I thouroughly enjoyed this sunset off of my back balcony the other night. I thought you might enjoy it as well. The weather here has been spectacular. In the low seventies every day this October. The Slovaks are all saying they cant remember a fall season this nice. All is well here in Bratislava as I continue on my excellent adventure here in Slovakia.

This past weekend I was invited to go with a group of adults to retreat an hour or so away from the city. The leaves were in full bloom and the landscape was beautiful. It reminded me of Minnesota in many ways. We spent the better part of saturday just wandering through the woods and taking it all in.

The wonder of God's creation never ceases to amaze. Trips like this out into the quiet spaces rejuvinates me in wonderful ways. It has been quite a challenge living in a big city for the first time in my life. I dont know that I could ever get used to living in the noise and the commotion of a bustling city of 700,000 people.
Getting out of the city on a regular basis will be a goal for me, even a necessity.

Here is most of the group, the energetic ones who went on the hike. I have noticed that to go on a 10 mile hike is nothing here because people are so used to walking so much in their daily lives. In America, for many of us, 3 or 4 miles would be enough to tire us out and put us on the couch for the rest of the day. I have found this super active lifestyle a good excuse to eat almost whatever I want with no concern of gaining weight. More zmirzlina (ice cream) anyone?

This is Martin who did all the translating for me on this retreat. Without him I would be quite disconnected from the times when we met for prayer or teaching time. There were many from this group who spoke enough english (and me enough Slovak) that we could get to know each other. But there are several more who without Martins help I could not get to know.
Here we are on top of an observation tower about 60 feet off the ground. From here we could see for miles in every direction, a sea of colors and incredible beauty. It was a bit windy this day so the tower was swaying a little which made for some ticklish moments.

Martin and Zuzka enjoying the serenity.

This is the inside of the tower looking down. Janko is there at the bottom helping to give the picture scale.

The gangs all here!

After the retreat we visited a nearby castle. Here we are at the entrance. This is the Cerveny Kamen castle or Red Rock. This castle was originally built in the 13th century and like most castles changed hands many times throughout the years. A famous Slovak family, the Palffys owned it for several centuries. For all you hockey fans out there you know that name because of Ziggy Pallfy, pro hockey player from Slovakia who is a descendant of this family.

I want you to meet Slavo and his wife Katka. Slavo is the guy that was seated next to me on the plane when I first came over in May. We have developed a nice friendship since I have been here. They have a 4 or 5 year old boy. Slavo works for the Lutheran church of Slovakia doing all types of ministry projects. One of those projects is the prison ministry here in the city. Given my background with this type of outreach we are moving forward on plans to bring some faith based programming to the incarcerated here in Bratislava.

The opportunity arose for me to take in a hockey game and to see the local professional team play. They are known as Slovan (the blue team). Some of you remember I also saw the team play last year on my first trip to Slovakia. This is the Slovakian professional league. In this game the home town team played against a mountain town team called Poprad. The good guys won in an overtime shoot out and everybody went home happy. There were probably 3000 or 4000 people in an arena that holds 7 or 8ooo.

Enjoy some more great moments from the Bojnice baseball camp this past July as I share some thoughts on my faith journey.
One of the biggest challenges of living a life of faith, at least for me, is to establish and maintain an internal peace and contentment despite what might be happening around me. Unless we live in a bubble or a monastery, the noise and the chaos of the real world is going to be a constant source of stress and anxiety. But even if we can shut out the external distractions there is the internal noise we also must deal with. For me, the internal noise can be more menacing than the external. The unsettling nature of the internal blender of voices, images and strange thoughts can easily rob me of the peace and contentment I long for. The inner voices of darkness seem to constantly attempt to barrage me with harsh, critical and condemning thoughts about myself. Am I the only one who has to regularly fend off feelings or thoughts of inadequacy or a lack of value and worth? The search for true peace and contentment sometimes feels like hunting for a buried treasure without a map. Very elusive .

The past couple of months I have been exploring more deeply the disciplines known as solitude and silence. As I mentioned earlier in the blog, being in Slovakia provides a perfect opportunity for God to get my attention in ways not easily accomplished before. There have been much fewer distractions here as I am separated from family and friends as well as everything familiar to me. The language barriers cuts me off from a good percentage of the population and I have no car, which eliminates a huge piece of independence or the freedom to just get up and go somewhere whenever I please. I am working hard at building relationships with people and making significant networking connections but all this takes time to develop. Consequently I have spent an inordinate amount of time just being in my flat reading, writing and learning to be comfortable with silence. Now, there are still plenty of ways to entertain myself here with nonessential activities or allowing endless distractions to be present . I can just hear the ‘married with children’ crowd saying “what you describe as an issue to be dealt with we describe as moments of bliss.” Many of you would kill for a few moments of nothing pressing to do, some extra time on your hands. But is extra time on our hands a guarantee that we will experience a greater degree of peace in our soul? This is where my question takes shape. Is it possible to achieve a true internal peace and contentment despite the circumstances in our lives, whether that is a subdued isolation or constant activities and business? It seems to beg the question, how does one truly come into a place of peace, rest and contentment for the soul?

