A Joint Effort

As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses' hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword. – Exodus 17:11-13

I was reminded in reading this recounting of a battle between the Israelites and the Amalekites that everyone has a part to play.  We rely on one another.  For the sake of this particular blog I could specifically discuss mission and how some are needed to go to the harvest while others are needed to sow into the mission financially, others to serve through intercessory prayer, others through encouragement, etc.  But the honest truth is that this concept of needing one another extends far beyond just mission.  We are the body of Christ.  We are called to be united, functioning as one to glorify our Lord and Savior. 

The only way Israel won this battle was through the joint effort of each individual.  They won because Joshua and the soldiers fought with the sword while Moses was postured in praise (raised hands), supported by Aaron and Hur.  Had any one of them decided their part really wasn't that significant, the battle would have been lost.  Each person has a part to play.  This brings to mind the passage in I Corinthians 12 where Paul reminds us that a body is made up of many different parts with different functions, yet all are necessary.  Whether you realize it or not you are vital to the body.  You are important.  You are significant.  You are needed.  And you have a part to play.

Prayer as a Part of Mission

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. - Ephesians 6:19

This past week a team of Physical Therapy students flew down to Costa Rica to spend the remaining eleven days of their Christmas break providing medical attention to men, women, and children in local villages.  The more I heard about this mission, the more I wanted to go.  Unfortunately, I'm not very helpful on medical missions considering I don't have any training.  Not to mention they flew out the day my classes started up!  As someone who loves to do, particularly to travel, meet people, offer help, form relationships, it was very difficult to watch this team leave and not be on the plane with them.  Honestly, I dealt with some jealousy at the thought of the incredible opportunities they were going to have while there.  Through this, however, God has shown me that although I might not be on the ground in Costa Rica with the team, I can still do something to help - I can pray.  I can pray for their safety, for doors and hearts to be opened, and for God to move in unexpected and powerful ways both in the people of Costa Rica and in the team that went to serve.

I think it's easy to forget that prayer is a major part of mission.  We assume that in order to be helpful we have to be one of the people "on the ground" so to speak.  And if we can't be there with the people, we assume we're of no use!  How far from the truth could that be!  Would you join with me in praying for this team in Costa Rica?  Pray that God would move in and through them.  Pray also for their safety. 

Here are some facts and points of prayer for Costa Rica highlighted by Operation World:
- Roman Catholicism is the official state religion.  Despite religious freedom in the country, other religions are not seen as equal before the law.
- Pray that these churches would learn how to disciple converts after they come into the churches.
- Pastors are often under-resourced.  Pray that God would move in the hearts of Christians around the world to do something in supporting these local pastors and churches.

If you would like to join me in praying for missions and people around the world, I recommend checking out http://www.operationworld.org/ and http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/index.php/issue/day/.  Both of these sites offer daily devotions and points of prayer.

A House of Prayer for All Nations

Good evening, everyone!  I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post.  Originally, I was going to share information and prayer points for various nations from the awesome book Operation World.  The more I considered this, however, the more I felt that perhaps I shouldn't share too much of this books wonderful wealth of information and, instead, encourage you to purchase the book and work through it on your own.  I'll still share tidbits of information and a shortened list of prayer points for various countries, but I strongly encourage you to check out the book for more thorough and detailed information.  (You might even be able to find it at your local library!)

My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations. - Isaiah 56:7b

Here are some countries that I've kept on my prayer list the last several weeks:

Afganistan:  Pray for freedom from religious oppression, safety for the Christians there, and the workers that God is raising up to minister there.

Albania:  Pray against indifference.  That God would bring revival.

Algeria: As another Muslim country, pray for freedom and again for God to raise up workers who will passionately share the love of Christ.

The American Samoa:  Pray for awakening.

Andorra:  A little country tucked between France and Spain, this nation is very wealthy.  Pray against the spirit of materialism and for God to bring a true spirituality to the people there.

In addition to the countries I've been reading about in Operation World, I've also been praying for several nations that have been expressing difficult situations recently.

Sudan and South Sudan:  South Sudan declared independence this past Saturday, July 9.  Please pray for peace between these two nations.  Pray also for South Sudan as they set up their government, currency, etc.

Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya:  The horn of Africa has been hit with a devastating drought.  Many people, especially in Somalia, have been effected and are trying to find aid.  Many of these individuals have traveled into Ethiopia and into refugee camps in Kenya.  Pray for those who are forced to leave their homes in order to survive.  Pray for Kenya as they are working towards accepting more and more refugees.  Pray that their newest refugee camp will be completed and opened for the use of these people in desperate need.  Give God praise as well!  For the first time Somalia is allowing international aid in their country.  Pray that this would be an opportunity to bring more religious freedom and an open door to share the Gospel more freely with the people there.

Egypt:  Pray for continued peace.  I have a friend serving there with a missions team. Please keep him and that mission group in your prayers as well.

Nigeria:  The Boko Haram, an Islamic militant group in Nigeria, has launched several attacks in the past couple months causing many casualties.  Many citizens have had to flee their homes in Northern Nigeria to find safety elsewhere.  Pray for peace.

This is only a brief list of countries, but every nation on this planet needs our prayers.  Please join me in praying for God to raise up workers in these nations, pray for freedom of religion that would allow Christians worldwide to publicly praise God's name, and pray for those around the world who are suffering and in dire need of a Savior.

Then Jesus said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few." - Matthew 9:37

Operation World - A Heart for the Nations

Let them praise the name of the Lord, for His name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and the heavens! – Psalm 148:13

It's been a while since my last post.  Forgive me.  Since returning from Ghana life has been a little busy!  There was much school work to catch up on . . . and I'm still not done.  But God is awesome and I felt led to forgo work for a few minutes and share some thoughts.

Only this morning God began to speak to me about the importance of mission here.  Many times we think of God working in the "there and then" rather than the "here and now."  Often we think of mission trips planned months in advance as the time when God will use us.  Or we wait for our church to organize something in order for us to share the Gospel and the love of Christ.  What I'm learning is that God moves much more in the here and now if you are open to His leading.  Don't be afraid to share what the Lord has done for you.  A simple story, even a short greeting could change a life forever.  In a sermon I heard this morning the pastor said, "If God has shown you mercy this week, tell someone!"

In addition to serving by living a life worthy of our calling each and every day in order to be witness of the love of God to those around us, we are also called to pray for those around the world.  Over the past couple weeks, and the past couple days in particular, God has really laid the nations on my heart.  I attended a course this past week on the history of missions around the world.  Part of this course involved presentations on the various regions of the world and the work of local missions within them. 

Some quick facts on missions around the world:  1/3 of the global population (2 billion people) are professing Christians, 1/3 (or 2 billion people) are non-Christians who have heard the Gospel, and 1/3 (2 billion people) are non-Christians who have never heard the Good News of Jesus!  When I heard these numbers I was astounded.  Here's more:  there are approximately 495,000 missionaries in the world.  Of those, approximately 2-3% of them are serving with un-reached people groups.

As I sat listening to all that God is doing and all that is still to be done, God led me to a book called Operation World.[1]  This book is incredible!  It includes information on every country in the world and then shares answered prayers and points for continued prayer.  While discussing these nations in class God put it on my heart to move through this book country by country and pray for them. 

The first country I'm focusing on is Afghanistan.  Let me share a few facts I've learned recently: 

• 46% of the population is under 15 years old
• Life expectancy is 43.6 years
• There is limited freedom to practice religions other than Wahhabist Islam and there appears to be "no freedom to propagate another faith or to covert from Islam."
• It is considered "the world's most dangerous place for a child to be born" due to high infant and maternal mortality rates.
• 78% do not have regular access to clean water.
• A recent BBC article indicated that this past May was the deadliest month for Afghanistan with almost 400 civilians killed in conflict-related incidents.

This is only a small portion of the information I've learned since reading about this country in Operation World.  Please join me in praying for genuine freedom, an improved quality of life, and a move of the Spirit within the Afghan people.  I don't just want to share the "down" stuff, but also want to share that compared to only a few decades ago when barely a couple dozen Christians could be found in the entire country, there are now a couple hundred believers!  God is already moving among the people, let us pray for those who are taking the Message to them and for the Christians there who are facing persecution as they attempt to spread the Gospel of Christ.

Our God is a God of the nations.  He loves every man, woman, and child on this earth no matter their ethnicity, nationality, income, health status, etc.  We, therefore, should share God's heart for the nations and pray for them.  Please join me in praying and believing for God to bring a great revival among the people of the world.

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord! – Psalm 150:6

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[1] Mandryk, Jason. Operation World. 7^th ed. Colorado Springs, CO:  Biblica Publishing (2010).

