How  tragic that this shall be one of my last updates of my time in  Europe. Oh, the
sadness over whelms me! Actually, I am enjoying these last  weeks at Nordtun
tremendously! Spring is here and that means warm sunny  days-not typical in the
north or Norway-the trees blooming, and little white  and yellow flowers
everywhere. Really I think that spring the most amazing  time of the year!!

Spring came just in time of Nordtun's last out door  trip. This time the theme
was island hopping. We backpacked to four islands and climbed amazing mountains
that over looked an endless stretch of  Norwegian Sea and islands. As some of
you may have noticed on my facebook  status the sun now never completely sets.
So that means more energy!! It is  amazing how the weather can affect your body.
This is true. Last night I  stayed up until one and decided, Okay, it is really
late I need to go to bed.  This with so much energy that is took me almost an
hour to go to bed after I  was there. Ah, God is so creative!

Back on topic. The last day of the  ten day hiking trip was my favorite...this
day I also was very much sun  burned. Oh, so sad no more Greenlandic tan ;) 

.... We, the students, split up into groups on the island of  Traena. One group went to the old folk’s home, one went on a prayer walk and  my group went to the local grade school. My group took on the challenge of   having a P.E. class with ten year olds while we were waiting for the class to  finish their studies.  We went  to the Kindergarten recess time. These kids were so CUTE!!! I instantlymade  friends with a boy from Sri Lanka. I read some Norwegian books to him. :)  I don’t think he could tell the difference. 
 
Switching over to P.E. Class, we played Capture the flag and a host  of other team
building games. After the games were over, Brian-from Canada-  gave and analogy
of how this applies to our lives with God. The rest of the day we were on Traena
we had a barbecue with the youth as well as playing  MORE GAMES!! WHOOO! ---
There were a couple girls that I stuck close to for  that day. One in particular
was named Sarah. She took me home to see her pets  and walked with me around the
island. At the end of the day I walked her  home. She was sad that we were only
staying for one day and wished for me to  come back next year. I am so touched
by these children that are longing to be  loved. I gave her multiple hugs and
thanked her for an amazing day. I pray  that God will keep this day in her heart
and that this will give Him the  opportunity to work in her heart.

 So, almost two weeks hiking/ministry was pretty much amazing! Good
combination, I think. Only you might want to just hang around with kids after
not taking a shower for a couple days. They are more understanding I think.
:)
 
 Catching up to today, which is Friday 13th, everyone is  preparing for a weekend
overnight for the youth in this area called DIVE. The  theme is Rock Solid
Foundations. We had one of these in the fall with around  forty kids. This time
we have around...five. Yup, five. But that is okay  since we will be able to
pour more into these five kids than if there were  forty. My jobs for this
weekend is cleaning toilets and presenting a devotion  on Sunday morning. The
devotion focuses on having your foundation on Christ  and how to deal with the
rest of the world. I am having fun putting it  together. I think that I will
throw in Rebel by Lecrea. Good message by the  way if you have never listened.
All in all we here at the base is praying  that God will be glorified by this
weekend.

 The last two weeks of the DTS will be teaching. Teaching focused on
how to live after aDTS and a debrief time to process everything that we have
learned. This is pretty cool->the teacher of the last week will be the
head of YWAM Norway! I know his name but I am not exactly sure how to spell
it norsk-ish.

Well that is pretty much all the big things that are going  on in the remainder
of my DTS. I will be flying into MI on the 30th of May  and Lord willing I will
be landing in Grand Rapids at 5:3o in the afternoon.  So that is something to be
praying for-which I know you will. Please also be  praying for the kids that we
met on the island of Traena (especially Sarah)  and the students coming to the
DIVE weekend. Thank you for all the prayers. I  know that you won't stop praying
for me even after I am back safe in the  states; so for that I am extremely
thankful. :)
 
 Looking forward to seeing all of your beautiful faces once  more! Live for Jesus
with all your heart because it is the most amazing thing
EVER! Phil. 1.20

Shalisha Brace

It has been snowing here all day long!

I have been having a great week! God has been teaching me to be content and happy with my situation where as before I was bitter and unmoving to the people around me. I find I am having better relationships with my fellow students and my roommates. God has been calming something in me and I feel wonderful and content. :) Thank you for all the prayers. I know it has been a blessing. All my love.

Okay I am going to try to write again what I had on the blog before I lost it. lol

So this last weekend after the caving trip I had local ministry weekend. My group has a youth club called 7-eleven. There is literally like thirty teens. It was a crazy night. We had a toilet paper fashion show. The contestants would shed paper every step they took.:) By the end of the show we had a mound of toilet paper that the kids were rolling, crawling, and sliding through.

After this was Fika - what the swedes call coffee break- and devotions. I was particularly excited tonight for I was to give the devotions. I found a verse in psalms 33:15 which fit perfectly with our fashion show. It states that He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works. I told them that God created them with their individual interests, talents and quirks ( but my translator did not understand the word quirks so I had to think of something else:).
 
I told the teens that God loves you, his creation, even though we rebelled against Him, and that He sent His son to die for Me and you! I could see the interest in their eyes. There are so many these teens that are looking for something real for which to live their lives.

After the devotions we played more games and just spent time with them. I mingled among them trying to start meaningful conversations and conquer the language barrier. The night ended at eleven but the last youth actually left closer to midnight. After that I night I felt wonderfully exhausted and said good night to my group and headed to bed.

This week has been amazing! The topic of this weeks teaching is God's Word. The teacher is a fellow American from Colorado named Mary Jeane and has actually been to the Appalachia's. We started a conversation over lunch and come to find out she has actually been to Hazard! Miss Mary Jeane takes mission trips to the Appalachian Mountains whenever she can. I was so excited when I found this out! She even talked about Wal-mart being the social meeting place. When she said that it was a conformation that we were talking of the same place. :D
 
The teaching has been wonderful. The students are finding out that God Speaks through the Bible and that makes it powerful. Like a fire in our hearts as Jeremiah writes. They are starting to see this and it makes everyone overcome with awe and excitement.
 
I have finally learned where I am to go on outreach after the new year. I am to go to Greenland! Please pray that God will show and prepare my group of eight where we are going to be working.
 
Thank you for all your prayers and encouragements through emails and letters. I miss you and am praying for opportunities you will have to share the Good News with those around you.
Isaiah 9:2
"The people who walked in darkness
Have seen a great light ;
Those who dwelt in the land of the
shadow of death,
Upon them light has shined."
As we who have once walked in the darkness how much eager should we be to point those who are walking in darkness to the light. To be a light we must be consumed by it. Those who have ears let them hear.
Phil. 1:20
Shalisha Brace