Vienna...

I really could not believe it was happening, that somehow i was actually able to get on a plane and leave my three children with my amazing parents so Drew and I could go to a 24-prayer conference in Vienna, Austria. 

really? Europe? with my husband. without kids. 

 The plane ride over was so... disorienting . We were on a plane filled with Syrian refugee women and children. There were some Syrian men, but not many. So they filed in and it was so clear that they had never been on a plane and that they were scared. 

 All the instructions were in Turkish or English and of course our sweet syrians don't speak either of those languages or read them. So they were clueless about flight times, emergency exits, and meal choices. 

  When we landed, one of the mothers asked me if i would help her. I told her of course, to stay close to me and i would help her find her gate...which turned into about 6-7 women and all of their 4-6 children walking around with us as we directed them to bathrooms, waiting areas and eventually took them to their gates. 

 It was this moment in time that felt so intense, Syrians hitting Europe, I am flying into Europe, and just the complete overwhelming sense of how lost they felt. how lost they are. 

 We arrive in Vienna, and Melanie and i were giggly we were so happy. We can eat, talk, do whatever we want because we.don't. have.kids. We stop in the airport terminal and eat incredible pastries and drink cappuccinos and just absolutely soak in our freedom. 

First dinner eating weiner snitzchel

Vienna wooed us. The streets, the architecture, the shops, the cafes...the incredible pastries and cakes, the delicious food. It was such a bustling, enchanting, robust, lively city in the prime of Autumn. 

 The conference was also such a gift to us. It was so amazing being in rooms with men and women who are laying down their lives for the gospel to be shared with the poor, the marginalized, the hardest places. To have our days be filled with the testimonies of what God is doing all over the world...and yet to have this overwhelming sense that this.is.just.the.beginning. wow. 

 letting men and women open up about the dynamics of loving and serving the poor and highlighting how messy it is, how broken and yet how Jesus is oh so present. my heart stirred with how true these words are. 

  Worshiping with over 700 people representing 40 nations was so beautiful and the displays of Unity that I was able to be a part of was sooooo moving. 

 

 The moment that I was so honored to be a part of , that i won't soon forget was the last night in St. Stephen's Cathedral. The Archbishop of Vienna invited 24-7prayer to host a night of prayer and worship in the Cathedral- this being the 3rd time in history Catholics and Protestants would gather in this cathedral. 

 It was electric, feeling the excitement and wonder of being able to worship in a setting that has been there since 1100 AD, and such an incredible moment of unity for so many gathered together. Pete Greig asked Drew and I last minute to come and share our experiences with Syrians as Europe is facing a mass influx of Syrians looking for asylum. 

 We shared how we got involved, spoke into the fear issues and then I felt something come over me. I grabbed the microphone and basically charged Europe to respond to Jesus in this moment by showing Syrians the Kingdom. To make this moment in history  - to open up their homes, and pray for them, love them demonstrate the kingdom. I was so honored to be able to represent this people that we love so deeply and call out God's heart for them. 

  Praying that we see believers all over open up their lives, homes, their arms to embrace the Syrians in their greatest hour of need.