The night started as all extra-curricular events do: late. Students were exploring the building, which was by now free of any academic aftertaste, and cookie crumbs were spilling all over the carpet. The place was ripe for music - but not just any kind of music. What was to come would be focused; all the voices in the room would soon join together in singing to and with and for and because of a person.
The Person.
Slowly, the nearly-all-student team of musicians gathered around the front of what we at ICSV like to call the AP Room. The All-Purpose Room is used for, you guessed it, anything and everything. Last Wednesday, it transformed, as it so often does, from an empty space into a holy place.
Students from all over the world settled in for an evening of worshiping God; there were teenagers from all over the spectrum: 13-year-olds and high school seniors, Koreans and Canadians, those close to their Father and those wandering and wondering. Muslim students were there and kids who don't know if God even cares . . .
. . . we were all awed and humbled by how much he really does care.
Throughout the night, students worshiped through song, prayer, and testimony. Two students shared from the depths of their experiences how good God is. It was glorious and beautiful to be a part of the fellowship. When we got back home, Ollie sleeping contentedly in his stroller, we looked at each other. It's nights like that which make ministry at ICSV so unique and fulfilling.
Hopefully, we could share a bit of what it was like that night with this post. Please pray that students would feel the impact of God's love throughout the coming days, even when the lights all turn back on and the homework starts piling.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Ollie!
Sunday, November 16, 2014
Friday, October 31, 2014
Looking Ahead
Hello Friends!
Since we last posted, life has become quite a bit busier as we have begun to learn what a responsibility it is to care for a child. The fullness of the calling to be a parent is exactly that: full. The things that we receive, the joy and awe, are complete; meanwhile, the things that we lack, little things like SLEEP . . . we lack entirely.
But this is the best tired we've ever felt.
Oliver is healthy and our family is becoming more and more united in Christ's love. We were even so blessed to have Caleb's mom and brother (Karen & Jason) come visit! It was a time of rejuvenation after our exhausting hospital experience and it couldn't have been more fun. Jason got to taste the city of his birth - yes, we ate several kebaps and made sure to buy gelato on every corner - and Karen was able to lavish her love on her first grandbaby!
Newness and wonder saturated our days as we toured the sights and laughed together in a completely unique context; two years ago, nobody could have guessed that we would be living in Vienna, raising our newborn son, and serving God in ministry to the international community here.
Still, when God began stirring our hearts and getting us ready to move here last year, we were certain he was guiding us. He has been and always will.
Therefore, we are praying earnestly and asking that all of you would too. The time is coming quickly for us to decide if we are going to stay in Vienna a few more years, or move back to the United States. Although we are certain that the Lord will soon start showing us his big ideas and direction for our life, we are, for now, in the dark.
So, we are praying for the light to make things clear. Specifically, we are praying for these things and we ask that you would too: that God might reveal his will through . . .
Since we last posted, life has become quite a bit busier as we have begun to learn what a responsibility it is to care for a child. The fullness of the calling to be a parent is exactly that: full. The things that we receive, the joy and awe, are complete; meanwhile, the things that we lack, little things like SLEEP . . . we lack entirely.
But this is the best tired we've ever felt.
Oliver is healthy and our family is becoming more and more united in Christ's love. We were even so blessed to have Caleb's mom and brother (Karen & Jason) come visit! It was a time of rejuvenation after our exhausting hospital experience and it couldn't have been more fun. Jason got to taste the city of his birth - yes, we ate several kebaps and made sure to buy gelato on every corner - and Karen was able to lavish her love on her first grandbaby!
Karen & Britney at Schönbrunn Palace
Jason showing off his new uncle skills!
The boys at Schönbrunn Palace
Oliver and his Omi
Newness and wonder saturated our days as we toured the sights and laughed together in a completely unique context; two years ago, nobody could have guessed that we would be living in Vienna, raising our newborn son, and serving God in ministry to the international community here.
Still, when God began stirring our hearts and getting us ready to move here last year, we were certain he was guiding us. He has been and always will.
Therefore, we are praying earnestly and asking that all of you would too. The time is coming quickly for us to decide if we are going to stay in Vienna a few more years, or move back to the United States. Although we are certain that the Lord will soon start showing us his big ideas and direction for our life, we are, for now, in the dark.
So, we are praying for the light to make things clear. Specifically, we are praying for these things and we ask that you would too: that God might reveal his will through . . .
- increasing or decreasing our support / finances
- the advice and support of our closest family and friends
- peace towards our current context of ministry, or towards a new one
- his distinct voice in our times of solitude and silence with him
We anticipate God's illuminating guidance and we will keep you in the loop as we are led by him.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
Saturday, September 27, 2014
God Is Not Hiding
A couple of cool stories of God's glorious nearness in the lives of his children - to be told in order of occurrence . . .
. . . it costs money to take the train. Sad, but true. Hence, the dilemma: at the train station, sitting on a bench, pondering the likelihood of getting cornered by a Schaffner - a ticket inspector. They don't come by every time . . . will it be a burly, ferocious Austrian man with a frown for a face? Can I weasel my way out of a fine with the "American tourist" persona?
You don't know the true depths of your depravity until you find yourself gauging the cost/benefit of purchasing a train ticket.
Shamefully enough, that's exactly where Caleb found himself this afternoon, on the way home to Vienna from Tulln. After muddling through the ticket ATM (is that what we call those??) a few days back, Caleb purchased a week ticket . . . for the wrong week. So, he sat on the bench in Tulln earlier today. And he prayed.
