Praise Report!!!

I am in beautiful Deutschland! You may be asking yourself "how did this happen?"

let me tell you...

God provides! This is something we all know but tend to forget every now and again. This whole summer i have been praying and seeking direction from the Lord on where i should be. Friends and family have been praying for me and asking me what i was going to do. Many oppurtunities presented themself which i would have gladly taken but God had a different plan. many days i felt very confused and lost. Last semester i told the Lord that i would return if He would open the doors. The doors have looked very closed this whole summer except for an anonymous financial pledge for two months of support. I prayed and prayed. while reading the psalms i kept coming across the phrase "pay your vows to the Lord." and i was reminded of what i told the Lord i would do. So i left it in His hands and asked others to pray but it was a step of faith because i had to say no to a few wonderful oppurtunities. Things that i would have loved to do, places i would have loved to be, A beautifully sweet girl that i would have loved to be near. Obedience before the Lord was what i was faced with. Follow the desires of my heart or step out in faith as crazy as it seemed and follow through with what i told the Lord. So i kept praying, and so many of you have blessed me with responses to my request and i know that is why i stand here today. May the Lord bless each one of you for the simple gift of taking a few moments to lift up your brother in Christ. i pray that He blesses each of you tenfold for it.

well things looked very dark about coming out but i felt that the Lord was putting this on my heart. Five days ago, the Lord opened the doors wide when someone agreed to cover the other two months of the semester. i only needed to get the ticket. I was very blessed but unable to purchase a ticket. so things looked much brighter but i still needed to get out there. The next morning the Lord provided a ticket for me and it happened so fast that i could hardly believe it. God is so good. we were able to get a ticket for the next day on the flight with my brother to germany.

So again i thank you so much for your spiritual and financial support. I am so blessed to have so many brothers and sisters who care enough to invest in a crazy young man. I ask that you please continue to keep me lifted up as this is a new semester and it will not come without its hardships.

please pray:
1. That the Lord would really use me here through the worship ministry in ministering to the staff and student body. That in everything i work and do would be touched by the hand of God for His glory.
2. Financial support. Although my room and board are covered, pray that the other costs of living and outreach trips would be funded as well.
3. Very important, please pray that Marah and I's relationship would be strengthened through this time. No one likes long distances from the one they love and even knowing that we are where God has us can still be hard to be so far apart.
4. God would draw me so near to Him this semester and really work and change me more into the image of Christ. i know this semester will hold many blessings as well as trials but i want them to have their perfect work in purifying and making me pleasing to our God and Father.

so thank you for your prayers and words of encouragement and be encouraged that God is still working in mighty ways. keep asking, keep seeking and dont stop knocking! Wait on Him. Treasure Christ with your whole heart and He will answer you. it might not be in the way you expect but He will answer you. Praise the Lord!
in Christ Jesus our Lord and beautiful savior,
michael anthony mccalebb ii

if you would like to help support me in the ministry here financially or with a care package please contact me and i will give you more information on how to accomplish that.

Newsletter "Jan-May"

Hello dearest friends and family, Greetings from Siegen Deutschland!

Praise the Lord God Almighty, spring is here and everything is beginning to blossom and bloom. The semester is coming to a close and now having been about three months late or so in getting this newsletter out, I have sort of been kicking myself in the pants to actually sit down and do it. A lot of things have happened through the course of the last few months so I will boil it down for those who just browse these sort of letters and also give more detailed reports on the following topics for those who are not satisfied with a general update.

First, for those of you who don’t know what it is exactly that I am doing all the way out here. I am the worship director for the bible college here in Siegen. My responsibilities are scheduling and the general oversight of the praise and worship ministry for the students and staff. This semester we have been blessed with an overabundance of worship leaders so it makes my job easier and I praise the Lord for that. I am also in charge of the general oversight of the morning required class for all on-campus students entitled Morning Devotions commonly and endearingly referred to by the students as ‘devo’s.’ A normal week for me includes preparation for a few worship sets and scheduling people for the Monday night class which is open to the entire church body. I am involved in the preparation and operation of an on-campus Men's bible study every Tuesday. Koinonia home groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays leading a Worship meeting where all of the worship leaders and musicians who don’t have class gather for a time in the word and prayer. Fridays I have begun teaching Guitar lessons to the son of a student from the college. Saturday I am involved with a Haus Kreis (home fellowship) an hour and a half away in the city of Neuwied, where I lead worship. Sunday is filled with church and preparation for each weeks events, whether that be guest speakers, special school meetings, and just reading myself for the upcoming week.

All in all I have been very blessed by the Lord for another good semester. It has not come without its trials and difficulties and with the same token its incredible blessings. For how can you truly enjoy the blessings of the oasis without having passed through the treacherous desert. The Lord is continuing to teach me about complete dependence upon Him, and satisfaction in Him alone. I have been really blessed to be here serving with my brother and to really see just how the Lord is raising a man of God right before my eyes. He has been very busy with his duties as an intern and proving to be faithful in the tasks given Him. Praise Jesus Christ!