A Day of Rest and Fellowship

Unlike any other day we've had here thus far, there was only one brief event scheduled for us this morning.  After group devotions and breakfast, we heard a professor from Legon University in Accra, Dr. Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu, speak on Contemporary African Pentecostalism.  Originally we were going to the University to hear the lecture, but the students are taking exams now so we met in the conference room at the hotel instead.  The lecture was incredibly informative and the professor was a very intelligent, yet approachable gentleman.  It was a pleasure to meet him.

When the lecture ended at noon we were given free time for the rest of the day.  For the first hour or so I worked on a school assignment using the textbooks I brought on the trip with me.  As soon as someone mentioned lunch, however, I headed out the door!  We walked to the local "mall" to get some snacks from the grocery store before heading over to a local restaurant.  They had galaxy chocolate ice cream bars!  Oh my goodness, it was so good.  The last time I had galaxy chocolate was in Jordan in 2007 so it was a great treat to find it here!  Then came our adventure of a lunch.

While we were deciding whether or not to eat at a restaurant outside the hotel we met Zsofi.  She's a missionary in Ghana who came to assist in planting a church.  She told us she's originally from Hungary, but currently lives in England.  She helped plant several churches there and when this church was being discussed she decided to come here to live, work, and help with the church for six months.  Another church is being planted in Germany in October so she said she might be moving there for a bit.  It was such a blessing to meet her.  She just had this presence about her - she exuded joy and peace!  And that was before we even sat down to eat!  :)

At lunch we had an absolutely wonderful time of fellowship.  We took time to hear each person's testimony and talk about our lives.  It was a really great experience as much of what we were hearing from one another was new.  I think it went a long way to drawing us closer to one another.  After an wonderful, HUGE meal, we walked back to the hotel.  We found out when we returned that we had been invited to the church service at the church of one of my friends from school.  During the few minutes we had before leaving, I met one of Charlma's friends from here, Perpetual.  She was a beautiful, kind woman.  Her sister is a seamstress so we were also able to arrange to have some dresses made for a couple members of our team.  They should be ready by the time we return from Tamale next week.

Next came church at Trinity Baptist Church with Abigail and her parents.  Our bus got stuck in traffic on the way to meet us so we ended up pretty late for service, but what we did hear was wonderful.  And afterwards we were invited into the pastor's office for refreshments and fellowship.  The people here are so hospitable.  They put southern hospitality to shame! 

We were able to debrief on the bus ride home so that when we got back to the hotel we were released for the night. 

Other tidbits:
- Call and response is pretty big here.  So far I've heard three prominent ones.  If some says "hello?" the response is "hi."  This I've found through watching the schools and even at church tonight is a way to regain attention or make sure people are listening.  The others are "amen" with the response "amen!" (Like little Nancy yesterday!) or 'hallelujah" with the response of "amen!"  It was really interesting to hear these responses in church tonight after hearing them at the school yesterday and recognizing that they're pretty common occurrences.
- Another random fact - in order to have hot water for a shower here you have to turn on the hot water heater.  There is a switch on the wall outside the bathroom just like a light switch that turns on the hot water.  You have to turn it on then give it a while so you have enough warm water for your whole shower.

Praises:
- Praise the Lord for the wonderful time of fellowship with some of my team members today.
- Praise God for the chance encounters with people like Zsofi and Perpetual today - two lovely sisters in Christ!

Prayer Requests:
- Pray for Zsofi and her team here in Ghana as they work to build their new church.
- Pray for Perpetual - for blessing, grace, and job opportunities.  She's hoping to move out of Accra, but is waiting for a good job offer to come before she can go.
- We'll be driving to Cape Coast tomorrow.  It's about a 2.5 hour drive to get there so please pray for travel mercies, comfort, and rest for each of us.

Praise the Lord for the great things He has done!  Our Father is so worthy of praise!  Thank you, Jesus, for all you have done in my life and the opportunities You have provided for me to come here and meet these wonderful brothers and sisters in Christ.  It is only through you that I am here.  Praise the Lord!
Prayer Requests:

Less Than 12 Hours!

