Off to Norway!

Hello hello! James and I have some exciting news...we're headed to Norway! These next few months will be dedicated to staffing a Bible Core Course (BCC) at the YWAM Rogaland base. There we will learn how to staff and run a BCC so we can host one on our own in Iceland! That is our goal at least. We are blessed to have been invited to this base to staff and learn. We are hopeful to make more connections among YWAMers and believers in Scandinavia, and this is just a first step.

James and I took this school at the beginning of 2021 in Denver, where we grew and learned so much about the Bible and God's character. We are eager to pass this on to the students this fall and walk with them as they learn to read and study the Bible inductively. If you don't know what the inductive method is, here's a quick synopsis. Basically, this method of reading and studying the Bible helps us to not make assumptions and personalize everything to our own lives without understanding the full context, who it was written to, and what for. The core of this method is observation, interpretation, and application. Observation looks at all the aspects of the book, who it is written to, the metaphors used, and how things are being said. Interpretation builds off of the observations and helps us draw conclusions as to what the author was like and ask lots of why questions. Then from there, we can use the application to see how these principles or lessons can be applied and used practically in life to help us grow.

We were actually a little unsure whether going to Norway was the right move or not, but the Lord makes his way known even if it's not an audible voice. James and I were praying about this decision as we waited to hear from the base leaders what the next step was and if we were accepted and so forth. We were both worried that maybe this was off the path of our goal and not something we necessarily had to do to further the mission in Iceland. I asked the Lord, like I often do, for confirmation. I said, "God, I don't really know what's the right thing to do" and he reminded me that sometimes there is no "right" thing. That didn't necessarily help. So, I said, "here's the deal, if the base emails back before we get back to Iceland, then we will go...but if they don't email until we get back to Iceland, that will be the confirmation we need to know it is not something we need to do”. Sure enough, a few days later, I got an email. This was two days before our flight back to Iceland. They wanted to have a quick meeting over zoom the next day (a day before our flight). This was impeccable timing and surely the Lord pointing us where to go. We are blessed and appreciate having a Savior so personal and loving that he helps us with even the smallest decisions.

Last time we updated you all we were headed home for June. In Oregon, James and I had a wonderful time surprising my mom for her birthday, attending my brother's high school graduation, and celebrating my nana's birthday, and my little niece's first birthday. It was a time full of celebration! Then James got to travel to his home in Nova Scotia and attend his brother's wedding. We were so blessed to have that time with family and friends to make some sweet memories.

Then into July, we returned to Iceland and unfortunately got sick. Not COVID, but a pretty nasty cold that knocked us out along with the jet lag. In the following weeks, we recovered physically but not fully mentally. We were mentally bogged down. Thoughts of doubt filled our minds. “What are we even doing here?” “What’s God’s plan for us and Iceland?” “How are we being a light in this space and season?” We were really fighting and wrestling with these things. On top of that, I am still struggling with chronic illnesses and the mental battle that comes with that is not easy. But there is hope! The Lord has led us to assist in leading this Bible school in Norway, and we are excited to see the fruit that will come from it.

Practically we have had a rather slow time back at the base. The guesthouse is running and the workers are busy keeping it up, and we are doing our part in sprucing up the other parts of the property. James has done some work in the yard, cutting and planting trees, and weed whacking the walking trail through the forest. I have continued to organize and clear out the barn (the area we were working on in May) and also the garage area now. We often join down at the guesthouse for lunch, where everyone eats together and takes turns making the meal. James and I have enjoyed cooking up meals a couple of times a week.

A couple of weeks into July, I was cleaning and I came across an upside-down bucket. Now around it on the ground was chicken poop. I thought, "goodness, did someone dump a bucket of poop in here? No wonder it has been smelling so bad"! I lifted it a tad with my foot and some bugs crawled out...yuck. So I called over James to help me and he starts to lift it with his foot, I crouch down and guess what I see...chicken feet! Now, while we were gone the chickens that had been on the property were given away but they said one went missing and they never found it. People looked everywhere but thought it must have gotten eaten by a fox or something. So I see this chicken and I realize it is the lost chicken, and I think surely it is dead...they gave the rest of the chickens away weeks ago. Well, after I freak out about the fact that there is a chicken there at all, James lifts the bucket all the way and out comes a staggering chicken. It was alive! We gave it water and food as we tried to figure out how the heck this chicken survived under a bucket for weeks. We just laughed and ended up calling it the prodigal chicken. A few days went by and we took care of it like a pet, it seemed to eat and walk better but it was probably still stressed out seeing as it didn't lay any eggs. One morning, James and I went outside and realized we didn't lock up the coop the night before. So we go around looking for the chicken, hoping and praying it's around the property somewhere. It was nowhere to be found. We were so sad, we had saved the chicken from death under a bucket and then lost it a few days later. What a roller coaster of a week that was, we felt so bad, but what can you do?

As we prepare for staffing for the BCC please keep these things in your prayers:

• our visas for Norway - it's too complicated to explain, and honestly tough how much of it is out of our control

• finances - we have always been blessed by the generosity of supporters and the Lord has come through with provisions in the past, although we are lacking at this moment and haven't reached our goal (in our humanness this stresses us out but we are trying to trust and have faith that he will provide)

• physical health and mental health - walking in our true identity in Christ and understanding that we are not alone in our struggles and through community and relationship with the Lord we can work through anything that comes our way

As always, thank you all for reading, supporting, giving, and praying for us! We appreciate and love each and every one of you guys. We pray that all of you will grow in faith and love in the season you're in and even the next one coming your way.

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Blessings!

Anna + James