One year ago tonight.....

It was one year ago tonight that Klemen came over for dinner and joined us for family night.  That really wasn't unusual.  He's done it so many times!  We laugh because when he first started popping in on the one night of the week we reserve for just "us" time; no one really had the heart to turn him away.  When there finally was a night he didn't show up we all felt like it just wasn't family night without him!


But one year ago was a particularly special family night.  It was the night we all drew our own version of what Luke is holding in this picture:  The Bridge Illustration

We were having dinner on the back porch.... you can see everyone sitting there in the back ground.  That's Klemen in the red shirt. Josh had said to the kids, "Next week all of you (even Luke) are headed to English camp.  While you are there you will meet some people who don't know Jesus and don't realize that He died to pay for their sins.  I want all of you to be able to explain the Good News with nothing but a napkin."  

We always make a plan for family night.  Sometimes it's just a movie or going for a walk and other times it's a discussion or even a lesson.  We'd decided this would be our family night before we knew that Klemen was going to join us.  We had been sharing with him over the years but in recent days we'd been discussing more and more what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus.  So we charged ahead with our plan for the night and everyone got a marker and a napkin and started to draw.

We drew mankind and God separated by sin.  Alongside were written the verses Romans 3:23 and 6:23.  Next we drew a cross as a bridge between the two and wrote across it John 3:16 because God loved us so much that He sent his one and only Son.  Then we drew an arrow showing that while we can believe we have to respond by doing what Romans 10: 9 &10 talks about and confess with our mouths and believe in our hearts that Jesus is Lord and you will be saved.  

Klemen took careful notes and wrote down each verse and translated the important words into Slovene like Confess, Believe and Accept.  He slept over that night and after the guys had turned the lights out Blake asked him, "Where do you think you are at with God?"  They had a great talk!  And I LOVE to hear Klemen tell it.  I'll never forget him telling me the next day, "My heart just started pounding out of my chest because as Blake was explaining things to me I started thinking, 'Whatever he tells me to do next I'm going to do!'" And he did!  That night, one year ago tonight, Klemen accepted Jesus payment for his sins and asked Him to be his Lord and his Savior.  

We have seen the fruit of his decision all year long and we are so proud of him. This year Blake and Klemen are part of the Slovene staff team at English camp (and Becca too).  Would you pray for them as they continue to lead others as they follow Christ? All three of them are a part of the band leading songs at camp. Klemen will also be a part of leading the late night events.  We are praying that many more young Slovenes would know what it means to accept that gift and know and love God.   And we are praying that He'll use Klemen and people like him to do just that!  

Just one more piece..... this spring Klemen decided to be baptised at our annual church retreat to Crkvenica.  If you'd like to hear him give his testimony in person you can click on this link: here