Through Signs…

Today has been a good day in the Lord. As the weather seems to stop the happiness of people's faces it does not stop the true passion and love of God. We are people filled with His spirit that has the power to do anything. There is no limit to God even the coldness of the air or anything we physically think can stop the movement of God. He is not able to be moved from His thrown, He is King with our without use His will, will be done.

On my walk to the supermarket I was looking at the ground as I normally do. It seems that I'm worried that I will trip over something but really I tried to walk on the way home from the train tonight without looking at the ground and it was almost impossible. Good thing that the Lord knows our faults and trains us up. Anyways this elderly woman was walking towards me as I was walking towards the supermarket and the Lord spoke to me and said "head up and smile" so I did. The smile of trueness came over me and I watched as this elderly lady gave me a smile of a true loving grandmother. You know the kind that you see on grandmothers faces when their little ones just did something so special to their heart. It was at that very moment that I realized that even if the weather is cold and the sun goes down at four o'clock God has declared His people who are walking with Him a light in the darkness. It was at that moment that I realized that I must pick my eyes up and watch for those who may just need a little glimpse of God. It was a blessing to know that God is always right on time and obviously it was what that woman needed at that moment.

Later on today I was reminded of something else. The Word says that these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. (Mark 16:17-18) God's people are to be walking in spiritual ways that they shall be followed by things that are unexplainable and only God given. It is by our obedience to His spirit that we are able to partake in such things but it is what the people who are filled with His spirit will be known by.

We are called to be peculiar people and that we must be known by our Father. When we were baptized in Jesus name we were given a covering of our past, our backs. God gives His promise that He will have our backs that He will take care of the things that we can't take care of. The Word says that we must say get behind me Satan. Why? God has our backs through the repentance and covering of the blood… if he is behind us protecting us than Satan has no chance to tell us to do anything. Our God has given us the Holy Spirit for use to move forward and proclaim the promises of the kingdom of Heaven.

I am encouraged tonight as God is moving through out, to proclaim His ways true. It is the responsibility of the people in the church to prove that we serve this wonderful God. My prayers for Sweden are that the people will let the spirit rain down on this city and that God would be known through His people's walks… with their heads up and noses down. Letting God prove Himself through signs that will FOLLOW after them!

We are seeing great revival get started in Falun and I pray that I will be able to partake of the greatness of the filling of the Holy Ghost in Sweden. I am off for three weeks in Falun and will be updating you on the great things God is doing.

International Revival...

The Word of God says that when his people pray that mountains can be moved. That just little faith gave Peter the power to walk on water. We are told of spiritual healings taking place when hands are lade on those who are in need. God has proven Himself time and time again showing that it is with great faith we could change this world.

In my bible studies with the International students I have witnessed so much of God's blessings. My friend Pamela has been witnessing to her friends for a couple years now and has been asking for a bible study for a year. Now that we've started the bible study she been able to witness more to them. I've been blessed to be a part of this and to watch light bulbs turn on by the power of God's words. In our group we have had two girls who have received dreams of going in the wrong direction and knowing that they don't have the power to change the direction they are going in. That they are on the road to destruction. God is moving and in all! God has brought two Muslim students to our group one who realized the oneness revelation but is still trying to make up his mind. Prayer is needed as these very educated students are trying to figure out God and we all know you can't figure out everything somethings are just by faith.

While in Falun during the previous weekend. I was blessed to give back to the people with a message and with music. I was blessed to use the gift that God has given me through music to play the piano for this wonderful house group. It was in Falun that I truly felt that I was doing exactly what God wanted me to do. There is a hunger in Falun and people are popping out every where with great hunger for the Word of God. I have never been able to witness so much desire for godliness as I witnessed in Falun. God is moving and He is getting His church ready.

I am ready for great things to happen here in Sweden and I can't wait to witness what that is about to be!

Youth, Bible Studies, and more…

So far my evenings have been filled with great adventures and wonderful fellowship. I'm blessed by the ways of God and the anointing that He puts on people who are obedient to His Word. I've been at two church events here in Sweden and both have been a blessing. I will start with Thursday night as I was blessed to witness the works of the spirit as it was a very multicultural group. As the Lord fell and the group began to thank God for what he had done from working in a court case, to blessing in a witness of a young college student who was just giving thanks for her food, to the healings that were to take place with another saint in the church, and the list goes on and on. God was proving Himself in 2010 and it was a blessing to witness what He is doing. I was honored and blessed to witness and be a part of a much larger picture. God is so wonderful and it was an amazing Bible Study.

On Friday night I was blessed with the honor of having the youth group over for youth night. The group was not large in fact there was only three who came and two who stayed through the whole night. I was honored to speak with these beautiful young women who on the inside were oozing of greatness. The devotion done by Sister Sophie was great and such a strong Word from the Lord. She spoke about loneliness and that hit so home for many of us sitting there. Very powerful move of God!

