Spring!

Hi friends,

Happy Spring! You know, the Bible talks about spring like this in Song of Solomon 2:

“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
¹¹ for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
¹² The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.”

Spring means several things for the Lillpops:

• Kelly is on Spring Break! Yay!
• Chris still goes to work. Boo!
• We are starting to sort through our earthly possessions, as our lease ends in one month. I’m confident that starting the task now will make it less overwhelming later. The easy part should be giving away most of our things. The hard part will be deciding what few things to keep. When we move out of our apartment and (back) into my parent’s basement for the summer, we should be nearly ready to move to Poland, packing-wise.
• We are thinking about language school! After a break from college, looking at the course requirements for our 9-month Polish language training is overwhelming! We know that an investment into the language is truly an investment in ministry. As we grow closer to our 100% financial support, we will begin applying for language school at a a Polish university.
• Day 60 is here. What?! Yes, we are at day 60 of our 100% in 100 days goal. Here’s where day 60 is for us support wise: We have $1,983 of our needed $6,016 of monthly support, which provides for our ministry and living expenses. We also have $29,765 out of $57,021 Outgoing expenses, which gets us to Embark out of the US and into Poland! We are still boldly and confidently asking God to provide for us within the next 40 days.

Would you prayerfully consider being a ministry partner as a monthly supporter? If you or someone you know is ready to step out in faith with us through giving, please let us know or go to our Josiah Venture page. (see sidebar). Our current partners pray for us and/or give financially in various amounts. Whether your financial support provides us with milk in the fridge, part of our rent, or a ministry event, everything helps and we are grateful!

We hope Spring is bringing you a reminder of God’s beauty and goodness. We are so blessed. Thank you for your prayers and support!

Want to pray for us?

-Wisdom and time management as Kelly wraps us the school year and makes sure her 1st graders are prepared to be 2nd graders. Yikes!

-Focus and good business for Chris as his mind and heart are with Josiah Venture more than work right now.

-Awareness of and obedience to the Holy Spirit as we live/serve in this place

-100% in 100 days!

Moving Forward

Have you heard? We are going to be missionaries!

On January 29th almost 300 people gathered At Mission Hills Church to hear about God’s movement in Poland. It was a dynamic evening of stories telling of God’s love for the youth of Poland and how He is transforming lives. Chris and I were so pleased to be a part of this event as part of the Josiah Venture Poland team.

We are entering into a team of like-minded passionate leaders who are wholeheartedly seeking after God and pursuing Polish youth with the desire that they might have bold faith. Honestly, we couldn’t ask for a better team. We know most of them personally already, and look forward to living in community with them in Poland.

Part of our team in Denver

We see ourselves fitting right into the ministry of training young leaders to fulfill Christ’s commission, and can’t wait to get there!

Currently we are raising a team to partner with us in our ministry with Josiah Venture. Here’s why we need a team, and what that looks like:

God has given us the gifting, passion, and opportunity  to be missionaries in Poland. Tained youth ministry workers are pretty much non-existent in Poland, and according to Youth Ministry International, Over 90% of the world’s formally trained youth leaders are in the USA, ministering to only 3% of the world’s youth (http://ymionline.com/mission/).

We are seeking people who believe in sharing God’s love with others, believe in the mission and vision of Josiah Venture (see sidebar) and who love us personally and see God’s call on our lives. We need such people to partner with us in our ministry. We honestly can’t just pick up and move independent of the body of Christ, and expect everything to be hunky-dory over there.

Partners will pray for us, think about us, tell other people about us, and not forget us when we live in another country. They will send us notes, emails, and Facebook messages. They will attend Skype dates with us. Many will give money every month to our JV account, so that we can live in Poland. Many will donate to our Outgoing expenses so that we can move over there, learn the language, be sheltered, clothed, and fed. Most of all, they will have an actual part in transforming young lives for Christ, because of their partnership with us.

We are asking God for 100% of our financial support in 100 days. Woo hoo! On this the 26th day, we have $1,423 of our needed $6,016 in monthly support and $26,163 of our needed $57,021 for Outgoing Expenses.