And here's the reason we are sharing this story: in the midst of great fear over Oliver and great stress, God has not left us alone. He is present with us, even in the little things, like buying a train ticket. After praying, Caleb was reminded of what Jesus said once, "Give to the ÖBB what is the ÖBB's" (or something along those lines). Thus, with great reluctance, but certain of the Spirit's guiding hand, he bought yet another ticket to cover the trip home. At this point, he did this purely because he felt the Spirit saying it was the right thing to do.
When the Schaffner came by, Caleb realized that it was that and more. Paying fines for riding black is not part of the budget we have written up. God knows that, of course, as he is the Great Provider. He kept us from experiencing more stress than we need - he speaks to us and guides us.
. . . and here's the second story: Oliver is healed.
The doctors came to Britney only a short time after Caleb shared the story of the ticket with her. They told her that the blood results came back and the infection he had is now gone. He still needs to stay in the hospital and finish out the antibiotics, but he is healthy.
Our Lord is with us in the ordinary. He is with us in the unbearable struggle.
He is with you.
Thank you all for your prayers,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver
. . . it costs money to take the train. Sad, but true. Hence, the dilemma: at the train station, sitting on a bench, pondering the likelihood of getting cornered by a Schaffner - a ticket inspector. They don't come by every time . . . will it be a burly, ferocious Austrian man with a frown for a face? Can I weasel my way out of a fine with the "American tourist" persona?
You don't know the true depths of your depravity until you find yourself gauging the cost/benefit of purchasing a train ticket.
Shamefully enough, that's exactly where Caleb found himself this afternoon, on the way home to Vienna from Tulln. After muddling through the ticket ATM (is that what we call those??) a few days back, Caleb purchased a week ticket . . . for the wrong week. So, he sat on the bench in Tulln earlier today. And he prayed.
And here's the reason we are sharing this story: in the midst of great fear over Oliver and great stress, God has not left us alone. He is present with us, even in the little things, like buying a train ticket. After praying, Caleb was reminded of what Jesus said once, "Give to the ÖBB what is the ÖBB's" (or something along those lines). Thus, with great reluctance, but certain of the Spirit's guiding hand, he bought yet another ticket to cover the trip home. At this point, he did this purely because he felt the Spirit saying it was the right thing to do.
When the Schaffner came by, Caleb realized that it was that and more. Paying fines for riding black is not part of the budget we have written up. God knows that, of course, as he is the Great Provider. He kept us from experiencing more stress than we need - he speaks to us and guides us.
. . . and here's the second story: Oliver is healed.
The doctors came to Britney only a short time after Caleb shared the story of the ticket with her. They told her that the blood results came back and the infection he had is now gone. He still needs to stay in the hospital and finish out the antibiotics, but he is healthy.
Our Lord is with us in the ordinary. He is with us in the unbearable struggle.
He is with you.
Thank you all for your prayers,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Oliver
Dear Friends,
May you be blessed, as we have been, to hear that Oliver James Dossett was born on the 23rd of September. May you think back on the early days of your children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of the beautiful babies you have ever known. God, the Creator, the great Father, is good.
Indeed he is and glorifying his name seems to be the only way to begin this post. Since Monday - the day Britney went into labor - the Spirit has been a constant comforter and source of peace. There is so much to tell about Britney's confidence and her strength through the birth. There is so much more to share about Oliver, about his beautiful eyes and rascally hair.
Yet, the aim of this post is two-fold: to celebrate and to petition.
It's hard to go into full-party-mode right now because Oliver has an infection, which sprang upon us quite suddenly, but has been affecting him since the birth. In short, it's causing him to lose weight and it's exacerbating the little bit of jaundice that he has. Because of this, he was quickly transferred from the hospital in Klosterneuburg to a much larger hospital in Tulln. He is being treated there by a very caring and capable staff.
Everything about this is scary . . . and awe-inspiring. It's terrifying to watch your little boy be taken away from you in an incubator. It's humbling and relieving to realize that if we had left the hospital in Klosterneuburg any earlier, Oliver would be suffering much more now - we may not have even identified the infection if it hadn't been for the wonderful staff there. Instead, now he is being cared for in the best way possible.
And then again, it's still scary: Britney is in the hospital, sleeping a few floors above our wonderful miracle; however, Caleb is at home because the hospital wasn't able to accommodate him. So, all three of us are feeling incredibly alone right now.
And yet, it's something else as well and we leave you with this: On Tuesday, the 23rd of September 2014 at 5:23, God brought another person into the world. He shaped this person from a strange collection of DNA into a cuddly, soft baby that kicks and wiggles in his sleep. He took this person out of another person, which should bring each and every one of us to our knees.
God is good and we have seen his goodness because he has made it evident in our world, as well as in our lives. For now, we ask that you would all petition him in prayer that Oliver will recover in full health, that Britney will be at peace tonight and receive supernatural rest, and that Caleb will rest well & quickly in order to be back at the hospital in the morning.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
May you be blessed, as we have been, to hear that Oliver James Dossett was born on the 23rd of September. May you think back on the early days of your children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews, nieces, and all of the beautiful babies you have ever known. God, the Creator, the great Father, is good.
Indeed he is and glorifying his name seems to be the only way to begin this post. Since Monday - the day Britney went into labor - the Spirit has been a constant comforter and source of peace. There is so much to tell about Britney's confidence and her strength through the birth. There is so much more to share about Oliver, about his beautiful eyes and rascally hair.
Yet, the aim of this post is two-fold: to celebrate and to petition.
It's hard to go into full-party-mode right now because Oliver has an infection, which sprang upon us quite suddenly, but has been affecting him since the birth. In short, it's causing him to lose weight and it's exacerbating the little bit of jaundice that he has. Because of this, he was quickly transferred from the hospital in Klosterneuburg to a much larger hospital in Tulln. He is being treated there by a very caring and capable staff.