In 12 hours I'll be landing in the JFK airport to start off my 5.5 hour layover before taking off towards Ghana!  I can't believe the time is already here.  It seems so surreal.  This past Sunday, Mother's Day, I was able to say goodbye to my extended family (aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.).  My mom even made me an awesome cake!  Check it out!  :) 

Over the last couple days I've managed to get my bags packed.  One bag to check in (weighing 41.5 lbs), a carry-on, and a "purse."  My "purse" just happens to be big enough to carry my netbook along with several of my textbooks for the semester!  Several of my friends and family have also contributed to my packing by telling me their favorite scripture verses to write on index cards and disperse throughout my luggage.  I figure this serves two purposes.  First, it is encouragement for me as I find these cards throughout my time in Ghana.  Second, if my luggage is inspected then the individual doing the search will see the scriptures.  You never know what God can do through His Word! 

As I've mentioned before, I plan on blogging while I'm there.  Hopefully, I'll get this opportunity approximately every other day, but this will depend on where we are, what time I have, and whether or not I have an internet connection.

Prayer Requests:
- Please pray for safe travels tomorrow.
- Pray that the Lord would grant each of us an overwhelming peace knowing that we go in obedience to His calling.

Thanks again for your support.  If you have any questions, comments, or requests while I'm away, please feel free to leave a comment.  Not sure how well I'll be able to answer, but I would love to know what you're interested in hearing about!

God bless!

Wubekor Ghana? I am!

Good evening!  Last week we had an awesome training session with a local pastor who was born and raised in the Volta Region of Ghana.  He shared some helpful cultural tips and some language training before we leave in . . . 3 DAYS! :)  Just to give you an idea of what I'm preparing for, I wanted to share some of the information he shared with us:

Ghana was the first African country of the Sahara to gain it's independence in 1957.  Their culture is one of the most peaceful and well-educated cultures in Africa.  (And from my experience with Ghanaian friends so far, they are incredibly hospitable and generous people.)

Their rainy season starts in late June and continues through August.  We'll barely miss this!  March is typically the hottest month of the year so we'll miss the hottest weather as well.  Praise the Lord!  We're expecting approximately 90 degrees each day, but with much lower humidity that Virginia, it hopefully won't feel quite as how as a 90 degree day at the beach here.  Due to the heat, we were advised to bring a handkerchief as the dust will get kicked up and stuck to our sweat . . . what a lovely picture!  :)

We'll also be dealing with a slight time difference during out trip.  Ghana is four hours ahead of Eastern Standard Time.  (e.g. If it's 10am here, it's 2pm there.)  Another interesting etiquette lesson - don't use your left hand for anything.  It is incredibly disrespectful.  And if you see are interacting with an adult you immediately remove your hat if you're wearing one.  Finally, we've also been warned about reverse culture shock.  Our awesome trainer said we may deal with some culture shock when we get there, but the biggest hurtle will occur when we return.  He said most people after seeing how people live there and the upbeat attitude and patience they have, it's makes you angry to see how people in America take things for granted and demand immediate response to their wants/needs.  (Please be praying for this on my return.  That I would come back with a healthy perspective, but also able to express my perspective in a kind, gracious manner.)

The main languages of Accra, Ghana (the capital city) are Ga and Twi.  Twi (pronounced Chre) is common in almost all the regions so this is the language we focused on.  The title of the post "Wubekor Ghana?" means - Are you going to Ghana.  We also learned some other very important words and phrases:

insio - water
Wu ca Brofo?  - Do you speak English?
Yesu - Jesus Christ
Nyame - God
derby - no
aiy (nasal) - yes
mipowcheo - please
Casa breo - speak slower
Fre Nyame - call on God

Some of my favorite phrases:
Chre Me - Teach me
Yesu do wu - Jesus loves you

As I mentioned early we leave in 3 days.  Please be praying for safe travels for our team and that all preparations would come together well.  Be praying for any anxiety our team may be feeling as we come down to the time of departure.  Finally, please continue to pray for us while we're there - protection, open hearts and minds, a remembrance of our authority in Christ, and an intense passion for the people we serve.

My intention is to blog approximately every other day while there so please check in for updates!  God bless!

T-9 Days

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things? - Romans 8:31-32

There are only 9 days until I catch a flight to Accra, Ghana with my team from Regent University! With so little time left I've been up to quite a bit over the last couple weeks since my last post. In hopes of not making this post too long, here are some of the highlights:


Commissioning:
This past Wednesday our team was invited to a special combined chapel between Regent University and CBN. At the chapel our team, along with a missions team going to Europe and another team going to India, was introduced and then Dr. Campo, president of Regent University prayed for us. It was an awesome commissioning chapel.

Visa:
My visa also came in last week so I can now officially enter the country of Ghana! As of now everyone on our team has their visa and vaccines. Now we're just waiting for the 11th!