As many would have looked upon some things in the states and seen something much differently I looked upon it as a blessing of what God could and will do in these girls lives as they stay obedient to His Word. I have found through time being here that these people are so hungry for the Word of God and in that it makes me thirsty to give to them in any way I can. In the small ways, like the word speaks about the wife, our conversation can be a saving factor to the lost. I can't even beginning to tell you how that has proven to be true. The youth have blessed me back at my home church but watching the move of God in the Youth Night was a blessing the gratefulness and gratitude is beyond belief that comes from these young girls. I have been so blessed and I am grateful for what God is going to do while I'm here.

Besides those two nights my great times of fellowship with the family here has been overly great. I'm honored to have spent time with them and been please with the information they've given me. I will be going to Falun on Friday and be coming back on Monday. I'm looking forward to this and hope that I may be a blessing to these very devoted and blessed people. I will fill you in when I return home on Monday but as for now I will be writing tomorrow after church to what great and wonderful things God did in service.

May the Lord bless you all on this wonderful day and I will be back to you tomorrow. J

Four o’clock mornings and confusing signs…

No one can tell me that driving in Europe is an easy task. As I've learned by Adrian driving me a couple times now it is truly an accident waiting to happen. I watch some of the people whom may I add drive on the right side of the road seem to drive like mad men out to kill their first deer. It is crazy how people can be driving around in circles and never truly make you feel like they are going to run you over. Most people I see are walking but there are some who are driving around and seem to run into each snow bank possible or come to an intersection where I've not truly seen many STOP. They will do the common coast as I find my mother do often but stopping like we see at intersections not rarely. As I say this I do not complain just opening the eyes of my readers to what my daily adventure today entailed.

Four o'clock mornings are starting to get at me. My body as it gets over jet lag is tired by the time it is bedtime but I still have not gotten a regular routine. My bed time has been close to 11:00 or as it would be here 23.00. I wonder often if I will ever get us to the military time but I'm going to have to because everything is like that including my bus schedule which I'm still not use to yet. When you are spoiled with transportation always at your hands it makes it difficult to not here. Back to the four o'clock mornings which wouldn't be too bad as I do stay up during the day and sleep at night so I'm not all out of sorts. However at 7:30 am every morning I find myself awakened to the chirping of little kids who are going to the preschool across the street or as they call it förskola. Adrian informed me that it is for children who are five and younger. Anyways these kids are so excited that I wake up every morning to either them arguing about something, which I do not understand what they are saying but I do understand what they are doing, and/or them playing and laughing. It is sweet as I don't know what they are saying ever but I have looked out the window to see them and their reactions. So that brings me awake after my little rest that was only a couple hours long following my four o'clock body wake up call. So as you can tell my Scandinavian experience is quite humorous.

Today was my adventure out by myself. I was planning on taking a walk to bandhagen where I would take the train into the city that normally I would take the bus to... well go figure I was lost in the first fifteen minutes of my walk. Lucky for me I wasn't that lost and was able to venture back home. I than find out that the next bus wasn't for another fifteen minutes so by then my cheeks were cold and I didn't feel like waiting for the bus. So I ventured down the street to the nearby grocery store that I knew was there. Probably a five or ten minute walk at the most. Lucky for me I was able to find the postal service where I could buy stamps, or so it looked like on the sign, and was able to venture through the grocery store of a foreign language. It was very neat to look at all the products as I learned quickly that I will be eating lots of fresh things because that is all that I knew really what it was. Which will not be a problem because starting on the 8^th I will be entering into a Daniel fast with the church, yes the good old fruits and vegetable fast that we did for a month. However, they are only doing it for 21 days so that isn't bad at all.

So as you can tell venturing through Sweden was an interesting adventure. Even though short and truly probably only a half an hour I think I may be going back later on this afternoon to mail something for headquarters. We shall see though I don't know what this day will entail besides the youth night that will be here tonight. I will post pictures and maybe a blog tonight if not tomorrow. It is really nice having internet access here as I can stay connected at all times.

Well I am off to work on scriptures for Adrian. I have to translate them all so it will take me a while. L I also should pick up around here so that the youth are comfortable. I guess you'll hear about what God is doing after youth night. Lord Bless everyone!

No compromise…No hypocrisy

In my time here I've learned so much already. The people are so unique and even though some may find things they deal with as a struggle I look at them as being a positive thing. Please don't keep me to my exact history but the story line is the most important thing. Sweden at one time was ruled by the Catholic Church and its leader as we all know. The King decided that they were not going to be ran by the Pope and changed to be a protestant nation. At that time every person who was born was born into the Lutheran church, I believe it was, instead of being born into the Catholic Church. Well as you can imagine the people of Sweden have an idea of being a Christian as not being a relationship but just as it really is a religion. Since people in Sweden were born into a religion they were never able to be founded on the moral standings that America was built on. Even though some may think this is a negative thing that they will never open up to the Word of God that is not entirely true. The people here respond well to the Word of God as that is the only true thing that can change the heart.

