I am envious of my husband's weekend trip to Switzerland with a group of men from our church in Wiesbaden, Germany. I have attended a church faithfully all of my life, and Immanuel Baptist in Wiesbaden is my all time favorite church! The congregation represents twenty two different countries from around the world and the congregation is truly a diversified one. There are so many wonderful people we have come to love with all our hearts, who love us in return, and I look forward to every Sunday. It is a bit difficult making our way by bus and train in a two hour trip one way to see them all again, but so worth it. The hard part will soon be over, as we have bought a car, and now the trip will only be about thirty minutes one way.
We laugh together, sing together, worship together, and share the needs of our lives, and daily I see the impact of my forever family praying for the needs of Randy and I and our requests before God. Fellowship is so sweet within our congregation, as well as the teaching and studying God's Word. Both of these activities are important parts of what we do at Immanuel. There are programs for every age group, on many different days of the week, and at various times as well.
It is an excellent thing for men to take time out to focus on the things of God, to set aside the everyday life and it's work and responsibilities, to fellowship and study the things of God. So as much as I am stingy and selfish concerning every moment of time available to spend with my husband, I went with him on Friday to the Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof, (train station,) as saw him off with our pastor, Nick, Dan, and Jason, young men from our church. I had packed his clothes, picked out snacks and sent on of my cameras with the instructions that he was to record the weekend for the rest of us. Now Randy is more a "doer" than a "recorder," so I was thinking he would come home with maybe a dozen photos, and most of those would not be very well shot. He really surprised me with 44 beautiful shots of the amazing nature surrounding the retreat where he and the other men from our church quieted themselves before God, and focused on Him in one beautiful place of His creation.
We laugh together, sing together, worship together, and share the needs of our lives, and daily I see the impact of my forever family praying for the needs of Randy and I and our requests before God. Fellowship is so sweet within our congregation, as well as the teaching and studying God's Word. Both of these activities are important parts of what we do at Immanuel. There are programs for every age group, on many different days of the week, and at various times as well.
It is an excellent thing for men to take time out to focus on the things of God, to set aside the everyday life and it's work and responsibilities, to fellowship and study the things of God. So as much as I am stingy and selfish concerning every moment of time available to spend with my husband, I went with him on Friday to the Wiesbaden Hauptbahnhof, (train station,) as saw him off with our pastor, Nick, Dan, and Jason, young men from our church. I had packed his clothes, picked out snacks and sent on of my cameras with the instructions that he was to record the weekend for the rest of us. Now Randy is more a "doer" than a "recorder," so I was thinking he would come home with maybe a dozen photos, and most of those would not be very well shot. He really surprised me with 44 beautiful shots of the amazing nature surrounding the retreat where he and the other men from our church quieted themselves before God, and focused on Him in one beautiful place of His creation.
In this photo the men are walking from the lodge to the Chapel for evening services.
None of these photos have been changed to black and white,
this is the natural coloration of this winter wonderland!
This is my personal favorite! I love the lighting. It was taken of a hiking trail which began on very regular ground which progressively got steeper, and more dangerous as they wound up the mountain!
If you look to the right in this photo, you can tell that there is a very steep drop-off,
and of course no guardrail or anything to stop you should you slip and fall.
As Christian, brothers and sisters in Christ, the Bible urges us to depend upon other Christians to support and help us in life. This retreat was the first opportunity Randy had to come to know the young man who hiked this trail in front of him, his name is Jason. It was snowing heavily, and sub freezing weather, with fresh snow that was wet and slippery. When my husband was in Ranger School, (he served in the United States Army for 30 years,) he developed a personal mantra. It applies to the trail going up the mountain at the Kuspo Lodge in Lenk, Switzerland, and his new friend who was climbing in front of him. "If the man in front of me can do it, so can I."
The Bible says it several ways as well, and all of these quotes are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible, my new favorite translation, as it has had the most research for accurate translation of the original text according to research I have done.
Proverbs 27:17. Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
I Thessalonians 5:11. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing.
Hebrews 10:23-25. Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. 24. And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works, 25. not staying away from our worship meetings, as some habitually do, but
encouraging each other, and all the more as you see the day drawing
near.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their efforts.
For if either falls, his companion can lift him up: but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up. Also, if two
lie down together, they can keep warm: but how can one person alone keep warm? And if someone overpowers one person, two can resist him. A cord of three stands is not easily broken.
Colossians 3:16-17. Let the message about the Messiah dwell richly among you, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, and singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17. And whatever you do, in word or in deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
I Peter 4:8-11. Above all, maintain an intense love for each other, since love covers a multitude of sins. 9. Be hospitable to one another without complaining. 10. Based on the gift each one has received, use it to serve others, as good mangers of the varied grace of God. 11. If anyone speaks, it should be as one who speaks God's words; if anyone serves, it should be from the strength God provides, so that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ in everything. To Him belong the glory and power forever and ever. Amen.
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