There are moments in life when you just know that you are in exactly the right place at the right time. That God's hand is so visibly involved in the intricacies of what is happening around you. I must say that though I have questioned that at times, I trust that is where our team is right now.

It seems as if all of the things that have so strongly been on our hearts are being confirmed in so many ways. But with confirmation inevitably comes attack and moments of doubt, uncertainty, frustration and confusion. One thing I continue to learn here is that you must hold tightly to the things God speaks to you, the things He has promised, the dreams He has whispered to your heart. It may seem like the world is raging against you, but you must hold on tightly and refuse to bow to the status quo, the demands of a world that tries to drag you down with its demands and expectations.

"What is it that the people we see here really need?" is the question we keep asking. The temptation for us to Build something, to Produce something is overwhelming. We could do what has been done before, we could drive ourselves into the ground trying to create what others would believe is the best ministry method with the latest strategy, yet somehow that feels overdone and presumptious in many ways. For what works in one place, does not necessarily work in another. Sometimes it feels like we try too hard and forget to let God lead us and show us what HE wants to do and don't realize that the world needs JESUS not just another "relevant" church growth technique.

So we keep seeking, we keep praying, and we keep our eyes, ears, and hearts open. What I hear is students looking for something Different. Something New, yet really not so new because what I hear is a cry for a community of people who care about each other, share LIFE together- a life that isn't crammed into a program or rigid schedule of the same-old, filled with "doing" instead of "being". It is new by today's standards, yet I am continually drawn to the what the first Church gathering of Acts 2 looked like. A Christian student said to me the other day, "I read the Bible and then look at the way Christians are today and I see all of the things we are Not. I see how far we are from where we first began."

What happened? How did we get to this place? Don't get me wrong, there have been amazing things happening in the church over the centuries, but I can't help but feel we have lost something in the process. And it is that very thing that I see a longing for in the lives of students here. I have a feeling that it is not just those of Trondheim that are feeling this...

The question is, can it be done? Can we go back to true community and fellowship...the breaking of bread and praying together...sharing in one another's joy and sorrow? Can a community exist that invites people in without placing requirements or expectations, but instead offers love, peace, joy, and true Life, true community with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit? My spiritual eyes see God moving in this direction, my fleshly eyes see an endless array of obstacles. Yet I hear God whisper,

"Hold on...I now the desires of your heart...I will fulfill the promises I have given you...I will level the mountains before you...I will use you to be a voice of hope in the desert places...my grace is sufficient for you and my power is made perfect in your weakness...Hold on to the dreams I have given you...Hold on...Hold on..."