Isaiah 40:5

Then the glory of the Lord


Gifted With the Journey
will be revealed, 
 Volume 6, Issue 3 - December 2019
and all flesh will

see it together; 

for the mouth of
 It has been an eventful Fall. We chaperoned the Junior class trip to
the Lord has spoken. Normandy, looking at the locations and cemeteries of D-day. Students Josh’s Highlight
were struck with the horribleness, yet sometimes the necessity at times
of war, and struggled with the cost in human lives that it often takes. 
 The early morning Men’s Bible
One of the things we set aside time for with our High School Small study that I am a part of has been
Prayer - Praises & Requests
 Groups was talking about science and Creation. In a world full of going through some material on
compromise, we wanted to make sure that they knew that they could what it means to be a disciple of
Praises 
 trust God’s Word with anything that it talks about. So we spent one
Christ. The hope is to go through
- For encouragements in obedience 
 evening going over both the Biblical and Theological impact of
“Origins”, and then another evening talking through how science also this material, and then
- For our home as a place to minister subsequently use it to disciple
- For health strongly supports the Biblical account of Creation. Hopefully, when the
time comes for them to leave BFA they will remember what they need others. While going through this
- For our Christmas tree
- For people to do community and life to in order to rest assured that the Bible is fully trustworthy, and trusting material, it has been both an
with here it is actually the most logical and sensible thing to do.
 encouragement and convicting. As
Requests We also just had Winter Banquet in which the guys normally ask the a result, I feel like my prayer life
- For us as we mentor young people girls to attend with them. It’s our version of prom and there are has improved, and overall that I’m
and walk closely with them opportunities to talk about relationships, and how to do them well. 
 able to walk a little closer with
- For the Germans, BFA community We have begun to decorate for Christmas! Many years, it seems like Christ. We can never be too
and people we do life with here and it’s hard to actually set aside the time to get started before Christmas
devoted to Jesus, and I’m very
relationships with them Break begins. But just at the end of this last week we were able to start
getting decorations out, and on Saturday we even bought a tree. This glad to be going through this, and
- For upcoming concerts and public hope to use it to benefit others!
sharing of talents makes only the second Christmas tree we’ve had as a married couple
- For meaningful opportunities and because of how often we end up traveling over the holidays, so we’re
conversations over the Christmas excited to once again be able to put up a tree. Oddly enough, our birds
still aren’t too sure about it, though!
 Katie’s Highlight

Break as we celebrate Christmas
I, Katie, had shared with you at the beginning of the school year that I This will give you a glimpse into
with German friends, and various
adult and student small groups. had been feeling “called back” from things. I stepped back from two the culture at BFA. At our
things in particular and also prayed about stepping back from more. I Christmas Banquet, there are
currently don’t feel that He is leading me in that direction, but…I do see different performances, which are
Calendar
 Him filling the time that I gave up with rich ministry. I have had two sometimes impromptu. One group
girls approach me. One, came up to me after class, “Mrs. Nathan, do of students was asked to sing
December
 you have to go through the chaplains department to get a mentor”. “No,
5 - St. Nicholas Day…the band “Away in a Manger”. Well, they
I don’t think that you do”, I said. “So you can just ask a teacher
and choir are performing in the directly”? “Yes, I think you could”. “Do you think that they would say were shy and the mike was being
yes”? “Well, I guess it depends on if they have time or not.” “Would you held in their face. So, slowly we
town square

be my mentor”? “Yes, I would be glad to be your mentor”. So, we have (the audience) began one by one to
6 - First Home Basketball sing it. It was just a soft hum
started meeting at lunch on Fridays. I meet with a different young lady
games, the Pep Band is playing
 during lunch on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of every week. 
 overall as we were not technically
7 - Our Adult Small Group gets
 One of Josh’s Small Group guys, who only recently accepted Christ, supposed to be singing it, but we
together for our late has also decided he would like to be mentored. So Josh has started did it without thinking, in a way. It
Thanksgiving party
 meeting with him once a week to help him learn and grow in the was just a natural, desiring to help,
8 - BFA Christmas Concert 
 Christian faith, and give him a place to ask questions.
 normal for us, response. As we


9 - First Pit practice for the finished I remember thinking that it
Address: Bahnhofstrasse 19/6, 79400 Kandern, GERMANY 

musical “Into the Woods”
 Phone: 1 - 904-701-3129; +49 (0)7626 9745363
 would be one of my highlights of
13 - Christmas Break Begins Website: www.giftedwiththejourney.com / E-Mail: jknathan14@gmail.com the Christmas season this year.

