A Long Hot Summer

Hello again my missed loyal readers, it has been far too long. I must first apologize for this long overedue blog. It seems I've been so busy in Waterford and enjoying the summer that I forgot all about this, but we're gonna bring this back now.

So things have changed greatly since I've been back, not just in my own life but in Waterford City as well. It seems a different city I have come back too. What with the state of the country it seemed a deader place with little going on. And if I'm being honest I found it very hard to settle back home, it just seemed a much darker place, especially since I had just come from an environment where I was surrounded by christians and was in the Word every day. But God is good and faithful and has given me encouragement, in the form of friends! Since I've been back I've met so many christians in Waterford it seems like they are springing up like rabbits. With the brand new church building we have for Calvary Waterford the growth has been amazing, and the fellowship as a result of that has helped so much. God has given me new friends from around Ireland and strengthened friendships with old friends from the church. It really is amazing the impact hanging around with fellow believer can have. They make Waterford a brighter place and I'm thankful for them.
Not only has there been fellowship with believers with the church but we also had teams from America over too. We had a team from Tucson, Arizona over for a month, which included some awsome people, including Kevin Dodd, Ariel Porteck,Ashley Short, Vivian Tovarez, Paul and Roland. These 6 people were great to be around for the month, and many laughs, cries and midnight banter was had. Just having them over here and hanging out and talking to people brought light to the city for that month and hopefully they will be back again. We also have another team here as well, not even a week after the Arizonianites left, a group of young men and women from Denver Colarado, and Charlestown, South Carolina, and its been great having them here.

So God has been moving in Waterford and its amazing to see it. There has been growth in Calvary Waterford very steadily, and new believers in other churches. A member of my family has come to the Lord recently and many members of my family have been going to church. It was amazing to have both my little brothers and sister, and four of my cousins at church on one sunday, I didn't see that happening for a long time and it just shows God answers prayers and has a plan for my family, something I am extremely greatful for. To add to this great in our own church there has been great unity amongst the christian churches in Waterford lately. A few weeks ago was the Tall Ships Race where a number of tall ships docked in the city for the weekend to prepare for a week. This brought much excitement and life to the city, with a total of 500,000 people visiting Waterford City over the weekend. Now Waterford doesnt even have 50,000 people in the city so it was a different sight altogether. This was an opportunity to reach out to people that could not be missed, so four churches in the city, Calvary Waterford, Waterford Baptist Church, Tramore Bible Fellowship and Waterford Christian Assembly got together to prepare for a weekend of evangelism, and what a weekend it was. We had 20,000 tracks printed out telling the story of John Newton, the man who wrote the song Amazing Grace and had his life turned around by God, and we had just about all of them handed out. Along with that there was street preaching, discussions and just fellowship among the members of the different churches. There was some problems, with having to be moved once to a different location, and general slander by the people of the city and tourists. And while this might seem discouraging, it just shows that God is making an impact, and it can be seen by people and is effecting them, so His word does not go void it seems. So all in all it was a great weekend of talking to people and forming friendships with christians from different churches in the city.

So what has been going on personally with me since I've been back in Ireland? It seems like not a lot at first but really God has been working in me and having me serve Him. For one I've been given the opportunity to serve in the church. I have been playing bass as part of the worship team with Sebastian Muller for sundays since I've been back, and it is an honouring thing to be a part of it. Also I get to lead the call to worship every second sunday to lead people's hearts to the right place to worship God, and its been great just reading through the Psalms and see God's glory and love. It's great to see what He's shown me in doing this. The Psalms really just show to me how great God really is, and how He is ultimatly in control of everything in this world, and just how glorious He is, and that He not only looks upon us, but sent His son to die for us it truely something else, it is love beyond measure. Also Tea and Coffee outreach has started up again and me and Sebastian are heading that up. It is a really good thing and I love doing it. We all get together beforehand to pray for the outreach and then go to the city centre to hand out tea and coffee to people. It really is just a non threatening way to show the love of Christ in a practical way. With the culture in Ireland people don't like people standing on soap boxes in the corner of a square and condemning people, so it really is just a way for people to come and ask about what were doing, and being able to share the gospel with them, and if not, just to show these people love. It has gotten positive feedback from people and many good conversations have been had. It has been such an honour and a humbling thing to be able to serve God in these ways. When I look back on the last two years and all God has done in changing me and my life it is simply amazing, and I never would have thought in two years I would have gone to a Bible College, go to a church and be able to serve God,it is amazing and so is He!