Everything about this is scary . . . and awe-inspiring. It's terrifying to watch your little boy be taken away from you in an incubator. It's humbling and relieving to realize that if we had left the hospital in Klosterneuburg any earlier, Oliver would be suffering much more now - we may not have even identified the infection if it hadn't been for the wonderful staff there. Instead, now he is being cared for in the best way possible.
And then again, it's still scary: Britney is in the hospital, sleeping a few floors above our wonderful miracle; however, Caleb is at home because the hospital wasn't able to accommodate him. So, all three of us are feeling incredibly alone right now.
And yet, it's something else as well and we leave you with this: On Tuesday, the 23rd of September 2014 at 5:23, God brought another person into the world. He shaped this person from a strange collection of DNA into a cuddly, soft baby that kicks and wiggles in his sleep. He took this person out of another person, which should bring each and every one of us to our knees.
God is good and we have seen his goodness because he has made it evident in our world, as well as in our lives. For now, we ask that you would all petition him in prayer that Oliver will recover in full health, that Britney will be at peace tonight and receive supernatural rest, and that Caleb will rest well & quickly in order to be back at the hospital in the morning.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
Friday, September 19, 2014
Our Little Headache
Dear Friends,
As some of you may know, this past Wednesday was Oliver's due date!!
. . . however, as some of you may know, our little boy is still chillin' in the womb. It's been a full three weeks or so since the last surprise hospital visit we took when Britney was having contractions. At the time, we thought we were going to meet the little guy sooner than anticipated; instead, we've learned, as they say, "the hard way".
We've learned that pregnancy doesn't necessarily rise to a water-breaking climax - at least, as in our case, not before multiple false starts. This kid can really cry wolf.
It started all over again last night when Britney started complaining of a headache. She rarely deals with headaches and has no history of migraines. So, after two and a half hours of brain-shattering pain, we started doing some research. According to the omniscient Google, headaches in the late stages of pregnancy can possibly indicate pre-eclampsia.
After praying and reading, we decided to call our dear friends, Brad and Stacey Hunter. Brad came by, picked us up (this was at midnight!) and took us to the hospital, where the staff took really good care of Britney (and Oliver).
We stayed overnight, against Britney's wishes, and she underwent several tests / blood-work to make sure there wasn't any danger of pre-eclampsia, or anything else.
The doctors and midwives at the BabyVilla in Klosterneuburg are so hospitable and joyful. Although we didn't want to be at the hospital for anything other than a birth, their care made the experience quite comfortable.
Now, we are back home, praying that the big headaches will stay away . . . and that our little headache will get here ASAP.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
As some of you may know, this past Wednesday was Oliver's due date!!
. . . however, as some of you may know, our little boy is still chillin' in the womb. It's been a full three weeks or so since the last surprise hospital visit we took when Britney was having contractions. At the time, we thought we were going to meet the little guy sooner than anticipated; instead, we've learned, as they say, "the hard way".
We've learned that pregnancy doesn't necessarily rise to a water-breaking climax - at least, as in our case, not before multiple false starts. This kid can really cry wolf.
It started all over again last night when Britney started complaining of a headache. She rarely deals with headaches and has no history of migraines. So, after two and a half hours of brain-shattering pain, we started doing some research. According to the omniscient Google, headaches in the late stages of pregnancy can possibly indicate pre-eclampsia.
After praying and reading, we decided to call our dear friends, Brad and Stacey Hunter. Brad came by, picked us up (this was at midnight!) and took us to the hospital, where the staff took really good care of Britney (and Oliver).
We stayed overnight, against Britney's wishes, and she underwent several tests / blood-work to make sure there wasn't any danger of pre-eclampsia, or anything else.
The doctors and midwives at the BabyVilla in Klosterneuburg are so hospitable and joyful. Although we didn't want to be at the hospital for anything other than a birth, their care made the experience quite comfortable.
Now, we are back home, praying that the big headaches will stay away . . . and that our little headache will get here ASAP.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
Saturday, August 30, 2014
Why Vienna?
We were inspired by some of our friends to write a post like this. Recently, they shared a bit on why they are in Vienna as missionaries. They have found, as we have too, that for some people there exists a certain image of what the mission field is - the wealthy, urban, European landscape doesn't fit.
Ironically, this very setting is in desperate need of spiritual restoration, yet some find it hard to believe. In fact, perhaps it is the missionaries who understand such skepticism best of all. From the time we began praying about moving to Vienna, we have been bombarded with fears and doubt; we have questioned our abilities, responsibilities, and motivations.
And here we are: because through prayer and encouragement and, yes, even miracles, God has revealed his desire for us to be a small part of his design in Vienna.
Our school, the International Christian School of Vienna (ICSV), opened its doors this August to a little over 200 students. About 50 different nations and various religions are represented by the students. This is our mission field right now. Here's a fantastic video about the school. We interact daily with students who are angry with God, or indifferent towards Christ. We listen to the students that love Jesus, but have questions; we pray with the students who are hurting. Many of them pray with us and others feel uncomfortable.
For that's what the devil has done in Europe: he has successfully associated the name of Jesus with that uncomfortable silence after a bad joke.
So, we are here to speak honestly of that name and to honor him.
We have been blessed to do this in another dynamic as well - at our church, New City Wien. Internationals from all over Vienna walk past the doors on any given Sunday afternoon and they often find their way in. Both our church and our school are beacons in the city, shining the light.
If you feel led to join us in our ministry, please click here. You can type in our name (Dossett) and click on the drop-down that shows up. If you would like to support the school, there is also an option to do that here.