Local Culture
 Circle of Friends


What we are learning: 
 

While it has taken a bit to get used
 I tend to remember I am an Today after church we were

to, we’re starting to get the hang of
 American more when the walking home with a friend when the

balancing the time I need to study for my
 man in front of us turned around and 

German culture or people do asked if we wanted to come over to their

Masters, while still trying to be a part of

things very differently. For place for lunch. That was so nice! They 

life.
instance, they do not celebrate had leftovers from their Thanksgiving 

When you don’t agree with what is 
 Thanksgiving - so Thanksgiving celebration that they needed help eating.

happening…do what you can to 
 How kind! Sometimes an invitation

here is a work day for us. It just can be so encouraging and it was 

contend for the truth, do it in love 

and remember that He is
 feels weird and like we are fun to fellowship with them, 

ultimately in control. missing something, and we are, and the food was 

but we are still thankful. : ) good!
 PRAYER CALENDAR

Prayers for the Month of December 2019

Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday

Churches BFA School Ministry Marriage/ BFA Staff/ Evangelism Germany

Family Students
1 - Please pray for 2 - Like any 3 - Katie is leading 4 - Pray all our 5 - Our school 6 - Pray for His 7 - Pray for the
the partnership Christian a ladies’ Bible ministry would be Winter Concert is love for everyone. German
and teamwork of institution that study by Kelli pouring over from on Sunday. Pray His perspective government to
several churches preaches His Minter on the life our own for the students and heart for each come into
in our area. We Word and name, of Joseph. Pray relationships with participating, that person we come alignment with
can go farther if there is a fight for good Him. Pray for they will do in contact with. godly principles.
we go together. going on for the fellowship. faithfulness in the everything for
We can reach heart of BFA.Pray Word, in prayer, God’s glory and
farther….for Him. that BFA will hold and fellowship. that our audience
fast. will be blessed
and see Him.

8 - Josh and Katie 9 - Pray for our 10 - Pray for all 11 - We have the 12 - Pray for BFA 13 - Pray for 14 - We have
are participating in headmaster, our our interactions to desire for a family. to stay it’s course contacts in the families and
the worship principals…that be pointing others Pray the Lord will in global ministry - German students who
ministry at church. they would be to Him. Pray that give us the keeping community to minister to
They both really seeking the Lord we would be children He wants missionaries on come to know refugees weekly.
enjoy this. Praise in all of their fragrances of Him us to have and the field, sharing Christ as their Pray that the
the Lord for this decisions. - keeping eternity enjoy “our Christ through Savior. refugees would
blessing! and His Kingdom kids” (our teaching and their come to receive
in mind. students) for now. graduates. Christ as their
Savior.

15 - Pray that 16 - Pray for our 17 - Pray for 18 - Our marriage 19 - Pray for our 20 - Pray for us to 21 - Pray for
churches dorm staff as they various friendships would be healthy, staff and students focus on eternity America….for our
everywhere will serve daily, that that we have with growing, and as they are now as we work in I.T., leaders, that the
preach God in all they would have colleagues, focused on the on Christmas the music Lord would stir
His fullness and strength and Germans, Lord. That our Break. Pray for department and their hearts to
His Word - not just insight to love and neighbors…that relationship would sweet times with interact in the follow Him and
their favorite part, train their students we would be reflect Him… family and friends community. That steer their
but a true well. That they pointing them all Christ and His ‘back home’. Pray we would use decisions in
representation of would be toward the Lord church. for a fresh sense every moment we obedience to Him.
His love/justice - prioritizing through our lives. of Jesus being have intentionally.
truth - redemption. personal time with given as the
God and His Savior of the
Word. world.

22 - Pray for our 23 - Pray that the 24 - Pray for our 25 - Pray that we 26 - Josh and 27 - Pray for 28 - Pray for the
pastor and his teachers will have adult small group, would keep “That Katie both lead opportunities to German
family. He is being insight into the that we would All May Know Junior small speak the truth, for government. Pray
faithful in hearts of their continue in the Him”, as the grid groups. Please boldness and the that the Lord’s
preaching the students even as study of the Word, through which we pray for their right words…that people will be
Word of God they meet them. and exhortation of run all our ladies and guys, they might be not elected. Pray for
accurately. Pray Pray for truth to be each other. Pray decisions, and “He that they will Move just heard, but revival. Pray for
for protection for taught and Jesus for wisdom for must increase, we Closer to Christ received. That Germany to set a
him, his family and to be glorified and next year as we must decrease, as this year and that they would see good example for
his marriage. exemplified. prepare next year. our motto”. we will have Jesus in it. other countries.
wisdom.

29 - Pray for our 30 - Pray for our 31 - Pray for the

church elders, School Leadership sports teams,
their families, their Team. Pray for music ensembles,
marriages, as they them as they sign team, MUN…
strive to help discuss and make that the clubs
shepherd their decisions about would have unity
flock here well. BFA on a large and there would
Pray for their scale…it’s be opportunity for
walks with the direction, etc. Pray relationships to be
Lord, that they will for the Lord to built in a different
remain faithful. guide them. way.
1 - Junior Class Trip to Normandy

2 - Josh’s Birthday

3 - Winter Banquet