So if you haven't figured out by now from the title, it has been hot this summer in Ireland, a very rare thing, and I think I may be the only person in the country to be annoyed about this, I simple cannot take hot weather. I feel hot enough as it is when it's cold out, and so the heat has been something I'm struggling with., as the heat makesa me very grouchy...I cannot wait for the winter...but the sun is  nice enough when there is a cool breeze. Also I got to be involved in a Christian kids camp in Avoca in County Wicklow, 6 weeks ago. I was a leader there and had to look after my own group of kids. Now if you know me well you'll know I find it hard to put up with kids, and so God really used this as an opportunity to give me patience with them and a love for the children. Funny enough two days after I get back I get sick, and have been so up until yesterday. It's been an experience having to rely on God these past few weeks for strength to get up and go, and it has been a humbling thing, as I can't rely on my own strength, so even this sickness turned out for my own good.

Now the more awkward part of this blog, something I haven't done before. As you all know I was in Bible College last semester, and I feel called back there for the next semester in September. God really used Bible College to mature me and teach me more about Him and He wants me back there. Unfortunatly all my efforts to get a job this summer has not gone well. It seems that there is no jobs in Waterford whatsoever, and any that do pop up are swiftly taken by people who have had experience working in the fields. So far God has provided for me weekly, and now next week I should have enough for the deposit for the Bible College, a week before it is due, a miracle God has done, and so it seems He's going to provide for the rest of the money. So if anyone feels lef by the Holy Spirit to help get me to Germany, it would be an honour and greatly appreciated to help me get there, or contact me at my email, dannykeating1990@hotmail.com .  If not then all I ask is for your prayers that God will be faithful and provide. Thank you all for reading, and I will try keep you all updated the best I can.

God Bless,

Danny.

Sweden, Snow, Prayer and Testimony..

Hi again everyone,

I have to start by apologizing for the lack of blogging as of lately, its been pretty busy the last few weeks with mid term papers to do, a weekend away for the reformation trip and the last week I've been in Sweden with no internet.

So I don't really know where to start today, so just a quick update on what has been going on in the college since the last time I posted. I'm up to date on all my homework, very surprises at that, back in school I was behind a lot, but I guess when your doing homework you like it gets done. But the homework really has been a blessing, its made me look at the Bible in a new way and really digging for treasure in some of those verses, and the results have been a blessing. God reveals himself all the more during this work and a lot of the time I don't even realise it. So something amazing has happened during the last few weeks, God answered a big prayer of mine. You see, after the Reformation Trip we had my income was extremely low, I didn't even have enough to get a bus ticket back to Waterford when I would arrive back home. Things were looking a bit desparate. I have to admit this was my fault for not budgeting and examining the costs of everything wisely. I've seen that I need to take time to make decisions and do things instead of just deciding then and there without thinking. Funny enough I was described as a Peter during this Outreach week in a prayer, and even though the man was speaking about Peter's good qualities I also saw how I am this get up and go person who doesn't think as much as he should. God willing I'll be able to keep this lesson for the rest of my life. But anyway, without even being ready for this the dean of the men in the bible college, a man named Andrew Rann, had me meet him in his office and his church has donated me 592 dollars, I forget how much that is but it is a lot. I'm still in shock that a church who doesn't even know me in Califiornia would be so generous and be giving to a person who didn't deserve it, but I guess it just confirms the work of the Holy Spirit in these peoples lives and God answering prayers in my life, despite my faults. I'm really being shown that it's not in my strength that God does things, but in His.

