Homeward Bound

Well, I was fortunate enough to snag a last-minute flight to where the stars at night are big and bright (*clap clap clap clap* deep in the heart of Texas)! 

Anyhow, with an extended layover in Orlando to visit my friend Bernard and his family, I managed to sneak in a two-week trip back home to Texas. It was such a special time with my dad turning 60, my granddad turning 90, and nearly all of my friends graduating from college and, inevitably, spreading out across the country to fulfill their post-grad dreams. I couldn't stand the thought of missing all of that! I'm so thankful that I didnt have to. 

Granddad's 90th was such a fun celebration. Our entire extended family came in from all across Texas, and combined with all of our family friends, it was quite an affaire...nearly one hundred people in all. It's so rare to have everyone all together like that. I was able to touch base with people I haven't seen in years! Not to mention Granddad gave one doozy of a speech. 

At the Hardin-Simmons graduation.

Freedom For The Captives

Not For Sale Campaign is working on the frontlines in Romania to provide shelter, education, healthcare, counseling, and vocational training to survivors of sex and labor trafficking. The after-care of these victims is essential for keeping them invulnerable to being re-trafficked. This week they've launched a new campaign to raise $50,000 to maintain the freedom of 50 survivors. For the allotted $1,000 per survivor, they'll be provided with everything needed for a year of rehabilitation and re-introduction into society. This is an amazing opportunity to participate in a very tangible way to restore the life of a man, woman, or child emerging from the darkest recesses of our world. Click here to donate.

YWAM is Not For Sale

Renee Hong, one of our graphic design students from the Marriage of The Arts DTS, created this amazing video for our Not For Sale conference way back in November to raise awareness for Human Trafficking. Well, this week CNN picked it up as a feature for their Freedom Project iReporter short films. So cool to know that we really can be a voice for the voiceless in the media! Check out the article here >> CNN iReport On Modern Slavery

On Pain & Beauty

The Grey Goose

"He was suddenly overwhelmed by the revelation that what makes life worth living is, precisely, the emotions. But, then -- this was awful! -- maybe girls with their tears and laughter were getting more out of life. Shattering! He checked himself: showing one's emotions was not the thing: having them was. Still, he was dizzy with the revelation. What is beauty but something that is responded to with emotion? Courage, at least partly, is emotional. All the splendour of life. But if the best of life is, in fact, emotional, then one wanted the highest, purest emotions: and that meant joy. Joy was the highest. How did one find joy? In books it seemed to be found in love -- a great love -- though maybe for the saints there was joy in the love of God...So, if he wanted the heights of joy, he must have, if he could find it, a great love. But in the books, again, great joy through love seemed always to go hand in hand with frightful pain. Still, he thought, looking out across the meadow, still, the joy would be worth the pain -- if, indeed, they went together. If there were a choice -- and he suspected there was -- a choice between, on the one hand, the heights and depths and, on the other hand, some sort of safe, cautious middle way, he, for one, here and now chose the heights and the depths."

-Sheldon Vanauken, A Severe Mercy

Prague: Observed

This weekend I took a little solo-vacation to Prague in the Czech Republic. I just needed a few days of rest with no agenda and no stress. It was amazing! I stayed in my favorite hostel, Sir Toby's, tucked away in a quiet little neighborhood, and roamed the city somewhat aimlessly for four solid days. I read for hours in the palace gardens, rode the trams all over the city just for the heck of it, struck up conversations with strangers in coffee shops, and generally soaked up the splendor of Prague in 65-degree weather. Magical. I highly recommend it. 

Feeling Fancy

“To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. 

This is to be my symphony.” 

 -William Henry Channing

Africa

The team and congregation after a typical 5-hour church service in Arua, Uganda.

At the end of February, I had an amazing opportunity to make a last-minute pastoral visit to a team of our Discipleship Training School students in the north of Uganda. At long last, I was able to set foot on the rich red earth of Africa! The whole experience feels a bit like a very bizarre, very beautiful dream. I was only in-country for seven days, two of which I spent making the cross-country bus trip from Kampala in the south to Arua in the north. 

While I was with the team, I was able to spend time one-on-one with each of the students and their leaders, hearing their testimonies of what God had done in that time and generally helping them process their experiences. I was so amazed and blessed by what I heard, the incredible things God had revealed to them in their time in Africa, the visions and callings the felt for their futures. It was so life-giving for me to hear their hearts in that way! 

I also got to join in with the local ministry the team had been pursuing since arriving in Arua. We shared testimonies hut-to-hut in the villages, prayed over the sick and the dying in the HIV/AIDS hospice, preached at the prison, led children's programs, and served in practical ways around the YWAM base. It was inspiring to see this team so full of passion, working hard together, motivated by the love of Christ. 