We invite you to embark on this process with us. Would you consider being a partner in one of the ways outlined above?

Prayer partners and  monthly financial partners are really going to move us forward. Those who start giving monthly now are helping both to get us to Poland (current monthly donations go toward our outgoing expenses) and keep us there (monthly donations while we are in Poland pay for our living and ministry expenses). We would love to find like-minded partners who will help us reach that 100% in 100 days goal. You can give online at JosiahVenture.com: People and Places: Poland: Lillpop (we should have a link here soon).

Also, we would love to hang out with you! Contact us and let us know you’d like to spend some time together, and we’ll make it happen. Also, for you Chi-Towners, we will be in Chicago March 11th and 12th.

Thanks for praying for us, thinking of us, FB stalking us, and partnering financially. We heart our partners. We couldn’t do this without you!

Bog Cie Kocha (God Loves You),

Chris and Kelly

embark

                                 : to engage, enlist, or invest in an enterprise

As the new season rolls in, Chris and I are embarking in several new enterprises. I have started a new job teaching first grade at a classical christian school, and it has been a huge blessing. The setting fits my gifting very well, and my four students are enjoyable! I know that God has prepared this place for me, and for that I am grateful.

Chris and I are both leading small groups for the high school ministry at our church this year. We have enjoyed connecting with the new freshmen, and look forward to continuing to pour into them, as we were so intentionally poured into as high school students.

This month we will also officially embark on the journey of becoming missionaries.  We have received our official acceptance from Josiah Venture to partern with them in serving God in Poland! We are very excited to officially begin preparations for service. In some ways, it feels as though we just got engaged, to Josiah Venture. The excitement and anticipation is great, and our love and passion for the ministry in Poland grows week by week.  Just like with a wedding, there are many preparations to be done, details to be observed, people to contact, ect. Although we must work hard towards our goal of serving in Poland, we know that God will be the one at work, orchestrating every piece.

In everything we are embarking in, it is not us, but God, who is truly at work. A few weeks ago our pastor taught a sermon series on Judges. In discovering  Gideon’s faith and wisdom before battling the Midianites, I was struck by this verse: “Then Gideon said to God, ‘If you will save Israel by my hand, as you have said…’ ” Judges 6:36. God had already promised Gideon success in the battle, but it was clear that God, not Gideon, would truly prevail. Gideon recognized that he would simply be a tool in God’s hand.

My small group at "Nerf Night"

The same is true for all that we do. Many times I’ve reflected before a school day, “Lord, if you will teach these students by my hand…” or before small group, “God, if you will help these high school students to come to know you more, by my hand…” The “if” is not really needed. I know, and Gideon knew, that God would be faithful to His promise of using an ordinary person to do something extraordinary for His glory. So, we continue to engage and invest.

“Sending It Up”

• For a productive time as Chris and I travel to Wheaton, IL next week for new missionary orientation
• God to be preparing hearts, calling them to partner with us in His work in Poland
• For our team (yay!) in Poland, to continue to expand as God moves there

Great!

A few weeks ago, (ok, a month) we returned from our trip to Poland. Returning after only 15 days seemed liked a blink compared to returning after 3 months. Overall, the trip was great. Not in the sense of, “oh ya, we all had a great time”, but rather great as, “God is great”  ”I was a part of something greater than me” “We were a part of something greater than us” “There is a great movement of God going on in Poland, and we were able to join it”, great.

As usual, our time in serving in Poland was a learning experience. We took on a new role this year in leading a team of high school students for one English Camp. Honestly, it wasn’t easy. Never having been the shepherd of 15-18 year old sheep, we frequently encountered unforseen challenges. I’m almost a master at corralling 4 year-olds. Teenagers are a different story. We wanted to support and encourage our team, yet had to challenge and discipline them at times. After the camp, we left feeling proud of how our students served and grew and shared the gospel with both words and actions. This camp had much spiritual fruit, with 16 students choosing to place their faith in Christ, and almost every camper expressing they somehow grew closer to God during the week.

