When a blog was born

July 2006 ►

Can anyone remember? No? Well, in fact, this is sort of a special anniversairy this year. In July 2006, when I started this blog I was just taking off to the United States to visit the International House of Prayer - aka IHOP - in Kansas City, Missouri. And this year I’m a “repeater”. Yes, I’m pleased to announce to you *drumroll* that I’m going to visit IHOP KC again

“European Immersion” ► dip deep, soak and steep

“European Immersion 2008″ that’s the name of the program I’m going to take part in. Sounds good, eh! I’m looking forward to getting some passion fueling teaching, to seeing again some nice people I got to know then and meeting a lot of new Jesus-hungry people and above all, I’m looking forward to sitting in the prayer room, talking to my Father, refocussing my life, my mind, my everything on Him, getting refreshed, refueled, recharged in His presence, having an awesome time of worship and devotion and receiving more and more revelation… aaahhh, I can’t stop… I’m soooo looking forward. There’s just nothing like being with Jesus and knowing God!

Why in the world IHOP in the States?

Why not! Okay, okay, it’s a sane question. Why can’t I simply sit in my room at home to do the things mentioned above. First, I would save a lot of money. Secondly, my peeps at church and at home would not complain about me leaving everything behind for 4 weeks ;). However, the answer is easy.
First, I want to go on holiday! But on a “Jesus-holiday”, meaning I don’t want to just hang out on a beach for some weeks to return physically relaxed, recovered and sunburnt (although that’s extremely attractive, I admit). I want to relax, recover and sunbathe my spirit as well, because I believe this is the one thing needed in this world, in this time. Spiritual things are more real, more important, more influential than physical things. That’s hard to grasp because we learned from birth on to walk according to what our senses tell us, to think based on what we can explain with so called sanity and science. That’s good of course. If only we would stop to exclude, negate and deny the spiritual reality. My point is, I need to feed my inner man, and a program like this is a great opportunity.
Secondly, I believe IHOP KC is a place God has exceptionally blessed. A place with people He has anointed to do what they are doing. They have got a great chunk of revelation about some things in the body of Christ which I haven’t found anywhere else in that measure. Of course there are more houses of prayer all over the world. The great advantage of such institutions in the States is simply the size or capacity and structure. Or have you ever heard of a House of Prayer in Germany holding such programs… (Anyway, we’re growing, aren’t we!) Well, I believe, it’s good to get around a bit and have the best teachers, to get the cream of the crop The head of my former music school used to encourage me comparing the learning and training process of an instrumentalist with the training of craftsmen in medieval times. After one or two years of learning from their master in their city they started to cross through the country to learn from masters here and there, develop their skills by getting trained various ways and approaches of manufacturing and to finally find out the best way in order to become the best craftsman. He wasn’t possessive or protective about me as his student at his school. Instead he encouraged me to take workshops and lessons wherever I could, because he wanted me to become an excellent musician. I think that’s a nice analogy to our spiritual learning and training. (Hopefully, you’re getting my point: I’m not supporting people who roam around from one christian camp to the next to get pumped without having roots in a church. Every christian needs to be planted in a local church!)
So IHOP KC… I’m coming

Spieglein, Spieglein an der Wand…

wer schickt die schönsten Nikolauspakete durchs Land?

This is a response to this post. Und -mal wieder- ein Paketauspackbericht in Bildern für meine (nie Kommentare hinterlassende, aber bloglesende, und sogar übersetzende) Mama. Mit 5 Tagen Verspätung kam die begehrte Sendung heute doch an ihren Bestimmungsort, und eigentlich nur, weil ich durch glückliche Umstände den Hermesboten an der Tür getroffen habe. Hach *erleichtertseufz* Merke: Nachteil von weitentferntem Nikolaus: Verspätete Pakete, weil Post und Hermes und alle anscheinend Nikolaus und sonstige eilige Paketsendungen boykottieren. Vorteil: Man braucht keine Schuhe putzen. Wie sah also dein Nikolauspaket aus?

“Antistress” - klingt gut!

Das Weihnachtspapier hatte der Hermesfritze übrigens schon ganz schön zerlöchert… (tse, Hermes!)

Der erste Blick unter den vielversprechenden Schuhkartondeckel

Sanella- und andere Dosen verheißen Genüssliches.

