Prayer

Here is a letter that I have to give a lot of credit to my wife for the writing and organization.
As a team we are planning on putting together a map of where people our praying for us. So in doing that if you read this and will commit to praying for our team please leave a comment with your city and state. We will then add a dot to our map so we can see all over the world where people are praying for us.

"It seems like just yesterday when our church sent a team to Ethiopia, Africa on a Missions trip. I can’t believe it has almost been two years already. The Lord has done such an incredible work since we were there.

It is typical in Ethiopia for 12-14% of students who take the entrance exam for the university, actually pass and are accepted for enrollment. However, in this particular region, the projects we’ve been working with have beaten the national statistic. In the last two years, approximately 75% of the students who have taken the same test have passed and have begun their university studies. This is exciting because through the development of these hostels, these students have been able to receive a rounded education, which has provided increased opportunity for them to create a better future for their communities. In addition to the hope these students have found in Christ through their education, they are sharing the same message of hope in Christ around their campuses. They are reaching others throughout Ethiopia. There are over 16 churches, which have been started in rural areas by these students with over 350 people attending each week.

The hostel program has been well received in these communities, that two buildings have been converted for use with elementary aged girls. Currently, there are 24 young girls who attend classes on a regular basis. However, there is a need for a high school girls hostel in Ethiopia. There are currently 12-15 girls living in a rented building near the high school boys hostel.

My wife & I have the joy of traveling together to Ethiopia to serve alongside of our partners there as we build a hostel for high school girls. We are excited to go and encourage other believers who are on fire for the Lord as we help them build this hostel.

We are inviting you to be part of this mission with us. Our desire is to enlist as many of our family and friends as possible to faithfully pray with us as we prepare, as we serve, and upon our return. "

A Story

I have now read two amazing books that deal with life as a story. The first one I read some time back it was Epic by John Eldredge the rest of the front cover reads “The story God is telling and the role that is yours to play”. I never really looked at it that way but this book really got me thinking. Really it is truly His story and I should find it a pleasure to be allowed to play a role in that story. It is kind of like getting picked in a school play. Really every role is important even if it is a tree, or some other background character. Now I will never be that lead role in this Epic story of Christ but there is only one person that can play that role and it isn’t you or I, but really how do I make my role in that story be as significant as possible. How can I allow Christ to work in my life so that I will allow Him to make a difference while using me?

This leads me to the second book. Which has boggled my mind and caused me to think totally differently these past couple of months. Written by Don Miller the author of “Blue like Jazz” it is titled “A million Miles in a Thousand Years” which is rated as a top 20 book by Relevant Magazine for 2009 and it was only out for a couple months. Check it out http://www.relevantmagazine.com/culture/books/features/19434-relevants-best-books-of-2009

Now this book talks all about the story that we are writing in our life. He talks about 2 parts of an Epic story being that the thing a character wants must be hard to attain and that the ambition had to be sacrificial. This makes me think about what in my life is actually hard to attain or am I just going along in life at a cruising speed. I think at first glance I don’t want to be sacrificial about anything, but is that what a relationship with Christ is really about?

As I prepared to move and get married I realized I really hadn’t sacrificed much in my life. Why? Well I look at the things that surrounded me and they just kept piling up. I had so much stuff. I had things for general camping, things for back packing, playing paintball, remote control vehicles, fishing, snowboarding, photography, multiple different sports, and the list could go on. Now really this list is huge when I think about it and did I really sacrifice anything here? Was it really hard to obtain? I don’t think so, I think it all came second nature. If I needed (wanted it) I went and got it. So my challenge to myself has been to be sacrificial in my life as I got married and go forward in my daily relationship with Christ. I want to live to allow the Lord to use me in His Epic Story that led to the ultimate sacrifice.