Please email us if you have any questions, or if you would simply like to talk: calebdossett@gmail.com OR britneyndossett@gmail.com
We are so thankful if you support us already. Your love and generosity are the way that God is allowing us to serve in Vienna.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
Ironically, this very setting is in desperate need of spiritual restoration, yet some find it hard to believe. In fact, perhaps it is the missionaries who understand such skepticism best of all. From the time we began praying about moving to Vienna, we have been bombarded with fears and doubt; we have questioned our abilities, responsibilities, and motivations.
And here we are: because through prayer and encouragement and, yes, even miracles, God has revealed his desire for us to be a small part of his design in Vienna.
Our school, the International Christian School of Vienna (ICSV), opened its doors this August to a little over 200 students. About 50 different nations and various religions are represented by the students. This is our mission field right now. Here's a fantastic video about the school. We interact daily with students who are angry with God, or indifferent towards Christ. We listen to the students that love Jesus, but have questions; we pray with the students who are hurting. Many of them pray with us and others feel uncomfortable.
For that's what the devil has done in Europe: he has successfully associated the name of Jesus with that uncomfortable silence after a bad joke.
So, we are here to speak honestly of that name and to honor him.
We have been blessed to do this in another dynamic as well - at our church, New City Wien. Internationals from all over Vienna walk past the doors on any given Sunday afternoon and they often find their way in. Both our church and our school are beacons in the city, shining the light.
If you feel led to join us in our ministry, please click here. You can type in our name (Dossett) and click on the drop-down that shows up. If you would like to support the school, there is also an option to do that here.
Please email us if you have any questions, or if you would simply like to talk: calebdossett@gmail.com OR britneyndossett@gmail.com
We are so thankful if you support us already. Your love and generosity are the way that God is allowing us to serve in Vienna.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver!
Monday, August 18, 2014
A New Kind of Ministry
With Oliver due to arrive in about a month, we wanted to share what this year will look like for Britney. Last year Britney volunteered as an elementary assistant at ICSV. This meant doing anything from recess duty to computer class to working one-on-one with the students. It was such a great experience and the kids were so sweet. During the first trimester of the pregnancy, Britney had morning sickness pretty bad so she stopped volunteering at the school. This was a difficult decision because it meant she would no longer be in community with the other teachers. The rest was needed for Oliver to grow, and we are so thankful for how understanding the school was during that time.
Having Oliver will open many doors for Britney. For example, there is a "mommy group" at our church that she will join. This will be a great way for her to connect with other women at our church. There has also been talk of Britney possibly taking a German class because there is a class offered specifically to moms that provides childcare during the class and has a much cheaper fee than most other German courses in the city.
The biggest, and most exciting, new ministry opportunity is raising our son Oliver. Britney is looking forward to bonding with Oliver. More than anything, she is excited to tell him about Christ, teach him how to read and write and say his ABC's, and enjoy fun activities like going to the park. We are so thankful that we are in a place in our lives that allows Britney to stay home with Oliver, which is only possible because of the amazing financial support we have been given. We are looking forward to this next chapter, and appreciate your prayers as we prepare for the arrival of our sweet son.
Some specific things to be praying for are:
-comfort for Britney physically during the last 4 weeks (or so) of the pregnancy
-Oliver to continue growing and developing
-new opportunities for Britney to join in
-ways for Britney to stay connected with people at the school
-acceptance in to the German course for moms
Thank you all for your love and support!
Peace,
Caleb, Britney, & Oliver
Friday, August 8, 2014
Golf, Pacman, Ice Cream, Wedding...SUMMER
Dear Friends,
Language does not do the memory of this summer justice. It was fantastic . . . but it was more. It was shimmering fireworks, spellbound stories. We laughed and laughed, at all the funny jokes and all the lame ones too - we couldn’t care less about the broken humor, but the love of our family and friends filled us with joy, as it always has and always will. We are SO THANKFUL for the time we shared with you. Still, we know we didn’t get to see all of you and we definitely didn’t see anybody for as long as we wanted. So, we want to share some of the memories and spread ‘em around:
Golfing has become a summer obsession in the Dossett family, so we dug out the clubs once again and putted regularly. Minigolf, driving range, 9-hole, we dominated it all. And we won’t even get started on Pacman!
One of the most Christ-centered events of the summer was the wedding of our dear friends, Jon and Chelsea Bair. Jesus reminded us of the day we got married and he spent the week with us, strengthening old friendships as well as building new ones. The ocean was cool, refreshing, awesome.
Both of us had some specific cravings that were met and exceeded throughout the summer. Ice cream runs with Britney’s grandparents were frequent and dearly cherished.
But like we said, language can’t fully convey the FUN and PEACE we felt this summer. So check out the pictures!
So, we are back in Vienna, Austria and we are excited. We are longing, more than ever, to give our lives over to Christ. HE is to be the one that designs and guides our plans. Of course, we are ecstatic to receive Oliver into our home! As we wait for him to be born and as we go into this school year of new things, we ask for your prayers. Thank you for your love, your generosity in financial giving, your consistency in prayer, and your lives.
Peace, Caleb & Britney & Oliver
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| St. Louis Cardinals game for Dad's birthday! |
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| Caleb after his wisdom teeth removal (HAHA) |
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| Virginia Beach! |
Monday, August 4, 2014
Hello Again
Dear Friends,
We landed in Vienna yesterday afternoon to begin our second year of ministry here. With a new year, come new expectations, hopes, plans, and even a new design to the blog! We are excited to share all of these things with you as the months start coming.
After we get settled in we will share a more detailed post on how great our summer with friends and family was - however, right now, we've got to paint the walls of our dear baby boy's room to get ready for his arrival in Vienna.
A short prayer request: when you think of us, please pray against jet lag and the horrors it entails. Britney especially had a really hard time sleeping last night, so please pray for rest.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver
We landed in Vienna yesterday afternoon to begin our second year of ministry here. With a new year, come new expectations, hopes, plans, and even a new design to the blog! We are excited to share all of these things with you as the months start coming.