When I talk about solitude I don’t simply mean being alone or separated from other people, although that is one ingredient in the recipe. Solitude is converging with God in the secret meeting place of our souls. It is learning to invite and allow God to fill that space so completely that there is no room for the many other internal noisy distractions which take up space in our souls. In addition, if we are unwilling or choose to be unable to periodically and consistently remove ourselves from the temporal distractions of the world, both the internal and external varieties, this is mission impossible from the start. This is definitely one of those “easier said than done” disciplines which takes a lot of determination to get even a taste of. The level of difficulty in these disciplines seems to be in direct correlation with how we have designed and constructed our societies. In other words, the incredible level of activities and business we have convinced ourselves we need stands as a high and mighty wall separating us from experiencing any real opportunities for solitude or silence.

Settling in to my new life in Slovakia, it looks much different than I imagined it would before I left Minnesota. There has been much more in the way of training and preparation for me these past few months verses the constant business of ministry endeavors. The on-going preparation has been centered in learning to see loneliness as solitude (a constant awareness of God’s presence in me) and silence as an internal stillness. Silence is not so much the absence of external noise, but rather learning to quiet myself internally in any type of environment. Rather than avoid or run from the solitude I have decided to try walking into it. Rather than being uncomfortable with the silence, I’ve decided to enter into it, allow it to surround me. This is one of those pursuits that will require a lifetime of effort and determination. But if my recent efforts to implement these disciplines are any indication of how it will be in the future, it is worth it. What have I found there? I have found God there in a way that I have never experienced Him before. I have had moments of intimacy in my relationship with God before but not like this. It is precisely this place in the life of faith where words become insufficient to adequately pass along the meaning or substance of an experience. I have encountered moments of a true peace and contentment I don’t think can be found in any other experience on this planet. And I’ve really only scratched the surface.

During my eye opening experiences here these past several months I am forced to ask the question: is it possible to really have a God experience outside any true measure of solitude or peace? Several months ago I think I would have answered “yes.” Now, looking back, I see my moments of prayer and attempts to enter into His presence as weak at best and counterfeit at worst. My attempts to connect with God were mostly “on the fly” as I would be so preoccupied in my mind with the agenda for the day that real silence was never really encountered. Or I would rely on some “prayer time” as I drove to the first meeting of the day. Through this process I have come to understand that, if it is true that the highest purpose for my existence is to be in a loving relationship with my creator, then my pursuit of learning how best to come into His presence is of the utmost importance. For it is in His presence that I receive all that I need to sustain me including really seeing myself for who I am, an object of God’s love and desire.

Here is my Slovak of the week. Meet Adam. He is 17 years old and speaks great english which has allowed us to become friends. I first met Adam at the summer camp in May when I had just arrived in Slovakia. Adam is a super athelete, soccer is his best sport, and has alot of leadership qualities. He gets great grades and is always ready to laugh and have a good time. This was taken right after we all enjoyed a couple hours of volleyball in the school gym.

My experiences here in Slovakia have taken a turn for the American lately as my family began to descend on Europe for the wedding of my brother Rick. It was my pleasure to welcome and host my dad Roy, his wife Shirley and my cousins Steve and Jude to my home city Bratislava. Here we are at the hotel of the castle Devin enjoying some amazing desserts following out awesome tour of the castle ruins. It was a beautiful day which made the views from the top of the castle spectacular.

Hmmm! Good thing we did alot of walking today.

Lets move from Bratislava, Slovakia to Lesna, Poland. Welcome to the Zamek (castle) Czocha. This castle was founded in the 13th century as a defensive strong hold protecting the northern part of the Czech kingdom. After serving as a military post for several centuries it then became basically a home for kings and queens and other renaissance family life. The most significant event this castle has ever seen occured this weekend as it played host for my brothers wedding reception. What an amazing weekend as we were emersed in Polish culture and tradition as well as the love and hospitality of Magdalina's family and friends. Truly a special weekend which will live on in our memories forever.

Every castle has to have a mote, right? Awesome!

The drive from Bratislava was about 5 hours and it was quite the beautiful journey. I traveled through a big chunk of Slovakia, most of the Czech republic and a little peice of Poland. Ultimately it is like driving from Minnepolis to northern Wisconsin with one huge difference. The culture in Mn and Wisc are almost identical (language, customs, food, currency values, beliefs...). The cultural differences in Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland are all unique and different, sometimes vastly different.

Beautiful to look at, not a good thing to put on your pizza.

You wont find this at Abercrombie.

These 2 knights had a disagreement about something and despite my efforts to negotiate a compromise they decided to flash the metal. The sparks were flying and the battle was heated. Fortunately, the battle ended in a draw and no blood was shed.

Here is the best man, my brother Duffy. He and his wife Barb totally enjoyed their first trip to Europe. The history and enchantment of the people and the culture has them boasting about this trip and promising a return trip sometime soon.

This is my older brother Rick and his bride Magda. They met in California where Rick lives and several years ago where Magda came to work. It is common for groups of young people from Europe to go to the U.S. or England to work and earn in six months what they cannot earn in 3 years in their home countries. Poland is very strongly rooted in the Catholic faith which means a big church wedding with family and friends. There was a traditional blessing by both the parents at a family members home only 30 minutes before the ceremony at the church. It was a special moment full of emotion and affection.

