Refiner of Silver

    
    
     Years ago, I went on a spiritual retreat where someone gave me a piece of paper with this little anecdote describing Malachi 3:3 "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver..." I realize it's probably this cheesy, maybe not even true thing that someone came up with to illustrate the verse, but at the time, it was really meaningful to me. The other day I was looking through some of my old mementos, and I stumbled across it again. Turns out, it's still meaningful to me. True or not, it's cool to think about. So, all that to say, here it is:

     A group of women were studying the book of Malachi in their Bible study. In their session on chapter 3, they were puzzled by verse three, which reads,: "He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." The women wondered what this statement could tell them about the character and nature of God. One of the women offered to research the process of refining silver and report back to the group at their next meeting. During the week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention her purpose, just her curiosity about the process of refining silver. As she watched, the silversmith held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the flame, where the heat is the hottest, in order to burn away all the impurities. The woman thought about God holding us while we're in a hot spot...then she thought of the verse, that He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver. She asked the silversmith if he must sit there in front of the fire the entire ti,e the silver was being fired. The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the flames. If the silver was left even for a moment too long, it would be destroyed. The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith how he knew when the silver was fully refined. He smiled at her and answered, "Oh, that's easy---when I see my image reflected in it."

Bam. Cheesy? Maybe. But I bet your mind was still a little bit blown.

A Surf What? Hostile?

 This was our hostel staff for part of the summer of 2010. The group is made up of several Aussies, five Americans, a Swiss guy, a Northern Irish guy, a Frenchie, and an English girl.

     Since I began sharing with people about what the Lord is calling me to do in France, I've sensed some confusion when people hear about what ministries my team is currently involved in. It seems like many people I talk to are clueless about what I mean when I say "surf hostel." This is understandable. Before I spent the summer in Biarritz, I never connected France with surfing. Anyway, I've decided it might be worthwhile to explain it a little bit since this is a primary ministry of the Biarritz team.

     So, first thing's first. What exactly is a hostel? "Hostel" is pronounced the same as "hostile." According to dictionary.com's definition, a hostel is "an inexpensive, supervised lodging place for young people on bicycle trips, hikes, etc." Basically, a hostel is like a bed and breakfast but less expensive and with communal accommodation---guests share a room with other guests and usually a bathroom. Hostels are very common in Europe, particularly among those who backpack around the continent. Sure, such an arrangement has its drawbacks (depending on the hostel it could be kind of sketchy), but it can also be an amazing opportunity to expand your cultural horizons and make friends from all over the world.

     Okay, that's a hostel. Now, how does surfing come into play? This area of southwestern France is the surf capital of Europe. Every summer, Biarritz hosts the Roxy Jam, a women's longboard surfing competition showcasing the best female surfers in the world. People come from all over the world to surf in Biarritz. When I was there back in 2010, we had guests in the hostel from all over Europe and the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and even Brazil.

     And there you have it. A surf hostel is simply a hostel that caters to surfers. For an even better idea of what the Biarritz team's two operating surf hostels are like (including pictures!), feel free to check out the website: Surf Hostel Biarritz.