Toys and Cards:One thing we have the opportunity to do on our trip is visit schools and orphanages. This particular aspect of the trip is especially significant to me as I love to work with children. For this reason I gathered together some small stuffed animals and other fun surprises to use with the children and leave with them. I've also enlisted the help of the children's ministry at my church. This Sunday morning I was invited to speak to three Sunday School classes to talk about where I'm going and ask them to draw pictures and write letters to the children I'll meet on my trip. The idea is to first show the children here that they can have an impact on someone halfway around the world and, second, show the children in Ghana that they are loved. The children's pastor at our church, Pastor Billy, and his wife, Kim, came up with an awesome idea to make cards. They provided the paper, cut-outs, markers, and time in their classes for the children to put these cards together. I can't wait to post pictures of some of them next week and pass them out to the children in Ghana! The cards are absolutely awesome. Our kids did a great job with them!

It was so funny to hear the questions the kids had.  They were very concerned about the animals there, what people wear, if they drive cars, and the best of all . . . where do they go to the bathroom in a village with no electricy or indoor plumbing!  I can't wait to visit the kids again when I get back so I can better answer some of the their questions and tell them some stories.

How you can help:
Many people have asked how they can help so here are several ways you can get involved:

Prayer -

Please be praying for our team. Pray that our minds would be opened to quickly understand and adapt to the culture and language. That our eyes would be opened to see these people as Christ sees them. That our hearts would love as Christ loves. That our hands would touch and heal and that our feet would boldly go wherever the Lord directs us. Pray also for safety along the way as well as open hearts and doors when we arrive.

Financial -
As I come down to the last days before the trip there are a couple expenses I could use help with. One of my flights, from Norfolk to New York, has not yet been paid for. This flight cost $120. Also, I'm gathering together small toys and school supplies to take to the children. If you would like to give money towards what I've already purchased or have small toys or supplies you would want to donate that would be great! If you feel led to give towards any of these opportunities please email me at crysfle@regent.edu.

Upcoming:This week we'll have language and culture training so I look forward to sharing that will you in the next post!

Called Here First

The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with Him, but Jesus sent him away, saying, “Return home and tell how much God has done for you.” So the man went away and told all over town how much Jesus had done for him.- Luke 8:38-39

I am so excited for my trip!  It's less that six weeks away and I'm thrilled to see what God is going to do in and through us as we minister to the people of Ghana.  As I've been preparing, however, God has been reminding me of my first calling.  It's okay for me to be excited about going to a foreign land to serve the Lord, but I need to remember that I was called to my home town, my family, and my school first.  He's been reminding me to "return home and tell how much God has done for [me]," 

As I learned on my last mission trip, and seem to have forgotten rather quickly, I don't have to leave my city or even my street to serve others and share the love of Christ with those around me.  I can do that wherever I am.  So often, however, I get so focused and excited about what God has in store for me next that I forget what He's doing right now where I am.  If I'm constantly focused on the next thing, I'll never stop to see the great things He has prepared for me here.

For those of you keeping up with my travel preparations, we are five weeks from departure as of tomorrow!  I'll be shipping out my passport Friday morning to the Ghanaian Embassy to apply for my travel visa.  I'll also be getting a myriad of vaccines that same morning.  Please be praying for both of these events:  that all of our visas will be approved and returned quickly and that I react well to the vaccines.  Please also continue praying for the members of our team - that God would build each of us up and strengthen us in Him.  Finally, pray for open doors and open hearts in Ghana - hat God would prepare the way for us and be setting up diving appointments.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support.  I wouldn't be able to do this without you.

Let's Go!

Good evening!  My trip is less than 8 weeks away!   As we get closer I'm finding there are still so many things to get done.  Within the next week I need to apply for my visa and get the necessary immunizations.

Since planning and preparing this trip I've found myself so excited to go anywhere!  So many other international ministry opportunities have come up recently that I'm beginning to have a hard time sitting still.  I feel like a child stuck inside doing my homework on a beautiful day just waiting to run out the door and play!  Please be praying that God would grant me patience.  I know that He has placed this passion for travel and ministry in my heart and now I need to trust in His perfect timing as I wait.

Please also continue to pray for financial support for the rest of my teammates.  God totally blessed me in that my trip was completely supported not long into the fund raising process, but there are several others still trying to raise the necessary amount to go.  Also, pray for unity in our group and that God would be building up and strengthening each of us.