I think I'll talk a bit about the Outreach Week now, if anyone wants to ask about the Reformation trip or anything else that has been happening feel free to send a comment or email me ( I'll be giving me address at the end of this blog ). Right so Saturday morning Me, Aden Knepper, Elijah Knepper, and our leader Ricky Ponce, left to get on a train for Weeve airport, and then got the plane to Stockholm. The plane ride wasn't as terrifying as last time, it was really fun in fact. I think I could get used to flying, and I just love being above the clouds, in my mind its pretty magical, and its amazing to just reflect that one day I'll be called up to those clouds to meet Jesus. So we got into Sweden city, after an other bus ride, around 11-12. So we had pretty much 12 hours of travelling that day, so I know I was tired, and I think the rest of the lads were too. Now when I got to Stockholm I was expecting some tall blonde Swedish man with a mustach to pick us up, then again I was watching the Swedish chef from the muppets before I left, but instead there was a short Lebanese man there to meet us, Richard. We would have an interestnig week with this man. We followed him and met up with the owner of the cafe where we would be staying and working. As we walked through Sweden there was so many drunk people it was unbelievable, and just people going crazy, it was a dark place we were in, despite the beauty of the city. So none of us really knew what to expect when we got to the cafe, but what we saw I couldn't have even imagined, it was in some undegroundish cellar like place, under a walkway and bridge. We went down through the side entrace, and in there was a huge office, a dance floor, with built in disco lights that Ricky used to wake us up, and a cafe that looked like a night club. Turns out it used to be a night club, and there was a lot of work to do. It was mostly painting and construction but with four guys and basic equipment it took the whole week to get about 2/3 of the stuff done. That night we also met the pastor of the church in Stockholm, Joel. So after putting our stuff down we got out these leather cushion/mat things and went to sleep in the dance room, it was pitch black so there was no lights to keep us awake, or to wake us up. On sunday morning we had breakfast we had lunch and walked around the city. I won't  get into describing the city too much because I have many pictures that I will put on facebook soon that describe it better. We went around all the old buildings, the palace (Sweden has a king and queen) and Old Town, the tourist place. We eventually found a quiet place to sit down and prqay together for each other, the week and for the city. That evening we went to the church and listened to a man named Mats teach a sermon on changing perspectives. Afterwards we got into groups and prayed for each other, and it was a real blessing. Then as we left another great thing happened, it begen to snow! Needless to say I was delighted, I don't think anyone else was though. So Monday morning we began our work after being awoken by disco lights and given the schedule of things to do. We had to doa lot of painting, with three colours, dark and light purple, which ended up being pink, and white, shiny shiny white. We learned that Richard is obsessed with his colours, about every hour every day he would ask in his Lebenese style did we like the colours. It was pretty funny, but its great to see that he cared so much about the cafe. It was a blessing to have him there, he even cooked Lebanese food for us, and made couscous and humas. Also David, the cafe owner, apparantly talks and sounds like Daniel from the original Karate kid, although I've never seen it so I don't know. It was just all work through the week. Once or twice we went out and Aden and Ricky played worship music on the streets. Some people stopped and listened for a bit, it was good. We also went through the book of Jonah, which I had never read before and that was a real blessing, I love his prayer to God in chapter 2. On wednesday night we went over to Joels apartment for a shower and to watch a movie and have pizza. We watched Salt, with Angelina Jolie, and it was actually a good movie, it was a pleasant surprise. We talked with Joel a lot also and he spoke some wise words that have stuck to me heart. Thursday night we had a prayer meeting in his apartment with some members of the church, including David, Richard, a Swedish girl named Agnus and a man from the next town name Jonas, who it turned out was actually the bassist in a popular black metal band. Didn't expect that. But yeah it was really great praying together for one another. After that Joel tried this thing out, as God had spoken to his heart things concerning us, and they were relavent to each of us. For me he said the verse from 2 Corinthians 10:3-4: For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. During this time here in Germany God has been giving me a heart to pray, and is showing me the importance of it. I keep praying that he teaches me the value and the strength of prayer, to give me a heart to pray and to give me words to pray, especially when praying out loud. This is something I really want. And what Joel said to me was that he sees great things, strongholds being torn down because God has been having me pray to Him, and that I will see that it is one of our greatest weapons, one that isn't of flesh but divine and of the Spirit. It really spoke to my heart, considering my prayer just for prayer. The verse reminded me of Waterford, with all its towers and walls, a stronghold city. If great things are going to happen there its only going to happen with the power of prayer, I don't have the strength to do it and I realise it, I really need to stop trying to be perfect and just live as I am for God, because I'm far from perfect. So people keep praying for me, because we all need prayer. We left last night around five, after many hugs, goodbyes, and prayer for one another, it was a really blessed week of just growing and serving God in a physical way. I really enjoyed it. We got to the airport in Germany around 11:15 and got to the villa close to 2, it was good to be home and sleep in a bed. So thats what's been happening lately, the term is almost over and I cannot wait to get back to Waterford and just serve God, I'm counting down the days till I get to do this and see my family and friends again.

