Conference, ŠPM, Third Day, sickness, birthday...

Hey everybody,

last 10 days or so were really exciting and busy so let me tell you what was happening. As you may know from my previous post I went to Hungary for a conference called European Leadership Forum. I went there with two other man from our church. We left on early Saturday morning and got to the conference place at noon. The way was quite good and I got to drive the car from Budapest to Eger. And I enjoy driving a lot! There are many things that I could tell you about the conference but I need to be short. Said in brief: I've never gotten that many information into my brain as I have on the conference. The day started for me about 7am with breakfast. After that there was a morning plenary meeting (with worship and sermon). After that we split into our networks (kind of classes that you participated at every day and it had the same topic). My network was Bible Teachers. That took about three ours of studying the Bible. How to prepare a sermon and how to dig into Bible. After that there was 30 minutes break (for a lunch we had sandwiches) and then there was a workshop for an hour and half. Then another 30 minutes break and other workshop for an hour and half.The we got an hour break and after that we went for dinner. After the dinner was evening plenary meeting where we did worship and there was always a man preaching. Usually I went to bed at midnight. I have never received that many information. To the end of the conference I felt how my brain was full and overloaded of everything I've learned and heard. It was an amazing week! God has shown me so much. And helped me to realize many things concerning my walking with Him. I'm so thankful for that week. And there's one testimony I want to share with you all. At the conference there's always a bookstore that has 60% off from the original price. I decided I spend 30 euros at books but there were so many of them and so good that after all I spent more than I wanted to. Actually I spent everything I had with me and so I was left with 12 cents. But it was worth it. Two days before the conference was over I was standing by the books (even though I didn't have any money but just kept on going through them) and there was this English man from my network standing right next to me. And so we started to talk. He asked me what ministry I do and what do I want to do after I graduate. So I shared my vision and dreams with him. Then he asked me what books have I bought. I replied to him and said I've decided that I buy more thin books this year then to buy couple of thick books. And then next year I bring more money and I buy more. Then he said something I would never expect to hear: Hey, you know what? Pick up like ten books and I get them for you. I was like: WHAT? He took me right away and put Systematic Theology from Grudem in my hands and said: Wait here for a while. Then he ran away got his friend and after few minutes came back with a pile of books for me. Then we went and picked some more. That man bought books for me for 83 euros! (that price was already with 60% off) I am so thankful for that man. OK, let's stop calling him a man. His name is Phil. God used Phil to allow me to study and learn more then I could without those books. And you know, that's a thing that I am kind of afraid of. People invest into me a lot. Their money, time and many other things. That takes a lot of responsibility on my part. I'm being given talents from God and I can't waste them. I have no idea what's God's plan for me. Where will I be in ten years? Who will I be with? What will I do? I don't have a clue. But I believe that God knows what He's doing. And that He's just preparing me for His plan to be fulfilled in me.

I came back from the conference on Thursday afternoon. You can imagine how tired I was from it. But I was happy that I was tired cause it meant that I've been through it. Though on Friday morning I went to Tatras where was our last ŠPM. You know, there are two parts in my about ŠPM. One is that I'm happy that it's over. Because it means that I've finished it. That I''ve been through it and now I can move on and go for something else. On the other hand I'm sad. I've made lots of friendships. I was learning so much there. And now? It's over. The reason why I decided to go for ŠPM was that I wanted to know myself better and to know what God wants to do with me. I have to tell you that God really answered my prayers and in the past eight months. He helped me to understand myself and to know myself way better that I had before. And I'm sure that you all know that our God is an awesome God. Well, He gave me more than I asked for. He gave me amazing friends and people I got to know. And I'm 100% sure that ŠPM has changed my life in more then just one way. Through ŠPM God has showed me that He's got a plan for me and I don't need to be afraid of it. I just need to trust Him completely and rely on Him. Friends, I must tell that I really wonder what's His plan. But I can tell you that it's going to be good. Because it's His plan and not mine. And I'm happy I can be a part of His plan.

Then I, my classmates from ŠPM and one girl went to Trnava for the concert of Third Day (yes, Third Day had a concert in Trnava on the square for free!). We had a great time together. Then we slept over at the Building and in the morning we all stayed for the Sunday service and then we had lunch all together. It was a great time.

Though all those ten days had it's price. Yesterday I was exhausted so much that I had fever and didn't eat anything the whole day. This happens to me when I don't have enough rest and all I need is a day off. Today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow I don't have school because of graduation so I can rest and read all those books I brought from the conference. Today it's Monday June 1st and I just turned 19. What does it mean though? For me personally it reminds that 19 year ago God has called me into this world. As He says to Jeremiah:

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
and before you were born I consecrated you;
I appointed you a prophet to the nations.

