Highlights of Oslo & Trondheim

We're been SO busy that I haven't had a chance to update my blog. We had an INCREDIBLE weekend worshiping with Catch the Fire Church in Oslo (Catch the Fire). What an honor it is to be able to hang out with the beautiful Church of Norway through all of these cities.  This is just a snippet of our adventures in Oslo and Trondgeim:

This is the main church in Oslo (Domekirken in Oslo). When Breivik attacked his people, the front of the church was covered in flowers as a memorial. In 'secular' Norway this is where the people went to express their solidarity which I thought was incredibly significant.

The King's seat in the church. The priest said he doesn't come often but it's there waiting for him.

The view as you walk into the Domekirken. The colors are very striking.

The portly fellow who overlooks the main square of Oslo. 

Another unusual Norwegian statue ;)

VÆRNES (outside of Stjørdal where we are staying this weekend)

Inger Lise and her wonderful family took us to see the oldest church in her area and it's called Værnes Kirke (Værnes Church) It was such a treat! It is very interesting for an American to see architecture built many centuries before our nation was conceived and knowing that my family came from Norway is an added bonus!

This church was built in the 1100's! What? 

An overview of the inside of the church.  Lovely!

This is the Værnes Chair (Værnesstolen) which was created in 1685 as the private pew for the squire of Værnes (General Schultz and his wife). It sits several meters higher than the pulpit which is quite a statement indeed! 

The wall paintings are amazing! They are thought to be some of the oldest paintings in Norway.

This is the patron saint of the area: Margrethe.

Ja, jeg elsker dette landet!

Hunty and ShyShy

Missing these lovely ones while we're in Norway........

Lillesand og Kristiansand

We are back in our 'home' base in the south of Norway and it is lovely and sunny here. We have a series of prayer and house meetings this week and then we go to a mini-worship conference in Oslo at Catch the Fire Church.

We are staying in a house that has a beautiful driftwood cross on the wall. I love its simplicity and the fact that it is made from a natural material from this area. It's very tall and I don't have enough room to step back and take a proper shot so please forgive me for that.

This is the view from our sitting area by the bedrooms. Beautiful blue sky and sea! I think of the wives in olden times who must have paced back and forth in front of this view, waiting for their husbands to return on their sailing ships.

Last night we were in a Prayer House in the middle of down-town Kristiansand. A woman who lives in the area purchased a two-story apartment that is really like a small house and it's nestled amongst offices and stores. The top floor is open 24/7 for prayer and the bottom floor is used for counseling and inner healing.  We had a wonderful time last night in the Prayer Room and the Spirit of the Lord blew right into the meeting. People were prophesying over one another and encouraging people with the Word. I loved it!

Next, we are going to Lillesand for a House Meeting. There are several really great house groups meeting in and around Vest-Agder, the 'county' of the Sørlandet region that includes our home base, Kristiansand/Flekkerøy. It's good to see the Body of Christ staying connected and supporting one another in the pursuit of God's way in this nation.

Lillesand coastline

Lighthouse off the coast of Lillesand

Breathe upon Norway, Lord! Let Your glory fall!

Gulset State Church

We are in Gulset now and it's been lovely. We took the train from Kristiansand yesterday morning and arrived in the afternoon. It is colder here than Kristiansand but the Spring is evident everywhere. We awoke to a beautiful sunshine-y day and look forward to the meetings tonight.

We are at a State Church (Lutheran) with a Spirit-filled Priest which is becoming a reality here in Norway. When once the State Church was thought of as dead in its traditions, God is causing His life to spring up and the signs of Revival are showing. What a privilege to see this with our own eyes!

We are here mainly to work with the Youth who are passionate, on-fire, beautiful kids who love to worship. Last night, they led the service and it was wonderful! The worship team is not only amazingly talented and anointed but they have hearts for God that shine through everything they do. I really loved worshiping with them last night.

This is their sanctuary. It is very contemporary and surprisingly artistic. There are blown-glass 'shoes' in red, black, gold and blue that tell the story of the cross, the 'walk' of the Gospel and the cross-life. They are back-lit with very soft lighting so they seem to glow like candle-light. It's both stark and stunning at the same time.

This is a river of glass that leads to the cross. It reminds me of the River of Life that flows from the throne.

We will worship again tonight and wait on God to speak to us. 

It is a lovely piece of heaven here in Gulset.

Kom ned Hellig Ånd og fyller oss opp!

Flekkerøy, Our Island Home

It's interesting when God gives you such a love for a people and place that it feels like 'home'. That doesn't mean that I don't think about my family, friends, and church in Utah every day. I miss my peeps terribly but I also have a sense of purpose in our time in Norway that is very fulfilling, and this helps assuage the longing for the above mentioned treasures.

I find there are delights around every corner in Norway and I learn so much about God here.  He is teaching me day by day how to live more fully in faith; how to trust Him in my own weakness; how to make His desire the focus and purposes in all that I do.  I love to pray and walk on the ground of this land, stretching up and pulling into this reality the good things I know He has planned for Norway.  I feel the ground rumbling with the boiling, bubbling waters of Revival and know there is a tsunami of glory coming. 

This is also a place of incredible beauty which inspires me and I find myself taking photos of everything I see!  Aren't the clouds glorious as the sunset paints its orange color around the edges? Serene water and the hint of color. Really nice.

Completely bathed in orange light!

And finally, the softness of the light after the sun had gone down. So quiet and subtle. There is a blue-grey  haze in the air that is stunning. Look at the lighthouse in the distance just beginning to cast its first beams into the evening, and the smooth shadows cast by the houses at the edge of the water.

God natt, Norway, søte drømmer....

Last Moments in Roglaland

Astrid, my lovely friend who actually drinks smoothies, took us for a final spin through the countryside of Bryne (Rogaland).  It was our last day in Bryne and the sun was shining so it was a wonderful day to look around. I don't think there is a speck of Norway that isn't fabulous so it's pretty easy to find things to photograph. These are highlights of our day.

It was lovely having sunshine instead of the rain!

These rocks are called Hitler's Teeth.

This is a great bit of history.

To find out more, click here

Another beautiful little harbor along the way.

The water and sky are SO blue!

Egersund Kirke, built around 1693 when the original church was torn down.

I love how old everything is and what great details the architecture offers.

Egersund is really cute. Lots of shops and cafes as well as an incredible

place that makes chocolate creations called Egersund Chockoladefabrik.

Another stunning view along the way home!

What a lovely thing it is to breathe Norwegian air.