I am really seeking direction from the Lord on where He would have me go or stay. That He will really place a burden on my heart for I have many desires on my heart but I desire a burden for a place, a people, a specific calling. There are so many needs here and there, back at home all over the world, but I know that a need does not always specify a calling but I desire to be truly pleasing to the Lord and receiving that which He has already prepared for me. So pray that above all in this next month and a half here in Germany the Lord will reveal these things to me. Financially things are very low, it is very expensive to live here in Europe as the Euro continues to rise. I know my God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and all the earth and the fullness are His. There is nothing to impossible for Him and He continues to always provide, so I am not worried but I ask that you would prayerfully consider supporting the Lord’s work here.

PRAY!!!
-Direction, clarity on what and where God wants me.
-Continued blessing on the final weeks of the semester that it would finish strong in Him.
-Wisdom and vision for the work here at the bible college and in Neuwied
-Provision, Financial

Thank you so much for your prayer support. That more than anything is most important to me. It is such a blessing to know that there are so many of you who actually care enough to read this and lift these requests and needs before the Lord and join in thanksgiving for what He has already done. I extend the same opportunity if you have a prayer request or many, email them to me and I promise I will pray for you.

Now may the wonderful grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus the Christ, and His peace that passes all understanding cover you and your family, as you walk worthy by the power of the Holy Spirit, giving thanks to God the Father and Lord of all! Amen! Your brother, son and friend in the faith, Michael Anthony McCalebb II
Contact info: Email: michaelmccalebb@hotmail.com
Germany: 175 Eiserfelder strasse, Siegen. Deutschland

Handy Number: 0152.2593.9820

USA: 7406 California city blvd. California city, CA 93505

Neuwied

Blessing. That describes how i feel to be a part of this ministry. Keith Fortenberry a teacher here at the bible college, an awesome brother in the Lord teaches a small home bible study about an hour and a few away in a city called neuwied. at the beginning of the semester he asked me if i wanted to come to check it out and lead worship. So i felt led to go and agreed. the first night i was there, after playing a few songs, keith realized that the Spirit was really moving upon the people and so we continued to worship in song that night. It was an incredible time of refreshing for the group and everyone seemed to be wonderfully blessed. soon after my brother and i began attending every week and really getting involved with the homegroup, meeting together to pray twice a week and bringing this study and all involved before the throne of God. during easter break, we stayed there for three days to fast and pray. It was definitely a struggle, for anyone who knows me surely knows i have an affection for food. But the lord really blessed out ime and although i felt weak most of the time our times of group prayer were really blessed. I also realized that the more you deny your flesh, the easier it is to fight sin and focus on the Lord. when you have no strength, you really cling to the Lord and His promises. There is a young girl who attends the study, who recieved Christ there a few months back during a night where another man also gave his life to the Lord. Her name is Sara, she is the school mate of the daughter to the Walker family (those whose house we hold the study every saturday night). the reason that i mention her is beause she is still young fourteen or so and i know satan really wants to draw her away, but i believe God has awesome plans for her life. The man who gave his life to the Lord is named Dennis and i ask that you pray for him, we have not seen him since and believe that he made a true profession but his girlfriend is not a good influence on him. So pray that wherever he is the lord would be working in His life.
Recently we have begun meeting earlier in the day and starting with the study as opposed to our normal routine of eating together and then studying. The days have been much nicer as we are moving into summer so we can enjoy the weather outside in there backyard.
Another prayer request is for two young men and a girl who have been coming for the past montha and a half that appear to be more a distracton than anything. one is more so the leader and the other two just sort of follow him. It is hard because they come every week and they could be anywhere on a saturday night but they come to the house but they do not really seem to be involved in anything concerning the Lord and often distract the attention to themselves over the study. I have been praying to see fruit in their lives because they profess to know Christ but in no way show it. i know when Christ spoke of the wheat among the tares, His disciples wanted to immediately go and uproot the tares. but Christ said not to that the wheat would not be torn up in the process but that God would judge. So i continue to pray that God would really do a work in their hearts or remove them, because there are others who are there to hear from the Lord and dont need the distraction.
Saturday nights have been a huge blessing even though we are usually there till late and deal with many obstacles, the blessings far outweigh the curses. Karsten (a British german) and his wife Delek (Turkish) are wonderful hosts and friends. every week they provide different meals and open their home for us and many others. I know the Lord richly blesses them for they are so generous, and have hearts that are so happy to give.
I will only be here for another month but i am praying about possibly returning to serve there in the future but i am not quite sure that is where the Lord is leading me. He knows!!! I am so thankful that someone does ;)

