In this video blog we use a garden as an example that growth takes time. We can’t speed it up or we might actually destroy it. Be challenged and encouraged!

Hey our friend

We hope you had an amazing week! What’s new with you? In the near future we are planning to have a workshop at our church to encourage people to get involved in their neighborhoods and bring hope and God’s love to people around them. Pray for the class and that we will find the right words while preparing for it!

Thank you for praying with us! You are a huge blessing!!

Have a blessed week!

Markus and Jen

Whom the son sets free is free indeed! John 8.36

On of the greatest traps we can get into is getting stuck in guilt and condemnation. Those 2 have power to hold us away from what God really has for us. They can make us feel that we are not good enough. When we do something wrong, we feel inside a conviction which challenges us to change and ask for forgiveness for what we did wrong. That is a godly thing that is helping us to keep a clean conscience. But how often did we still feel guilt even after we asked for forgiveness. I remember a while ago I made a mistake in putting a meeting in my calendar. That mistake led to me missing that meeting. I asked God and the person, I had the meeting with, for forgiveness but even after that I felt condemnation that I made that mistake. But where did that come from? It didn’t come from the person or from God. It came from the fact that I could not forgive myself for making a mistake. It held on for a long time till but when I realized what it was I asked God to forgive me for not forgiving myself and asked Him to take away the guilt and condemnation. It was so freeing.

So the key is to forgive ourselves and believe God when He says that he has forgiven us. He does not hold anything against you. When he said he forgave its gone. So guilt and condemnation is not coming from Him. Conviction for change is coming from Him, because he loves us.

I want to encourage you to ask God if there are any areas in your life where you haven’t forgiven yourself. Ask God to help you to forgive.  You don’t have to live under guilt, you can be free!

Hey our friend

We hope you had a great week wherever you are right now. WE had a neighborhood watch meeting this week with many neighbors to talk about the safety in our community. Its so great to see more about what people care about and to support them in it. What does your community care about and how can you support them in it? Think about it!

Thank you also for all your prayers. You are such a blessing!!

Have a great week!
Markus and Jen

Over the last few weeks we started playing worship music right in the morning in our place. When we started doing that it changed our perspective on the day and our focus went in a deeper way on the presence of God. We were less distracted from life and things that came at us. Another thing we noticed was that our faith and courage increased to reach out to others in other ways.

One situation brought me to a beach in the city and led me to talk to an older wealthy man and help him in a hard situation since he was stuck with a broken down car. I couldn’t fix the car but I helped with everything I could do by standing with him and then trying to find help even to pray that the engine would start. None of the things worked, but finally we got help from a car repair place. I waited with him till they arrived and then said goodbye. I was about to take off when the man came back and told me how me standing with him restored his hope in humanity. I was surprised how something so little could have such a huge impact in someone’s life. It was just the fact of me being present with him and not leaving that brought hope.

So what do you think about how much more of an impact does it have in our life to have the presence of God with us? Spending time in His presence totally changes and transforms us and makes us the people He created us to be. It takes away the thriving and helps us to trust in his abilities and not on what we can do.

We want to encourage you to start to adjust your life in a way that you always walk in his presence. Regular worship and times with Him is a good start to do that!

Hey our friend

What a wonderful week! Last week we launched a small group at our house with focus on spending time in Gods presence with other believers. The first one has been amazing and really encouraging. The time at encouragement group was amazing as well and uplifting for each one that came. Our Saturday brunch with our neighbor friends was also a highlight of the week. I made my first hash browns from scratch and they came out good! We really love our friends around us!

Thank you for all your Prayers for us and this city. You are a huge blessing!!

Have a great week!
Markus and Jen

“It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.” Psalm 127.2

Jen and I are having every morning a quiet time and in that we read the bible together and two devotionals. Most of the days we feel challenged or something we read got us thinking. One morning the verse above in Psalm 127.2 stuck out to me.

We are living in a city where it is normal for many people to work for at least 12 hours a day and the pressure to succeed or otherwise your company might be gone the next day. So that leads to even fuller and fuller days and that to more and more pressure to succeed. I come also from a culture were often high prices are paid for success; those German cars don’t invent themselves. So I myself understand this issue very well and have to deal with it in my own life many times. So when I read the word of Salomon in the Psalm above I see a clear contrast. Salomon is saying that God gives rest to his beloved children. A man that succeeded in many areas of his life sees the importance of putting trust not in our own works or the things we can do, but instead puts it in the hands of a loving father. That doesn’t mean he did not work or was just sitting around, no in no ways. But Salomon didn’t carry all on his shoulders to succeed but instead trusted God for that.

I believe to live a healthier life, we have to put more trust into God and his abilities and work with him instead of us trying to make it happen and with that carrying the burden of anxiety, crazy work hours, isolation and pressure of success. When we live a healthier life it will also strengthen our relationship with Him since we actually got time to spend with him and others in fellowship. We will be able to shine His light more in our workplaces and all other places we are going into because we are not exhausted and still have energy to give. We want to challenge us and you to think about this:

1. How does your life look like in this area?
2. In what areas do you might have to adjust your schedule and the way you look at work?
3. Which areas do you still have to surrender to God?
4. How could you set aside a day of rest?

Hey our friend

Ok I have to say I really love our San Francisco summer which started in September. We had wonderful days here and we are able to hang out with our neighbor friends at different places outside.

I was going on a Prayer walk one morning through our beautiful neighborhood and during that time got a new and deeper understanding of things that are going on under the surface. When you pray and see Gods perspective on things you understand better how to help a situation. Example: Your car runs makes a loud noise when you drive it and you decide the shocks are broken but don’t ask an mechanic who knows a lot about the topic. So you exchange them but then realize that it was not the shocks, but the engine was scratching because it was out of oil. Of course that is an extreme example, but we just want to point out that when you listen to God you can understand things better and also save yourself a headache J.

Don’t forget this week that you are amazing and loved!!

God bless you
Markus and Jen