Week 3, Day 3

Today's section really hit home for me (Regarding some of my students). The last few days have been filled with EVERY obstacle you could think of. Students have been dealing with issues of School, money, family, friends, self doubt, losing motivation, second guessing their decisions. It has all been building up & we have been getting the calls & e-mails coming at us from every angle.

My first response to every single situation is/was.. BREATH.. Just breath. Then I remind them of Psalm 46:10

"Be still, and know that I am God.

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth!"

There is peace in knowing God has it all ordained & is prepared to use us. It is exciting to see how he will use us.

I'm ready, are you???

Week 3, Day 2

I call this point of preparing for our trip: "The Hump."  When we first announced that we were going to Guatemala people were wow'd and excited about Guatemala.  It was exotic and fun.  Sure, we'd have to work to get there and work to be ready, but... Wow.  Now, we have been fundraising... and fundraising... and fundraising... and working.  I'll admit it.  Fundraising is generally not fun or how I'd like to spend my time.  So, it's hard for us to remain focused and keep perspective when we are still 4-5 weeks out from the trip.  We can't let the difficult prep work discourage us or allow us to lose focus on what we are working toward.  Also, that's why its important that the preparations we do for the trip are really an outflow of our lives and relationship with God.  Reading the daily devotional should just be something we do consistently, whether we are going to Guatemala or not.  The goal is that what we do in and before Guatemala is just part of our lifestyle and daily walk with God. So, as the book challenges us, have a not gonna quit faith. 

Week 3, Day 1

From the Week 3 introduction:

Jesus wants you to trust Him without seeing the big picture.

Boom. Read that quote again.  One more time.  This is so tough to do sometimes.  I want to see the whole picture and all the details, but God knows I can't handle that much info.  He gives me enough to be productive and do what I need to do.  

This leads us into today's devotional about focus.  Kim P. Davis, the author, asks us some great questions about what we are willing to let go of.  I hope we each take a moment to look at our own hearts and see where we stand and what we are ready to do.  Each of us have to be willing to sacrifice something for the trip.  It could be as simple as time and effort but it may be something of a greater nature.  

Also, Kim references Let the Nations Be Glad by John Piper.  I strongly recommend this book and encourage you to pick it up... after you finishing this book of course. 

Week 2, Day 5

I hope that you are encouraged after reading today's lesson.  Sometimes we feel helpless or useless.  We wonder what do we have to offer God.  How can He use us to impact a people in Guatemala?  Sometimes insecurity or guilt paralyzes us into thinking that we are of no value to God.  That is a very wrong perspective of ourselves and of our God.  God doesn't need our skills or abilities.  He doesn't need us to possess certain skills for us to be useful to Him.  God is more concerned about our hearts then our hands.  He wants us to be fully surrendered to Him rather then talented.  this should encourage us when we don't feel talented.  But it should also warn us and give us pause when we do feel talented.  I pray that I never feel so talented that I buy into the notion that "Ok, God, I'm good, let's go do great things together."  Yeah... that would be pretty stupid of me.  

Week 2, Day 4

This is a crucial topic today: Don't be surprised WHEN Satan attacks you... not if, but when.  If you didn't read it well, stop and go read it again.

Back?  Read it again?  Good.  Welcome back.  The truth is that we have a real enemy who wants to destroy your life and your trip.  You have to be aware and expecting it.  An awareness doesn't mean that you won't have problems but it will change your perspective of the situation.  A football team prepares and expects their opponent to attack.  A Quarterback is expecting the opposing team's defense to try and attack him.  He makes plans and preparations to prevent them from hitting him.  He surrounds himself with people to protect him and he adjusts his plans so that he's not hit.  We have to do likewise with our walk with God.  We have to surround ourself with people to protect and encourage us.  We have to plan and prepare for Satan to attack us.  Look at the their areas that you are weak in and adjust.  If you struggle with an issue, put in a plan to prevent you from falling in that area.  I read a great blog post once about roof bolts and how that would have protected King David.  Check it out.

Week 2, Day 3

What helped you make a decision to get involved in missions?  Sometimes we make the decision based on our parents' desire, the location is cool or the trip just sounds fun.  Those are dangerous reasons.  Those reasons won't sustain you when you hit a hard time preparing or during the trip.  I also like how the author reminds us of the frailty of our feelings.  I have heard the following quote but don't know who it is from:

"Emotions are the most shallow part of our nature, and salvation is the deepest work of God.  He does not do the deepest work in the most shallow part."

It is important for us not to make decisions based on our feelings.  This includes going and not-going on trips.  Sometimes we want to bail on a trip when we are frustrated or tired.  It is crucial to keep our emotions in check.

Week 2, Day 2

It's important as we work through this book that we look at our own lives.  We need to take the questions serious and personal.  A mark of maturity in ones faith is the ability to think critically about your spiritual growth.  We have to pay attention to what we need to cultivate or cut out. Dr. McQuilkin, cited by the author, lists several reasons on why Christians aren't involved in missions.  I think we each need to look at these reasons and see if we suffer from one of them...