There was as much of a procession into the church as there was coming out. There was just alot of attention and love lavished on the couple throughout the process. We in America could learn alot from the customs of these people as they celebrate family and community.

Dont worry folks. He's not having second thoughts here. He's just asking himself, "now how did those vows go again." He practised hard and moments after this photo he delivered without so much as a stammer. Good job Ricky.

A joyous occasion to be sure!

This was the grooms dinner the night before the wedding which was hosted by Magda's uncle who owns his own restraunt. From left to right, Magda's father, Magda's uncle, who is a national war hero, Magda, Gosia, a cousin, Rick and I think Magda's aunt. The food was great, the hospitality sweet and the laughter was loud.

Magda and her friends. As you can see we were having no fun at all. Many of Magda's family and friends spoke some english which made it so much easier for us to become fast friends. All the Poles went way out of their way to make sure the Americans were comfortable.

This is Magda's dad Marian, Shirley, my dad's wife, Magda's mom Danka and Roy. More pictures and stories from the wedding later.

Last night (oct 4th) I was invited to speak at a Lutheran church here in the city to a group of college students. Some of you know I have been doing an anger seminar over the years at churches back home. This is a photo of me and my translator, Martin, doing part 1 of "The Roots of Anger." Part 2 will be next week. There were about 45 people present and based on the feedback the information and discussion was well received. About 75% of the audience speak good english which is common for this age group, especially when they are attending university. Even so, the translation is necessary and helpful.
As each week goes by the cool fall air takes the place of summer’s warm breezes. The fall here in Slovakia is much like it is in the upper midwest of the states. The trees are beginning to turn, the sun is a little lower in the sky and the cool crisp air is invigorating. I am getting more and more comfortable here as the days go by and as I get more familiar with my surroundings. I continue to meet new people and build significant relationships. This is, as I see it, at the heart of my purpose here. Programs and strategies are necessary but relationships are what make them effective. The over-all experience here continues to be an eye opener. A person can read all they want about what it looks like to come to another culture and become apart of it but until you actually experience it… well, that’s where assumptions and reality collide. I have been learning the importance of simplifying my life. There is tremendous importance in moving slowly, seeking often the stillness and solitude and treating every encounter with another person as if they are the only person on the planet. Don’t get me wrong, I am a long way off from living this way consistently, but it is my goal.

When you choose to enter in to this type of life experience, the mission field, (or it chooses you) a significant mentality shift is necessary. Part of it is also a cultural shift. The point is, I can think of no other life circumstance where it is more mandatory to embrace and accept the reality that I am ‘not my own.’ In other words, it has become apparent to me like never before that everything about who I am here can and will be used by God for His purposes. It is my responsibility to make sure I live my life in such a way that everything is redeemable or usable in some fashion. When I strive to keep my life simple and basic this task is much easier.
I continue to struggle with the challenge of staying fully present with God throughout every moment of the day. The reality is this will be a life long struggle. I don’t mean to sound noble here, but there is a real frustration for me that I can be in such a place of peace in one moment and then find myself peeved at someone’s rudeness in the next. In that moment I feel as if I have departed from my fathers presence and am then out in the world unprotected. Its so easy to get stirred up into negativity and other dark thoughts and feelings. The challenge to ‘pray without ceasing’ seems to be a calling to remain in the spiritual realm of the father despite the chaos and instability swirling around us. I love the verses of John 15 where Jesus says, “Live in me, make your home in me just as I do in you.” (verse 4, the message)

One way to understand ‘pray without ceasing’ is just the ability to remain in the fathers presence as each different moment of the day unfolds. Always coming back to the quiet place internally immediately after a moment of unrest or even after the mundane moments of life. We may think of it as the process of going out into the world for a duty to be performed or interactions with others and then quickly retreating back into the secret meeting place where God lives in us. This process may be played out dozens of times in a given day depending on our schedules and how tightly we have packed them. Depending on how well we manage this process throughout the day will determine the vitality and steadfastness of our peace, joy and ultimately our faith. When I fail to accurately perceive my going out and then not returning to my secret place where God lives in me, I inevitably end up feeling lost, frustrated, impatient and at a loss for hope. If I had a dime for every time I ended up here I would buy all of Slovakia a cup of tea. There is tremendous difficulty in accurately perceiving and assessing our internal spiritual condition in a world that is so loud and fast paced. This is especially true when we don’t put limits on how much we expose ourselves to the chaos. And the journey goes on…
And here is my Slovak of the week. This is my friend Riso (pronounced Reesho). It's a nick name for Richard. I believe he is 16 years old. Riso lives in the town of Zilina which is about 2 plus hours by car from Bratislava. Riso speaks great english and enjoyed his first baseball camp this summer. He is a natural at baseball and has learned to love the sport. As a matter of fact he is hoping to start a baseball club at his school which would be the first one ever there. I am attempting to get him some equipment to get them started. Riso was in Bratislava recently which gave us an opportunity to hang out. Good man that Riso!