Copper Mountain, Colorado

This week I’m in Colorado with el team at the global STINT briefing conference. So far it’s going well, but there hasn’t been much time for frivolous things like blogging.

Highlights:
-Getting to know new teammates Allison, Sunny, and Andy. I’ve decided I like them and we should keep them around.
-Reuniting with John and Taylor. I’ve already spent time with both of them here in the states, but now we’re all together and starting to get a sense of what next year’s family will be like.
-Walking around outside and seeing enormous, beautiful mountains and lovely alpine flowers and streams everywhere. And always feeling a little “high” due to the thin air at this elevation.
-The chance to hear from and talk to and hang out with some of the people I admire most in the world- two of whom are Carolyn Culbertson and Matt Mikalatos. Every time I see them it’s a terrific reminder of how fortunate we are to be able to work, learn, and grow under them.
-Reconnecting with friends from all over that I’ve gotten to know at various conferences, training sessions, briefings, etc. Rad people like: Francine, Drew, Emily, Bryon, Peter, Jennifer, Randall, ‘Jamin, Emily, Melissa, Ashley, Graham, Phil, Zach, Dan, Lauren, and the list goes on…
-Quietly observing the unavoidably fascinating presence of a large group of Hassidic Jews here on a kind of family-oriented retreat type thing.

Lowlights:
-I’m feeling a bit exhausted and over-stimulated.
-I still have a lot of support left to raise. I am confident that God wants me back in Croatia next year, and am also confident that He’s able to get me there and provide all that I need. My prayer is that the finances would miraculously appear a.s.a.p so that the remaining time can be spent packing, preparing, resting, focusing on the team, and spending quality time with family and friends here that I won’t see for another year. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Overall impressions:
It’s been incredibly humbling to be surrounded by so many amazing and Godly men and women here. My problems and reservations and complaints have been put into perspective after being reminded of why we’re here and what we’re about and what that is worth. So I feel small, and so do my worries, in comparison with the greatness of our God. And I feel tired, but also excited and freshly motivated, knowing that none of this can be done on my own strength anyway.

P.S. Sorry no pictures. I don’t have my camera here.