Finding Purpose - Song of my Life - Kristine van Dooren

In my last episode I referred to our trip to California. Fortunately the invitation for the international conference in Santa Cruz was during the girl’s school vacation. I think for the Americans, it was scheduled for the long weekend of Memorial Day on May 31st. In Munich, the schools were closed for a two week vacation, that celebrated the Christian holiday of Pentecost. It’s called Pfingstferie...

I hope you are doing good and ready for part two of last week’s story. Our family had just returned from California to our home in Munich. Thomas had been inspired by the teachings we heard at the Elders Conference with our friends, who were also church leaders. As soon as we got back he was busy searching the scriptures and preparing for his up- coming sermons. This was a special one that he had...

I was going to talk about the time, when we went as a family to California, at the end of May in 1982. The occasion was an Elders Conference in Santa Cruz. We stayed with my parents and also drove up north to visit our church friends in Eureka. Looking at my photos I am reminded of those good old days, when my home state was beautiful and safe. For example today, the city of Oakland where I was bo...

We are coming up to the end of another year. Where does the time go? I am also wondering, if I can even remember what I have been up to, all these months of podcasting work. So I thought I would breeze through this year’s story episodes and the video conversations. I especially appreciate everyone, friends and family, who have taken the time to meet with me on zoom, willing to answer some personal...

Welcome friends! Join me for a family talk with Naomi, Adina and Elijah, from the comfort of our living rooms in Germany. Today we share some fascinating stories, about how we have received and passed on, true and living faith. Listen in to get a glimpse, of how that has worked out, in each of our lives. I loved hearing from my two oldest grandchildren, their experiences and convictions, in follow...

Welcome back friends!    Maybe you saw my Spotify wrap, that I posted on Instagram under “vandoorenkristine”. As I prepare for and write the stories each week, I do sometimes get discouraged, not knowing exactly who is listening or interested. The podcast is heard regularly in the US, Germany, UK, Ireland, Finland, Canada, Australia and India. From the viewer charts I can see there are many other...

This was an example of how important it is, to reach out to people in the work place, with neighbors, and within our families. You just never know what kind of fruit, a simple conversation can bring about, even if it might take a few years until a person is ready to surrender their lives to the Lord. At some point, these two couples ,decided they wanted to recommit themselves to their marriage par...

As I have mentioned before, I consider our story a part of history, concerning the developments in the churches in Germany. A lot has changed over the years since the 70s; which includes the message, the style and traditions, and the methods of reaching the unsaved. To me it is intriguing as I learn more about those times, through the lens, of my young German husband. Much of his experience and pe...

We were young and always juggling church activities, with family time, and Thomas’ job. I found some pictures of our yearly church retreat, in autumn of 1980. Even though a lot of planning went into it, plus traveling with small kids, these long weekends were worth it. For us women who had lived communally, we were especially routined in, shopping and cooking for a large crowd. Plus we had experie...

During the summer vacation with our parents, Thomas and I, celebrated our 8th wedding anniversary. We were able to go out for the evening, just the two of us, which was always a special time to share our hearts and talk about our dreams for the future. By 1980 we had been together for 10 years, and were continually amazed, at God’s faithfulness in our lives. He had blessed us with four daughters w...

I will begin today by connecting some of the dots back to our story in 1980. In the last episode, I was talking about learning to read the Bible out loud, to encourage my soul. I remembered that my first experience was with Psalm 42, and especially the part that says, ”Why are you cast down o my soul? Hope in God." But I had forgotten about verse 8; “Yet the Lord will command his lovingkindness in...

Welcome back to another discussion with my friend, Rachel. Today we would like to go into more details about our experiences as young women, learning to let God's Word, become the foundation of our life. I believe that all men and women seek fulfillment, and have the need for a direction that gives them hope, love and a place of refuge. We talk about receiving a new identity in Christ, only He can...

Welcome friends! I would like to introduce to you, my good friend Rachel, who is originally from the UK. We met here in Munich at a German church. We discovered quickly on, our love in reading, and studying the Bible. This might seem a bit uncommon for women, but in various ways, and for different reasons, God set us on that path. Enjoy listening to Rachel's journey from Birmingham, to France, and...

