Everything

Well, how do I sum up everything that has happened in the last month.

I am in Sweden now, for those just tuning into my blog. I have now been here a month, which is absolutely insane. I am already a ninth of the way through my school year.

Alright, now for the nitty gritty: We have lecture four days a week and there are five hour long lectures each day, three in the morning and two at night. We have our afternoons free, where we study, play soccer, practice in our worship teams or go on various outreaches to the surrounding community.

The study load is not bad. However there is work to do, over the course of the year we will have read through the entire Bible. Every week we memorize two passages. There are a few book reports to do (not big ones, just one page reactions to the book). And various other smaller assignments.

The lectures are so rich. This week we have a guy name Peter Reid from Bodenseehoff, the torchbearers school in Germany. The title of his lecture is The Blessings of having nothing. And wow, we've only had one hour of real lecture (the first hour was his introduction then the third was talking about an all school outreach we are doing in December), just in that one hour I have learned so much. I am going to invest in buying a copy of all his lectures this week, they are amazing. Just as a highlight, it is about finding our sufficiency in Christ, and finding our need for Him.

The food here is very good. I have not had a single meal that I have disliked. There are some meals that I like more than others though. And the candy here isn't too bad either, I eat German chocolate though, because it is better. I did have swedish pancakes the other night at a staff member's house, and those were amazing, with different homemade jam. So good.

There are about 60 students here, 22 guys and 40-something girls.

The weather here is fine, it was sunny for a few days, now it's just been chilly and overcast. I look forward to the snow. In the winter we have four hours of daylight which is not that much.

All in all, my time here has changed my life already. The friendships I have made here are deep and genuine. Being in the Word so much you can't help but be changed by the power of Christ.

I am excited to see what the Lord has in store for me and for those at the school as the school year continues.

How are things going for everyone else?

Blessings,
Nathan

PS. if you want to mail me something:
Nathan Kellogg
Fackelbärarna,
Brunnsvägen 31
570 15 Holsby Brunn
Sweden

Today I met a guy named Johan from Sweden, he went to the torchbearers school in Colorado with a friend of mine. So she had told him about me, and given him my information, so we met today (not on purpose he just kind of showed up at the school). He lives in a city about an hour and a half away and said I could come stay at his place for a while if I wanted to and he would show me around. So if the YWAM base (where some missionaries I know are staying at) falls through I may end up going there, and stay at the Base on my christmas break. It's amazing how the Lord is working this whole ordeal out for me. Also the RA Dan wants to travel with me on Christmas break so we may go to Denmark and a few other places. I am excited.

The guest speaker this week is Chris Thomas, the founder of Torchbearers' Son. We heard about the history of the school this morning and it was really cool. I knew quite a bit of it from Greg up at the homestead but quite a bit of it is new. I loved hearing the stories. He will be going through 1st and 2nd Peter this week, which should be really neat. Next week he is going to Germany where another one of my friends is at, which I found pretty neat.

Today we have our first worship practice, it sounds like I am the worship leader for one team. We have two teams, the other leader is Jonathan from Germany (whose house I may stay at for Christmas break for a few days too). So I am excited to see where the Lord will take us this year.

I am signed up for a ministry where we go and work at a Cafe or just hang out with kids on Saturday nights, it's a place for kids to get off the streets and have good clean fun. I am really excited to see what that will be like.

The days here are getting shorter and shorter too, this morning the sun was just coming up at 7:15 when I woke up. By the shortest day it will come up at 11:00! And then it will set at about 3:30. I can't even imagine that yet.

The weather is very similar to Washington right now. Except it's been sunny for the last three or four days, which has been wonderful. Saturday I went for a 5.5 hour Canoe trip. It was so beautiful. I'll send some pictures later on. I have to go to worship practice now.

Love you guys,
Nathan