Category Archives: Uncategorized

What matters in your life?

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what matters in your lifeRecently I started reading “love does” by Bob Goff which is a book that really shows how little things matter. I highly recommend to you to read it! One quote that stuck out to me was this one: “I used to be afraid of failing at something that really mattered to me, but now I am more afraid of succeeding at things that don’t matter.”

This is really something to think about. What do we want to say at the end of our life when we look back. Are we working towards what we are actually passionate about with everything we have even with the risk of not succeeding in it, or are we living a life that makes us succeed in things that don’t really matter? Living in San Francisco I meet people that have a passion for God and want to pursue Him, but then choose their job and career over that goal. Some end up succeeding in there career but in the process loose what they really wanted to do. In a world where everything is built on a mentality of always wanting more at whatever price and even at the cost of others it is important to stay true to what we are called to do.

Ask yourself those questions:

  1. Am I living my life towards succeeding in Gods calling for me?
  2. If not where do I have to make adjustments?
  3. How can I become even more effective in the things that matter?

Hey our friend

During this week we had a wonderful game night which brought many people from the community together. It’s a great way to meet new people and have a fun time together. Think about what you can do in your community.

Thank you for partnering with us and the work here in San Francisco. You are a true blessing to us. May God bless you richly.

Markus and Jen

It is well with my soul

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it is well with my soulLast year when we were on our way to Germany to go to the funeral of my grandpa we had to go on a 6 hour drive to LA. On that drive we listened to worship music and the song it is well with my soul just kept coming back on. It really encouraged me and brought me hope during that time. When I looked into the story of the song I was amazed. It was written by a Chicago lawyer after he went through many tragedies. First he lost his son, then he lost most of his wealth in the big Chicago fire and then he sent his wife and daughters to Europe for a vacation on which trip the ship collided and all 4 of his daughters died. On his way over to meet with his grieving wife he wrote this song:

1. When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
when sorrows like sea billows roll;
whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say:

Chorus:
It is well, it is well, with my soul. It is well, with my soul!
It is well, with my soul! It is well, it is well, with my soul!

2. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control, that Christ has regarded
my helpless estate, and hath shed His own blood for my soul.

3. My sin, o, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

4. For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live: if Jordan above me shall roll,
no pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

5. But, Lord, ’tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
the sky, not the grave, is our goal; O trump of the angel!
O voice of the Lord! Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

6. And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
the clouds be rolled back as a scroll. The trump shall resound,
and the Lord shall descend, even so, it is well with my soul.

His life was hit by one tragedy after the other, but in all of that he kept his focus on God. I’m sure he didn’t understand why things happened the way they happened, but he choose to keep believing that his Father in Heaven is good and does not want any bad for him. Ask yourself those questions:

  1. Do you truly believe that God is good even in times of challenge?
  2. If not, what do you think makes you believe it is not true?
  3. Spend time praying and ask God how you can see this truth again in your life!

Hey our friend

We hope you had a wonderful week. My brother and his wife left to go back to Germany. We had a wonderful time with them and look forward to see them again!! I was also meeting with a friend who uses the ministry concept to bring hope to his community. We also shared with one of my old students from Switzerland on how to impact his area with the ministry concept. God is starting to bring in more people who have a heart for their neighbors and community and want to use the concept there. Keep praying that all those starts will be fruitful.

Thank you for your Prayer and financial support. You are such a huge blessing to us. We are still in need of $1440 more monthly support to be fully funded. If you or someone you know would like to join our team in that way click on this link to see how!

Have a blessed week

Markus and Jen

Encouraged and challenged daily

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Encouraged and challenged dailySince Jen and I got married we read through the yearly bible 3 times and started just recently on our 4th time. It is a great start into the day by just reading the plan on the phone or let the phone read it to you. Many times we leave encouraged and also learn something new that God is speaking to us during those times.

Today part of the reading was in Psalm 37. It was so encouraging to read the promises in there. As an example Verse 5:

Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you.

What a call and what a promise. When we commit everything we do including our work, our off times and all other times, it will build trust in us and God can show us through it his help. Wow what an encouragement. And all of that by just spending 15 minutes per day to read the bible.

