Speaking Frankly, by Michael Frank

OK, so now what...?

I just went on an incredible journey to a country on the other side of the world and met some amazing people who share a love and passion for the same God I worship here in Atlanta, Georgia. Friendships were made, and existing friendships were made stronger. For nine days, I laughed with, as well as shared hard conversations with these friends. For the most part, I left all of the worries I may have had back home, back home. I was able to focus on these new relationships, their needs and our mission. For some of you reading this post, you can relate. Either you have been on a mission trip as well, or have been on some form of retreat with a group of friends and experienced moments that at the time, you thought and hoped that they would be "life changing" moments. You arrived back from the trip with a new paradigm, new or stronger beliefs, and you have that "gung-ho" attitude to pray more, to be the better man or woman you know you could be, and to have that closer relationship with God and with your family and friends, new and old.

Then, once settled back into things back home, you open your mailbox, your email inbox, and you check your voicemail. Your calender fills up with appointments and dinners, birthday parties and social functions. Mortgages and bills become a priority, and your "quiet time" is more often spent balancing your checkbook rather than reading the book of Romans. It's almost like someone is very subtly, quietly under the radar, throwing out constant little distractions out there to keep you busy and to keep your motivation and new found desire, subdued...

Luke 9:62, Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

To all reading this post, including myself, who have ever begun some form of mission, some type of service, went on a short term trip, and our service begun and ended there, and we did not remain in prayer and support for the people we met. We are doing as much of a disservice to God if we have never went on the journey in the first place.

We put our "hand to the plow" and just begun our work when we went over to Spain on our mission trip. Our objective has been given, and our mission did not end when we heard the pilot say, "Ladies and Gentleman, thank you for choosing Delta, and welcome to Atlanta." We should remain united together so we do not "look back", and become distracted with all that is going on in our lives.

Our mission has just begun...

"Deep Thoughts" by Carolyn:

Well, we're back, and there is so much to reflect on, so I thought I'd share a few "deep thoughts" by Carolyn with you. These are things I learned, out of MANY others on our trip, and I invite my other teammates to add on if they so desire. Some may only be funny or meaningful to our team, but here it goes:

• "No moro" is not part of the Spanish language (just the Michael "Franko" language)
• "Estoy Caliente" is NOT the right thing to say if you're feeling hot (as in temperature)!
• The "painted man" in Barcelona really does exist (and puts a horse to shame)
• Jen Tanksley loves "hamon" (Spanish "ham")
• I could drink "cafe au leches" everyday (coffee with milk)
• "Rufus" Tankersley or Tankerton will never exist if Jen or Scott have any say so (and that's not their last name anyway David)!
• Michael Frank was NOT Julie's "secreto amigo"
• Ty Pennington and the "Extreme Home Makeover" crew has NOTHING on us!
• if you're going to get lost in Spain, be sure David Walker is behind the wheel
• don't ever use a "vineyard" as a landmark when trying to remember directions (MEL)! They are everywhere in Spain!
• Never go to Spain without Julie Allen (she's the #1 translator)!
• Watch out for Betsy when music is playing
• Bob may be "older" but he has some of the best jokes you've ever heard and he's not afraid to use them!
• Roundabouts can be difficult to get out of when driving
• Watch out for baptist youth groups
• Long live the "Pepecar" van!
• Don't ask Jennifer J. to open her eyes during pictures
• Black paint is not easily found in Spain
• When you need an interior designer, call on Jen Tanksley!
• Isma now knows "sign language" for "WHATEVER!"
• "Franko" has significant meaning and should be adopted as Spain's official language (don't you agree-o ?)
• Dino's Gelato (in Sitges) is the best in the world!
• If Michael Frank cracks a joke, he's sure to follow it up with "Thank you...I'll be here all week!" (he even learned to say that in Spanish)
• Be careful when trying to take a picture with Cara... she may make you do the "heel click"!
• Never let Jim leave America with certain "musical cards"
• Jennifer J. has many "half-baked" moments (as we ALL do), and get her to explain the meaning to you sometime
• "Boquerones" are the way to David and Michael's hearts
• The "Running of the Bulls" in Spain is like Nascar in America (with sports commentators too)!
• Never get in a girl-fight with Jennifer J.
• Julie likes to give wake-up calls and then go back to bed
• Never plug an expensive hair straightener into an adapter in a foreign country
• When traveling to a foreign country... take music from home!
• "What happens in Spain, stays in SPANISH!" (:

On a more serious note.....

