Rom 10:13 For everyone, "whoever may call on the name of the Lord will be saved." Rom 10:14 How then may they call on One into whom they have not believed? And how may they believe One of whom they have not heard? And how may they hear without preaching? Rom 10:15 And how may they preach if they are not sent? Even as it has been written, "How beautiful" "the feet of those preaching the gospel of peace, of those preaching the gospel of good things." Isa. 52:7
It is high time I gave a missions update. I have to say that I am unsure now where my calling lies. I just know God has given me a heart to serve people. I know I had been saying for 2 years that it must be world missions but my trip last summer to Chicago (with Liberty's Xtreme Impact and a dozen youth) opened my eyes to a bigger world than I had imagined. That was the enormous need in my own backyard. Here I was in a city in my own country surrounded by prostitutes (some of them seeming to be teenagers), men women and teenagers strung out on drugs, and tons of gang members. Never had I seen the need for the gospel so clearly and yet I was in my own land. These gangs were an unreached people group right in my own country. Seeing such a desperate need took away all fears for me and my team members as we talked to people that the world might see as dangerous. My team and I learned of new ways of doing ministry such as through servant hood. We would clean up neighborhood (careful to avoid the countless drug syringes on the streets) and cleaned peoples yards (w owner's permission) so we could talk to the people and pray w them. Not everyone wants to hear the gospel message but much to my amazement not one person we talked to refused prayer. As the prayers were heard tears fell and barriers broken as we prayed to the Lord on people's behalf. Perhaps the neatest part of the trip for me and my team was that God used us when a local gang had a member murdered. They asked the church we were ministering alongside, New Hope Bible Church, to send out a group to pray with them. Our team went alongside a few members of the church. We were standing w drug dealers and possibly murderers and yet the presence of the Spirit was all around us. I was amazed at how much the high schoolers prayers mirrored the gospel and the message of Gods love. You could tell those ganger members were touched and greatly appreciated it; and a few of them even prayer with us. Another highlight was being a part of the carnival that New Hope puts on twice a year. It is in a CVS parking lot by the poorest neighborhood and is free to the public so thousands come and here the gospel through testimony and music. I was part of the prayer tent and was able to share my faith and pray with several women. Halfway through the day I as asked to go elsewhere to help serve food. I was upset at first to leave the duties of the prayer team, but a passage from Matthew quickly came to mind in which Christ said whatever you do to the least of these you do to me. I was reminded that we can more easily can reach the spiritual needs of the people if we fill their physical needs so the remainder of the day I served food and tried to smile and say something nice to each person. It was an exhausting day in which we did not stop however the team all felt the joy of a job well done for His kingdom. We continued to do follow-up ministry in the neighborhood after the festival by cleaning and talking to people. We visited homes and talked to many people who could not go pass their front gates cause they were on house arrest. Many of them had gotten out of jail and were unable to find jobs w their background so they resorted back to their old lifestyles and were once again in trouble. I really have a vision to help people like this. I am not sure if it shall unfold to something more but I was given a vision or dream to possibly start my own faith based halfway house ministry someday. It is because I believe every person needs a second chance. A chance for hope. When I looked a those people I saw eyes that were dull and hopeless. I pray God might allow me to bring hope and peace to those who feel they have failed. We have all fallen short of the glory of God, but we who know Christ know Hope does not disappoint/or put us to shame because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5). I desire to pour that same hope into the lives of others. I honestly can not say whether God is leading me away from global missions to stateside ministry. My heart still hurts when I hear of those who have not heard far away, but now my heart hurts too for the many around me who are dying spiritually. I know I am to share the good news wherever the good Lord places me and right now that is in Charleston. I pray for opportunities to reach out more to those around me and some opportunities have come though my local neighborhood church, Grace Alliance. I am currently praying about short term mission plans for next summer (especially Taiwan with the Christian Missionary Alliance). This summer of 2010 was the first summer in almost 10 years that I did not feel led to go anywhere. I spent my last summer at CSU and worked. It was the first summer while working at CSU that I was able to be there for the entire run of Mission Fuge, a camp where 100s of teens come to serve the Charleston community. These kids saw a need in my own backyard too. I am also applying for an internship with Prison Fellowship. It is my 3rd time applying but perhaps they will finally see my heart is better than my grades were :). That's about it for now, but you can pray God gives me wisdom as I pray about plans for the future. I am still 3 credits shy of my bachelors degree (and yet 9 credits into my Masters program thanks to Liberty University). Math has been a real trial to me. May I finally overcome it in time to graduate in June. Feel free to send me a line my friends. Would love to hear what God is doing in your lives!
Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right, Come, the blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. Mat 25:35 For I hungered, and you gave Me food to eat; I thirsted, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you took Me in; Mat 25:36 naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me. Mat 25:37 Then the righteous will answer, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry, and fed You; or thirsting, and gave You drink? Mat 25:38 And when did we see You a stranger, and took You in; or naked, and clothed You? Mat 25:39 And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and came to You? Mat 25:40 And answering, the King will say to them, Truly I say to you, In so far as you did it to one of these, the least of My brothers, you did it to Me.
For more info on Ministries mentioned:
http://www.prisonfellowship.org/prison-fellowship-home
http://www.cmalliance.org/ministries/short-term
http://www.gracealliance-church.org/index.htm
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