1. We don't care.

2. We don't understand.

3. We think there must be some other way.

4. Our prayer is peripheral.

5. Someone isn't listening.

How about you?  Are you guilty of one of these?

Week 2- Day 1

I hope that you were consistent in week 1.  If not, week 2 is your chance to really buckle down and experience what God has for you on this journey.  In the introduction to the week, we are given a cool picture of Isaiah:

Isaiah was called by God to be a messenger.  He got excited when God asked, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Isaiah shouted, "Here I am. Sned me!" (Isa 6:8).  You easily get the picture of Isaiah saying, "Pick me! Pick me!

This is a neat image.  Not only that God chooses us but the excitement that we feel towards the trip. Day 1 of week 2 talks about motivation and why we want to go on the trip.  This is something that I really have to wrestle with as a leader.  It comes into play when choosing a trip.  I often have multiple opportunities and lcoations to choose from.  The need is so great and there are so many good opportunities out there.  I have to struggle to seperate what I think is a "cool" trip and where I think God is calling us to serve.  This involves  a lot of gut check and prayer.  I believe that when we serve God out of pure motives, He will bless and have His hand the ministry.  This day reminds me of a quote I heard: "The right thing done the wrong way is the wrong thing."  Interesting. 

Week 1- Day 5

Answered Prayers... Before I even read a word of the body of this day's devotional, the headline grabbed me: "Amazing Results of Prayer."  We have seen God do some amazing things in our midst as we prepare for this trip.  We have seen God provide money.  We have seen God work out "impossible" situations.  We have seen God do some amazing things.  I think it is important to not lose sight of that.  A trip shouldn't be a one-time experience.  It is a lifestyle change.  I am preparing and changing the way I live before, during and after the trip.  Sometimes we get so focused on preparing for a trip that we forget about the amazing things that God does before the trip to get us there.  Journal your answered prayers.  Share them here.  But, ultimately don't make light of God's pre-trip work of answering prayers.  

Week 1- Day 4

I was so, so glad when I saw today's material.  We have done this with our Prayer Covenant Team. I am excited to know how many people are praying for us.  Dr. Jerry Falwell used to say, "Nothing of eternal significance is ever accomplished apart from prayer."  These prayer covenant teams are so important.  I am praying that our students buy into that and fully believe that these teams are the lifeline to a great trip.  When we do that, then we will invest in the team, communicate our requests to the team and really make prayer a priority for our trip.  

This book motivates us to get prayer support because we have a real enemy who really wants to destroy our trip and our lives.  It's not a game and prayer is the key. 

I encourage each person going on our Guatemala trip to utilize the points in Week 1, Day 4 as a guide for contacting your prayer team. Let's get people praying for us!

Week 1- Day 3

Honestly, prayer walking was something that I was skeptical about when I first heard about it. Not that I didn't believe in the power of prayer, but it goes back to wanting to see tangible results immediately.  I like how Kim Davis defines prayer-walking: "It 's praying purposely and on-site for specific people." Prayer-walking is great because it allows us to be specific if we are prayer-walking an area for which we are praying.  It's also great because it can help keep us focused.  We see things as we walk and that brings to our mind things to pray for.  It is also a great picture of how we are supposed to be interacting/walking with God through out the day.  Question 1 in the Apply It section is probing... What would your life look like if you were walking with God in the way described in Genesis 5:21-24 and Genesis 6:7-9. 

Week 1- Day 2

The Lord’s prayer is a great example and outline for prayer.  I have taught and used the ACTS model before.  I think the key is staying focused during times of prayer.  A lot of times we think that prayer has to be done with our eyes closed and quietly.  Personally, I have a had time staying on task that way.  I find it useful to pray with an outline or a list of prayer requests in front of me.  When I find my mind-wandering, I refer back to the list to stay focused.  Plus, I keep a pen/pencil handy because sometimes God will bring something to my mind that I need to write down.  Sometimes I am reminded of other prayer needs or sometimes I am reminded of Bible verses that are relevant to the situation.  

Week 1- Day 1

    I am so excited that you have chosen to embark on this 6 week challenge to change the world.  My prayer is that each one of you is consistent in your study and hearing from God.  Day 1’s theme draws us to the reality that our prayers really can change the world.  We sometimes lose sight of that because we don’t see prayer.  I am a very tangible measureable person.  If I spend an hour working in my garage then I want to see an hour’s worth of difference.  Prayer is different.  Sometimes I can sit down and pray in my living room, get-up and… the room is still a mess.  No one has called me to thank me for that difference I just made.  Prayer really is living by faith. 

   I like how Isaiah 65:24 is brought to our attention.  I read that and am reminded of times when my wife and I were dating.  She worked as a bank teller and then would go home.  I remember watching the clock so that I could call her.  This verse implies that God is excited and anticipating hearing from us.  It is humbling to think that the God of the Universe not only will hear from me, but He wants to hear from me.

E-Newsletters

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Week 1

Today is Sunday, March 17th.  This begins week 1 in your books.  If you don't have a book, see Mike or Frank.  As we post our thoughts and reflections to how the book is impacting us, feel free to add your thoughts.