• The size of a congregation isn't as important as the heart of a congregation (for God)
• The best way to start your day is with a devotion given by BOB!
• Scott knows how to lead a small groups session very well!
• Music transcends culture (especially music that is praising God)
• Listening to "Indescribable" sung in Spanish, is one of the most beautiful melodies
• The people of Spain are family-oriented and very hospitable!
• Melanie's pictures capture every "Kodak moment"
• Getting "support letters" from family/friends back home, while in a foreign country, can give you the "boost" (or encouragement) you need to keep going
• Children like Oriol, Isaac and Noa can melt your heart (especially Michael's)
• Though Raquel hardly speaks English, she got up and told us that she "saw christ in us" and that she "wanted to be like that to others" IN ENGLISH with no problem... must have been God speaking through her.
• You never know who might be needing God in their lives (ie: Chave, the chair salesman)
• God can be found in EVERYTHING... from the breeze coming off of the Mediteranean Sea, to a blog shared among friends, to a song sung in another language
• Alvaro, Tamar and Dani are amazing musical talents!
• It IS possible to feel like family with people you've known for only a week
• Betsy doesn't even know her own strength as a leader sometimes... but WE all do!
• that LOVE can be felt from 6,000 miles away (even after 50 years of marriage)
• that each of us has a need for God's grace and forgiveness in our lives
• Sharing a testimony (even through translation) can bring others closer to God
• God works miracles everyday (as in the case of Eugenio being healed last week)

I know there's much more that I can't think of right now, but this will give you a sneak peak into our amazing week (yes, I'm a poet too, and "I'll be here all week", as frank would say). (:

Missing our new friends......

Like Betsy, I (Mel) am waking up this morning and processing all that I have experienced this past week. I am so grateful for my new friends in Spain. God has strategically planted hearts for Him in the beautiful area we visited. There is salt and light in Spain and I wanted to share the faces of some of these people.


Isma, Eva and Isaac are a precious family! Isma and Eva spent countless hours driving, translating, answering questions and loving us! They took days off work to be with us. They have hearts that are bent toward drawing others to Christ and we know God has big plans for them. Isma was our "class clown." As Cara says, "He cracks me up." He gets it honestly from is father, Josep. Isma and Ava engaged in some very intentional conversations with us. Their honesty and love are so refreshing. They desire to see the unchurched of their community feel loved and accepted in church and I know God will use them to bring about His purpose! They have hearts that are willing to do what it takes.


Alvaro, Raquel, Oriole and Noa are another family that stole our hearts! As we have mentioned, Alvaro translated the song "Indescribable" and it was so beautiful! He is a very gifted musician (singer, keyboard, guitar) with a wonderful heart for others. He and Raquel took time to be with us this week even though they had family coming in from out of town to celebrate Oriole's 4th B'day (which was Sunday). Alvaro took time off work during the week to drive us around and help at the church. This family loves God and they have such a desire to see their church impact the community of unchurched people. They are available to God and I know He will use them in a big way!


Dani and Tamar are another couple who took time during their week to be with us. Tamar made the Ikea run to Barcelona with Betsy and some of the team. They were looking for blinds and other items need for the work we did at church. What a trooper!! I think she even made runs to the paint store with Scott and Jen! Dani is as talented as his brother Alvaro. I never say him practice "Indescribable" until 30 minutes before the service on Sunday! He placed the drums and I was blown away by the sound! He also works the sound and video equiment (along with Isma). What a great couple. They are just fun to be with. They took us to an amazing restaurant one night. We sat outside and then enjoyed a beautfiul walk along the docks by the water! Again, hearts for God that He will use to bring light to Spain!