Just before we left for Poland, we submitted our applications to become full time missionaries with Josiah Venture in Poland. Throughout our time there, we were able to reonnect with several of the team members whom we love, and they asked us what it was like to be back, now knowing we wanted to serve there full-time. Well, it was a total confirmation. When we arrived for camp in Nowy Tomysl, both Chris and I felt comfortable; normal. I remember shortly after we were married, some friends would ask, “Is it just so exciting and weird and fun to live together and be married?!” My answer was no, actually. It feels normal. This is the way it should be. And that’s sort of how I felt being back in Poland.

One personal highlight for me was observing the ministry going on amongst the Poles. I watched as my friend Hubert helped run the camp and serve his youth group, encouraging them to pour into others. I watched with tears in my eyes, in awe of God’s great work, as my friend Dawid taught a group of young boys gathered around him. They hung onto his every word about God’s truth, and I praised God for raising up a leader like Dawid in that place. After seeing these two men serve, having known them for a few years now, I could not wait to be a part of training and encouraging other young Poles like them, who will someday be leaders in their own towns.

Weronika, Daria, Kelly, Olga

In our day-to-day lives, Chris and I have both felt the growing desire to be in full-time ministry. Our “day jobs” (not that we have night jobs. But if we did, mine would probably involve improv. More on that another time…) are starting to become less fulfilling, as we know that God has something greater for us. However, we also know we have been given this time to serve in this place. And as a side note, not a day goes by that I don’t thank God that I live in Colorado. I mean really, have you seen this place?

For those who pray:

For the ministry of Piotr, Hubert, and Dawid to continue to solidify

For new ministry opportunites in NT to be able to being soon and well

For patience as Chris and I await our official acceptance into Josiah Venure. We are excited to get the ball rolling!

For Olga, a sweet girl I met a camp. That her faith would keep growing, and for boldness and her parents oppose this faith

Life goes on, though blogging has not.

We sailed through (well, rejoiced through, really) the winter in Colorado, being able to venture outside without hats and mittens, and never forgetting what sunshine looks like. However, I (Kelly)  was so used to the required Chicago winter attire, that I often looked around and found myself as the only one dressed like an Eskimo.

Here we are at the beginning of June, and I am reminded of all that has happened in the past year. We graduated from college, moved to Colorado, spent the summer in Poland, and started a new life back home. Through all of this, God has been our faithful provider. We have a lovely home, full-time jobs, family near, and a place to worship and serve. Over these past months of transition and some uncertainty, I have been reminded

                God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.

It has been challenging to be satisfied with God in the present, when our hearts are drawn to what He has for us in the future. Read on. Upon our return from Poland last summer, we had a clear knowledge that Poland is the place for us. God is at work there, and we fit into that work. Through our multiple trips to Poland serving as high schools students, interns, and intern team leaders, we became increasingly aware of our connection to the ministry of Josiah Venture there. So, we are embarking on a journey to become full-time Josiah Venture Missionaries in Poland. Even now, we long to be there, knowing that’s the place God has prepared for us to serve. Our applications are in, and we should hear within a month if we have been accepted as Missionaries in Training with JV.

Don’t start throwing us goodbye parties just yet. The process of preparation, training, and support raising could take a couple years, and we still have to be officially accepted by JV. You may, however, go ahead and celebrate the work of God in our lives, and his guidance of our steps into something much bigger than ourselves.

As for now, we will continue to work our “normal” jobs, and dive deeper into serving with the youth group at our church. Over the years God has reminded me to Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness (Psalm 37:3). While Colorado is our land, we will be faithful to our time here.

The theme for English Camp this year is Collision! We are praying that many students Collide with the love of Christ.

This summer we will begin investing in the incoming freshman, and lead small groups starting in the fall. We will keep our connection to Poland by taking some of the youth from our church to Poland June 20-July 5th (We leave a week from tomorrow! So much to do, so little time!). Along with another local youth leader, our team of high school students will be partnering with a Polish youth group to do an English camp. We are thrilled at the opportunity to go back to Poland, and to serve with JV in a new role!