After we get settled in we will share a more detailed post on how great our summer with friends and family was - however, right now, we've got to paint the walls of our dear baby boy's room to get ready for his arrival in Vienna.
A short prayer request: when you think of us, please pray against jet lag and the horrors it entails. Britney especially had a really hard time sleeping last night, so please pray for rest.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Oliver
Monday, June 16, 2014
America, Sweet America
When we got off the plane on Saturday, Britney got a sweet tea from McDonald's, something she's been craving since last August.
On the way home from the airport, we stopped at Culver's and ate American burgers, our brains exploding magnificently from the sheer awe.
We've already eaten Froyo and cookie dough ice cream, played mini-golf, watched the NBA Finals, watched the Cardinals, and attended a Puerto Rican parade (yes, that's actually true).
Yet nothing, nothing at all, comes close to the joy of being with family.
They're waking up now - we've been awake for a while, jet-lagged - so it's about time to finish off this post.
One last thing: we hope to see as many of you as we can, especially those of you who have been supporting us this past year. We hold you dearly and hope to see you soon!
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Baby!!
Monday, May 19, 2014
Looking Back
Very soon, we will be standing on American soil. 25 days soon, to be exact!!!
We are so excited and so blessed to even be able to come back and see as many friends and family as we can. We wouldn't be able to make the trip if it weren't for all of our generous supporters. In fact, we wouldn't be able to do anything here if it weren't for God's goodness streaming to us, through you.
And it is God that is in control of our mission, our vision, our words. It's hard to remember that, even when typing up a tiny post. Yet, it's true that God is fantastically determined to touch each of our lives.
He has this vigorous yearning to love us. As we look back on these past months and look forward to sweet summertime, we can't help but recognize God's life-changing love in memory after memory.
2013
August - Unbelievably, we landed in Vienna after a flurry of a summer raising support and building our precious prayer team. This was not simple and did not develop as a result of our own strength. Our Father was just getting started.
September - During a month of stressful preparation and assimilation into the system of education, God didn't let go of us. Caleb was especially anxious about teaching well and we both were trying to keep calm about money. Then, we found a gift on Caleb's desk: €200.
October - Relationships with staff and students at the school were beginning to bloom. Caleb was able to build a strong base with many of the high school students and Britney with the elementary students / staff. Looking back, it's so cool to see how God has groomed those relationships.
November - After weeks of uncertainty, our Visas came in! It came right down to the wire and we weren't sure if we were going to be able to afford whatever costs the whole deal might incur. Yet, the Lord provided again, despite overwhelming obstacles.
December - Christmas in Vienna was gorgeous and Jesus showed us his love again through the hospitality of dear friends.
2014
January - We found out about our baby!!!
February - Because of generous friends here, there, everywhere, we were able to go to Florence, Italy! It was a fantastic trip; Jesus brought us closer together in our marriage and built up solid friendships with a family here.
March - Caleb turned 23 and celebrated life with Britney and friends here!
April - Our baby is a boy!!
Which brings us to May - which brings us to today. After school, we were riding home on the Ubahn together (Britney came in to work today, which was fun!) planning our dinner. This month we are lower financially than usual, mainly because of the cost of tickets back to the States.
Still, we've concentrated on praising God for the abundance that he has blessed us with in past months (through you!) and we've decided to trust him no matter what.
So, we bought our groceries, making sure everything was a necessary purchase, and made our way back to our apartment. At the elevator, we decided to check the mail - which usually translates into, "throw away pointless ads."
Instead of big pictures of greasy pizza, we found a simple, white envelope. Inside the envelope, was €300.
We couldn't contain our excitement or wipe the dazed smiles off our faces. God is so good; he is a gentle Father and a glorious King. Please keep joining us in praising him! Thank you for your prayers and support. Your financial gifts are humbling and comforting. Your prayers are powerful!
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Son
We are so excited and so blessed to even be able to come back and see as many friends and family as we can. We wouldn't be able to make the trip if it weren't for all of our generous supporters. In fact, we wouldn't be able to do anything here if it weren't for God's goodness streaming to us, through you.
And it is God that is in control of our mission, our vision, our words. It's hard to remember that, even when typing up a tiny post. Yet, it's true that God is fantastically determined to touch each of our lives.
He has this vigorous yearning to love us. As we look back on these past months and look forward to sweet summertime, we can't help but recognize God's life-changing love in memory after memory.
2013
August - Unbelievably, we landed in Vienna after a flurry of a summer raising support and building our precious prayer team. This was not simple and did not develop as a result of our own strength. Our Father was just getting started.
September - During a month of stressful preparation and assimilation into the system of education, God didn't let go of us. Caleb was especially anxious about teaching well and we both were trying to keep calm about money. Then, we found a gift on Caleb's desk: €200.
October - Relationships with staff and students at the school were beginning to bloom. Caleb was able to build a strong base with many of the high school students and Britney with the elementary students / staff. Looking back, it's so cool to see how God has groomed those relationships.
November - After weeks of uncertainty, our Visas came in! It came right down to the wire and we weren't sure if we were going to be able to afford whatever costs the whole deal might incur. Yet, the Lord provided again, despite overwhelming obstacles.
December - Christmas in Vienna was gorgeous and Jesus showed us his love again through the hospitality of dear friends.
2014
January - We found out about our baby!!!
February - Because of generous friends here, there, everywhere, we were able to go to Florence, Italy! It was a fantastic trip; Jesus brought us closer together in our marriage and built up solid friendships with a family here.
March - Caleb turned 23 and celebrated life with Britney and friends here!
