Why are you really doing this?

This week is one in which Berlin students find themselves with high stress levels. Textbooks and notebooks full of notes from the past few months in front of them, trying to decode what it is they wrote down in October that will be on their upcoming tests. Oh, test week!

Our STINT team, partially remembering from our experiences as students that this week is one where you can between wanting to cry thinking about all you need to do and the elation of actually remembering a concept for your test, decided to serve the students.

So, we gathered together this morning to, through the help of some assembly line action, put together 300 studying care packages. Filled with goodies like Haribo gummi bears, tea, coffee, etc, we set out to hand them out to unsuspecting Berlin students.

How skeptical of free things we as humans are. Can someone really give something with no strings attached? Can we really serve people without wanting something in return? How many students turned down free snacks. It was fun to be there and while handing out the packages observe the reactions of German students. The skeptical "Why are you really doing this? to "Wow, this is so generous!" with a smile breaking across their face. It was fun to see stressed out students suddenly not be able to wipe a smile off their face. To see them do the double take as we assured them that we were truly giving them a free gift.

I love that I get to be here to serve the students of Berlin. That some days they get to experience a free gift, a physical gift. Other days we talk to students and enter into spiritual conversations, asking them questions and sharing with them how they can have the gift of life. What a gift!

Sights of Berlin

Berlin truly is an international city. This summer we really enjoyed learning more about German culture but also about other cultures as we met people from all over the world. The first three pictures are from some of my favorite places in Berlin. Top : Gendarmenmarkt: this part of Berlin is real easy on the eyes and I find it super peaceful. In this square there are two churches and an opera house. It was built for the French Hugenots to come and worship. Middle is the Berliner Dom, it is a protestant church on the east side of Berlin. Fun facts: the East actually repaired the church and on front of the church is 1 John 5:4 " and this is the victory that has overcome the world-our faith." I find that amusing especially considering where the church was. The Brandenburg Gate: Everyone probably could recognize this monument, but I love to think about the fact the Napoleon stole the Quadriga (lady with the horses) off the top, and then it was brought back. Imagine taking a large statue off of a building....CRAZY!

Berlin Prayer

I have been reminded recently that prayer is an essential part of the Christian walk. Not that praying makes you holier than anyone else, but how else can we connect so deeply to the heart of God. Not only that, but the God of the universe, the one who holds this very planet in motion, bids us to come boldy before his throne of grace and bring everything to him.

Matthew 21:22 says "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith." Faith is another key component to our walk, we have to believe that God not only hears our prayers, but that he is on the side of His people and is doing work, He is working for our good and longs to answer our prayers.

I leave in just 25 days for my trip to Berlin, I want it to be true of me that I did my part and left God's part to him, and I believe that one of the best ways I can prepare is prayer. Here are what some of my prayers for the summer are. I would ask you to join me.

Open Hearts: That the students of Berlin would have open hearts to hear the gospel. That we the members of BERLIN '10 would have hearts open and willing to let the Spirit move, that we would follow His prompting be open to His leading.

Conversations: That Jeremiah 20:9 would be true of our lives, that we would have to speak. Pray that students are open to conversations, and that we would follow the Spirit's promptings in our conversations and that we would know nothing, but Christ crucified.

Boldness: That we would have the boldness of the early church. That we would be walking in the Spirit and proclaiming our LORD.

Spiritual Growth: That we would grow in our faith as we do things that we've never done before for the name of Christ. That we would take leaps of faith!

Safety: That we would remain safe during our travel and also as we live in the city, that we would be protected and that we would make smart decisions.

Health: that God our great physician would sustain our health while we are away and that no accidents would occur.

Brokenness: That God would break us for the Lost people of Berlin, but also for our friends and family members back home.

Team Cohesion: We are going to be living together as a team in Amstel Haus in Berlin (if you're interested Bilder means pictures). Pray that we would be one that the words of Ephesians 4:4-6 would be true of our lives. "There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to one hope that belongs to your call--one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Maggie: Maggie lived with our family for six months, and though we haven't heard from her in over a year, we know that she goes to school in Berlin. Pray that God would do far more than we can imagine in reuniting us and in her life and mine.

Support: I have raised all of my financial support! Praise God! Pray for the rest of my team, pray for their support to come in and that their families would offer support as well. (You're a big part of support through prayer as well, I really mean that!)

Gospel: Pray that the Gospel would go out, that the message of love and light and hope that can be offensive, pray that God would use us to spread his gospel.

Excitement: That we would be excited to use our summers for God's glory. Excited about what God is going to do in us, through us, around us, and in spite of us!

until next time...

Kimberly Nickel

Where I applied to go this summer!

I'm trusting Jesus to take me there, waiting to hear back!