We want to encourage you to start a one year bible reading plan and to be encouraged through his word. You can either way buy a one year bible or you can just download the you version bible app to your phone and select the one year bible under the reading plans. To succeed in going through ask yourself those 3 questions.

  1. What is a good time for me to do that (morning, night, afternoon etc.)
  2. What is my plan to not quit after I missed a day?
  3. Who can I invite to join me?

Now be encouraged by reading your bible.

Hey our friend

We hope you had a fantastic week. We had a week full of events in our apartment like a memorial bbq with friends from 5 nations, a visit from my brother and his wife from Germany and a german night at our house. Its wonderful what can happen when you create a place for community to happen. We want to encourage you to be one of those places in your neighborhood.

Have a blessed week

Markus and Jen

Step out in faith

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step out in faithRecently I saw a commercial where a little boy goes into a diamond store and wants to buy a gift for his mom. After he choose it he put all his money he saved, which was just some change, on the table, which of course was not enough for the purchase. But in the next shot you see the Dad standing in the back showing his credit card with that saying he will pay for the rest.

I believe this is also a beautiful picture of us working with God. When we do our part God will take care of the rest, the bigger part.  But we have to step out in faith that He can show himself faithful.

We want to challenge you to step out in faith this week in one area in your life!

https://youtu.be/JjdCaHQPeBQ

Hey our friend

We hope you had a wonderful week. Jen and I are back in the swing of things after having a wonderful refreshing vacation. Its exciting to see all the great things God is doing in our neighborhood. We want to encourage you to get involved in your community and shine as a light in it!

Have a blessed week

Markus and Jen

Roles of a father

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 Roles of a fatherLast week we wrote about the need for fathers in todays time and how each one of us should bring the love of the father to others. A while ago I listened to a sermon from Paul Manwaring about how to be a father. It was probably the best sermon I have ever heard on that topic so I took some of his points into this blog. Learn about some of the roles of a father and what fathers are supposed to do:

  1. Fathers give direction. They help their child to find the right path and help them to discover what they love.
  2. Father’s believe in their kids. Even if no one believes in a child a father always does and he always sees the best in them.
  3. Father’s fix and restore things. Even if the child made a mistake or did something bad, a father helps to fix the situation and restore it.
  4. Father’s teach the kids in how to love their spouse. By living in a way in how they honor and love their spouse they teach their child by example how to do the same someday when they get married.
  5. Father’s provide and steward resources.  When a father teaches his child how to steward resources, he will help them to know how to earn them and how to deal with them to always have enough.
  6. Father’s create the moral compass for the children. When they do that they teach their children on how to choose what is right.
  7. Father’s love unconditional not just if you do well in school as an example, but even when you mess up I do love you.
  8. Fathers give to the child even undeserved. When we do that we create a greater picture in the mind of the child what unconditional love means.
  9. Father’s give identities. A father affirms his child and through praying and hearing from God, he affirms the true identity of his child. Example if God shares that the child is an inventor, guide the child in a creative way into the area of inventing things.
  10. Father’s teach thankfulness. Thankfulness is the number 1 key to a happy live, but it is one of the most lacking thing in today’s time. Fathers help children to grow in thankfulness by example. As an example: Thank you God for the rain which brings water so we can grow food to live on.
  11. Fathers are willing to pay a price. Sometimes that means to sacrifice some of their own plans to help the child succeed.
  12. Fathers are not afraid to show weakness. When we show a child our wekness it helps them to do the same and it creates a humble heart that is able to grow.
  13. Fathers teach kids not fair but make them favorites, which helps them to grow to the best they can be. AS an example if one child is excited about soccer buy them a soccer ball and play with him and also put him on a team. The cost for that is fairly low, but you made the child through it to feel like a  favorite. If you have another child that wants to play the violin, buy them a violin and help them to have lessons and then join them when they practice and play. Through that that both children feel like favorites even if the investment in the one was a lot higher than in the other one.

All those points are written towards being a father to a child, but in reality they all apply to every person we father or minister to. If it is someone in church or someone at work.

Be a father and through it show people a glimpse of their Father in heaven!

Hey our friend

We hope you had a wonderful week. Jen and I are on vacation this week. Please keep the ministry and North Beach in your Prayers while we are gone. Thank you for being part of our life.

Have a blessed week

Markus and Jen