Now I have to do one thing. One thing I learnt this week is that if I really want to be a man of God, and to help lead people and grow them in God one day I have to be open, and truthful, despite what people will think. So I guess to start this kind of thing off I'm just going to share my testimony of how I came to Christ, the full thing. This might seem strange to people who know me, family, friends etc. and you might not agree with anything I'm going to say, and you can have an oppinion, I'm fine with that, but having an oppinion never garuntees that you are right, and this is just how I have seen myself coming to Christ. Before I get into this I just want to say I have had a lot of good things happen to me and in my life before I came to Christ, I was blessed with a loving family and many things, but the point of this isn't to give you a history lesson of my life, but rather to show God's glory and what he has done in my life by bringing me to him.

Right so lets start. I was born into an Irish Catholic family and had a pretty good childhood. Even though I went to a Catholic school and had a Catholic family I didn't take a personal interest in God. At the age of ten my parents split up, and being honest it really hurt, and even though I knew it wasn't my fault, as any child who's dad leaves and doesn't come around a lot you start to feel like you have done something wrong, and I was too stubborn to say anything to anyone and so I pretty much felt very broken, and I guess I became more anti-social then I would have been before. So around that time I was started to be bullied in school, and even though it wasn't physical, I was a pretty big kid, and it was only verbal abuse, I was in no right mind to just shrug it off or do anything about it, so it all just bottled up. So I went into secondary school at 12, and I wasn't any more popular there than I was in primary school, but the effects of my parents break up was going around this time, although I had very little love for my dad. Bullying started up again in school, people shouting insults and saying horrible things about me to me and not caring, and people just mentally hurting me. Again I wouldn't say anything, I had too much of a stubborn, prideful nature to admit that I was weak and needed help, I didn't want to believe it, even though people around me would have helped and some even offered to help. So as a result of this abuse and just loneliness I felt I began to eat more than I should, whenever I got upset. One day after school I was so upset I ran into Dunnes Stores, bought a whole cooked chicken and devoured the thing to eat up my emotions, and for a while I thought it was working. But with these kind of things they only fail and you seek some other way to get away from it all. Around the age of 16 I started drinking, at first for fun, but then as it went on and I got used to it and eating my feelings wasn't working, I would drink lots of alcohol to try and get rid of it all. My family did not know about this and you are probably only finding this out for the first time now, and if you are please be patient and forgiving now, as things don't get better at this point. This consuming of alcohol to hife my feelings could only be done on a summer and holiday basis as I had school the majority of the year. So instead of drinking during the school terms, I began self harming, or cutting myself in other words, to 'deal' with this problem. This is one of the most stupid things I have even done in my life, I don't know why I did this and I can say to anyone that it is not the way to deal with your problems. But thinking it would make a difference, I did it, and tried to keep it a secret. Once my family caught the marks on my arms and I was called out on it, but I played the pity part and lied to their faces to make it stop, for this I'm sorry, and I continued self harming up until around the age of 18, on a less frequent basis however. Around 17 I started getting friends again and got accepted into a group, it was great to have people I could relate to, but it was over our sinful deeds more than anything else. During this time I had done weed, although I broke away from that, and decided to join the LGBT community. So from around the age of 16 I convinced myself that I was bisexual and went to gay youth group meetings and gay rights activist movements. I know some people may not know this and some may.
So as you van see my life was pretty much out of control, I was just about to finish my leaving cert for the second time and I had no clue what I was going to do. During these years I had also been a living hell and nightmare to my family, being a horrible brother to my little brothers and sister, and an even worse son, to my dad but even worse to my mother, who had to bring up four kids by herself pretty much and try get to find a job and raise money to feed us and keep a roof over our head. She is an amazing woman and in inspiration and I couldn't ask for a better mother. Then after these teenage years the turning started. For a few summers a team of young people from Calvary Chapel Tucson in Arizona had been coming to Waterford to evangelize, and one of my friends got saved. Around this time I had decided to become a proper believing Catholic again. I still didn't believe the Bible, or read it, or even go to confession or church every week, but from the times I did I was convinced my works were enough to get me to heaven, along with Jesus. But my friend stresed that it wasn't works that saved us, but faith in Christ, and she even used the Bible to confirm this, but of course in my mind she was just converted into some cult from America, as she wasn't part of the Catholic Church. So for a while we would discuss, debate and almost argue over this. Then for a while it stopped, and I had many encounters with these born again Christians, and grew to resent them. Then eventually the man who had been coming down with his wife each week form Dundalk to teach my friend and other people the Bible moved down to Waterford, and eventually a church was to be started in Waterford City. My friend invited me to go, and my response in my mind was "No, I'm not going to some crazy cult", even though my lips said maybe. So eventually I had decided to go just because I said I would and to see for myself how wrong these peoples views on Christ and God was. So I missed the first sunday, and come on the second, and when I got these I was blown away from what I saw; people who knew each other and related to each other through Jesus, people singing to God in a way I had never seen before, they were happy to sing to God. They were praying, and it wasn't set prayers like the 'Our Father' or the 'Hail Mary' and what was probably most shocking was they were teaching the Bible, verse by verse, and it actually made sense to me, and it was like it was actually speaking into my heart. The first message I had heard speak to me from the Bible was the book of Romans, and it deeply convicted and moved me. I decided I would go to Calvary Waterford one week and the local Catholic church another week, but I never went back to the Catholic Church. Over the next month or so God started a real change in my heart, making me see that despite my pride saying otherwise that I was a sinner, and what more, that I was weak, completely weak in fact. I was shown that I was too weak to save myself, and I couldn't do it by doing good things, being a moralist trying to be a good person, because I am not a good person, and even if I spend the rest of my life doing good it doesn't replace the bad I've done. Also trying to be a religious person doing all the Catholic rituals and prayers, kissing statues, praying to dead people, and going to church would not save me either. I had come to realise that there was nothing I could do to go to heaven, but also learned that Jesus Christ was a real person, who lived on this earth, was God and died for us on a cross, taking the penalty for my sin and rose again in victory three days later and is now king. I turned to Jesus for my salvation and put my trust in him. I cannot remember the exact date when this happened, but during June of 2009 God come into my life and hasn't left. He has freed me from all the things I have mentioned above and is continuing to change my heart every single day. I now have someone greater than any person on earth that I can go to when I fail, or when I'm sad, and when I'm wrong, even though I am weak, and He accepts me as I am, and holds me in His arms and heals me. My life now is for Christ, and it will be forever. My heart has been taking off things of this worls, they dont have the same value as they used to. Now for me getting a career and becoming rich seems empty. I don't want to live for myself anymore but to live for God and His glory, and to show other people His glory. So here I am, Danny Keating, a sinner saved by the grace of God. Amen to that!