Jaja, man sollte nicht über andere witzeln, dass sie ‘nen Zweig bekommen

Aber meiner ist nicht in die Tonne, sondern in die Vase gewandert (tse, Jungs!)

Leckaaaaaa!

Lecka, lecka, lecka!

Entwickelte Fotos, wohlerwägte Deko und noch mehr leckaaaaa

Jaja, die Hallorenkugeln zieht es mysteriöserweise, man möchte vermuten fast magnetisch, ja wie von einem unsichtbaren Sog getrieben, immer wieder zurück an ihren Herkunftsort.

The final surprise!

Und ich kann heute 11 Türchen aufeinmal aufmachen!!! Nänänenänäää!

Without Vision…

…the people perish. [Proverbs 29:18]

Wooohooo, I’m back to life and civilisation and daylight after more than a week of intense cramming for re-exams in General Biochemistry. Yes, first try I failed because I didn’t do much for this exam, because it was between two other exams (General Biology and Chemistry of Natural Products) in a time span of three weeks. One week preparation worked for each of these two exams but it would have never worked for the big thing in biochemistry… so, erm… well, I didn’t do much. With 20% preparation almost needless to say that I failed in August. Last Wednesday I had my 2nd try.But this time I eagerly crammed that stuff into my head: reading and outlining through almost all 1000 pages of Mr. Stryer’s heavy textbook, memorizing metabolism pathways and mechanisms and deepening my knowledge on the biochemical principles over and over and over…In contrast to the first try, I think, one of the most important changes now - three months later - is that I do have a vision to do what I’m doing and I know this is what God wants me to do. It wasn’t like this before. I’ve been seriously questioning these studies for more than a year. I’m gonna tell ya this: I almost dropped it to get into music. For real. I was ready to enroll at SAE, a private institute, for Audio Engineering. My loving parents even allowed me and would have supported me (thxs&hugs to mummy reading this;)). There was only one question: “Before I overturn everything - what is it that God wants me to do?”I know whatever the decision ahead might be, the best way is to ask the Holy Spirit and then decide. What profit is it to me when I gain the whole world, superficial pleasure, a bit of happiness and faltering satisfaction, but still have no peace, still have no fulfillment, still see no point… He knows better, what place I fit in and He knows better where I’m most effective for His Kingdom. He just knows all that, not only what’s good for me - surely music is a good opportunity or occupation and fruitful thing for me - but He knows what’s best. It’s better to go where He leads: to a place where it profits me and His Kingdom not only 99 percent but 100 percent!Back to the story. In October this year, when I started to ask God in prayer seriously if I should continue biochem, it turned out to be several weeks of questions… nothing… question… unclear answers… question… people saying different things… question… still no answer. That was weird! I mean normally you ask and you get the answer. Either it’s a clear out of the word answer or you just get it in your Spirit after praying and “rolling the word over” for a little time. Here I was, almost three weeks with absolute silence on the spiritual airwaves. But God is faithful! After both ideas - biochem and audio engineering - almost driving me nuts, I got an answer and I got peace about accepting that answer. Biochem. Thank God!You know, it’s much easier to walk the walk if you know you’re on the right track. You walk with a different motivation, you walk with more commitment, you walk more light-heartedly in contrast to a walk where you always ask the question “Is this the right way?”. That insecurity pulls you deep down whenever situations become a little difficult or pressurized. Without vision the people truly perish. But with vision and a purpose it’s so much easier to keep keeping on. Assuredness fuels determination. Determination fuels endurance. Endurance will make you reach the goal. (Since lately, I like cascades.)