April - Our baby is a boy!!
Which brings us to May - which brings us to today. After school, we were riding home on the Ubahn together (Britney came in to work today, which was fun!) planning our dinner. This month we are lower financially than usual, mainly because of the cost of tickets back to the States.
Still, we've concentrated on praising God for the abundance that he has blessed us with in past months (through you!) and we've decided to trust him no matter what.
So, we bought our groceries, making sure everything was a necessary purchase, and made our way back to our apartment. At the elevator, we decided to check the mail - which usually translates into, "throw away pointless ads."
Instead of big pictures of greasy pizza, we found a simple, white envelope. Inside the envelope, was €300.
We couldn't contain our excitement or wipe the dazed smiles off our faces. God is so good; he is a gentle Father and a glorious King. Please keep joining us in praising him! Thank you for your prayers and support. Your financial gifts are humbling and comforting. Your prayers are powerful!
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Son
Monday, April 21, 2014
Will You Pray?
I believe! Help my unbelief!
In the Gospel of Mark, in chapter nine, the father of a demon-possessed boy cries out to Jesus. He is at a loss; doubt fills his very bones and he fears for his child. He has seen the disciples fail to cast out the spirit, only minutes before, and now he's reached the point where nothing can be done.
He has doubts.
Yet, when Jesus tells him that everything is possible for those who believe, he shouts those very words: I believe! Help my unbelief!
If we allowed ourselves a little more freedom to be like that father in Scripture, we might experience more than we could ever imagine. Yes, he had doubts, but he didn't let those doubts stop him from crying out, in faith, to Jesus.
Caleb just got back a couple days ago from a short-term mission trip to Romania with a group of ICSV high schoolers. It was a fantastic time of serving others and building deeper relationships within the group. God encouraged people, convicted others, fulfilled prayers, and brought people closer to him. Caleb and the other staff leaders had opportunities to share the love of Christ and the good news with students who had rarely heard it before, or understood it. It was a Spirit-filled time and lots of good stories could be shared.
However, there is one story that rises above the rest; it's the kind of story that is meant to be shared, over and over, because God gets all the glory.
On the last night of the trip, Caleb was able to listen to several students share about some intimate and important matters in their lives. One student in particular talked about doubt and his desire to control his circumstances. It's incredible how God invests in our humanness and steers our conversations.
The very next morning, the team said goodbye to the Romanians and the missionaries there, and took off for Vienna. It was a typical early morning drive. Uneventful.
That is, until the caravan reached the Romanian / Hungarian border. Upon crossing over into "no man's land," the trip was halted. Long story short, the student that Caleb had connected with the night before was detained for the next nine hours, in between Romania and Hungary.
At first, the team felt in control. As a staff, we considered our options and started making calls. We encouraged the students to pray and we prayed ourselves. Everything looked like it would work itself out in a couple of hours. It was when five hours turned into six, and six into eight, that we were really reaching our limit.
The student was lonely and restless. The staff was worried and uncertain. More than a dozen other students were wandering the Hungarian border, waiting for their friend who was stuck on the other side. Already, nobody was getting back until 11:30 PM. So, we decided we needed to split up the group.
And we decided we needed to pray . . . again.
We separated the students and packed as many as we could into two of the vans. A third was going to stay behind with Caleb and other staff members in order to wait for the student. One of the leaders left the waiting room to get the ball rolling . . . and found that a van had died. No battery juice. No energy.
Lots of doubt.
And still, we prayed. Now here's where it gets nuts.
This whole time, not a single guard in the office spoke English or German. No communication was happening and we couldn't understand the details of the situation. Finally, a guard showed up, out of nowhere, who spoke English!
He told our student that his only option was to go back into Romania and catch the next flight to Austria.
What?
We couldn't believe it; we explained that this, our "only option," wasn't even an option because the Romanians wouldn't let him back in! He was stuck in between the borders. The van with the dead battery was stuck in Hungary. We were stuck in doubt. What in the world was going on? Something that we expected God to fix quickly and efficiently had become a serious problem. We couldn't let a student fly alone into Vienna. More than that, this was the student who had doubts about the gospel. Why wouldn't God just show up and dispel all mystery?
"We believe God . . . help our unbelief."
And that's exactly what happened. At the very worst moment, hours and hours after we had lost all sense of control, God stepped in.
The same guard, the one who spoke English and gave us the ultimatum of our "only option" came back out and smiled.
"I have friends. I talked with my friends. You are free to go." That's it. You are free to go.
The student looked at each one of the leaders and we all looked at him. We turned and looked at the border guard, who smiled. Then, we turned around and left the waiting room. Outside, because of the dead battery, all of his friends were still there. Everybody witnessed God at work, turning the impossible into no big deal. Everybody was a witness, even the border guard who, as we left, smiled and asked us, "Will you pray for me?"
Prayer and faith, even in the face of doubt, are so powerful because we serve a powerful, loving God. Praise him for this miracle and the miracles he performs in your lives! Please be in prayer for our student(s) who experienced this, that they would grow closer to Jesus. Pray that he / they would recognize that they are sincerely loved by their teachers and by God.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Baby!
In the Gospel of Mark, in chapter nine, the father of a demon-possessed boy cries out to Jesus. He is at a loss; doubt fills his very bones and he fears for his child. He has seen the disciples fail to cast out the spirit, only minutes before, and now he's reached the point where nothing can be done.
He has doubts.
Yet, when Jesus tells him that everything is possible for those who believe, he shouts those very words: I believe! Help my unbelief!
If we allowed ourselves a little more freedom to be like that father in Scripture, we might experience more than we could ever imagine. Yes, he had doubts, but he didn't let those doubts stop him from crying out, in faith, to Jesus.
