Following Jesus...

When I was sixteen, I got to know Jesus by reading his biography, the first four books of the New Testament. I often wondered how it would have been to have actually walked with Jesus, heard his words and been part of his encounters with people. It would have certainly been life changing. A bit of that I was able to experience in 2023 on Snail-Trail 1 as I walked from my home in Germany to the west coast of Spain, and in 2024 on Snail-Trail 2 as I walked again from Germany and then through the Balkans to the city of Corinth in Greece. Both were amazing experiences. Even though I could not see Jesus, I sensed his presence, leading and enabling. I got to be a part of his encounters with people through conversations and prayers that I had with them.

Snail-Trail 3.0...

Following Jesus does not end by reaching a certain destination, completing a certain task or reaching a certain age. The call continues. The path leads on. This year I will head north, starting in Tallinn, Estonia and then walking back to my home in southern Germany. My steps on Snail-Trail 3 will take me through the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania and then through Poland and the Czech Republic before crossing over the Bohemian and Bavarian Forests into Germany. I plan to arrive back home by the last week of September. I invite you to join me on this walk-talk-pray journey by way of the photos, thoughts and film clips on the blog.

Baltics…

At one point I will be walking through a narrow land corridor leading from Lithuania to Poland between the Russian exclave Kaliningrad to the west and Belarus to the east. This land strip is a reminder of the volatile history of the three Baltic States – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – marked by periods of independence, foreign domination, and the struggle for self-determination. The Baltic States gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1990–1991 and became a part of the EU and NATO in 2004. Current political developments threaten the fragile stability of the region. The past influence of communistic-atheistic thought has eroded the seedbed for faith. Estonia for instance has been called the least religious country in the world. A similar spiritual challenge can be found in Poland and the Czech Republic, two former Warsaw Pact countries that I will be walking through. Our prayer is that God’s grace and goodness will be at work in this region of Europe. Please join me in this prayer journey.

Together...

Prayer: I would greatly appreciate your prayers as well…

• Pray that God will be in the daily details, for God appointments along the way, for hearts to be touched by God’s heart.
• Pray for church planting efforts in the Baltics, Poland and Czech Republic.
• Pray for protection from wild animals and drivers and extreme weather conditions.
• Pray that my 68 year old bones and muscles will make it through another Snail-Trail!

Project: If you would like to be a part of what the Assemblies of God is doing in this region of Europe (church planting, children/youth/student outreaches…), please click on this link to make an online donation: https://giving.ag.org/donate/600001-226052?class=88

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