On the Road

Katy and I want to be transparent and keep you informed. As members of our prayer and support team, we want you to know what you're giving to and specific ways you can pray for us. To that end, here is a quick update on our road to Ireland.

You may or may not be familiar with how itineration works for Assemblies of God missionaries. It takes a year to a year and a half for most missionaries in the A/G to become fully funded and get to the mission field. We have a few advantages. We are well connected to pastors in OK, and we already have a solid support base. There are disadvantages such as the state of the economy. We are praying that God would maximize our advantages and overcome our disadvantages helping us to get to our mission field with less than a year of itineration.

Status:

Monthly budget - we are at 40%

• Thanks to you longtime supporters who are continuing with us. You make up the 40% we currently have coming in.
• This month begins a long stretch of church services and meetings to raise our cash budget.

Cash budget - we are at 1% (budget is $50,000 - covers ministry expenses for 3 years)

• This month begins our long stretch of church services and pastor meetings to raise our cash budget.

Morale - Katy and I are encouraged and determined.

• There are moments I refer to as I.D.S. (Itineration Distress Syndrome). Symptoms are delusions of  loneliness, anxiety, fear, craving for coffee, and occasional sobbing fits. I joke but itineration can be very difficult and is not for the faint of heart. These moments hit hard but God is always there to lift us up and remind us that where He guides He provides.
• Thank you for your prayers and support. We are constantly reminded that God has provided an amazing team to get us to Ireland.

Bottom line:

At this point we are estimating our departure for Ireland will be November or December of 2011. We are fervently praying to leave in November 2011. Thank you for your prayers and support. To see specific ways to pray for Katy and I click here. We are on the road to Ireland, but we are not traveling alone. You travel with us with your prayers and support. Thank you so much. It is a great blessing and comfort to know you are on our team.

If you are not currently on our prayer and support team but would like to be, click here.

Friends in Low Places

The other day I helped a friend learn a song on guitar. It was the Garth Brooks classic, "Friends In Low Places." Gotta say, it was a good time. I thought about this later and a few thoughts came to mind.

Every pastor out there has read a book or implemented a principle by a non-Christian businessman. Almost anyone would regard this pastor as "wise" for doing so. Why? Because this pastor is learning from someone who has wisdom and experience to share that will benefit at least a part of the pastor's role.

I made a statement the other day to a group of university students involved in a campus ministry worship team. I was encouraging them to look far and wide for music to learn from to increase there creativity. I challenged them, "You are all enrolled in a secular university in which you attend classes taught by predominantly non-Christian professors. If you believe you have nothing to learn from secular musicians, then you must believe that you have nothing to learn from your professors in college."

My point is this. There are people God places in our lives who are there to teach us things. We can learn from ANYONE. Whether it's a Garth Brooks YouTube video, a book by a successful businessman, a song written by a secular band, or a member of your ministry, there is something to learn. Don't just focus on the greatest people in your field, department, or movement. Remember your friends in low places. (sorry) They have experiences and wisdom too, even though they may not have achieved as much of what our culture and society label as success.

It's cheesy, but you can learn a bit of wisdom from his song. Honestly, you could never become the legend that Garth Brooks has become without learning from anybody and everybody God puts in your path. Maintain an attitude of learning.

The moment we realize we have nothing to learn from someone is the exact same moment we reach the height of our stupidity.

Have you ever learned something huge from an unassuming person or situation?

Why Do We Do What We Do?

This is Emmanuel. He is from Malaysia and was our very first international lifegroup leader when we were pastors with OU Chi Alpha.

Emmanuel grew up in a Christian home. He came to The University of Oklahoma just to get a degree, but God began speaking to him about reaching university students for Jesus. He saw the need to reach the students around him and decided to become a lifegroup leader.

When someone is placed in leadership in Chi Alpha, they are given a very special, personalized Bible: a Fire Bible. All leaders (old and new) gather together to celebrate a great year, say goodbye to graduating leaders, and commission new leaders. When it came time for the leaders to share encouraging words with each other, we heard Emmanuel clear his throat as if he was about to speak.

He quietly said, "I prayed yesterday that God would give me an NIV bible. I only have a King James Version and it's hard for me to understand." Tears began to well up in his eyes, and he continued with a broken voice. "Now I have a bible I can use to reach students in my life. Chi Alpha has been such a blessing to me."

In that moment, I felt tears coming down my cheeks as I realized what God had done in the life of this shy, unassuming, meek student from Malaysia.

We need students like Emmanuel to graduate from college and go into the marketplace with that kind of passion for the Word of God and that kind of commitment to reach the people God places around him.

When Emmanuel shared in my living room about how we answered his prayer by giving him a bible, I knew exactly why I do what I do. I hope this story inspires you to know why you do what you do. Thanks to those of you who financially and prayerfully support Katy and I. It matters to God.

Why do you do what you do? 

Have you had moments of realization like this in your life?