During my conversations I've realized truly how amazing some of the lack of understanding is. Without the idea of what is morally right you have no ability to fight the common "but I'm a good person" response. Another thing is that people in Sweden do not like hypocrisy so that means there is no doing things just because that is what the pastor says. If people are going to make a stand for God they are going to do it with their whole heart meaning that the process that God intended takes place, from the inside out. How encouraging is that, as well as how uplifting and refreshing. We have found in the churches in the States and in Canada a sense of compromise as we say but really it isn't compromise it is hypocrisy. Being here I've realized how badly I don't want to be a part of that. As long as I'm true to my Lord and what I stand for that is what is going to be my salvation. Yes submission to my Pastor and his authority in my life is important and I will obey what he has for me but that is another thing that is different in Sweden. Here in Sweden people are treated as equals which is a good thing but a negative thing when you are trying to teach submission and authority. However, that is in the Word of God and the word of God speaks to the heart which changes, hence from the inside out.

I am encouraged today and excited to witness the things that God is going to do. It sounds like I will be going up into Falun, Sweden some time very soon and praise the Lord I am very excited about that. I can't wait to share with you the people that I meet and share the great things God is doing. I have realized that it isn't always about taking the step but holding God's hand through the whole walking process. With God we can't fail and that means that no matter what happens while I'm over here it will be exactly what God intends as long as I stay under His will.

So greetings from your overseas Sister. I will try to keep better updates but today was difficult being that nothing has really taken place but getting settled. Have a wonderful day as I am going to Bible Study and you are just starting your day. Lord bless you all and look for pictures starting on Saturday as I will be entering into the city! J

The journey begins with gratefulness…

Sunday school was different today there was sadness in the air as I knew it would be for my last day in the classroom. Watching the youngsters enter in the room made my hear t beat to a new and different rhythm. I wish I could say that I was comfortable or ready for the class but I wasn't, my heart hurt inside as I knew it would be my last class with these wonderful young people. Pastor's presence in the room was only a reminder of the sadness I was feeling inside and the struggle of making this no different because I was leaving.

Sweet Ms. Rachel paid for a cake with her own money for my leaving. The love that was shown from Rachel's gracious giving heart showed through her gift. I will miss that girl as well as the sweet determination of Josh, Chet's loud boyish manhood change in his attitude, and Luke's confident change. These sweet children have changed my life and I will forever be grateful for that. They have given me something that I can't put my figure on.

Hugs were given as the youth group came to say good bye to me. My heart still breaks as I saw the tears in Sara's eyes and the hugs from Lacey while the boys shook my hand. I'm proud to watch the change in Mike and witness the persistence that Brother Justin has came to with the Lord. As sad as it is to say good bye and leave I can't look back at the beautiful blessings that these young people have been in my life and not be grateful.

Now that we are on the road I can't believe this day has actually come. The roads are terrible as we can only imagine when the Lord is about to do something. I was told that I couldn't get my e-ticket yet and the computer took a while to upload. It truly has been quit the day.

Pastor's words will forever ring in my ears while I'm away. "Faithfulness is success in the eyes of the Lord". As I step into this new chapter of my life I want to stand firm on what the purpose of this trip is for and that is souls. The lack of churches in Sweden breaks my heart but I know that will change. As long as I stay faithful to the Word and house of God my witness will be as it should be in the land of Sweden.

Last Sunday after fretting about leaving the Lord gave me this scripture.

Acts 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. 10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

I know I have been called to help in Sweden as far as what will happen after my three month deployment, I do not know. I have three months of service to find out what God wants to do. The Lord has guided the footsteps of His people. Some to go, some to stay, and some to reach…

My Pastor is an amazing man and his love for service has taught me so much throughout my walk. It is today that I would like to say… thank you Pastor. You have done so much for me, taught me, corrected me, and encouraged me. I am going on this mission trip because of your faithfulness. You took me in, brought me under your protection, and with the help of God allowed healing to take place. If you would have not obeyed the call to stay and pastor the church in Fort Frances who knows what would be of my life.

Many want to go to the mission field, be a pastor, be an evangelist, or the next million dollar soul winner, but I have a pastor who followed the will of God for his life and because of that I am able to follow mine. You always said that it is about the will of God and now I say to all…..

Don't say I wish I could do this and I wish I could do that. Allow God to make you into what He wants. In your words "I am forever grateful" for what influence my pastor has had in my life.

