So much to say.
I have been really busy. I have flown all over the place and am just now getting settled here in Kabul. I would really like to see or hear from you guys out there if you can. I had one Roadie chime in on my personal email and hope that many of you have found this blog. Let me know!
Much is going on at Crossroads. Tons of giving going on for all ages. Nic and Janna (the lead singers) have stepped up to be the new Children's pastors. Hollie and I are going to regroup and begin to serve in other places. We have been with the kids for a long time and it's been great. We are thankful for Nic and Janna and pray God's blessings with this awesome thing they are doing.
I also heard there are some really cool Crossroads shirts and sweatshirts out there. I haven't seen them, but heard they are awesome.
As far as Afghanistan goes, it's getting pretty cold, even in the south. On my way back north late last week most of the mountains were snow covered. Really beautiful! It's pretty cool to be at 11,500 MSL but only 50 ft. AGL. Only in Afghanistan right.
To mention some things that I referenced in my last blog. If you read it was the 'Target Rich Environment'. The next two things were also great inspirations to me. I ran into another two gruff older guys who you never would have thought needed the Lord so much. Truth is we all do....very much. With each of these guys I just casually mentioned church or the Lord and in each case they lit up with eagerness to talk about God. I just listened as one guy talked about his battlefield experience that lead him to Christ.
The point is that God is not apart from us just because we are so far apart from our lives. If you are willing He (God) still wants to be near you.
Check out Romans 8:38-39. I am loving this scripture all the time over here.
That's it for now.
BE SAFE!
Pastor Matt
Monday, December 13, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Target Rich Environment
Hello Roadies in Afghanistan. How's your week going? I have been to Kandahar
twice in the last two weeks, so I have been pretty busy. I start IP refresher
training in the Mi-17 next week, so this week I am back in flight student mode
with the studying, EP's, limits, chapt 8, and the ATM, Afghan APG and AIP, 95-1,
whew! But the way I look at it is, I am going to be teaching
Afghans to do something that our country basically invented. Think about that.
Yeah Igor made the first helo, but we created its uses. So I take a lot of pride
in showing them literally how it's done. We (the US) set the standards for the
world as it relates to helicopter operations.
Plus I really like talking with my Afghan friends. I have met so many
that are very nice and very humble. I try to look on them the best that I can
with God's eyes. I ask God, "Let me see them as you see them Lord"? I know He loves them
very much. He wants them to know of His son. It's a very interesting thing for
me as a servant of Christ to be here in such a target rich environment. God has
great plans for this people.
Let me tell you a story about the "Target Rich Environment". My unit is full of
'kinda gruff' retired warrants who are good guys, great pilots, but all very
strong personalities.
I come in much younger as the Lead Pilot and you can say some feathers were
ruffled, but we are all professional and it's not really a big deal.
So I have the task of leading the 35 men into a cohesive team. Well just
getting started, I just wanted to get to know each person a little bit on a
personal level. While taking the time to meet the guys over the course of several days I
had allowed myself to get a bit wrapped up in some of the day to day challenges
and just really felt like a I was away from God. I had not read my bible in
almost two days, which was eating at me, and hadn't talk to Jacob or Ethan (my
boys) and just had a couple rough days in a row. That's Afghanistan right!?!
Then the first of four things happened that were totally awesome. I ran into an
old friend of mines son. He is our ALSE guy. I go in to meet the ALSE guy and
get my flight gear and it starts. I think I brought up church just to feel him
out, and when I did he just unloaded on me. His hurts, his uncertainties, his
fears. I mean it was outta nowhere. He is a good man with real troubles, and I
believe with everything in my heart God ordained our meeting. All the way back
to the friendship I made with his father a couple of years before....to me here now...allowing God's
prescense to be felt in that ALSE shop really touched both of us. That story
is not over.....more to follow.
The second thing happened while I was at a Brit coffee house at KAF. I went off
to read my bible at a coffee shop. One of the older pilots who is very new in
country and seems to be kinda still feeling his way around. Anyway, Dennis
walked up to me while I was reading and said "Watcha Reading"! I replied I am
reading my bible. These are the first words he and I had ever spoke to one
another. He immediately sat down and started pouring out about his reliationship with Christ. Of course I am just pumped to be talking about the
Lord. I am pumped because I feel so good talking about God. So we each listen
to each other for over an hour. It blessed me and trust he was blessed. So I
am walking tall. Not only did I get to talk about God, but gain a brother at
the same time. I am thinking, "Thank YOU Lord"! Later, I began to feel a
burden for my new friends stipulation and began to pray for him.
I have two more stories about awesome things like this that happened to me this
week. I will share the next two with you tomorrow and let you know how my heart
feels about all that going on around me.
