing to be able to work part-time....to earn some money while having time to do ministry prep and household chores=)
Daniel has started his second semester of college. He's still enjoying his studies. One of the cool things is that he's able to have spiritual conversations with some of his school friends.
Speaking of spiritual things, we've both seen God work and move in some pretty amazing ways these past few months.
If you've read our previous blogs, then you might remember a time when we wrote about rain. The idea was that ministering in these neighborhoods (or in this culture) is tough. Many people are really hardened towards the Gospel--like cracked, crusty soil that has been parched from years of sun. We kept planting seeds. And praying for rain. And then we'd plant more seeds. And pray for rain, again. And now, it's begun to sprinkle.
A few months ago, a couple of Muslim boys from our Kids Cafe prayed with one of our leaders to accept Jesus. At the end of the prayer, one boy said, "While we were praying, I saw light." Another boy said, "I could feel my sins going away." Just thinking about this brings tears to my eyes. At Kidsfest (our outdoor Sunday School), one of the girls who accepted Jesus came with us to church last Sunday. At the Youth Cafe last week, two teenage guys stood up at the alter call to accept Jesus. Directly afterwards, one of them (who had a hurt leg) was prayed for, and his leg was healed!
OK, I know what you're thinking. "What? This isn't a sprinkle...this is a full-out rain storm!" Yes and no. Although the Muslim boys accepted Christ and experienced Him personally, they live in an environment where Christianity is forbidden. Even though the two teens stood up, accepted Christ, and then witnessed a miracle...they came back this Tuesday with questions and doubts.
Lately, we've been reminded of the parable of the good and bad soil. Some accept Jesus with joy, but then the snares of this world choke them. Others fall on shallow soil. Others are snatched up by the birds. Others accept Jesus and persevere.
We've been praying for the seeds. Ironically, it's Spring time and new life is spouting green buds all around us. Each new growth reminds us to pray for the spiritual seeds that have sprouted in our ministries.
A healthy, growing seed is the greatest enemy of Satan. He will do everything possible to destroy the potential of a passionate, world-changing Christian. The only way to fight is to pray. With every word proclaimed in the authority of Jesus Christ, Satan loses ground.
Please join us in prayer. Pray for the seeds. Pray that this sprinkle turns into a rain storm.
Sorry for the lack of updates these past few months...We've been adjusting to a new "normal," as teaching jobs have picked up (praise God for His faithfulness!) I, Michelle, now work at three different jobs--a vocational school, a Christian high school, and a language institute. It may sound like a lot, but it's usually around 10 hours in the classroom a week (plus 10 hours of classroom prep at home). It's a blessing to be able to work part-time....to earn some money while having time to do ministry prep and household chores=)
Daniel has started his second semester of college. He's still enjoying his studies. One of the cool things is that he's able to have spiritual conversations with some of his school friends.
Speaking of spiritual things, we've both seen God work and move in some pretty amazing ways these past few months.
If you've read our previous blogs, then you might remember a time when we wrote about rain. The idea was that ministering in these neighborhoods (or in this culture) is tough. Many people are really hardened towards the Gospel--like cracked, crusty soil that has been parched from years of sun. We kept planting seeds. And praying for rain. And then we'd plant more seeds. And pray for rain, again. And now, it's begun to sprinkle.
A few months ago, a couple of Muslim boys from our Kids Cafe prayed with one of our leaders to accept Jesus. At the end of the prayer, one boy said, "While we were praying, I saw light." Another boy said, "I could feel my sins going away." Just thinking about this brings tears to my eyes. At Kidsfest (our outdoor Sunday School), one of the girls who accepted Jesus came with us to church last Sunday. At the Youth Cafe last week, two teenage guys stood up at the alter call to accept Jesus. Directly afterwards, one of them (who had a hurt leg) was prayed for, and his leg was healed!
OK, I know what you're thinking. "What? This isn't a sprinkle...this is a full-out rain storm!" Yes and no. Although the Muslim boys accepted Christ and experienced Him personally, they live in an environment where Christianity is forbidden. Even though the two teens stood up, accepted Christ, and then witnessed a miracle...they came back this Tuesday with questions and doubts.
Lately, we've been reminded of the parable of the good and bad soil. Some accept Jesus with joy, but then the snares of this world choke them. Others fall on shallow soil. Others are snatched up by the birds. Others accept Jesus and persevere.
We've been praying for the seeds. Ironically, it's Spring time and new life is spouting green buds all around us. Each new growth reminds us to pray for the spiritual seeds that have sprouted in our ministries.
A healthy, growing seed is the greatest enemy of Satan. He will do everything possible to destroy the potential of a passionate, world-changing Christian. The only way to fight is to pray. With every word proclaimed in the authority of Jesus Christ, Satan loses ground.
Please join us in prayer. Pray for the seeds. Pray that this sprinkle turns into a rain storm.
Monday, February 14, 2011
A New Year
It feels like 
Christmas, New Years, and the start of 2011 was a whirlwind. Our Christmas was really homey and wonderful. We spent it with Daniel´s family--his parents, one of his sisters, brother-in-law, and three of our nieces and nephews. I think the best part is watching kids get super excited (wide-eyed, jumpy, and contagiously smiley) over the presents. The Christmas season was also a time for me (Michelle) to get to know German Christmas traditions...like the fact that almost every town has an outdoor Christmas market on 
the weekends, complete with Christmas ornaments, fresh waffles, mittens, and hot drinks for sale. So beautiful.