So that's it for this weeks folks, I really hope this blog was worth reading and I hope you enjoyed it, keep me in your prayers, as well as my family, my friends at home and here in bible college, for Siegen and for Waterford. If you want to contact me my address is dannykeating1990@hotmail.com

God bless and thank you all,
Danny. 

Snail Pizza

Good Mornin faithful readers..it's been a while. I've just been so busy lately enjoying the fatherland I forgot about this blog. So I'm not going to give a really detailed account of the last two weeks, because I can't remember right now, it's 7:41 in the morning here, which is 6 in the morning in Ireland,so I'm a bit tired.

Time for a summary. The last two weeks have been awsome. So much stuff has been going on, and a lot of changed has happened, and God's done some amazing work inward. Two weekends ago, myself, a fellow college mate named Hannah and one of the office girls, Katha, had the weekend team. What that means is we had to do the cooking, cleaning and washing in the cafe breakfast,lunch and dinner. It was a real great time actually, we made some pretty crazy food, including 'GermIrishAlina' barbeque beans...we were trying to be multicultural with the name. I took some pictures of it too so when I get back to Ireland you can all see it, and I can tell you more about that weekend.

Now every semester there is an outreach week in the college where students get to go to different churches and sometimes in a different country and help out the church there, evangelise etc. and so we had to make a decision where we wanted to go. There was Turkey, France, Bavaria, East Germany and Sweden, and of course I'm opting for the cold country, so off the Stockholm, Sweden I go. I've been praying about it and its been put on my heart to go there, so I'm stepping out in faith, my finances are low, and gonna go where He leads me.