Love,

Kelly

Join us in thanking God for:

His provision

His guidance in our lives

Opportunities to serve at Mission Hills Church

Join us in asking God for:

Financial provision for our short-term team members

Preparation of the hearts of Polish young people we will meet this summer

Patience for God’s timing in our long-term service Stirring hearts of those who may become our support partners in the future.

Putting the Pieces Together

Over the past few weeks, Chris has frequently said the following , “Can you believe this happens every day? Every day!” It’s true; after being city-dwellers for the past 5 years, the Rocky Mountains constantly impress us.

Since arriving back to a different country and a different state, we are finally begining to feel like all the pieces are coming together. Well, actually, God is putting them together. Well, actually, He already has them together, and slowly we’re able to see the bigger picture.

We are blessed to have a place to live at the Watts residence for the time being (how do other people live without basements?), which happens to be just in between each of our job locations. Yes, jobs!! Chris is back doing the insurance thing, and glad to be at an agency that’s a great fit for him. I am enjoying teaching Pre-Kindgergarten (4 year olds), and am very tired some days!

As I’m about to read a book about children from around the world, I ask, “Have any of you ever been to another country?”

-”I’ve been to Arizona!”

-”I’ve been to the zoo! And there was a merry-go-round, and I rided on it!”

Never a dull moment.

Within the next couple weeks we hope to begin working with the high school group at our church, and connecting there in some other capacities as well. It’s interesting having people do double-takes when they see us, since we haven’t lived in CO for a while.

All this to say- We’re doing well. God is faithful.

Blue Lake elevation11,000 ft.

Thanks for checking in!

The Lillpops

Thanks!

Dear Friends and Family,

Well, our 11 weeks in Europe are over, and we are back in the States. The summer was an exciting, challenging, growing, and revealing experience for our entire team. Chris and I thoroughly enjoyed serving with Josiah Venture for the third time, and once again we saw God at work in the lives of Polish

youth. As you read some of the highlights from our summer, please know how greatly your prayers and support were necessary and appreciated in order for all of this to happen. Thank you!

Chris’s Highlights:

• Leading our Intern Team: We were blessed with a great group of people as part of our team for the summer.  I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to pour into them and see their growth over the course of three months. I also learned a ton about leadership and discipleship with these people.
• Milosz and Agnieszka: Milousz and Agnieska are two of the youth leaders that we worked with this summer.  It was a pleasure to work alongside of these people who are relatively young in their faith and new to leadership.  They were so willing to step up when no one else would. I was excited to be able to encourage and disciple them during our time together at camp.
• Fruit: God allowed us to see abundant spiritual fruit this summer.  We witnessed over 20 people place their faith in Christ for the first time, and many more take steps toward knowing Him. We also had a part in the personal growth of many young Polish leaders. Although God calls us to share the gospel, we don’t always get to see the result. It was a gift to be able to observe God’s work in this way.

Kelly’s Highlights

• Relationships: English camps are not all about English, they are about relationships. Starting with our first camp and into the third, God gave me the grace and strength to pursue campers throughout the week. This resulted in sharing the gospel, telling of God’s work in my own life, answering questions, and seeing a few Polish girls take steps toward God. Having these relationships is such a great privilege.
• Leadership: I loved sharing my knowledge and experience with our team of interns. Kelsey, Jessica, Daniel, Tim, and Kornel each have a special place in my heart now. Cheesy, but true. Although I made a lot of mistakes and sometimes did things backward, our team was a good context for me to learn how to lead. I’m so thankful for their graciousness. One of my favorite aspects of the summer was seeing each person serve and grow. They did a great job, and I honestly could not have asked for a better team.
• Service: Obviously, I served the entire summer in a variety of contexts. However, this summer exercised my personal interests, talents, and strengths in service. As I directed a choir (It’s true. I’m shocked.), guided English teachers, and trained American teams, I felt satisfied and energized. It’s my hope that God will continue to use me in similar ways.

Hopefully you can see that God was at work in us, through us, and in the lives

of many Polish youth this summer. It was a difficult decision to spend our summer overseas, sacrificing some stability at home, but we definitely made the right decision.

