Since moving to the Czech Republic, I have not had the chance to visit Albania, the Cramers, or any of other brothers and sisters in Albania. Last month after finishing my Josiah Venture camp tour I was able to make a special trip down to Pogradec, Albania. The day I arrived was a very special day because my best friend from high school, Chad, and his wife Jess and baby girl moved to Albania to serve as missionaries alongside Cory and Kristine. I kept my visit somewhat of a secret from Chad because I wanted to surprise them at the airport. And thankfully, my plans succeeded. He was baffled when he saw me walk out of the airport in Tirana. Lot’s of hugs and lots of smiles! :) And for the first time in a long time Cory, Chad, and myself were back together. I am thankful for these brothers of mine. Our roots go deep.

My visit lasted only 5 short days, but it was ever so refreshing. We talked about ministry, family, the gospel, joys and trials from this last year, and a lot more. I got to see where Chad and Jess would be living and got to witness part of their experience transitioning into their new life in Albania. On the Saturday evening I was there, I attended the youth meeting that Cory runs with the pastor he works alongside, Erion. In attendance were close to 70 Albanian youth. This meeting was the beginnings of what is currently a church plant stemming from another city about an hour away. My heart was full to hear about and see the fruit that God is producing through this. I was also encouraged to be able to see many of the students who I had known from my previous trips and to be able to meet new ones who have been impacted by the camp ministry and outreach that Cory and Kristine have been a part of.

This is my encouragement to all of you as it was to me during my visit to Albania. Stay faithful to the Word, preach the Word, teach the Word, and love the Word. It is without mistake, authoritative, and personal. All of it,

“all scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” - 2 Timothy 3:16

It is sufficiently the best tool that God has given us for everything. It is not dull or outdated, but is alive. It works!

“For the Word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of the spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - Hebrews 4:12

So, be faithful and stand firm upon the for sure Word He has given and keep in step with the Spirit who will guide you in all truth.

When I was in Albania in 2013, I met a young man named Marjo (Mario). It was Marjo's first time to english camp that year. His english level wasn't very high, and my ability to understand or speak Albanian wasn't very good either. We found ways to communicate, but usually our efforts would end with us shrugging our shoulders and laughing at each other. I'm not sure why exactly, but Marjo and I spent a lot of time together at that camp. It might have had something to do with the camera gear that I had though. Regardless, I was thankful the close connection I was able to have with Marjo that week. Since that time, Marjo and I have kept in contact over Facebook and other social media but I have not been able to come and visit until now. I was so thankful to see him on this trip. He lives in the same town as the Cramers do, so we made sure to get some good hang time in together. We went to the lake, drank coffee, taught each other new words and phrases in Albanian and english. We had a great time! Since my last visit to Albania Marjo has been growing in his relationship with Jesus a lot. I was very encouraged. He is currently attending the church that the Cramers are currently a part of planting and is in a weekly bible study with Cory, Erion, and a bunch of other young Albanian guys. I praise God! I look forward to the day that I will come and visit Albania again! Until then, čau!

A few days ago I made a post on social media that spoke to the idea of what being alive truly means. While we were traveling through Czech, Poland, and Slovakia on our most recent outing, I thought quite a bit about this.

In my post I said...

“We often speak of the difference between being alive and truly living. But at the end of the day, what does that mean? There has to be more to living than climbing mountains, running down empty roads, and following the latest fashion trends, right? To live is Christ.”

Don’t get me wrong, I love to hike, explore new places, and make sure my threads are sharp (blue jeans and a white t-shirt is pretty standard for me though). It’s just kind of funny how these are the things we tend to "like" and "double tap" the most on social media (or maybe that’s just me). I scroll through my Instagram feed and a majority of what I see are people standing on mountains or next to large bodies of water dressed in skinny jeans, designer boots, and wide brimmed hats. I understand...it’s for the community. Im sure it’s just a matter of time before I see a photo of someone standing on Mount Rainier in a pair of Clarks with their cardigan blowing in the wind and the caption saying something in regards to authentic living.

But before I take things too far I must confess, I have posted my fair share of blue steel and dramatic silhouette photos while summiting peaks and standing in the fog. I mean let’s be real. These kind of photos are pretty fun. And not just fun, they can be super inspiring. Constantly I question why I even pick up my camera after I see the things people are posting these days. The talent out there is just insane and the bar set for excellence is extremely high. What is even more inspiring though is how these kinds of things can bring people together. #communityfirst Instagram really nailed it on this one. The community that has been created through such a simple app is mind blowing. Whether you think it’s cheesy not, it’s true. I wasn’t so easily persuaded at first myself I’ll admit. For me it was a place to learn and grow in my photography skills and vainly accept whatever affirmation I could get. I quickly realized though that if I really wanted to grow further, I would need to start actually reaching out to the other artist that were so readily available around me. In doing so, I have made many friends and acquaintances that I never normally would have expected to have. Heck, I mean Jasen (my intern) wouldn't even be here if it wasn’t for Instagram.

"So where are you going with this Daniel?” Well because I am not the greatest writer and I don’t have a ton of time on my fingertips at the moment, I will keep it brief.

Authentic living is so much more than sharing with others the "live for the moment" adventures we take. It is so much more than “getting out there,” traveling, being spontaneous, and some of these other free spirited phrases that often inspire us.

When I think about my life here in the Czech Republic, ministry and missions, what it actually means to follow Christ as my Lord, Saviour, and King...when I think about truly living, the only thing I can respond with is asking myself…Is Christ my goal? Is everything a loss in comparison to knowing Christ? What is hindering me from knowing him, being known by Him, and pointing others in the same direction? Have I truly been willing to give up everything and cast off every weight? Do I humbly imitate Christ in all I do, or do I pridefully seek my own gain? Is every move I make aimed at advancing the knowledge, gospel, and church of Christ? Or, is it all about me underneath it all?

In all honesty, I know that I get in the way too much. And so do my tools. My phone, computer and camera are blessings that the Lord has graciously supplied. But I do not want to be defined solely as the media guy or the nice guy that travels and always has his phone and camera attached to his hip. I want to be known as a follower of Jesus Christ. When I stand before the Lord at His throne, what will He say? Will I be found in Him or still stuck on my phone?

True life is found only in Jesus Christ. And as our bibles tell us, “but God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our sins, made us alive together with Christ.” Ephesians 2:4

Only through Jesus Christ can we truly be made ALIVE.

Here are a some quick snap shots from some since I last posted. We have been on the road again. Traveling to camp in Czech, Poland, and Slovakia. For the past week or so we have been resting at my apartment before going back to Ukraine to finish an intern documentary project with Josiah Venture and gather more testimonies from students and leaders at camp. We were a little delayed on our departure because my car was in the shop for a quick tune up. We are excited to depart today though and finish the summer strong. Thank you all for your prayers and support for my team and I this summer. God is good and may he receive the glory. We will be posting a majority of our work in September after Josiah Venture's fall conference. Can't wait to share more. Blessings!