Hard times

Life has been good over the past few months for me..... however within these weeks it has been some of the more challenging times of my life. I feel drained, weak, and heavy hearted. The strongholds that are in Norway (and more specifically Skien) are depression and apathy, which has definitely affected me. I often times want to hide in my room and do nothing for no reason; and coming here to Poland I have felt an increased loneliness and worthlessness. I know all these things are lies and I'm praying against them daily and replacing them with the Truth of the Word, but I am weary. I want to come home; somewhere that is familiar, where I actually have friends instead of strangers with names that I can't pronounce. This has not been easy for me.... to be dealing with so many thoughts, questions, and wonderings all in one very jamp packed, fast paced several months.

The one breath of fresh air that I have had was recording week. Though it was hard work and draining in its own way, it was wonderful. Why? Because I was with two American's that I felt I had known for a long time, even though I just met them the same week. It was amazing to be around musicians with the same heart and the same understanding of the Norwegian culture.
I'm reminded of my outreach to Egypt 8 years ago and how that was one of the hardest times of my life but also the most fruitful.... I'm clinging on to that and praying that this will bear much fruit as well. I can tell you this... when I get home... I will not take it for granted! Not that I did before actually, because in reality I've basically been away from home since December, so the little moments I had there in between I cherished.

Please pray that God will continue to give me the wisdom and strength to finish well here in Norway. I really want to make an impact here at the base in Skien, Norway. Right now.... I'm still in Warsaw, Poland but we fly out tomorrow morning at 12:40. I'll give more details on that tomorrow or the next day once I get my pictures uploaded.

The Threshing Floor

the fantastic four

This past week Erika and I undertook the ambitious task of recording 5 songs in 5 days with our two dear friends Caleb and Erin Paxton. I have been fans of their music ever since Erika sent me their album but getting to meet them.... record with them.... spend 16 hour days with them.... laugh my head off with them....and talk about our lives together has been one of the most memorable times in my life to date. Getting to write music and record it is a birthing process that takes time, pain, labor, and hopefully results in great joy; they have been through this as a couple and were an amazing encouragement to Erika and I individually and as a couple. I can't recall myself ever feeling so connected to someone so quickly...it was truly a great joy to get to know them.

The music for our little EP, if you will, won't be done for a little bit longer since we have to mix all the tracks, get it mastered, and figure out a way distributing it. I want to thank you for any prayers that you may have lifted up on our behalf this past week, it was an intense time. There is a growing excitement within my heart as we begin to make this idea of music into a reality and I'm eager for you all to be able to let it speak to you. When we get closer to being done with the final product I'll be sure to let you know more details.

ME!..... Vocals, piano, guitar, drums and a shaker!
(and as you can see in the background... we spent a LOT of time playing speed scrabble)

Our beautiful piano at the Methodist church where we did a lot of recording

Erika!.....Vocals, violin, piano, and cello

Erin!....Glockenspiel, accordian, and vocals

The last day!! almost there!!


There was Caleb as well who played the mandolin and did 90% of the recording!
What a trooper!

Italia

If you don't already know, Erika and I found $25 flights to Italy and were able to visit my wonderful new cousin (she married into the family) Sarah! We were blessed beyond belief by her wonderful southern hospitality and knowledge of Venice. It was everything we hoped it would be and was such a great time of rest and rejuvenation for us, as we had just come off the tour around the west coast of Norway with the Wellspring band.

I actually have been talking to a guy named Georg Kivijarvi who was at one of our concerts at a cafe in Kopervik, NO. He wrote me on facebook and told me about how when he heard our music it made something in his heart change and he suddenly had an urge to read the Bible. It's amazing to see this 16 year old kid that isn't from a Christian family begin to search for answers simply from hearing a concert and hanging out with a few believers. We weren't sharing the Gospel, but simply let our hearts be known and the music speak. I love it when we are able to see such obvious fruit from our labors! Please pray with me as I continue to stay in contact with him that the Lord speaks to his heart and he joins the family!!

Before I get back to talking about wonderful Italy, I just wanted to let you guys know that I'm not done with my traveling. I'm joining YWAM Skien in their vision for an outreach called RISK. From here in Skien, Norway we are sending out teams to be in every European nation from May 20-25 to do strategic evangelism and simulataneous intercession and worship! It's a sweet opportunity to really bring the continent of Europe up in prayer and to plant seeds in the process. Erika and I are taking a team to Warsaw, Poland and are so excited to see what God will do through us while we're there! It's costing us about $300 to get there and I'm not sure about food and such while we are actually there, but we'll probably fasting some of the time... so that will help :) If you're interested in helping to specifically support me in this please contact me via my email (bihoasis@gmail.com) or send a tax deductible check to YWAM Denver, 12750 W. 63rd Ave, Denver, CO 80004.

Alright.... NOW to the good stuff...

THE ALPS!!!

Downtown Sacile, Italy, where my cousin lives and works with the Air Force

Sarah (my new cousin and our most gracious host)

A castle near Trieste, Italy

We made it to VENICE!!
From our view here we're looking at St. Marks Basilica

Enjoying some FABULOUS gelato!

Around every corner was another beautiful picture!

