I am in a season of preparation and equipment scavenging. As September gets closer, I grow even more excited about what the Lord has in store. My life is full of work, sleep, deepening faith, and playing guitar for hours. People keep asking where we’ll be, and what we’re doing… and I have yet to configure an accurate response. What am I excited about? What do I think the Lord is going to do? Well, I reached out to my team in an attempt to paint an accurate picture.
In reality, I have no idea what God has in store. I know the little details and the countries we will be in. (Guatemala, Cambodia, Eswatini, and South Africa). I have an understanding of the basics of what we’ll be doing. (Serving God, loving people, offering our talents, dying to ourselves, and ministering daily). We’ll be following God, and trusting His plan for us as a group. (Growing faith individually, and relying on God regardless of circumstances).
We have a squad of almost 45 people, and I am overjoyed at the idea of doing life with them. So without further ado, here is a list of things they shared and are excited about doing on this trip :
- Traveling –
- Learning and experiencing other cultures.
- Getting to fulfill the Great Commission firsthand.
- Going wherever God leads.
- Engaging in conversation with the locals, diving into the darkest areas of life, and sharing God’s light. Being excited to wash the feet of our friends, and wash dishes after meals.
- Growth –
- Stepping outside of our comfort zones and pursuing our relationships with Jesus.
- Deepening in maturity and perspective.
- Desiring to be comfortable with the uncomfortable.
- Community –
- Getting to pour out love to the people we meet, serving those who need it most.
- Being surrounded by people who love God. Having a connection with a group of people. Especially those that are in the same stage of life. Believers who are taking steps in pursuit of the kingdom.
- Pouring into those around us who have similar calls, and getting to be a part of a family, like the disciples were to Jesus.
- Creating a family that loves each other and serves Christ without fear.
- Discipleship –
- Being excited to see people worship with raw emotions and genuine hearts. In other languages, and watching the Spirit move.
- Glorifying the Lord and seeing Him move in ways we can’t imagine yet.
- Getting to see discipleship in its purest form.
- And here are a few of the emotions we’ve been feeling –
- Joy and peace in knowing where the Lord wants us.
- Blessed with the privilege of jumping right into what the Lord is asking us to do.
- Expecting the Lord to show up, with confidence that He will provide no matter the situation or the circumstance.
As we know, prayer is our most powerful tool. So here are some of the current prayer requests from my team, if you feel called to pray for us: first, that we would all get financially funded, and that we would be able to afford the equipment necessary for us over this next year. Prayers against fear, as it’s been a common thread throughout many of our conversations. Often I can see that we are feeling overwhelmed or nervous at the idea of being gone for so long. Especially since we are trying to get everything ready. And lastly, prayers for intentionality. We want hearts of obedience and boldness, and minds focused on God. I am praying that this is a year of transformation and fellowship.
At the core, the biggest thing I’ve gleaned from asking my team was our deep desire to serve, love, and have a Christian community. There is a strong sense of the Lord’s calling to missions, a common thread that has led us all to where we are, and I am so grateful. These are our desires, and this trip is an act of submission to the Father. No matter how uncomfortable, exhausting, or physically taxing. If He asks, we desire to answer Him, especially if it means facing fears and tearing off the enemy’s grasp. I hope this paints a picture of my team as a group of passionate individuals. The Lord is providing, and we are overwhelmed by His goodness.