On with the next episode that takes place in the year of 1980. You have heard about our new endeavors, branching out and connecting, with new friends in Italy. I told a portion of their story packing up, and leaving the familiarity of their lives behind, for an unknown future in Italy. In the recent “Rerun - Final Countdown,” I shared a lot of the details that led to Thomas and I, finding our way...

Welcome friends! In the last episode, I was talking about the adventures of our friends, that moved from California to Florence, Italy. I thought it would be fun, especially for my new listeners, to hear my story about ending up in Germany. At the end of 1974, Thomas and I, with our first daughter, (and pregnant with number two), were sadly moving away from Living Waters. The plan was to live in E...

A couple of months ago, I posted two video conversations, about the beginnings of a church in the UK. This fits into our story, of how we came in contact with other people, who also desired to go to different countries. Throughout the coming year of 1980, there were more developments, in this direction. Thomas was hearing from his friend, Steve, in Eureka, that a team was forming to go to Italy. T...

As usual, I have been rummaging through old newsletters, and found this statement that Thomas wrote. He was reporting to our friends in the States about what we were doing in Germany as missionaries. He said; “Kristine besides being a mother of four, was involved with church organization, counselling and teaching women, children’s work, correspondence, and hospitality.” Of course, I wasn’t doing a...

In the last episode, you heard Thomas and Naomi, singing a portion of Psalm 46. In reading the scripture verses, it made me curious, as to the reason he chose those particular phrases. They must have rung true to him at the time. It begins with “God, is our confidence and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we shall not fear, though the earth be removed, and the waters roar.” So wh...

One of our churche's regular outings, was a meeting point, on Sunday afternoon, at the Monopteros, in the English Gardens. It is a famous landmark of Munich; a round ornamental temple in Greek style, that towers 16 meters high. It was built on a raised grassy embankment and especially attracted, subculture groups such as the hippies in the 1960s. It has always been a tourist attraction, with a...

In the meantime, my stories about being Christians, have covered a time frame, of seven years. In Episode 102, I was telling about how Thomas had the opportunity to teach; by writing and translating articles, for the church brochure. The time had come for Thomas, to formulate his understanding of the scriptures. It also took him deeper into explaining God’s principles in German. This is what he ha...

This is Thomas’ journey of putting aside his instruments, and identity as a musician. In an unexpected way, the Lord gave him new music, melodies to the scriptures. At the prayer cabin, Thomas began writing letters to his family in West Berlin. He warned them about the deceptions of the world's philosophies, that have their foundation in evolution. He wrote that instead of human knowledge, the...

The next two weeks are vacation time, so I thought it would be fun to listen to a couple of episodes that are “oldies but goodies.” I am calling them Reruns! They are about our beginnings as brand new baby Christians. These podcasts were recorded, exactly two years ago, in 2022. In this episode I tell the exciting stories of our life, living in the tipi at Living Waters in May of 1973. The theme i...

My last episodes were about our fresh start living in our own apartment. We were settling into the school routine and Thomas’ job. My mother in law came from West Berlin as soon as she could, she was excited to see baby Miriam, and our new home. She was able to take time off from work, to spend a week with us. Fortunately we had a nice set up for guests, the living room couch could be opened up as...

Today we have Part 2 with my friends in Wales. They have some fascinating stories, about their experiences in starting a church fellowship, in Birmingham, England. Here' a quote from Alex written shortly after they arrived: "I feel like a stranger at times, and like Abraham, we know we are pilgrims, And yet, I wouldn't want to be anywhere else! The insecurity of our circumstances, dri...

Welcome friends! I am introducing today, old friends of mine, that live in Wales. We have known each other since 1980, and have some amazing connections from our past, in California. In my last Episode 101, I started talking about a couple we knew from the Trudering house, who had gone back to England. They hoped that a team from our ministry in Eureka, would come and help them, start a church. Th...