I pray that everyone is safe today and blessed by the warmth of our Fathers embrace. Remember to forever be grateful for the people and things that make you who you are today.

Departure!

I am on my way to the mission field.... I will be there TUESDAY JANUARY 26th!

Departure fast approaching...

Dear Friends and Family,

Well my trip is fast approaching! Praise be to God that I only must fight butterflies for one more week. Is it the Lord's will for us to feel that just new love feeling in our tummy's right before going to do His work? If so I must say he is very successful and my stomach is floating like I'm about to see my first love, but than again I am about to see my first love. Through the eyes of souls in Sweden I plan to see Jesus.

I was encouraged last night to receive a great blessing of contribution from those around me. The church gave to the work of Sweden and even though I have my budget the Lord will bless those that gave to the work I will be taken part in.

For I have dreamed a dream of being a help to those who need it.

Last night my eyes were opened to Acts 6:19 Paul dreaming a dream of a man asking for help in Macedonia. Praise be to the Lord who gives His saints dreams and visions to do the work that is needed. And Lord knows we have work to do in Sweden.

Sweden is about the same size as California which has around 196 churches in the UPCI, however, Sweden has 1 church with a couple daughter works growing. We have much work to do before the Lord's coming. It is not His will that any be lost and if I can help bring the WORD of God to people in Sweden I will go.

My heart goes out to those who have labored in this country and their prayers through out the years. I'm excited to work along side the Smith's and ready to get my hands dirty. What an amazing couple who I look forward to getting to know and adding to my list of influential people in my walk with Christ.

Please pray for me as I depart to Sweden. Pray that God puts a hedge of protection around me. This is not a vacation to a place where I really know a lot of people. I appreciate you all and love you dearly. I will miss you deeply but know that I've been called to go and help much like Paul was. We shall see what God has planned! Lord Bless you all and stay tuned as I will update this blog spot often.

"Grateful"...

The only person I know who answers a greeting with "grateful", someone who feeds the multitudes and not in his own power, someone who goes to battle on his face and enters with only a sword(the Word), someone who will enter into the battle fields with nothing but victory in mind, someone who has no idea how his love for souls saved me from never walking into a United Pentecotal Church again. Who is this man you may ask? This man is my Pastor... Rev. Sean V. Ward

I remember the day this man became my Pastor and will never forget it. My desire is not to dwell in the past but I must give honor where honor is due. There are two things about that day that I will dwell in forever. The first words spoken by the man I call Elder are the words that gave me peace... "they are finally home". The second words spoken by the man I call Pastor... "it is about souls and you are welcome here". These words are what I know make my Pastor the best pastor in my eyes. He is the sheperd that threw over his shoulder two wounded sheep and has protected them ever since.

Pastor Ward has helped in mentoring out gifts that I never knew were there. He has pushed me to heights that I never knew exsisted in God. He's prayed for me and let God work out the many rough spots in my life. Allowing the love of Christ work through him I am slowly growing into the servant that God has called me to be.

I say all of this to say be grateful for the one who's authority and call has given you the hope to learn more about the one true God. Be grateful for the man of God who has listened to the call of God and preaches to you the Word. Who helps you to grow and become strengthen in the faith.

Thank you Pastor I am grateful for what you've done and the huge roll you've had in helping me to become what God wants me to become. No matter what comes my way I know that you will preach the Word of God to me.

Tack Jesus!

Grandpa Fries...

There was a solider who went home...

I sit here today thinking about what my Grandpa Fries truly taught me. He was not a perfect man in fact he was truly the poster child for forgiveness and mercy. I look at his life and what he did and I wonder how a man so mean could turn into a man who was so in love with something besides himself.

As little as I knew Grandpa there is one thing I do know. He was a man who trusted in the Lord with his whole heart. Grandpa was not a perfect man but he was a changed man by his faith.

Some people have the love that is transparent in their work. Grandpa loved God with all his heart and soul. His work was God's work and his life God's life. I'm grateful today to have known him and will forever be thankful for what God did to change him.

Just a little tribute to one man who along with many has impacted my life.
I miss you so much but I also know that you are in a much better place.

Walking on water...

I'm looking forward to what God is going to do in the next couple weeks. I've learned so much about myself and what I stand for. It's just to good to be true.

Life is amazing and never have I felt so thankful for what He is going to do. I'm in the last part of planning my trip and in that I've realize so much.

The Lord spoke to me and told me not to be afraid. I stepped out in faith with my whole trip from my budget to my insurance and over again. This whole thing has taught me how truly amazing our Lord is. I'm looking forward to doing God's work and with a grateful heart.

Five year to get answers, five years to be filled with the Holy Ghost, and five years to start it all in baptism. My Lord has worked in fives my whole life.