My time there was so short, but it was packed full of blessings and joy. I hope it's not too long before I'm back there, walking barefoot on that rich red earth, again. 

"S" Is For Sunday

Adventures on Slow Death hill.

"S" is for Sunday...and snow-shoeing...and sunset sledding. Based on that sentence alone, I'm sure you can surmise that today was a great day. If that doesn't have you convinced, then I'm sure the photos I've included of today's adventures will. 

After living here for more than a year, I still can't get over how beautiful this place is! The view from the top of  Slow Death compels me to praise God for this incredible landscape each morning as I make the descent into the forest. While I love the small church fellowship I meet with on Sunday mornings, I can't help but think as I look out across this field of snow washed in sunset...what greater cathedral for our God than this? 

Home

A great song just got better. Soooo cute. Just try not to linger too long under the description of the video posted by the creator (nothing says "kill-joy" like a father exploiting the cuteness of his daughter to pay for student loans).

The Dark Side of Chocolate

Valentine's Day is quickly approaching, and with it comes the buying and selling of lots and lots of chocolate! Unfortunately, the majority of the world's chocolate is produced through trafficking and child labor. Companies like Hershey's, Nestle, Dove, Lindt, and Toblerone have a very lax policy regarding these issues, and children as young as 7 years old are being forced to work the cocoa farms of West Africa every day.

What can you do about it? You can watch this trailer for the documentary film, The Dark Side of Chocolate, where award winning Danish journalist Miki Mistrati investigates the conditions of chocolate farms in Mali and the Ivory Coast. Even better, you can purchase the full DVD for a donation of $5 here. Then you can support smaller fair trade chocolate companies, like Divine Chocolate and Theo Chocolate, by ordering your Valentine's treats from them this year!

Ruthless Trust

One of my favorite books is Ruthless Trust by Brennan Manning. It's such a beautiful depiction of the unfailing love of God. This exert is a prayer I pray often...thought you'd enjoy it too.

I surrender my will and my life to You today, without reservation and with humble confidence, for You are my loving Father. Set me free from self-consciousness, from anxiety about tomorrow, and from the tyranny of the the approval and disapproval of others, that I may find joy and delight simply and solely in pleasing You. May my inner freedom be a compelling sign of Your presence, Your peace, and Your love. Let your plan for my life and the lives of all Your children gracefully unfold one day at a time. I love you with all my heart, and I place all my confidence in You, for You are my Abba. 

NestRest

Alright, so this is a follow-up to my post about wanting a portaledge treehouse. This alternative will appeal to those of you who are perhaps less climb-savvy: the NestRest. These magnificent hanging baskets are made by a German outdoor furniture company called Dedon, and I'm in love. I want to spend days and days laying around in one of these just reading and napping. I love the idea of having one hanging over water, but realistically there's no practical way that guy got in there from the shore. Regardless, in my dreams my NestRest would be over some beautiful bit of water. Again, it's stuff like this that gets me through these dreary winter days! Hopefully, it'll brighten yours as well.

Wake Up, Sleeper!

Last Tuesday I drove to Dallas and got on my plane to Frankfurt. It was harder coming back this time! Everyone says the second time is the hardest because the initial excitement has worn off and you just miss everybody that much more. I definitely agree. Of course, now that I'm back at the office and doing what we do, I'm so glad I'm here. The one thing that's been killing me is the jet lag! Usually I dont have too much of a problem with it. I just throw myself into routine and my sleep adjusts accordingly. But this time around it's been horrible.

The first night I slept for 17 hours without waking up. Yikes. Next night was pretty normal. Then I couldnt sleep at all so I stayed up through the night. Then I slept 14 hours. Now I'm up writing this at 4:30 in the morning because, you guessed it, I can't sleep! BAH!

One thing I've learned is that in all things, God is speaking. Even if it's just a little murmur. Here's what God's been murmuring to me these past few days:

I think we all go through seasons in our relationship with God. We have days when we have a furious longing to know Him and be known by Him, and we have days where God is just an afterthought. I think my life will be spent trying to make that first bit true for me every day. Right now, the reality is that I sometimes go into these deep spiritual sleeps. That kind of sleep where you sleep so long that you wake up feeling more tired than you did before...the kind where you feel compelled to fall into complete lethargy and the day just sort of floats by. Well, that's where I was at when I came back to Germany, this sort of spiritual lethargy. But still God murmurs. I kept feeling this call to "wake up" that went beyond my jet lagged state. Then, at our staff prayer yesterday, God gave me a verse, Ephesians 5:14. When I looked it up it said:

"Awake, sleeper,

And arise from the dead,

And Christ will shine on you!"

I feel like just reading those words broke my trance. It woke up my soul in a way. If anything, it was God's way of reminding me that even when I fall asleep, He doesn't. He's still there, patiently pursuing me every day.