The vision of Josiah Venture is: a movement of God among the youth of E

astern Europe that finds its place in the local church and transforms society. This summer we not only saw, but we were a part of this movement of God. As we continue to seek God for His direction in our lives, we hope to be serving again in Poland in the future.

To you who encouraged us to go to Poland, supported us financially, partnered with us while there, or prayed for us; thank you.

Chris and Kelly Lillpop

Catching Up- Camp #3

Gosia & Kelly

Hi all! We are back in the states and finally finding some time (and internet connection) to catch you up on our final weeks in Poland.

Our third and final English camp of the summer took place in a port city called Szczein (stetch-een). Our team was assigned to this camp as extra support for the Polish and American teams, as it was the first English camp for both groups. As interns, we are there to fill in the gaps and ensure that all aspects of the camp go smoothly. At this camp, Chris had the added responsibility of being the camp director, overseeing the entire camp. He did an amazing job of being a leader to our intern team, the Polish leadership, as well as helping the American team. Heading into the camp, we knew of a few issues, and once there we encountered several more. Chris really stepped up in guiding, counseling, and encouraging the young Polish leaders. The position was a natural fit for him, and it was a joy for me to observe and support him throughout the week.

After a long and tiring summer, it was not easy for our team to jump right in to another camp at full speed. As we struggled to find energy and focus at the beginning of the week, I was reminded of the story of Jonah. Jonah was sent to Nineveh to preach the Lord’s word, and he would have rather been anywhere else in the world.  He begrudgingly spoke to the evil Ninevites, and they repented wholeheartedly and devoted themselves to God. After being a part of this great revival, Jonah has a pity party. Although our team wasn’t quite so hardened of heart, we were tired and didn’t really feel like being at camp at first. We served God despite our feelings and attitudes, and God used us in great ways. Throughout the week I heard the American team comment on how glad they were to have us at camp, and I saw campers appreciate the presence of the interns. It’s just amazing how a holy God can use such fragmented people to make an eternal impact for His kingdom. And, as we are used in these ways, we become less fragmented and more complete in Him.

Agata & Aneta

By the end of the week, Polish students had come to know God better (a Polish youth group girl, Agata, was simply on fire sharing the gospel), and we understood ourselves better. After yet another train ride through the night (I believe our total overnight train hours throughout the summer came to about 32 hours) we had some time to rest, debrief, and enjoy our team before departing for the USA.

My next post will include highlights from our summer; how God moved, changed us, taught us, and what’s next for the Lillpops!

The Pursuit

After our first English Camp went so well, the bar was set high for the second camp. In the beginning of the week, I sensed God wanted to work. As the “armor of God” passage arose throughout the week, we understood our need for protection, so that His word might go forth.

As it was our halfway point through the summer, each of our team members experienced some kind of exhaustion and/or stress. Through that, we saw some conflict, weariness, and how God gave us special energy, strength, and grace to move forward in serving the Poles. For me (Kelly) personally, the week was especially difficult emotionally and spiritually. However, God moved in the hearts of young people despite our weaknesses.

At the beginning of the week, I spent my free time with a couple of girls. As I interacted with them, I sensed they were not interested in speaking with me about the evening talks and what they were learning about God. So, I stepped back a little and just loved them. On the last day of camp, one of those girls wrote to me, “God really loves us ALL! Thank you!” God knew her heart, and what she needed. I did not speak those words to her, and we didn’t have a “spiritual” conversation, but God showed me that He is at work, even when we do not see it.

The rest of our team was used in great ways as well, from spending time with some older campers weary of being with young students, to continuing the work of interns from last year. One camper went to camp last year and connected with an American intern. This year, Kelsey pursued the same girl and had the privilege of sharing Christ’s free gift, and seeing this girl receive it. Because the Lord uses every part of His body, Kelsey got to reap the harvest that had been watered last year.

After hearing the gospel and participating in an experiential “Labryinth” to reflect on the teaching from the week, this is what some students felt:

“The best night of my life”

“I felt free, like a burden was lifted”

“I’m sure I want to be with God. Next year I will sit with your group and we’ll talk about God’s work in other lives”

“I understand know that God has a plan for me”

“I know what’s important in life now”

Even with all the effort we put into doing camp well and trying to build relationships, in the end it was obvious that we are simply vessels to be filled and used by God. During our team debriefing, Kornel spoke about such relationships. He worded it perfectly, “I did not have to pursue him. God pursued him.”

