Random Revelations in Europe

Traveling outside of North America for the first presented some challenges that I have never faced before. Challenges such as communication, currency, and culture. For instance, I bought pocket translations books, exchanged US dollars for Euros, and talked to people who had been to Europe in preparation for my trip. The Holy Spirit whispered a few profound revelations to me concerning moving upward in your purpose:

1. Whenever you want to go to a new place/level in life, you have to speak the language of the people who reside where you want to go, if you want to be successful. I researched different ways to learn a language. The best method, employed by Rosetta Stone, involves first an image, next its name, and then its sound. That is how God works. He gives us first an image (a dream or vision). Habakkuk 2 proclaims, “Write the Vision…” You cannot write the vision if you had not first seen it. Second, we have to name it. When you name your dream, then you are taking ownership of your dream so it can be called.  Habakkuk 2″ …so he who reads it can run with it.” We you speak about your dream, life is breathed into it and now action begins. When you talk like the people you want to be like, your actions have to change. “Life and death are in the power of the tongue.” {Proverb 18:21}
2. When going to a new level, your values change. The dollar is weak right now, currently trading at $1.58 per 1 Euro. You have to exchange your currency. It is your values that determine the flow or current of your life.  Paul said, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, thought as a child, and understood as a child.  But, when I became a man, I put away childish things.” {I Corinthians 13:11-12}
3. When in Rome do what the Romans do.  Your destiny has a destination.  In this destination, there is a culture.  The only way to effectively change your culture is to indulge in the culture that you desire to have.  If you want to be an entrepreneur, then you need to hang around some entrepreneurs and be in the atmosphere of business.  Success has its own culture.  If you want to be successful, then hang around successful people.  This will require you to leave your comfort zone.  But there is such an excitement in learning new things and new ways of living.

Well, I am in Paris now. I just finished a boat tour that docked right in front of the Eiffel Tower.  Below is a picture.  I am wonder what revelations God will reveal during my last weekend in Europe.

Until next time, keep fighting for your dream!

Europe Days 4-7: Conquered Rome in a Day

If you had three days to go anywhere in Europe, where would you go? Many would say Paris. Others London. Maybe Venice. For me, it has always been a dream to go to Rome. Rome has so much ancient history dating back before the time of Jesus. In reading the book of Acts and Romans in the Bible, I always wanted to see parts of the journey that Paul traversed in his quest to spread the gospel. In my very limited knowledge of art history, the Sistine Chapel is a special place where the paint brush of God was stroked by Michaelangelo. One of my favorite movies, Gladiator, has lots of scenes in the Colosseum. In one day, I visited the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St Peters Bastilica, the Colosseum, the Spanish Steps, and fountain of Trevi. The day was nonstop and I was exhausted by the end, but I am a changed man for this journey. In the next few paragraphs, I will share my favorites pics and the thoughts that were born.

Rome, a metropolitan place city:

Atlanta is not the only place with traffic problems as shown by the picture below. It took over an hour to get from the airport which should have taken only 25 minutes.

Vatican Museum:

Trivia question: Name the smallest country in the world? Answer: Vatican City. When Jesus told Peter, “Upon this rock I shall build the church, ” Peter believed him to mean he was to start a church. Catholicism is the child of Peter, its first Pope.

The line to get into the Vatican had wait times around 2 hours. I paid for a tour to skip the line. (It is all a racket). The art was overwhelming.  I took more than 300 pictures.  One of themes was painting on the ceiling.  The ceiling was flat, but the artists such as Michaelangelo painted the ceiling to look curved.  Can you tell in the picture below?

Sculptures were more than just works of art, but spiritual and political statements.

My tour guide spent 20 minutes explaining the Sistine chapel shown below.  Michaelangelo spent 2 years of his life examining cadavers.  He knew the function of every muscle in the human body.  He also was a  Bible and  classical literature  expert.  He could recite whole passages of scripture or prose.  I was so impressed with the man behind the Sistine Chapel.   Michaelangelo spent 10 years of his life painting the Sistine Chapel and had permanent eye damage.  I realized how little time we spend perfecting our gifts and talents.  When you do invest such time into your God given gifts, your vision has to change.  I believe you begin to see God from a new perspective.

Michaelangelo had the honor of painting the Bible.  He had such a profound revelation of the Word of God.  I could feel the presence of God in the Sistine Chapel.  My eyes began to mist.  It was as if the Holy Spirit was painted into the ceiling.  I did not take any pictures in reverence and obedience.  However, I did take a picture of the last supper which can be seen just outside of the exit.

Take a guess at who is sitting in a different place at the Last Supper.

The plaza outside St Peters Bastillica.

Collosseum:

A picture is worth a thousand words.  Here’s a thought: What are you working on that will be standing 1000 years after you die?  Far too often we get caught up into the daily grind without keeping noting the legacy we are leaving.

They are still finding ancient cites in Rome.  How amazing!

Spanish Steps:

If I were married…  The Spanish steps and fountain of Trevi created the most romantic vista.  I watched the sun set there.  The couples around the steps had a secret making out contest.  I think someone got pregnant!  Just kidding…but seriously, how open are you as a Christian about your love for Jesus Christ.  Do you have public displays of affection for your Lord and Savior?

Lastly, I had to get some real Italian food.   Lunch was a ripe off, but I learned.  I found this nice family spot near the Spanish steps.  The Sicilian steak with potatoes were delicious.  I had the most exhilarating dinner discussion with a British couple.  We talked about Barack and Hillary, Iraq War, Racism/Classism, Religion, Nationalism, Energy prices, and the European Union.  I got their contact information and was invited to visit them in the UK.  We closed the restaurant down.

My last thoughts about Rome: God is so good to have allowed me to see where the gospel went mainstream.  If Paul had never made it to Rome, the gospel might not have made it to the ends of the world.  Imagine if Paul did not fulfill his dream.  Imagine the people who might not have been impacted.   Likewise, your dream is just as important.  There are lives that are scheduled to be impacted by the dream that God has given you.

I am leaving France tomorrow and going to Trier, Germany and Brussels, Belgium.  Until the next time, keep fighting for your dream!