This week Erika and I are working on a recording project of our own original material and have been blessed to be joined by two of her friends Erin and Caleb Paxton who are amazing musicians of their own. They are here to help us with the actual recording and to put in their own artistic flair to our work. We're so excited to see this happen and hope that many of you will be blessed by the fruits of our labors. This process does take a lot of time and some money, so if you want to donate to the "Threshing Floor Project" then feel free to let me know. Thanks again for all the prayer and support that I receive to help make my ministry and life possible! I can't do it without you!

Prophetic painting

Today we were sort of "commissioned" to do some prophetic painting at this non Christian University campus in Stavanger, Norway by a christian organization that is present on the campus. Tomorrow we're playing 3 shows at 3 different locations during the day, so that will be sweet to be able to sing and worship all over campus!
But today we got out our paints, easels, and canvases and went to work in this big hall of one of the main buildings. 4 of us just standing there.... painting...praying.... singing.... talking... thinking.... stopping to talk to passers by. It was great! I actually had an idea of what I was to paint and why as I was painting it, but wasn't sure who it was for (we paint the paintings and then pray for God to show us who to give them to and what they mean for them specifically). After an hour we had to move on and get some food, so I finished up and waited.
Several hours later Erika headed up teaching a course to about 15 very eager students about prophetic painting: the heart behind it, the usefulness of it, how to express God's heart within your own abilities, as well as simple techniques and painting structures. While she was teaching I had a sense that recipient of my painting was there in the room, so I began to scan and see who it might be. AHA! There he is....!! .... but then I waited. We began to paint again and I started a new painting and just waited for the right time to give him his painting. Finally at the end we had a chance to share about what God was speaking to us in our paintings and his painting was derived from some inspiration from Proverbs 4:23... which is one of my life verses! Recently God has been teaching me about what exactly "guarding my heart" means and how I have instead put up a wall around my heart in the past years; so I am currently working on tearing down that wall!! Anyway, he began to share and everything he said made me want to jump up and down and scream "YES, YES!" It was so amazing! He was speaking what my heart had been learning about this verse and I KNEW that this painting was for him because we were both coming from similar places.
Here is the painting that I gave him.

It is a picture of a flame that is a powerful, white hot, but needs to purpose itself to be around other similar flames (you can see the "other flame" in the top left corner) in order to guard itself from the darkness that so eagerly wants to overcome it. There was more, but I'll spare you any more details.... just know that it was a word for him that spoke right to his heart! I felt so blessed to be able to serve God in such a fun and exciting way. If you're an artist... I HIGHLY suggest you step out and try it sometime in a downtown area or maybe on your front porch.. and if you're not an artist.... go for it anyway!

Covering ground

Since the last post that I made in Alesund, Norway; I have made it much further down the west coast of Norway. Sandane, Bergen, Haugesund, and Stavanger. Go ahead... see if you can find them.

At each stop we've able to do so many different things from speak in schools, play in coffee shops, have times of prophetic painting, and lead worship at many churches! It has been an amazing adventure, and I can't believe that I'm able to get SOO much of Norway while I'm here and really experience the culture.
The culture here is very religious and steeped in tradition, which does not really leave much room for the Holy Spirit and we have felt the affects of it. At each stop we try to really pray and seek the Lord for what His heart is for the people and how we can personally minister to them where they are at. Erika has a huge heart for worship as well as ministry directly for the congregation, so many meetings lead into times of us praying over individuals and giving prophetic words for them. It has really been such a joy!! Here are some more pics of our travels.

This is Sandane, Norway! completely surrounded by mountains on 3 sides and the beautiful fjord on the fourth!

Yesterday we decided to go to Preikestolen (which means "The Pulpit" in English). Its a very famous natural wonder in Norway and the world. A beautiful view and just a shear cliff dropping FOREVER into the fjord! We were about an hour or so away from the top at this point in the journey.

This is a bit of a funny view, but it continues to go down even further!!

"Hanging" off the edge :)


A Norwegian camping lunch! Hot dogs, disposable grill, oranges, and kvikk lunsj for dessert!
Seriously.... the WHOLE country eats then when they go camping/ hiking.. especially at Easter.

at the top!


Erika and I


a beautiful view.... and Helga on the bottom right


back at the bottom!~! We conquered!


Wellspring leading worship with a church's youth band here in Randaberg. Such a great group of kids!! Later that night after the meeting we did a little concert and were able to just spend some time with the youth.

On the Way to Alesund, Norway

Yesterday we drove 777 Kilometers, went through approximately 27 tunnels, and saw over 100 waterfalls, in 11 hours of driving from Skien, Norway to the west coast of the country.... Alesund! Here are a few shots that I was able to snap off while we were driving by. It s times like these that my heart grew weary of not having a proper camera to truly capture the glory of God's creation. I know that these shots are beautiful... but I couldn't even capture some of the most breathtaking scenes! Absolutely STUNNING!

This is the view from the back porch of the house where we're staying at!

Beauty

Yesterday Erika and I were enjoying our Easter break and decided to go out for a photo shoot. Our lovely Methodist church pastor friend, Froydis, let us borrow her beautiful Nikon digital SLR!
These are some of the results of that time :) Enjoy