As I write this, I’m pulling from my memory these things which seemed to have happened ages ago. It has now been a bit over two weeks since we finished the Nowy Tomysl camp, and we just finished our last English camp. As I continue to find moments to reflect on the past couple weeks, and the present, I will update you all.

Throughout our remaining 4 (really?!!) days, please pray for team unity, peace of heart and mind, and God’s continued pursuit of Polish hearts.

This grace was given…

To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ…

Although my life is very different from the apostle Paul’s, after our first English camp of the summer I resonate greatly with this statement in his letter to the Ephesians. From the very beginning of camp, it was obvious that God was stirring in the hearts of Polish students, and working in and through us as we served.

Each day we had English lessons,music workshops, sports, and an evening program. In the evening we decided to  swap “Pharaoh, Pharaoh” for more intimate worship. This felt uncomfortable for us at first, because camps are usually not so overtly “Christian”. However, the choice of music proved to be one of God’s greatest tools at camps. Students who had only experienced cultural Catholicsm were suddenly feeling something different, something wonderful, “in the atmosphere.”

As our intern team, an American team from Wisconsin, and the Polish youth group poured into the campers throughout the week, it was not uncommon to hear, “these people are so great” or “I’ve never met people like this before.”

I (Kelly) had the privilege of meeting a lovely girl named Patricia. Patricia came to camp after we promoted it in her English class at school. On the second day of camp I was shocked to hear her say that she thought this would be the best vacation of her life. After that, I knew God had her at camp for a reason. Then on the third day, Patricia told me she thought the camp would change her life. Wow! God used our everyday conversation to turn toward Him, and I was able to share the gospel with her, as well as how I have seen God at work in my own life.

Throughout the week as we played, sang (Patricia was a star student in the choir), and basked in the sun on the Baltic Sea together, this beautiful daughter of God came to understand Him more and more. By the end of the week, she decided to put her faith in God! It was so amazing to be a part of something so far beyond myself.

Patricia and Kelly

Chris also had the opportunity to connect with Basia and Isabella, two students in his guitar workshop. As he saw their excitement for learning guitar and simply enjoying English camp, Chris began to pray that God would move in their hearts. Although they had never been exposed to much of the teaching, music, and discussion which took place at camp, they both showed interest in learning more. Basia knew that she needed something more, and realizing her need for a Savior, she trusted in Christ as well!

Basia, Chris, Isabella

We are overjoyed at how God worked at this camp. The Polish church we worked with had been doing camps every year for the past four years, and never had they experienced such a fruitful time. It’s amazing that God allowed us to be a part of it all! In addition to the new work in the hearts of Poles, our team grew in great ways as well. God used some uncomfortable conflict to bring us all together as a team, and shape Chris and I as leaders.  After camp, each of us was able to share how God worked through us, and how God worked in us.

It’s so clear that God has us here for a reason. Thank you to all who helped to get us here, and

are praying for us.

It seems as though I could continue writing for volumes about this first camp, but I will leave it at these few highlights for now. Tomorrow we meet our next American team, and Thursday we head to Nowy Tomysl for our next English camp.

Please pray fervently for these few things. God inclines His ear to those who call upon Him!

-Protection and growth over those who placed their faith in Christ at camp, specifically Patricia and Basia.

-Continued growth in and amongst our team. We love them.

-Wisdom for Chris and I as we learn how to lead the team as a whole, and for each individual

-The same amount of fruit, if not more, at this second English camp.

-The fulfillment of our needed financial support. We are still lacking $2461. If you or perhaps someone you know would like to be a part of God’s exciting movement here, there is info. on the right sidebar about giving online or by check. We genuinely appreciate the financial support which allows us to be here.

As Chris and I prepared to come to Poland, we told you that we would, “look forward to bringing you stories of lives transformed by the gospel.” Well, this is just the beginning!