On to you.....You....the Roadies in Afghanistan. WE AT CROSSROADS LOVE YOU AND
PRAY FOR YOU! WE DO! NOT JUST SAYING THAT! GOD HAS BURDENED THE HEART OF THE
CHURCH FOR SOLDIERS SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN. Please know that you can call me
anytime 0795743168. Its an Afghan cell. I know you may not know me personally
but anytime you get people like us together its like we are old friends, so
don't worry. If you want to make my day...call me on my Afghan cell.
Anyway, I will take Thursday night to tell you the remaining "Target Rich
Environment" stories and how the Lord pushed on my the seemingly most basic
principle, but boy did I need to hear it. He love us so much! I pray that you
feel loved by our God....tonight, in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Roadie Warfighters Rock!
That should be a cool shirt..... Roadie Warfighters
twice in the last two weeks, so I have been pretty busy. I start IP refresher
training in the Mi-17 next week, so this week I am back in flight student mode
with the studying, EP's, limits, chapt 8, and the ATM, Afghan APG and AIP, 95-1,
whew! But the way I look at it is, I am going to be teaching
Afghans to do something that our country basically invented. Think about that.
Yeah Igor made the first helo, but we created its uses. So I take a lot of pride
in showing them literally how it's done. We (the US) set the standards for the
world as it relates to helicopter operations.
Plus I really like talking with my Afghan friends. I have met so many
that are very nice and very humble. I try to look on them the best that I can
with God's eyes. I ask God, "Let me see them as you see them Lord"? I know He loves them
very much. He wants them to know of His son. It's a very interesting thing for
me as a servant of Christ to be here in such a target rich environment. God has
great plans for this people.
Let me tell you a story about the "Target Rich Environment". My unit is full of
'kinda gruff' retired warrants who are good guys, great pilots, but all very
strong personalities.
I come in much younger as the Lead Pilot and you can say some feathers were
ruffled, but we are all professional and it's not really a big deal.
So I have the task of leading the 35 men into a cohesive team. Well just
getting started, I just wanted to get to know each person a little bit on a
personal level. While taking the time to meet the guys over the course of several days I
had allowed myself to get a bit wrapped up in some of the day to day challenges
and just really felt like a I was away from God. I had not read my bible in
almost two days, which was eating at me, and hadn't talk to Jacob or Ethan (my
boys) and just had a couple rough days in a row. That's Afghanistan right!?!
Then the first of four things happened that were totally awesome. I ran into an
old friend of mines son. He is our ALSE guy. I go in to meet the ALSE guy and
get my flight gear and it starts. I think I brought up church just to feel him
out, and when I did he just unloaded on me. His hurts, his uncertainties, his
fears. I mean it was outta nowhere. He is a good man with real troubles, and I
believe with everything in my heart God ordained our meeting. All the way back
to the friendship I made with his father a couple of years before....to me here now...allowing God's
prescense to be felt in that ALSE shop really touched both of us. That story
is not over.....more to follow.
The second thing happened while I was at a Brit coffee house at KAF. I went off
to read my bible at a coffee shop. One of the older pilots who is very new in
country and seems to be kinda still feeling his way around. Anyway, Dennis
walked up to me while I was reading and said "Watcha Reading"! I replied I am
reading my bible. These are the first words he and I had ever spoke to one
another. He immediately sat down and started pouring out about his reliationship with Christ. Of course I am just pumped to be talking about the
Lord. I am pumped because I feel so good talking about God. So we each listen
to each other for over an hour. It blessed me and trust he was blessed. So I
am walking tall. Not only did I get to talk about God, but gain a brother at
the same time. I am thinking, "Thank YOU Lord"! Later, I began to feel a
burden for my new friends stipulation and began to pray for him.
I have two more stories about awesome things like this that happened to me this
week. I will share the next two with you tomorrow and let you know how my heart
feels about all that going on around me.
On to you.....You....the Roadies in Afghanistan. WE AT CROSSROADS LOVE YOU AND
PRAY FOR YOU! WE DO! NOT JUST SAYING THAT! GOD HAS BURDENED THE HEART OF THE
CHURCH FOR SOLDIERS SERVING IN AFGHANISTAN. Please know that you can call me
anytime 0795743168. Its an Afghan cell. I know you may not know me personally
but anytime you get people like us together its like we are old friends, so
don't worry. If you want to make my day...call me on my Afghan cell.
Anyway, I will take Thursday night to tell you the remaining "Target Rich
Environment" stories and how the Lord pushed on my the seemingly most basic
principle, but boy did I need to hear it. He love us so much! I pray that you
feel loved by our God....tonight, in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Roadie Warfighters Rock!
That should be a cool shirt..... Roadie Warfighters
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