Miracle is mine

On Wednesday I went into that professor’s room again for 30 minutes. But first let me tell some background happenings. It was said before that this prof will not give you better than a 2.0 in a re-exam, because it’s a repeat and everyone is under 2.0 if they failed the first one. Further, I didn’t attend lectures for about 1 and a half week to prepare, but I went to church as normal. However, there was one Thursday prayer meeting I planned to skip, because I needed every hour to work through that textbook. But when I prayed that day and asked what to do, I felt the Holy Spirit saying I should go there. So I went. A lil crazy, I know. At the end of our prayer meeting Pastor called me up and wanted to pray for my exams, saying “You’re around all the time, never missing out on church, You must be blessed!” and then he prayed the full dose, like - I mean - powerfully! Calling excellent results and wisdom and retentive memory and favour and telling me over and over that in Christ are hidden all the treasuries of wisdom and knowledge.Towards Wednesday afternoon my adrenaline level rose to dangerous heights. (By the way, I can tell you something about adrenaline and the G-protein mediated cascade of signal transduction that’s initiated by that hormon resulting in the breakdown of glycogen to provide glucose as energy source for the brain for example… ;)) After my two mates came out with 3.0 and 2.0 it was my turn and it went so cool and smuuf! Finally the prof called me to announce the grade and gave me a 1.3 - that’s AAAWWWEEESOMMEE. God is soooo faithful.

Das ging runter wie

Quittenmarmelaaade!

"Fly away…

…when heaven calls my name.” I like the idea of flying, I like the idea of soaring through the air, I like the idea of rising up with wings like eagles, I like the idea of rapture, and I like shreds of paper…

Much to my Mom’s regret, I guess, I replaced my picture frames by something like… new. And Marla, you will like these featherless birds, won’t you?

Reappearance - Rückkehr

Here I am. Yes, I’m back. Sorry for the long posting abstinence. I’ve reasons, but I admit I should manage this better. Blogs are only blogs if updated, I believe. At least, I have this expectation towards my own blog. So I promise to improve. By the way, genetics went well, biochem-training will finish the next weeks, microbiology is dated 7/9/07 - oh, what a date… Last year around that time (7/8/06) I was heading for IHOP KC to do the Int’l Summer Intensive and these 3 intense weeks formed me on the inside like… I actually don’t know what to compare it with. It was just so unique, because there are so few places in the world (or they are so well hidden), where they’re teaching with so much insight and revelation on intimacy with God (and much more…) actually leading you on to practising it! I loved it. And maybe, one day I’m gonna spend some more time there :o)

For the rest:

I got a lot strawberries at home.

I’m about to sort out my head for the following posts.

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Da bin ich. Ja, ich bin wieder da. Sorry, wegen der langen Schreib-Abstinenz. Hab Gründe, aber gebe zu, ich sollte mich besser organisieren. Blogs sind nur Blogs, wenn man auch was schreibt. Zumindest stelle ich diesen Anspruch an meinen eigenen Blog. Also ich werd mich um Besserung bemühen. Genetik lief übrigens gut, Biochemie-Praktikum geht die nächsten Wochen zuende, Mikrobiologie steht am 9.7.07 an - hach, was fürn Datum… Letztes Jahr um diese Zeit (8.7.06) befand ich mich auf dem Weg ins IHOP KC, um das Int’l Summer Intensive - Programm mitzumachen und diese 3 intensiven Wochen haben mich innerlich geformt wie… Ich weiß irgendwie keinen Vergleich. Es war einfach so einzigartig, weil es so wenige Orte gibt (oder die sind so gut versteckt), an denen mit soviel Einsicht und Offenbarung über intime Beziehung mit Gott (u.v.m…) gelehrt wird und man tatsächlich praktisch angeleitet wird! Das war so super. Und vielleicht verbring ich eines Tages mal etwas mehr Zeit dort :o)
Im Übrigen:Ich hab zuhause Erdebeeren gegessen.Ich sortiere meinen Kopf für kommende Beiträge.

Strawberries, an update - Erdbeeren, ein Update

• Fahre morgen nach Hause *freu*
• Am Samstag gibt es ein Seminar auf dem Wilhelmshof mit Pastor George Chibubi aus Sambia. *freu* Das RPMI-Worshipteam kommt. Und singt quasi bei uns zu Hause…
• Will jemand ein neues Notebook? Wenn du sagst, ich hab’s vermittelt, sparst du die Versandkosten. Ich kenn’ den vertrauenswürdigen Verkäufer! (Hattest du gesagt ich darf das bloggen, Bernhard? *grins*)
• Hab gerade Biochemie-Praktikum und muss für Genetik-Klausur lernen.
• Freu mich auf Erdbeeren, Erdbeertorte, Erdbeeren mit Zucker, Erdbeeren mit Milch,

Wie ich nach Dresden kam - How I got to Dresden

Wednesday 11:58 pm - lil’ Antschi is already asleep - Sister Suse writes: “do you feel like dresden? sightseeing. can meet there at 12.” Thursday (Ascension Day) 7 am: Antje’s alarm goes off: Antje reads and writes back: “What? dresden? hmm? but 12? whazzup, man?”, has breakfast, reads a bit and falls asleep again.