Jim, Cara, Jennifer and I had the wonderful honor of eating one night with Josep and Merce in their home. Josep and Merce are Isma and David's parents. As I said before, Jospeh has the same sense of humor as Isma and we definitely shared in the universal language of laughter. What a joy to be in their home. Merce is an amazing cook. Cara usually doesn't like shrimp but she loved Merce's (both with and without eyes). Jim did have to peel them for her, but she went back for more! Joseph has a huge heart and I was so touched by him. On Saturday when we had them write the names of the friends they were praying for on the wall at the church, he was so overcome with emotion. What a love for others! We would have loved to spend more time with their son David. However, he works in the entertainment industry and was gone most of the time on the Ricky Martin Spain tour. He ate one night with us at Isma and Eva's and we wished we could have spent more time with him. One thing he said that really touched us was regarding his visit to North Point. He and Alvaro came over in January to observe our production crew. He said that he had heard so much about North Point.....the big screens, the games in the youth rooms, the music, the moving lights.....However, what touched him the most was the community and love for each other. He said it was the first thing he noticed when he arrived. He felt welcome and could sense the love of the people for each other! Isn't that amazing! It's what we desire as a church!

Thanks for reading. I'll echo the sentiments of everyone else. It was an amazing trip. I couldn't have imagined a better team to go with or better friends to discover in Spain!

With a full and thankful heart,
Melanie

Take me back to Catalunya ASAP!

Where is the cafe and cocoa crispies???

Did anyone else wake up this morning at 4:40am wondering where the team was? I wanted to pop down the stairs and see Jim and Michael already enjoying the hotel breakfast and Bob quietly reading in his bible. Oh how I miss even my rock hard bed today!
I fear unpacking any of my thoughts too soon as I want to allow time, as Scott said, to really process just what happened 5000 miles away this week. Im sitting on my couch looking out the window onto the street and for a second I could think that nothing happened to me the last 10 days. Everything here is the same. I am still unemployed (which turned out to be a nice thing since the day was so long yesterday), there is still a wedding to plan in 3 months now, my grass still needs cut and it looks like an afternoon thunderstorm may appear - just as usual. But then I thought I would read over the blog this morning just to take an outside look at what actually happened. After reading over the posts from each of the character's on our team I am assured that something did happen. God showed up.
God showed up in ways I could never have put on paper or in a plan. God showed up in our unity as a team, in the patience of each of us after 10 long days. He showed up in the conversations with Alvaro on the way to the vineyard. He showed up in our group meetings. He showed up everynight at dinner when we would sit for hours and listen to our Spanish friends talk about their desire to see God's church in Spain. He showed up in Chave and in Tomas and Raquel and even in Juan Carlos, the hotel worker. God showed up BIG! And as an added benefit - he showed up in my heart. I am so grateful for the exact team that went to Spain. THe 12 of us in a weird way could be like the disciples...not necessarily the brightest most equipped but altogether - wanting to follow. I realized this week how Big of a God we serve. I am thankful, too, to have somethign else to consume my thoughts. I cant help but thinking incessantly about Alvaro and Dani and Isma and the men of the church. I want to badly for them to see God at work too and I know in a way, this week, they did. I am thankful that I have something to pray for and specific names to remember. I am grateful that we got to be a part of something Huge. I promise you - it may be 5 years and it may be 12 but sooner or later because of the presence of "salt" in this country - light will come. God is working now to prepare hearts and people to be advocates for His kingdom. I feel so priveleged that we may have been some of the first to see his finger print on this city.
Thank you for your constant prayers and support. We feel that you are just as much a part of this journey and we hope too that you are burdened to pray for this church and our new friends. But if you dare, pray Big, too, for Spain and for Europe and for God's kingdom to come to this earth all over the world. You will be blown away as you start to see Him move.