Guitar Lessons

I have had the honor and the privelege to teach guitar to a young man named elias. Elias is the son of a student here t the bible college and they live here in siegen. When we first started meeting he knew nothing of the guitar but had a strong desire to learn. After weeks of practice he has gotten pretty good, able to play a number of chords and although his hands are small shows much potential. he is eight years old and i am truly amazed at how quickly he is learning. i would love to say it was my teaching but i know the Lord has really blessed him with a gift. The whole reason for him learning the guitar is so that he can do worship in the small fellowship that he attends. it really makes me stop and think about how often we come in to contact with people of whom the lord is going to greatly use and we look at what we are doing for them as nothing but in the eyes of eternity we are being used to train and equip young men and women who will go out and live lives that are greatly used by the Lord. So i ask that you would pray with me that he will continue to learn and practice and really use his gifts and talents for the Lord.

Worship Meetings

This semester the worship class was cancelled due to the small amount of people who wanted to take the class. So we decided to have a weekly worship meeting that was mandatory for anyone involved in this ministry who didn't have classes on Thursday night.
More than anything it is my desire for there to be a unity amongst the worship leaders and musicians. That unity being founded upon and In Christ. So we meet for a short time in the word and tackle some topics concerning serving in this sort of ministry and then pray together. Just as with the men’s study I see how much God uses the time of prayer to really speak to peoples hearts. There are so many talented people here this semester but what is a true blessing is everyone sees that it has nothing to do with talent or gift but anointing. Worship is of the heart in spirit and truth, and although it is a blessing to have talent and gift, worship is an attitude of the heart and we have really been focusing on humility and being faithful in those things that we are given by the Lord.

Koinonia Groups

This semester we have decided to something a little different concerning koinonia group. In semesters past we usually open this time up to the students for worship communion and prayer, and it is usually student led. This is a time during the week when you can set homework down and without worrying about classes just sit before the Lord. Well this semester the interns are leading small home groups that are spread out over the campus and a few homes off campus. We usually have worship and then discuss topics and pray together. The Lord has really been blessing the group that I have had the opportunity to be a part of. During this time the Lord has really spoke to me on a number of occasions. Congregational worship and prayer is definitely special but there is something very sweet when meeting together with a handful of individuals who are seeking the Lord.
This meeting happens every couple of weeks which is sort of nice also on off weeks because it leaves an open night off and I am very thankful for those as well.

Mens Bible Study

On Tuesday nights, Myself together with two guys, Andrew (the dean of men) and Patrick (a student) head up an on-campus mens bible study. We have been meeting together on Tuesday nights with a handful of guys (if you have been around the church long enough you know getting guys to meet together can be like pulling teeth, but the Lord has blessed us with a faithful few) to look at “Being a man of God” we take turns teaching and open it up to the guys here as an outlet to teach on occasion. Sometimes in bible college it is hard to stay sharp concerning teahing because you are always receiving so much information but not getting opportunity to pour out. So we have been looking at characters all though out the bible and it is sort of a nice change as opposed to the constant verse-by-verse and in depth teaching received during the week. Most of all it is our desire to be Godly men in a world that so often seems to be lacking such. It is our desire to strengthen the small student body and we are aware that in this sort of setting, guys sort of set the tone as brothers for the semester. After worship and study we spend time praying together and this seems to be the most fruitful. I know that a strong spiritual health amongst the men on campus really encourages the entire student body to seek the Lord. We just had a guys BBQ night and (big surprise) all of the guys showed up! We had a wonderful time fellowshipping over meat and song and of course God’s word. It sort of makes me laugh because all you have to do is set up a grill and you have no problem getting guys to come over, in fact there more than eager to come. Praise the Lord!

Monday Evenings

On monday eveningsthe bible college hosts a class that is open to the entire church body. It is designed to integrate the students with the church body. David Guzik (The Director of the bible college) is teaching from the book of James with translation into Deutsch. This is a wonderful time for both students and the fellowship to study together. I am in charge of scheduling worship leaders, teams and often leading worship myself. We have many talented Nationals here that we are blessed to worship with, many of which are currently releasing worship albums in German and English. It is surprising how many of the songs we sing in the states are translated into the german language. Some of which i actually prefer to sing "auf Deutsch." For myself and the students it can be a blessing as well as a stretch to lead on these nights. The majority of us do not speak the language fluently but it is beneficial as far as being an aid to learning the language. Praise the Lord, I feel much more comfortable doing it now than when I first started some years back although I often often struggle with praying in German onstage, but the people are very polite and understanding. In all it is a huge blessing for students/staff and the church.

Vegas Baby!!!

Well it has been quite a long time since my last post, i believe it might have been easter, not that anyone was even aware i had a blog.

Tomorrow is the big day when my brother and i depart from Sin City and embark on a journey of epic proportions. We are both so very excited to have the oppurtunity to travel together. Deutschland here we come!!! Well i will check back in with a more detailed update after we land and are settled! may God bless you,
Michael