Soon after, New Years came. We both spent New Years at a friends house and then took time on our own to reflect on 2010. It´s been quite a year! We started the year off in New York, moved to California, got married, moved to Germany, Daniel started college, I started language school, we got plugged into a new church, got to know new friends,...not to mention that we set up our first apartment. God has REALLY taken care of us. We literally started everything here in Germany from zero. Through our families and friends, God has given us furniture, appliances, encouragement, and financial advice. God has also given us a place to live. Unbelievable. God is soo good.
And with the new year came new adventures. Daniel has finished his first semester of college and is scheduled to take his final exams in March. The cool part is that he´s excused from taking one of his exams because his previous tests were so high. Yeah! As of this month, he´s working in his apprenticeship (construction work), and then returns to school in March for the spring semester. So far, he´s really enjoying school.
Something we´ve been enjoying together is serving in our weekly ministries. The Tuesday youth cafe is still hopping--people come in with tattoos, death metal t-shirts, and vacant eyes. We´re always praying for a revolution...for a spiritual breakthrough...for something. And little by little, one by one, we´ve been able to share our testimonies, the Gospel, and we´ve been able to pray for them. But our prayer now is that the teens wouldn´t just listen to our words, but that the words we speak would penetrate their hearts. Our desire is to see disciples. Please pray that these teens would be the next pastors, missionaries, and leaders for their generation.
Speaking of ministry outreaches, we just had our first Kidsfest in 2011! It was awesome. Despite the cold, damp weather, 41 kids and 9 parents came out and participated! One of the coolest parts was that the kids were waiting in the park before the church bus arrived. So, we had lots of little helpers during the set-up. One of the girls even brought a cake to share. Our theme was the "Wild West," complete with own "bandit" (staff member) who stole
a sack of money in the middle of our program. The kids went wild, and ran to catch the thief! It was so much fun.
Once the kids settled down, we started with the message. Our message was about having the courage to love God...despite what anyone else thinks. The kids were really paying attention. At the end, we even had a chance to speak to some kids and parents and invite them to church. Please pray with us that our Kidsfest programs and personal visitation would result in families coming to church and knowing God.
Aside from these things, the only other news is that I (Michelle) am working now! After attending a training in January, I´ve been working as an on-call English instructor. Ever week is different, and so we never know how much I will earn. However, that´s also a prayer request. Please pray for a sufficient number of hours. God has been so faithful in providing for us last year, and we´re trusting Him for this year, too.
So, I think that´s all that´s new with us. We both want to thank you for reading and keeping updated on our lives. Thank you so much for praying with us and partnering with us.
Sending our love,
The Kerns
Christmas, New Years, and the start of 2011 was a whirlwind. Our Christmas was really homey and wonderful. We spent it with Daniel´s family--his parents, one of his sisters, brother-in-law, and three of our nieces and nephews. I think the best part is watching kids get super excited (wide-eyed, jumpy, and contagiously smiley) over the presents. The Christmas season was also a time for me (Michelle) to get to know German Christmas traditions...like the fact that almost every town has an outdoor Christmas market on 
the weekends, complete with Christmas ornaments, fresh waffles, mittens, and hot drinks for sale. So beautiful.Soon after, New Years came. We both spent New Years at a friends house and then took time on our own to reflect on 2010. It´s been quite a year! We started the year off in New York, moved to California, got married, moved to Germany, Daniel started college, I started language school, we got plugged into a new church, got to know new friends,...not to mention that we set up our first apartment. God has REALLY taken care of us. We literally started everything here in Germany from zero. Through our families and friends, God has given us furniture, appliances, encouragement, and financial advice. God has also given us a place to live. Unbelievable. God is soo good.
And with the new year came new adventures. Daniel has finished his first semester of college and is scheduled to take his final exams in March. The cool part is that he´s excused from taking one of his exams because his previous tests were so high. Yeah! As of this month, he´s working in his apprenticeship (construction work), and then returns to school in March for the spring semester. So far, he´s really enjoying school.
Something we´ve been enjoying together is serving in our weekly ministries. The Tuesday youth cafe is still hopping--people come in with tattoos, death metal t-shirts, and vacant eyes. We´re always praying for a revolution...for a spiritual breakthrough...for something. And little by little, one by one, we´ve been able to share our testimonies, the Gospel, and we´ve been able to pray for them. But our prayer now is that the teens wouldn´t just listen to our words, but that the words we speak would penetrate their hearts. Our desire is to see disciples. Please pray that these teens would be the next pastors, missionaries, and leaders for their generation.
Speaking of ministry outreaches, we just had our first Kidsfest in 2011! It was awesome. Despite the cold, damp weather, 41 kids and 9 parents came out and participated! One of the coolest parts was that the kids were waiting in the park before the church bus arrived. So, we had lots of little helpers during the set-up. One of the girls even brought a cake to share. Our theme was the "Wild West," complete with own "bandit" (staff member) who stole
a sack of money in the middle of our program. The kids went wild, and ran to catch the thief! It was so much fun.Once the kids settled down, we started with the message. Our message was about having the courage to love God...despite what anyone else thinks. The kids were really paying attention. At the end, we even had a chance to speak to some kids and parents and invite them to church. Please pray with us that our Kidsfest programs and personal visitation would result in families coming to church and knowing God.
Aside from these things, the only other news is that I (Michelle) am working now! After attending a training in January, I´ve been working as an on-call English instructor. Ever week is different, and so we never know how much I will earn. However, that´s also a prayer request. Please pray for a sufficient number of hours. God has been so faithful in providing for us last year, and we´re trusting Him for this year, too.
So, I think that´s all that´s new with us. We both want to thank you for reading and keeping updated on our lives. Thank you so much for praying with us and partnering with us.
Sending our love,
The Kerns
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