Last week God did something in my life. He answered a prayer, a real specific prayer thats been troubling me since I got here. He answered in a way I wasn't expecting, and took something away from me. The effects of this didn't hit me until maybe 2 or 3 days later, but then it did, and I got hit hard. I was pretty much in a state of brokeness, but thanks to support from my brothers and sisters here, and lots of prayer God has really shown me some stuff. He's thought me to not only just seek after him for comfort and peace, when we can't comfort ourselves, but also to be content with just Him. I had been so obsessed with wanting to be in a relationship, I was forgetting the most important relationship I have, and that is with Jesus. I knew that being with this person was dragging me down, and drawing me away from God, but in a stubborn fashion I kept going on. So it had to come to God doing this in my life, for my own good, for me to listen to him. I have a rebellious heart and he's going to fix that though. :)

This week is speakers week and we've been blessed by having Mike Neglia and Duke and Ian Knepper over here. Ian's leading worship and Mike and Duke are teaching on the last words that some major characters in the bible have said. It'sn going to be a great time just drawing close to the Lord this week and I cannot wait.

We had troika this morning, getting up early for discipline, and we started it off with boxing. A good fun laugh, Ian accidentaly made Mike bleed though, truely a man's sport. Now folks I'm off for a shower and breakfast. Forgive me for not making it a long one, but I'll try get more active on this. And if your wondering about the title, Ricky Ponce the chef made snail pizza the other week.



It was lovely.

God bless,

Danny.

Going Through Changes

I'm going through changes, and how true that is..

Ok readers my first week of bible college is finished,and I'm halfway into the second week, now my writing won't be as good today because I'm very tired because I had some death sauce, nothing better than New Jersey Fury. Right so my first week was pretty amazing, I love all my classes so far, although I have had to drop Anthropology, as I've been praying and I'm being told its gonna get pretty hectic during my time here, and not just that, I want to be able to have the time to really get into the other classes I'm doing, so I can really focus on Jesus, which is actually what the classes I have left are focused on. So far my favourite classes are Revalation and Romans, and both seem so relevant to my life. It's gonna be great studying Revelation and seeing it isn't just about the end of the world, but the focus of it is centred on Jesus. In the same way Romans really focuses on God, and both are two persons I really need in my life.The homework is pretty easy so I can have time to just be alone with God, explore the town, read and just get to know my new friends. I'm really grateful that God has given me a gift of just having a passion for studying his word day and night, and for giving me an understanding of what I'm reading, I hope he uses it in the days ahead.

I'm also pretty grateful for the new friends I have made here, and whether they know it or not they are having a great effect on my life, for the better. On thursday we had Koinania, which is like a christian fellowship time, and it was a great blessing. We all had to go up and give our testimonies of how we got saved and what God has done in my life. It was really helpful hearing them all go up and sharing what God did in their lives, and very inspiring it was. Then I had to go up near the end, and it was so good to say what Jesus did in my life, and not being afraid of the past,its really amazing to think of what God led me out of and what he's given me,and I want to be more appreciative of that. On wednesday we also had a guys meeting in the dorm, where we all just sat together and prayed for each other,saying what we want God to help us with,and it was so encouraging. I really havnt been into praying much with people before I came here, I was afraid too, and I regret I had that attitude, it is so good people to pray together and with one another, its how things get changed, I'd encourage you all to do it too, pray for each other as much as possible. :)

Now the weekend was great.On friday we went to one of the teachers, Andrew, house to watch a movie, we watched the blind side and it was very good. I would recoment it.Then satuday night we watched Jurrasic Park , havnt seen it since i was a kid but it hasnt lost its touch. On sunday I had an encounter with someone and it shook me. It was this person enquiring about freedom in Christ, and dress codes, and I'm ashamed to say all I could think about instead of preaching the gospel to her was getting away because she seemed crazy. God doesn't judge others or show partiality, so why should we, why should I? The answer is I shouldn't, it is simply wrong and unloving. Christ would want us to treat all people equally,whether they are poor or rich,black or white or healthy and sick, God loves us, so should we. I just pray God just gives me the strength to not be afraid to speak the gospel to any person, no matter what there background, and I pray you do the same.

Right people sorry its a short one but Im very tired and my body is aching, have a good day all

God bless,
Danny.

Settling in..

Well I'm settling in pretty nicely into Bible College now,the weekends gone and today I had my first class,but I'll get to that in a while.I'll start with friday..