Just this past Sunday at my church in Williamsburg I found myself face down at the altar.  Have you ever had the opportunity to sit back and hear what God is leading you to pray for?  Well, this Sunday I found myself praying that when the time came that I felt I couldn't handle the pain and hurt I was seeing, that when my strength gave out on me, that I would be reminded that it is by the Lord's strength and grace I work, not my own.  It was amazing to me because I wasn't praying if I get overwhelmed or if I feel I can't handle any more, I was praying when.  Please be praying with me that I would constantly be aware of His Presence and His Strength supporting me.

Finally, I've managed to put together a map of my trip. To see this, simply click on the link.  It is a very rough sketch of the different places we will be visiting in May, but I hope to update it as we get a more detailed schedule and perhaps add pictures once we return.

Praise God for His mercy, compassion, and grace!

But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages He might show the incomparable riches of His grace, expressed in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. ~ Ephesians 2:4-9

Jehovah Jireh

It's been a while since my last post, but I have some wonderful news.  As of now I have received enough financial support to pay for the cost of my trip!

Our God is so good!  This past Sunday the special music at my church was a song called "Because of Who You Are."  The whole song is talking about praising God because of who He is.  There's a whole portion that is simply singing the Names that have been given to our Lord.  I found myself with tears running down my face as I sang about how my God is my Jehovah Jireh, my Provider!  He has certainly provided me with so much more than I could have ever imagined.  It is by His grace alone that I am a month and a half into the process of raising financial support for my trip to Ghana and finding that I don't have to focus on that any longer.

If you haven't heard this song, please take a minute or two to listen to the video clip below.  It's an awesome way to worship God and declare who He is in your life and why He deserves worship. 

God has really been speaking to me lately about the importance of praising Him simply because He is worthy to be praised.  Many of us come before God in prayer with a "laundry list" of requests.  During a time of prayer with some of my fellow students God brought me to my knees and gently told me that I needed to start coming before Him in worship and reverence.  He reminded me that He knows what I need (Matt 6:32), He knows the cry of my heart (Ps 31:7), and He knows the desires of my heart (Ps 37:4).  He wants to hear from me, He wants me to pour my heart to Him (Ps 62:8), He desires to have that kind of relationship with Him, but there also needs to be a time where I just worship Him for who He is.  I had lost sight of that.  I had forgotten how worthy is my God (Isaiah 40:12ff). 

If you've got a few minutes now or over the next couple days I encourage you to take a moment and just consider how wonderfully magnificent is our God.  Take that time not to ask God for anything, but just to praise Him.  Perhaps just tell Him all the things He is to you - Provider, Redeemer, Savior, Faithful Father, Prince of Peace, Giver of every good gift . . . Another suggestion I've heard recently is to pray through scripture.  The Psalms are wonderful for this.  Choose a passage and read the words to God.  The other day I did this with Psalm 31 and spent over an hour reading and praising God for all the things He has done in my life.


I will praise Your name for ever and ever.  Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.~ Psalm 145:1b-3

God's Fellow Workers

I want to ask your forgiveness for the length of the last couple posts.  My point in them was simply to share a glimpse into who I am and where my passion comes from.  (That passion which got away from me while writing!)  The way in which God spoke to me at the retreat last March was so incredible that I felt I couldn't do it justice without telling the whole story.  Even in the last few weeks God has continued to lay missions on my heart more and more.  Actually, He's laid people on my heart and missions is only the means by which He's helping me reach the people. 

I do not take for granted the opportunities that God has laid before me in being able to attend a school that sees the importance of spreading the Gospel both in our community and to other nations.  I am so blessed to have people in my life that have encouraged me to seek God and obey His Will for my life.  People that have financially and prayerfully supported my trip thus far and who will in the future.  I cannot thank them enough.  My God is a great God and I am humbled at the opportunity to share His love, joy, peace, and compassion with others. 

For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building.  ~ I Corinthians 3:9

How awesome is that!  That we are God's fellow workers? 

Father, thank You for taking a sinner like me and showing mercy and compassion.  Thank You for sending Your Son to take the punishment I so rightly deserved that I might become God's righteousness and dwell with Him forever.  Lord, as I prepare to step out of my house and into the mission field that is our world, give me the boldness to declare Your love and the courage to live a life that constantly points to You.  I ask that all those who read this would know that they are called to be children of Light and to share that Light with those around them, whether they be at work, school, walking down the street, or in a foreign land.  We are all God's fellow workers!  Amen.