Final Preparations

It is so exciting and strange to me...that I am leaving on Thursday. Until Friday when I saw the work schedule, it seemed more like a distant plan, but it is actually approaching! For so long I waited to see the support all show up and, Praise God, it has! For so long I wondered what I was going to do about getting the big items required for the trip...a compact and warm sleeping bad (didn't quite feel right asking anyone to lend me a sleeping bag for a month and a half), a mini pillow, a sleeping pad. Mom and I went shopping earlier this week and my worry about taking care of all that disappeared! Things are coming together before my eyes and I still can't believe that it is happening!

This week will include a lot of verse memory, packing, and saying goodbyes. Pray for me to make the most of the time and to accomplish all that I ought before I fly to Chicago for training on the 17th!

Do you know Jesus?

The biggest part of who I am is loving Jesus...at least that is what I want for my life. Because of the amazing effect that He has had on my life, I long for everyone I know to experience the same love relationship that I have with God. Jonh Mitchell, one of the most treasured professors at my old Bible College used to say, "Oh, that you would fall in love with the Savior." and that is where I am. There is a richness in the relationship that isn't found in doing good things for people, following the rules or sitting in church week in and week out. No, falling in love with Him is like nothing else in this world...except maybe falling in love with an incredible man or woman.

If you would like to have this kind of relationship, I guarantee that you won't regret it. All that you need to do is realize that you can't have a relationship with God as a human.

Romans 3:23 says that "...all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." This means God's perfection cannot accept anything aside from perfection .

Romans 6:23 tells us "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." What we deserve, by "falling short of the glory of God," is death. However, there is hope.

Romans 5:8 offers us God's gift of "eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord," when it reports, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." This means that Jesus took our imperfection on Himself when He died on the cross and that He gave us His purity and perfection. Not to say that Christians are perfect, but Jesus, as God, was able to cover over our sins so that we could know God and become like God.

The only catch is that we have to believe this. These truths are where a relationship with God begins. Without accepting the gift of Jesus's righteousness, God can have nothing to do with a personal relationship with you. He wants it ever so much, but He will not force you! If you would like to believe, but find yourself struggling, ask God for faith. The Bible tells us that faith is a gift that God delights in giving.

If you've read this far and still think this "falling in love with the savior" stuff isn't for you, then stop for a minute to ponder what is for you? How long will money serve you? How long will pleasure serve you? Are they chasing after you or are you chasing after them? I am telling you about someone that has chased you all of your life, that longs to know you personally and that doesn't lay out demands, but offers a life more amazing than can be imagine. Don't think about what you will leave behind. Think about what you will be embracing.

Prayer Requests

Dear Friends,

This coming Thursday (June 17th), I will be leaving for a short-term mission trip with Royal Servants International. My position on the team will be "summer staff" or a "staff discipler" which means I will mentor or disciple 3 or 4 teenage girls from either the US or Canada during the trip.


Please pray that

1. The girls I disciple come to a greater maturity in their relationship with Christ and that they fall in love with Jesus.

2. My relationship with them would be lead by God given wisdom and a deep love that can encourage, challenge and enjoy each of them.

3. That God would be preparing me beforehand to be a leader and to die to myself for their sake and Christ's glory, that I would practically see how that needs to look and that I would be practicing it in other ways with God's help in the days leading up to that time.

4. That God would enable me to maintain a prayerful attitude, even in the "easy" times.

5. That the entire team would be surrounded by God's angels that that the power and protection of His blood would keep us safe and protected from Satan.

6. That our prayers support would be strongly reminded to pray for us and for God's power to be at work through and in us.

7. Pray for the Irish people that we come in contact with and all those along the way to and from Ireland...that God would give us boldness and love in sharing about Him.

8. Pray for "divine appointments" and sensitivity to God's leading among all the team members.

9. Pray for God to prepare our team leader and his family for the trip. Ask that God would enable him to be a powerful model of Christ's love and that God would give him great wisdom and love in leading and teaching.


Thank you for joining with that which God is going to do both in Ireland and in the hearts of the team members.

Ireland Itinerary

Ireland Itinerary
IRELAND 2005

June 18-July 4 Staff Training Camp

June 25-July 4 Student Training Camp

July 4 Flight to London

July 5 Flight to Ireland

July 5-25 Ireland

July 25 Flight to London

July 25-30 Debriefing in London

July 30 Return

If you would like to send me mail, please contact either my family (you should have that contact info) or email me on here and I'll try to get the addresses to you. It takes two to three weeks for mail to arrives, so plan accordingly.