After enjoying a great and needed nights sleep after that long plane ride,I awoke,with my towel and got a very needed shower..I walk downstairs and the next thing I know I'm on a train ride back to Cologne,luckily this time God wasn't sending me to the website,but to see the city.After about an hour or so on the DOUBLE DECKER train,that's right,DOUBLE DECKER TRAIN,my new classmates and I arrived at Cologne trainstation,compared to say Heuston station in Dublin,its huge! Now as I make my way out of the station I'm hit by something I was not expecting.My head was sent in an upward direction as my draw dropped and I gazed upon perhaps what is the biggest Cathedral my young eyes have ever seen.A beautifully crafted building,addorned with statues and frescos and the works,with two bell towers that seemed to peirce the sky itself.We couldn't help but go inside and see if the interior would compare to the exterior,it did.I wanted to go up into the tower and look at the city from up there,but the church insisted on making people pay,typical..Now the interior is amazing,a huge hall,full of stained glass images of biblical saints,statues, and huge organs,a true piece of art.Unfortunatly the reality of what kind of place I was in kicked in,in the end of the hall locked in a cage behind an alter was a solid gold metal box,where they claim lay the bodies of the 'five' wise men who visited Jesus Christ at his birth.Now something clicked and I looked around and I noticed statue after statue of 'Jesus' and many more boxes and tombs where people venerated and prayed to the bones of dead bishops,and of course the 5 euro to light a candle and pray to Mary.All I could think of was the idolatry,and just so many things that were wrong,and I got upset to be honest.But luckily God gave me whatmust have been a nudge in my heart,to remind me that he delivered me and saved me from this way of life.I am afraid that I will never be able to find a way to truely thank God,with my words,for showing me that He is real, and that is more than a big empty all full of statues and gold boxes with dead people,that he is something much more,he is a personal loving God who's desire is to know us and for us to know him in a deep,personal way.After that my mind and my heart brought me back to Ireland,and as much as I'm going to love my time here in bible college,I cannot wait to return home and to tell people how real He is and how much he loves us.I think He will have me settling in Ireland forever,and I'm quite happy with that.After that I left,took lots of pictures,ate fallofell(?) for the first time and visited the Lindt chocolate factory and a mustard shop. :)

Now Saturday was Orientation day,I'll try keep this short.Basicly we got introduced to the teachers and were told about there classes.After hearing them all I was so excited to choose my classes.I went through the registration process,got my photo taken,chose my classes and showed them to the head of the school.All in all im doing Matthew,Revelation,Romans,Men's Discipleship,Biblical Anthropology,The Reformation,and a block class on some weekend,its a discipleship class.So along with the rest of the stuff it came to 24 credits,you can only have 25 credits,so I may have overdone it for my first term.They suggested maybe dropping a class,I'm gonna go through this week and see how it is,if its too much I'll drop one class,but I think it will be fine.Later on that evening we went to the church,land began our term with worshiping our God.After that we took communion in an interesting way,we all ate the bread at the same time,and then we had to take a cup of juice/blood, and give it to someone of the same sex,say something referring to the washing our our sins by Jesus' blood and pray for that person.,it was amazing.Then we had a tour of the college,during this I found out they have a gym,which made me very happy,I can keep my weight down now and still eat kebabs.That night a group of us played a game called settlers,it was very fun.I went up to my dorm and headed to bed.I really think the classes I chose will really help me get a better understanding of God,and draw me close to him,and he'll no doubt use my knowledge in the future.

Now Sunday was a fun active day.The church service in English doesn't start until 5 pm so that means a sleep in on sunday,woohoo.So Sunday morning we decided to go for a hike up the mountains.A group of about ten of us went,again I took pictures,this country is beautiful.I couldn't find any wild boars up there though,this saddened me,but I made a walking stick,which lifted my spirits up.After a good while we made it up onto a tower and we could see miles away from where we were,and it was some sight,magical even as the sun came out and Siegen turned from a grey to a golden green tone,only obstructed by the bright yellow and blue Ikea.Sunday evening we had our church service and it was on the transfiguration of Christ,and I got the message of who Christ really is,in his true glory,and not just the handsome,beared white man in rich robes that we always picture.So basicly I was reminded by the Holy Spirit of who Christ really is and how he is the creator of all.I also did Chuck Tracks,and yknow I really really love them,I might be the only person in the nearest 10 miles that enjoys them that much,but its so full of knowledge and what not,cant help but love it.I also had a yummy kebab,worked out,had mexican food for dinner,and played an awsome game called zombies.I also took a bike ride through the town.One thing I noticed was the pride people took in their houses.They were all beautifully done up and each garden was personal to the owner.It made me think of my home estate and how much people let the things God gives them fall into ruin and give up caring about it.I myself am guilty of this too.I want to be able to take care of the things and responsabilitys God has given me and see them out faithfully,and hopefully with his help I will.