Do not say, 'I am only a youth';
for to all to whom I send you, you shall go,
and whatever I command you, you shall speak.

Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you to deliver you,
declares the LORD.

(Jeremiah 1:5.7-8)

European Leadership Forum - Eger, Hungary

On Saturday morning I leave to Hungary for an conference that is hold in city called Eger. This conference is suppose to be a big deal (I'm saying suppose to be because I've never been there before). As the name suggests it's for people from Europe. This is what they say about it:

GAIN ACCESS TO GOD'S GLOBAL RESOURCES

• Receive expert teaching and training from some of the world's best teachers
• Find mentors and build friendships
• Be encouraged
• Invite key Forum speakers back to your city
• Discover Best Practices resources and seminars in evangelism, Bible study, church life, and leadership development

I don't really know what it's going to be like. Don't know what to expect and what's going to meet me there. But I know that so far God was giving new directions to my life and my ministry through many other conferences. And if this one is suppose to be a big deal - I'm looking forward to the message it's going to bring. Please, pray for me that my eyes would be open and my heart willing to be changed and that God would do big things in my life even through this conference and people I will meet along the way.

Hebrews 6:10

For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do.

Tak to je gól!

I'm sorry for Slovaks only. But I gotta tell you it's funny:)

Opis priebehu zápasu s Čechmi:

Prvá tretina

Ako to, že Maďarsko má na MS dva tímy? To je nefér.

Myslím, že tréner Filc sa rozhodne hrať osobku na Jágra a Eliáša, a pre istotu aj na Pruseka.

Druhá tretina

Česko začalo hrať druhú tretinu...

My nemáme len český komplex, ale aj kanadský, fínsky a - priznajme si to, aj maďarský.

Zatiaľ máme menej striel na bránku než dali Česi gólov.

Mali by sme vyprovokovať nejakú bitku, nech je to 3:0 kontumačne.

Po štadióne sa šušká, že Slováci hrajú bez suspenzorov, preto sa boja puku.

Konečne sú sily vyrovnané - na ľade sú štyria Česi a päť Slovákov.

Ubránili sme si vlastnú presilovku.

To je dráma. Zápas sa prelieva z jednej strany na tú istú.

Prestávka

Teraz máme šancu! Rýchlo na ľad a doženieme Čechov!

A musia naši na tú tretiu tretinu nastúpiť?

Lašák dostane na konci zápasu hodinky pre najlepšieho hráča slovenského tímu, aby nabudúce vedel, kedy má odísť z bránky.

Tretia tretina

Nagy minul bránku v dobrej šanci. Tep nevyskočil nikomu.

Aktuálne: IIHF na mimoriadnom zasadaní preradila Slovensko do boja o záchranu.

Filc hral sudoku, inak si nevieme vysvetliť, prečo by si za takého stavu ešte niečo zapisoval do notesa.

Koniec

Zvoliť najlepšieho hráča Slovenska je ako exhumovať mŕtvolu z masového hrobu.

Mother's Day

Yeah, we had this "holiday" yesterday. And I wanted to do something original and special for my mom. So I baked a cake for her :) Yes, that's right. I backed a cake. And you know what? We were actually able to eat it. And it was tasty (at least that's what my family said - or they just tried to be polite). Either way, I think my mom enjoyed this. Though I believe I was giving her hard time when I was messing with her kitchen. But she made and so did I.

I found this video on youtube. It's quite funny...at least to me.