Get to know my RPMI-family

I got a hold of some church photos and among them was (accidentally!) this really funny one. It’s one of many photos we (tried) to take last Sunday… I just assume the right to publish it here, because it’s kind of a “blooper” anyway:

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Ich habe ein paar Gemeinde-Fotos zugesteckt bekommen und darunter fand sich zufällig dieses echt witzige Exemplar. Eins von vielen, die wir versucht haben letzten Sonntag zu schießen… Und ich nehm mir mal das Recht, es hier zu veröffentlichen, weil’s eh ein “Ausrutscher” ist:

Bro. Wellington (Vocals, Bass, Brazilian footballstar), Bro. Bosco (Vocals, Congas, master of spontaneous African singing), Sis. Damaris (Translation, walking concordance and much more), Sis. Sabine (Translation, mon amie de clownerie et créativité), Bro. Samuel (Drums), Bro. Emmanuel (Vocals, Keys), Antje (Vocals, Guitar, … looking to the camera!), Bro. Iyke (great RPMI Worshipleader, Vocals, Drums & Percussion)

Great Historical Day - Großer Historischer Tag

Soll ich noch irgendetwas dazu sagen? Damals, vor 13 Jahren, als ich noch mit einer Blockflöte für 13 DM zufrieden war und zum ersten Mal c, d, e, f, g… egal. Zeiten ändern sich! Preis dem Herrn, ich bin jetzt zivilisiert und demzufolge elektrizitätsabhängig. Für die Freaks: Es ist eine nigelnagelneue Epiphone Les Paul Standard und ein 2nd Hand Marshall MG100 DFX. Ja, meine Gemeinde ist anders. Die verstehen das *grins*. Und die Gemeinde wächst ja… Hab ich übrigens in - wer hätte das gedacht - Dessau erstanden. Toller Laden, wer mit einem Gitarrenkauf liebäugelt, und obendrein sehr nett.

Antje: Hm, also ‘ne Honeyburst könnten Sie bestellen.
Verkäufer (vom Typ lange Haare und schwarze Sachen): Ja klar, würden wir machen, aber für diese hier gäb’s gleich noch’n Gurt und Saiten gratis dazu…
Antje: Aber Sunburst, da kann man dann keine rosafarbenen Sachen anziehen… *lach* Das ist wichtig!
Verkäufer: Ja das Problem hab ich auch immer: Kann einfach keine rosa Sachen anziehen, wenn ich die rote Gitarre spiele…

Ich mag, wenn Verkäufer flexiblen Humor haben

Nun bleibt nur ein Nachteil: Entweder ich muss ins Fitnessstudio gehen oder mir schnell jemanden anlachen, der mir gerne meinen hammer-schweren Amp trägt. Ich werde nicht ins Fitnessstudio gehen…

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Do I have to comment on that? Then, 13 years ago, when a flute for 13 Deutschmark was enough for me and for the first time I did c, d, e, f, g… Never mind! Times are changing. Praise God, I’m civilized now and consequently depending on electricity. For the freaks: It’s a brand new Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a 2nd-hand Marshall MG100 DFX. Yes, my church is different. They’ll understand that *grin*. And the church is growing, you know… By the way I purchased it in Dessau. Great Shop, if you think about buying a guitar, and very, very friendly.

Antje: Hm, so you could get a Honeyburst…
Seller (sort of long-haired and black-clothed type): Yeah sure, we would do that, but if you take this one I’ll give you some strings and a strap for free…
Antje: But Sunburst, that means you can’t wear pink clothes… *laugh* That’s relevant!
Seller: Oh yes, this has always been my problem, too: I can’t wear pink clothes whenever I play the red guitar…

I like it when sellers have a flexible kind of humor

There’s only one problem left: Either I start going to the fitness-center or find a strong guy that loves to carry my super-heavy amp for me. I will not go to the fitness-thing…