Right,last paragraph I promise,today I had my first class,it was Revelation and I think im going to love this class.It will be amazing to draw closer to Christ by reading this and gaining a knowledge of the end time events.We were shown our essays,we have to do 11 by the end of the term,but looking at an example of an A grade paper,and it was only an A4 page long,I couldn't believe it,this should have nothing on the leaving cert,but I wont get cocky.Then we had lunch,yummy cabbage soup,and then  I began my first chore,washing dished,and I must say I actually enjoyed it,,not the washing and drying part,although drying is fun,but for what where doing it for.We're doing it in order to keep the college running,it makes you truely a part of the college,and most importantly were doing it for God.I hope I can keep this in mind with everything I will be doing this semester and remember that the goal isn't about me,its about serving the Lord.Now faithful readers I am off to get personal with some more Chuck Tracks and have some mint tea.Keep on praying for me while I'm here,and pray for Calvary Waterford as they continue working on the new building,I can't wait to see it.

God Bless People,

Danny.

In the beginning..

Right lets try this..

Well World,

I'm alive and well and in Germany. To my surprise I found out they have computers here in the college ,so I get to start my blog after all. You see I wasn't going to be able to because the night before I left my laptop decided to randomly kill itself with a trojan horse,so its kinda scrapage in my room back home until I return, but I suppose its a good thing because now I wont be distracted from hours of facebook and msn,so maybe it was meant to happen.

Right so the day I left was a day of a few firsts for me.It was my first time in Icea,and I must say I liked what I saw,50c for a hotdog,a little slice of heaven.Next was my first time in terminal 2 in Dublin airport,its fancy.

Then was my first time through security,and well it didnt go as planned.Not only was I searched after going through the metal detector,thank you fillings,my bag had to be searched,I left batteries in them.Then was time for my first time on an airplane(could be spelt wrong),and I was as giddy as a school girl,barely being able to sit in my seat.Unfortunatly because of very bad weather we were not able to go straight away,and were waiting two hours before we could take off. The flight was meant to leave at 5:10 pm.Now I must say when a plane takes off it was the most amazing thing I've ever seen.I remember shouting profanity as I saw the world shrink before my eyes,we really are so small.

Now the plance ride was interesting indeed,the ear popping happened,but in a was I didn't expect.My ears went weird and it was like I was half deaf,I could hear nothing,its wasnt pleasant,along with that it felt like my eyes would have popped from their sockets,but I had a friend praying for me so it was all ok :) .But apart from that the plance ride was amazing.Spent most of it talking with my new friend Eimear,a college buddy.Now to finish off my first flight we got re routed from dusseldorf to Cologne,which was pretty cool.So the four of us waited for our collection and went to the college,Germans dont believe in street lights I've discovered.So I got to CCBC Siegen,took some cough medicane and headed straight to bed.

As I lay there I thought bout all that had happened that day,and what work God was doing in my life,where He's leading me and what He's doing,and He's already done so much for me so far. Its because of him I'm here in the first place,I never could imagine myself going to bible college,and now he has provided me with all the money I needed to get there,and more.He provided a means of transport to get me to Dublin,He had the plane delayed so no harm would come to the plane during the storm,He helped me when I felt like I could just collapsed on that plane,and He had us arrive in Cologne,which is actually closer to Siegen,even if I thought it was in France...

So it seems He really is in control of it all,and I am so grateful that I have an amazing God like this who accepts me as his own.He is revealling things to me already and I know that I am just gonna draw closed to Him during my stay here and he is gonna use me in a great way,no matter what that may be,but all I know is whatever it is,its gonna be amazing :) 

So people thats it for my first blog,I'll try keep you updated on whats going on here in Germany as much as possible.All prayers for me,the college,the students,the semester,for the church back home in Waterford,the building they are doing now,and Gods church in general will be greatly appreciated,and please,keep on reading.

God bless,

Danny.