Farewell

As I write this I leave in less than forty-eight hours. I have everything packed, and it weighs exactly forty pounds (Praise the Lord!). While I am gone I will not be able to blog at all, but I look forward to posting many pictures and stories when I return. As I get ready to leave I want to say thank you to everyone yet again, and also give you some specific things that you can pray for.

-- For safety; that I and my team will be safe in all the traveling we do, whether that be by plane, bus, or on foot.

-- For health; that we would all stay healthy, especially as we may be eating new foods, and exposed to a new environment.

-- For unity; that we would work together as a team, giving each other grace as the body of Christ, and working to bless each other instead of pleasing ourselves.

-- For our families who will be missing us; that they would surrender us to God's will, receiving a peace that is beyond their understanding.

-- And finally that we might be completely dependent on Christ, allowing His Spirit to work mightily in our lives, and that we would lean on Him when things get difficult.

Thank you again, and check back around August 15th for stories, pictures, and evidences of God's faithfulness in each of our lives.

Marvelous Light

"I have but one candle of life to burn, and I would rather burn in out in a land filled with darkness than in a land flooded with light." -John Keith Falconer

As I prepare for my trip to Africa it is difficult to forget why I am going. I am going to share the love and gospel of Jesus Christ with AIDS orphans, but is that all I am doing? Am I prepared to leave everything behind me except for the Word and comfort of my Saviour? Am I prepared for my candle of life to be burned out in a land filled with darkness? I need not ask myself if I am more comfortable in a land filled with light, comfort, and all things familiar to me, or in a land of darkness where everything is new and frightening. I know the answer; I think we all do.

Nevertheless, the Lord has not called us to comfort, nor to ease. He has called us to be burning candles in the darkest corners of the earth he has created, to do hard things for His glory.

As I journey toward darkness I need not fear, for with me I carry the most marvelous light of all, the Light of the World. And in taking that light into a place darker than the one I came from I am fulfilling the call to which I have been called, depending only on His grace for my sustenance.

1 Peter 2:9 says that we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, and a holy nation so that we may proclaim the excellence of Jesus Christ who called us out of darkness and into His marvelous light. We have been brought from darkness to light, ought it not be our greatest dream to lead others into that same marvelous Light

Leaning

It happened. A few nights ago I was praying before drifting off to sleep, and suddenly I realized that I will be unable to directly talk to my Mom for almost two months. I talk to my Mom every single day, sometimes for hours, and for two months I will have to be content with writing her letters that might never reach her. I can only trust that the Lord will be my strength, and my closest companion during this time. All that I need can be found in Him, may I not waste the great and precious resource of his unending love and presence.

What have I to dread, what have I to fear, leaning on the everlasting arms?

I have blessed peace with my Lord so near, leaning on the everlasting arms.

Leaning, leaning, safe and secure from all alarms;

leaning, leaning, leaning on the everlasting arms.