Thursday, March 5, 2009

What is your passion?


Recently, my girlfriend, Friedi, was kidding me that I always talk about sports as well as my shopping escapades to the sports stores in our Area. And if I`m honest she is right. In my short stay here, I have already purchased new basketball shoes and a nice looking black-yellow training suit and I participate in the American passion for their sports. I told my friends in Germany that I play Basketball at the YMCA 3 times a week in the morning while it is still dark outside. I tell them that, “We meet at 5:45am”. Their typical response: “Are you crazy?? That`s a weird time!!” Nobody in Germany would ever think of playing basketball (or any other sport) at this time. I would have done this either if my host didn’t offer me the opportunity to join him in the freezing morning. I love competition, so it wasn’t difficult for me to go along with him. I think that if you want something badly enough, and hold it dear in your heart, you will find a way to do it.
I am currently excited about a book I am reading. It is a book written by Tim Keller called, “The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism”. I`m fascinated how he deals with difficult questions and answers them in a way that is understandable to everybody. Three weeks ago, we started a class for young adults studying Keller’s book (Sunday 9:25 – meeting at the Lobby) where we ask questions like such as, “Can there be just one true religion?”, or, “How could a good God allow suffering?” This book encourages me to share my passion, which is my faith in Jesus Christ, and get into a conversation with non-Christians. Sometimes in Germany I feel a little bit like an alien because most people don’t understand the passion I have about my faith. However, Keller says that everybody believes in something, so people must have some faith even if it is not my God? So my question to these people is, “What is your faith about?”

2 comments:

  1. I've got a lot of faith in - doing sports at 5:45 in the morning is a bloody good thing to do.
    Hey Jan, I'd love to write more, share this questions, our blogs - yeah... live. Just doesn't work at the moment. but I will try... soon - if this country lets me
    Ahoi

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good stuff Jan!
    I can certainly relate to the crazy sports thing, I got up at 4:30 to drive up to a swim meet.
    Keller has some great questions, for discussion and though.
    I know my faith is about my personal relationship between God and I , and how it affects my attitude to others and the world. I think God gave us each unique gifts, and that we are to use them for his glory, as well as for the good of others.
    -Josh S.

    ReplyDelete