* * *
Caleb just got back a couple days ago from a short-term mission trip to Romania with a group of ICSV high schoolers. It was a fantastic time of serving others and building deeper relationships within the group. God encouraged people, convicted others, fulfilled prayers, and brought people closer to him. Caleb and the other staff leaders had opportunities to share the love of Christ and the good news with students who had rarely heard it before, or understood it. It was a Spirit-filled time and lots of good stories could be shared.
However, there is one story that rises above the rest; it's the kind of story that is meant to be shared, over and over, because God gets all the glory.
On the last night of the trip, Caleb was able to listen to several students share about some intimate and important matters in their lives. One student in particular talked about doubt and his desire to control his circumstances. It's incredible how God invests in our humanness and steers our conversations.
The very next morning, the team said goodbye to the Romanians and the missionaries there, and took off for Vienna. It was a typical early morning drive. Uneventful.
That is, until the caravan reached the Romanian / Hungarian border. Upon crossing over into "no man's land," the trip was halted. Long story short, the student that Caleb had connected with the night before was detained for the next nine hours, in between Romania and Hungary.
At first, the team felt in control. As a staff, we considered our options and started making calls. We encouraged the students to pray and we prayed ourselves. Everything looked like it would work itself out in a couple of hours. It was when five hours turned into six, and six into eight, that we were really reaching our limit.
The student was lonely and restless. The staff was worried and uncertain. More than a dozen other students were wandering the Hungarian border, waiting for their friend who was stuck on the other side. Already, nobody was getting back until 11:30 PM. So, we decided we needed to split up the group.
And we decided we needed to pray . . . again.
We separated the students and packed as many as we could into two of the vans. A third was going to stay behind with Caleb and other staff members in order to wait for the student. One of the leaders left the waiting room to get the ball rolling . . . and found that a van had died. No battery juice. No energy.
Lots of doubt.
And still, we prayed. Now here's where it gets nuts.
This whole time, not a single guard in the office spoke English or German. No communication was happening and we couldn't understand the details of the situation. Finally, a guard showed up, out of nowhere, who spoke English!
He told our student that his only option was to go back into Romania and catch the next flight to Austria.
What?
We couldn't believe it; we explained that this, our "only option," wasn't even an option because the Romanians wouldn't let him back in! He was stuck in between the borders. The van with the dead battery was stuck in Hungary. We were stuck in doubt. What in the world was going on? Something that we expected God to fix quickly and efficiently had become a serious problem. We couldn't let a student fly alone into Vienna. More than that, this was the student who had doubts about the gospel. Why wouldn't God just show up and dispel all mystery?
"We believe God . . . help our unbelief."
And that's exactly what happened. At the very worst moment, hours and hours after we had lost all sense of control, God stepped in.
The same guard, the one who spoke English and gave us the ultimatum of our "only option" came back out and smiled.
"I have friends. I talked with my friends. You are free to go." That's it. You are free to go.
The student looked at each one of the leaders and we all looked at him. We turned and looked at the border guard, who smiled. Then, we turned around and left the waiting room. Outside, because of the dead battery, all of his friends were still there. Everybody witnessed God at work, turning the impossible into no big deal. Everybody was a witness, even the border guard who, as we left, smiled and asked us, "Will you pray for me?"
Prayer and faith, even in the face of doubt, are so powerful because we serve a powerful, loving God. Praise him for this miracle and the miracles he performs in your lives! Please be in prayer for our student(s) who experienced this, that they would grow closer to Jesus. Pray that he / they would recognize that they are sincerely loved by their teachers and by God.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney & Baby!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Falling, Fear, and a Good, Good Father
Dear Friends,
If you haven't heard, it is important for us to let you know that Britney is okay, but she is in the hospital because she fell and hit her head. There are a lot of ways to tell this story and maybe there will be another more joyful, less blatantly factual, more humorous post in the future. Right now even, some of the memories are pretty funny.
However, it seems best to keep it short (and sweet, praise God!) for the time being.
Yesterday (Saturday) we went to the mall, planning to go directly from there to a birthday party for our friends' daughter. We split up to do some shopping, but during the time we were apart, Britney's blood sugar got low and she fainted. She hit her head quite hard and got a concussion as a result. At first, it was a little scary because she exhibited some short term memory loss. Now though, she is doing much better, remembers everything, even the moments up until the fall.
At the mall, the security guards called the ambulance and Britney had a moment to call Caleb (another blessing from God that he gave her that thought!) who ran and found her.
She has been at the hospital for the past 27 hours or so and (another blessing!) Caleb has been able to stay with her the entire time, except for when he runs back to the apartment to get clean clothes or write up blog posts.
We don't have easy Internet access at the hospital, so hopefully this blog post will suffice for communication right now.
The main gist is, God is good. Britney is smiling, alert, and doing well. She is still uncomfortable, though, and the doctors are keeping her overnight again tonight. Also, very important, the baby is doing okay, as far as we know. We still haven't received any kind of scans or ultra sounds, so we are a little nervous, despite the doc's reassurances.
Please pray for:
If you haven't heard, it is important for us to let you know that Britney is okay, but she is in the hospital because she fell and hit her head. There are a lot of ways to tell this story and maybe there will be another more joyful, less blatantly factual, more humorous post in the future. Right now even, some of the memories are pretty funny.
However, it seems best to keep it short (and sweet, praise God!) for the time being.
Yesterday (Saturday) we went to the mall, planning to go directly from there to a birthday party for our friends' daughter. We split up to do some shopping, but during the time we were apart, Britney's blood sugar got low and she fainted. She hit her head quite hard and got a concussion as a result. At first, it was a little scary because she exhibited some short term memory loss. Now though, she is doing much better, remembers everything, even the moments up until the fall.