Missing Espana,
Betsy

We're back after a LONG 10 hour flight today! Here are some pix from our week.....
a. Julie and Betsy painting the front showcase in the foyar of the church.

b. Alvaro with his kids, Oriol (4) and Noa (2)

c. Carolyn with Isma, Ava and their 4 year old son, Isaac.

d. The entire team with members/leaders of Iglesia Evangeliste.

e. Alvaro, Tamar, Jennifer (from our team) and Dani, sang "Indescribable" (Chris Tomlin) in church on Sunday (in both English and Spanish!

f. From left to right....Alvaro, Isma and Danny
g. Michael Frank with Noa (Alvaro and Raquel's 2 year old girl)... she LOVED him!

h. Leadership/ Small Groups training on Saturday (Scott led a lot of it).

i. our group with Eugenio (in front with black shirt), who had the heart attack.... and other members of their church.

j. Julie, Melanie and David painting walls.

k. Michael and Jim moving equipment out of the church.

l. The church before renovation began.

m. David and Julie talking to Chave the chair salesman (see blog on Tuesday or Wed.)

n. Our group enjoying lunch by the sea in Sitges.

o. This one is of Iglesia Evangelica (the church that we renovated all week and have a partnership with) in Sitges, Spain.

Adios Espana from Julie

Well, we are about to leave this great country. We have had a fabulous experience meeting these people and establishing relationships. We have seen God work in amazing ways and are so thankful for the opportunity He gave us to come here and be a small part of something big. God is definitely working here and it was incredible to be a part of that. Thank you all for all your support and prayers. We definitely felt the prayers and they were greatly appreciated. Please keep Vilanova Protestant Church in your prayers as they continue to create environments to reach the unchurched here in Spain. This is a difficult task for them but with God on their side it will become reality. Please pray specifically that God will bring a leader who will take this church to the next level. Thank you and we love you all. Os queremos.

Speaking Frankly, by Michael Frank

It is almost one in the morning over here, and we have had a long, and very awesome day. I am worn out, but I wanted to leave this trip with one last ¨deep thought". I read a blog before I came on this trip with a similar message that I am about to give, I have heard it preached before, and I have read books with the same message. Now I am adding my opnion to it...

For those of you (and I am including myself in this blog for sure, I promise you) who ask the Big questions. Who Am I? What Am I Doing Here? To those of you who sit on I-285 in rush hour traffic, day after day and moan and complain. To those of you who work to get promoted, earn the promotion, and then feel not as fullfilled as they thought they would when they were imagining the promotion. To those of you who are in a job they do not like and do not know where they should go. To those of you who are getting close to retirement, and to those who are just getting their resume in order. To those of you who have just screamed at God and yelled, "What do you want me to do! I am not happy here, doing this. What is it that I am supposed to do!?"

In the blog I read, the author described it this way...imagine God as a General of an Army, and he is giving his command to all of his troops. He gives one mission for everyone to accomplish. He spells it out clearly, giving is objective and his promise. If God spoke to you and told you, "Your Purpose for your life", would you follow his command?

Matthew 28:18-20. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

He said simply, "Go". He did not say, "not to if you were to old", Bob Cox, on our mission trip is 76, and he would have worn out, did wear out, people 40 years younger than him on this trip this week. He did not say, "not to if you were to young". Our leader, Betsy, is 26, and she could give many men twice her age a class on leadership. Jesus did not say only go if you were rich or poor, healthly or sick. He said "Go".

For those of you who say, "Well, I would go, but I need some sort of sign, or plan, or to be told what I´ll be doing first, then I´ll go".

Hebrews 11:1. Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

And lastly, I will loosely quote from memory, a movie line (its a guy thing) from the movie Braveheart, by the main character, William Wallace, played by Mel Gibson. " Many years from now, when you are lying in your bed, will you be happy for where you are, or will you wish for one chance, one chance, to come back here, to this day! And to Fight for your Freedom!" (again, that was loosely quoted, but you get the idea?)

Translation to what I am talking about... many years (who knows but God how long you have?) from now when you are lying on your death bed, will you be content with your life and what you have done. Or would you wish for one chance, one chance, that you were able to go back. To suck up the courage, push away the fear. Silence the "yeah, I would like to do that, but..." and to do what you have, not been given the option to do, but the command to do with your life.

He said simply... "Go".