"Am I wise enough in God's sight, but foolish enough according to the wisdom of the world, to trust in what Jesus has said? Or am I abandoning the great supernatural position of limitless confidence in Christ Jesus, which is really God's only call for a missionary?"
This challenge came across very harshly to me. The idea that everything that we already know, culturally believe and accept as truth from the world that tells us to follow our hearts and pursue life, liberty and happiness with our lives, is a lie to its core according to the word of God. And the truth about how we should be using our precious days here in this world is looked at as utter foolishness in the eyes of everyone around us. I am not sure how many people know this about this great little devotional book, but when Oswald wrote these words, he was in his late 30's, because he died at the age of 43.
To have understood so much about the nature of life and the true purpose that we are all called to at such a young age. I only pray that I am able to let loose of my own life in surrender to God in the same manner that he did, that I am able to separate myself from the worthless ties of a foolish world that knows not the love of God.
What the Lord has really put on my heart lately is how blind we are as teenagers to this truth. Working with the youth at our church, it is, at times, heart-breaking to see the amount of time and passion that is poured out into the meaningless trappings of this world. But it is not up to us to change the hearts of men, but God. This is a hard lesson to learn in spiritual leadership. To desire so much for those that you care about to grasp the truth that God has shown you, that will change their lives, and yet to know that all you can do is be an example and a gentle voice, because only God can bring true understanding.
Enough of the soap box, just wanted to get some thoughts off of my mind... ;)
So, for the last two months Anna and I have been busy preparing for whatever God in store for us next. We have also been watching God lay out the path ahead of us. We have spent a lot of time reading books and study materials on missions, cultural changes, raising kids on the mission field, fundraising and support team management, etc. It has been very helpful to have our Pastor, a former missionary himself, as well as a PhD in Cross Cultural Ministry, as a mentor and guide to assist in training us and act as our mentor.
We have also been able to make plans for two trips at the beginning of next year to begin some of our training as well as get to know some of the people we will most likely be working with. In January, we we will spend three weeks in Cancun, Mexico where Back2Back Ministries (www.back2backministries.org) began working in August of this year. We will be able to get a first hand look at a B2B site in the midst of a start up. This is exactly what we will be doing in Haiti when the time comes, so this visit will be extremely insightful! Not to mention we are very excited to actually begin preparing for the work that we will be doing!
The second trip is a five week stint in Haiti from February 10th until March 15th. During this time, we will be spending one week with B2B and Jesus in Haiti (www.jesusinhaiti.org) the organization the B2B is looking to partner with in Haiti. For the rest of the time, we will be staying with our dear friends, Jared and Jalayne (www.jjcoblentz.blogspot.com) working with them at their orphanage and learning what living as missionaries in Haiti will be like day to day.
Also, in the last two weeks we have put together our first support letter and have been working on sending them out. Most likely you have received one. (If you have not and would like to, let us know and we will send one out to you right away!) The primary purpose of this first contact with our potential support team was to assist us with the cost of these two training trips as well as to begin raising our prayer team and monthly supporters.
All in all, it has been an extremely busy two months and it is going to be an even busier beginning to 2011. We simply cannot wait to see the continued blessings and provision that God has in store for 2011 and beyond!
Please be in prayer for us that God would bless this initial fundraising effort and that we would begin to put together our core prayer and support group for what God has planned next. Also please be in prayer for the country of Haiti as things are quite tense right now with the presidential election runoff and government corruption. There has been quite a bit of rioting and governments buildings being burned down. We have no intentions whatsoever of changing our plans for or February trip and ask that you join us in praying for a peaceful end to the chaos that is gripping this heartbroken and devastated nation right now.