At the mall, the security guards called the ambulance and Britney had a moment to call Caleb (another blessing from God that he gave her that thought!) who ran and found her.
She has been at the hospital for the past 27 hours or so and (another blessing!) Caleb has been able to stay with her the entire time, except for when he runs back to the apartment to get clean clothes or write up blog posts.
We don't have easy Internet access at the hospital, so hopefully this blog post will suffice for communication right now.
The main gist is, God is good. Britney is smiling, alert, and doing well. She is still uncomfortable, though, and the doctors are keeping her overnight again tonight. Also, very important, the baby is doing okay, as far as we know. We still haven't received any kind of scans or ultra sounds, so we are a little nervous, despite the doc's reassurances.
Please pray for:
- Britney to regain total health
- the baby to be completely okay
- peace to reign in the hospital today, tonight, and tomorrow
Thank you so much for your prayers!
Caleb & Britney (& Baby!)
Friday, April 4, 2014
Take These Hands
Take these hands
Teach them what to carry
Take these hands
Don't make a fist
Take this mouth
So quick to criticize
Take this mouth
Give it a kiss
This past week was Spiritual Emphasis Week (SEW) at school. It's a week of intentional focus on Jesus and how he loves us. We have chapel everyday, during which we worship God through music, teaching, and praying. Typically, students are deeply affected and lives are changed.
This semester was no different.
From among the staff, several teachers were able to give their testimonies and share what God had laid on their hearts. Caleb was blessed to be one of those teachers when he spoke on Thursday during High School Chapel. Now, it's rare that he goes up with a planned talk and speaks in front of other humans - so rare, in fact, that he can't remember the last time it happened - so there were definitely some nerves.
However, it became just another one of those experiences that our Father has been laying in our laps day after day, week after week. God was able to say, yet again, "Depend on me. See what happens."
The Scriptures promise "peace that transcends all understanding" (Philippians 4). We have been constantly blessed by such a peace (money issues, visa issues, responsibilities, pregnancy, etc. etc.) and as Caleb began to share his stories, all the nerves disappeared on cue. God is good!
Please be praying for our students here at school, that they will have opportunities this weekend to sit still before God and open their hearts. Pray that the words Caleb was given to share and the words of all the other wonderful teachers who spoke would weigh on the hearts of the students whom God wants to touch. Several students have already reached out to those of us among the staff, asking for prayer and encouragement.
Please join us in prayer for those kids!
Our God is so good. He is a God of grace and mercy. He knows just how to open our hands and how to use them for his glory.
Peace,
Caleb & Britney (& Baby!)
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Where Do We Come From?
Where do we come from?
That's a question that's been on our minds the past few weeks. It seems like it's a theme that's been cropping up in our conversations.
In thinking about this question, both of us have decided that we are fantastically blessed.
Here are a few of the ways that we have been answering that question:
It's hard to even describe how thankful we are to all of you. To you, who have shaped us and are continuing to affect us, through gifts, prayer, teaching, and love. It's humbling to think about who we might have become, on our own.
God uses people sensitive to his voice to impact other people. Thank you for being sensitive to his voice.
Peace,Caleb & Britney
That's a question that's been on our minds the past few weeks. It seems like it's a theme that's been cropping up in our conversations.
In thinking about this question, both of us have decided that we are fantastically blessed.
Here are a few of the ways that we have been answering that question:
- We come from parents and grandparents who have dedicated their lives to caring for us.
- We come from a college that has taught us to think and to feel, to question and to believe.
- We come from a church that loves big and isn't afraid of radical community.
- We come from friends who are not afraid to lose all, for the sake of Christ.
It's hard to even describe how thankful we are to all of you. To you, who have shaped us and are continuing to affect us, through gifts, prayer, teaching, and love. It's humbling to think about who we might have become, on our own.
God uses people sensitive to his voice to impact other people. Thank you for being sensitive to his voice.
Peace,Caleb & Britney
Wednesday, February 26, 2014
An Italian Vacation
Hello Friends!
It's been a while. In between this post and our last, we have continued in ministry here, serving the students at ICSV and our local church. It's an ever-growing, character-changing blast! Of course, along with the adventures at school and church we always have our baby at the back of our minds.
Britney's diet now subsists of . . .
It's been a while. In between this post and our last, we have continued in ministry here, serving the students at ICSV and our local church. It's an ever-growing, character-changing blast! Of course, along with the adventures at school and church we always have our baby at the back of our minds.
Britney's diet now subsists of . . .
- sour gummy worms
- pickles
- Culver's butterburgers*
- Arby's curly fries*
- Applebee's wings*
- fruit
- applesauce
*note that these delicacies are only fantasized about, not actually consumed. So sad.
Britney's current dislikes (as of 7:28 pm on the 25th) . . .
- most kinds of cheese
- McDonald's (WHAAAAAAAATT?!??? Also, Burger King is a-okay)
- tomatoes
- sausages and most meats
As for Caleb, he still likes everything (except for his wife . . . not really :D )
Our next appointment with the doctor is on March 17th and we hope to hear a heartbeat! Please join us in prayer for the baby's health, as well as for our trust in the Lord. Sometimes, worries sneak up on us. Thank you for being great friends and for all your prayers already!
Another thing that has happened since we last posted is that we got to go on vacation to Florence, Italy! After some other plans fell through due to cost, we were SO blessed by some friends here who invited us to come along with them for an essentially free stay! The food was delicious, the art incredible, the sights fantastic, the laughs belly-busting.
It was a great time and we are so thankful for the opportunity to have gone - thankful for your support, for God's timing, and for our friends' invitation.
Check out the pictures below!! (we also went to Pisa, Italy and watched people mime-push the tower over).
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