Don't waste your life

Sometimes I just stop for a while and I try to look back into my past and try to see where I am. Where I came from what all has changed. I don't have to go too far to see where I came from. This summer it's going to be just two years since I've given my life to Lord. And that made a huge difference for me. Today I was translating sermon. God gave me this gift of learning English quite fast and so I want to give it back to Him. Just as Jesus was telling the parable of servants that received the talents. I don't want God to tell me one day You wicked, lazy servant! I want to use the talents that I got wisely and make some use of them. This morning I came to the church earlier because I wanted to go through the sermon one more time before the service would start. And I was sitting in a window with my legs being hanging over it and translating for myself. Suddenly I realized how many things God has done for me and inside of me. That if He would not have called me I would be probably sleeping and never caring about Him. Wasting my life. But He has called me. And that He just called me - He gave me work to do. He gave my gifts and talents that He wants me to use. Yeah, I know that I mess up every now and then but I'm trying to be faithful. You know, I was there this morning translating. Serving the Lord. Every time I'm about to translate a sermon I get so nervous. But I my trust is in Lord. And so when I stand up from my chair to walk to the front to translate suddenly everything is gone. There's no stress left in me. He takes it all away and makes it easier for me to serve Him. I remember last summer when I was translating a sermon for the very first time. Even twenty seconds before I was suppose to walk up front I was as nervous as I had never been before. Then the time came and Jeff just tapped me on my back and I stood up. Right in that very second God took everything away. It was so strong that I couldn't believe for a little while that just five seconds ago I was having so much adrenalin in my veins and now it's all gone and I can focus on the translation. That was a miracle for me that day. And I still experience this kind of fear but then just a simple thought that it's all for God and His glory makes it all go away. And so it was this morning.

As I was sitting in the window in the morning I realized that I'm so thankful that God called me and that I'm not wasting the life I've been given. I really like this video clip. It's been an inspiration to me not to waste my life but to use it for God's glory.

Be a man...

Last week I went to conference for youth workers in Žilina. The ministry called Kompas does this conference and this one was the 15th. Since Kompas does ŠPM as well, and I am a student there, I was at this conference as a volunteer. But before I’ll tell you more about this conference let me tell you first about other conferences I’ve been to...
The very first one was in September 2007, just two months after I became a Christian. It was a youth conference. At this conference God showed me a new way for my life and He started showing me what He wants me to do. As well at this conference (through a hard experience but anyway, I’ve got to understand who God really is in His mercy, love, forgiveness and justice. This was quite a big step forward in my walk with God.
The second conference I went to was KPM – exactly a year ago. At that time I was deciding whether to join the Dorast team or not. Whether that’s what God wants me to. As well there was this money issue since I would have to leave my part-time job in order to do Dorast (and ever since I was 13 I always had a job and some kind of income and I was quite independent from my parents – speaking of money). So I was used to always have some money and now it would mean that I have to give this up in order to do Dorast. At last year’s KPM I’ve decided to go for it and join the team. I remember saying to God: Look God, you want me to do Dorast for you? OK. I’ll do it you You MUST take care of me. I’ll work for you only in the case You promise me You will provide everything I need. OK? And after the conference I said to others that I’m accepting the offer to join the team.
So these two conference were quite milestones in my Christian life. And that’s why I expected next conference not to be any different. And right the first day of the conference I found out what was God trying to teach me and show me. And I already wrote about this so I’m not going to do it again. Here it is: http://marektt.blogspot.com/2008/09/blog-post.html Well, just in short God let me see the truth about me – and it was not nice at all.
A month ago I went to a preaching conference and at that one God made my passion for preaching to grow and more mature. Still it’s something that needs to be developed so greatly but this conference was a good one and useful in many way. Most of all it helped me to really realize how important the preaching is.
Now KPM came once again. And I was wondering what it’s going to bring. What the message is going to be. What will God want to communicate to me. So let me tell you what was the personal message for me and how it affected my life, ok?
Mostly it was because of one lecture I went to. It was about man’s leadership (in family, in church) and what it really means to be a man. To lead and to take the responsibility – to be a man. On Friday I realized one thing. That I was running away from what God calls me to do. For the past three weeks I was trying to find a way how to get out of this and yet I would not be the one that backed off. Why did I want to do that (don’t I remember what happened to Jonah when he decided to ignore what God called Him to do?). And throughout the whole conference (the lecture I already mentioned, the speakers during the main program and people I talked to) God was challenging me do take what He’s calling me to do. Not to run way but to go straight ahead. Not to fear but to trust. To be responsible. Simply – to be a man He calls me to be. And so I said to God once again: Look Lord, You got me into this. I didn’t choose this way. And if you expect me to go for it You must promise me You’re going to take care of me and everything else otherwise I’m not into this if You’re not. You got me into this so either get me out of it or help me to keep going. I see it quite same as Moses saw it when God said to him that He won’t go with the Israelites to the promise land otherwise He would have to destroy them. And what does Moses say to Him back? If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here(Ex 33:15). Moses is saying that if God is not directly and completely involved in what we’re doing it’s better not to do it at all. For He is so important in our lives.
And so I left the conference as a man who is decided to take the responsibility for what God has given him. To trust the Lord that He know better then I and He knows why He’s given me this all. I got to trust Him. To be responsible and most of all – to be a man.