Happy New Year!

Oh, man. What can I say? 2010 has been the most incredible year of my life so far. I did a million things I never thought I'd do. I had the opportunity to travel to Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Turkey, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Switzerland, and back to America! I moved permanently overseas. I have my dream job. I work alongside 100+ of the most amazing people I've ever met. My office is literally a castle.  I even got to come home for Christmas for the first time in three years! And it was the best Christmas I've ever had. So full of people I love, old and new friends, much-missed family, and a ton of other blessings. 

It makes me want to cry just thinking back over everything God's brought me through! I always say that this year was the start of me living to make God's dreams come true instead of my own. But as silly as it sounds, it's just now hitting me how much better His dreams really are for my life than the ones I had for myself! I'm so excited to see what 2011 holds. Stay tuned to find out...

Icelandic Folk Galore

If you're not familiar with Sigur Rós, they're an incredible group of musicians from Iceland that have a completely unique style and sound. I've been loving their music since 2004 when they released the album "Takk."  I'm also super in love with the solo project produced by lead singer Jónsi.  One thing's for sure, these guys know how to make beautiful music videos. This one, for their song "Hoppipolla," is my favorite video of 2010. Enjoy! 

Merry Christmas!

2-year-old Laken, back in the day!

This Christmas, I'm so blessed to be able to be with my friends and family at home in Texas. I hope that wherever you are, you're surrounded by people who love you and that you're filled with the love that's so freely given by our Father in the person of Jesus Christ! 

Make A Difference With One Click

Want to make a big difference with a tiny amount of effort? Just watch this video one of our graphic design students, Renee Hong, made about Human Trafficking. YouTube has featured her video on a channel called "Project Awesome." If her video gets the highest view-count, they'll give her outreach team----who are going to Peru to teach art therapy at a safe house for rescued victims of Trafficking----a whole lot of $$$. Share this with everyone you know!

Walk With Me

This is what my walk through town and forrest to the castle looks like every morning (in winter anyway). It takes about half an hour right now because of the massive amount of snow on the path. Watch the fast-speed, 4-minute version of my walk below. 

Walk With Me To Water Castle from Laken Chapman on Vimeo.

Needle & Thread

Hmmm....on this Sunday evening I find myself inspired by the song "Needle & Thread" by Sleeping At Last. It's such a beautiful expression of the fall of man and the way God reconciles everything back to himself.

When the world welcomes us in, 
We’re closer to Heaven than we’ll ever know. 
They say this place has changed, 
But strip away all of the technology  
And you will see
That we all are hunters, 
Hunting for something that will make us okay. 


 Here we lay alone in hospital beds, 
Tracing life in our heads; 
But all that is left 
Is that this was our entrance and now it’s our exit, 
As we find our way home. 


 All the blood and all the sweat 
That we invested to be loved 
Follows us into our end, 
Where we begin to understand 
 That we are made of love, 
And all the beauty stemming from it. 
We are made of love, 
And every fracture caused by the lack of it.


 “You were a million years of work,” 
Said God and His angels, with needle and thread. 
They kissed your head and said, 
 “You’re a good kid and you make us proud. 
So just give your best and the rest will come, 
And we’ll see you soon.” 


 All the blood and all the sweat 
That we invested to be loved 
Follows us into our end, 
Where we begin to understand 
 That maybe Hollywood was right: 
When the credits have rolled and the tears have dried, 
The answers that we have been dying to find 
Are all pieced together and, somehow,  
Made perfectly mine. 


 We are made of love, 
And all the beauty stemming from it. 
We are made of love, 
And every fracture caused by the lack of love.

Awaken To Reality, Arise To Action.

Photo by Chad Strobach

So about a month ago now, YWAM Herrnhut partnered with Not For Sale Campaign in hosting a conference in Hamburg, Germany about the global issue of Human Trafficking. It was incredible! My roommate, Amy, and I  were in charge of "speaker hospitality" for the conference, which meant hanging out behind the scenes with some pretty inspiring people.

We were so blessed by our interactions with people like David Batstone and Mark Wexler, co-founders of Not For Sale Campaign, and Steve Goode, David and Christine Hamilton, Dan Baumann (all from various branches of YWAM), and so many others. I found who they were off stage even more inspiring than the words they were speaking to the audience...which is saying something, because basically everything they said made me want to rush down to the Reeperbahn redlight district and hug a prostitute. Each of them was so gracious and humble toward us and each other. What's more, they were all so full of JOY, in spite of the  heart-wrenching topics they were speaking about. Their attitudes truly said, "Take heart, Jesus has already overcome the world."

Click here to read the article my extremely talented roommate, Amy, wrote about the conference (which was featured on the ywam.org main page this week!).