Last week's theme was All for One, which meant the focus was on building our project community to make it stronger and more unified. This involved a confusing week of the staff not telling us anything! We had to find out everything from students and also couldn't use facebook or texting to communicate details about events that were going on. Although at times confusing, this week was a great reminder of how important it is to be relational and intentional with people. We ended the week last Saturday with playing a game of softball; staff versus students. The staff has won for the past fifteen years, but we came in close with only a four run loss! The game was a bit quarky, though, in that we first approached the diamond and were sent back and told to come back more unified. The staff would also change the rules as we went based on things that we did well and poorly during the week. We played a super fun, entertaining game of softball! I even hit the ball!
The past week's theme has been on having a heart for the nations. We kicked off the week during our Sunday meeting by learning about the desperate need for Christ around the world. For example, a country like Argentina has 180 people for every Christian. In many countries there are millions of people and absolutely no Christians at all. My heart broke for the unreached. I realized, looking at my own heart, that so much of the time I live my life like I don't care about the gospel. I realized that thinking about these things shouldn't be an occasional time of emotional experience; I need to change my perspective. And by perspective I mean that I need to see life as it truly is; short and just not about myself. As nice as it is to enjoy my life and desire success, that's not why I'm here. We have, what, 70, 80, 90 years on earth? And then eternity. Eternity! This word just doesn't seem to sink in how I want it to. If it did I don't think I'd question so much IF I should share based on my own comfort or desire, because I would be asking "how could I NOT be sharing right now?" How can we not be moved toward action when facing a world filled with lost and dying people? My moment of discomfort or nervousness is worth a person being able to spend forever with Jesus.
This was my realization on Sunday. Fast forward 24 hours and my friend Andrea and I are on the beach playing guitar together. A guy and a girl soon pass by and ask us to play them a song, so Andrea plays them one she wrote. They thanked us and kept on their way. About ten minutes later they stopped by again and began talking with us. Taylor was going to be a junior in high school and Matt was 17 but going into the Marines. We began talking with them and told them about what we are doing here this summer. Micah (from our project) also walked up a few minutes later and joined in the conversation. Matt asked me what my favorite Bible verse is and then told me his. Micah then asked Matt, "So have you had much spiritual background?" Matt replied "Yeah, I've grown up in church so I've definitely heard a lot of it. I have no idea what happens after people die and we get to the gates of heaven, though. What do you think happens?" Needless to say, we went on to share the enitre gospel with the two, and they were extremely responsive and receptive! They are hopefully going to come to the weekly meeting tomorrow as well. I thought it was amazing how God really doesn't need us; He brought Matt and Taylor to us twice and had them initiate a spiritual conversation. God allows us to be his hands and feet and mouth because He loves us.
One last story. Today I went out sharing with my discipler, Mandy (who is an incredible and beautiful lady, by the way!). We approached a group of five and got to share the gospel with them! We also talked with another group of three girls. They were very sweet and receptive; one was agnostic and they others very curious. We gave them the survey and eventually got to share the gospel with them as well! At the end I asked them if they desired to know God personally, to which one of the girls said, "Yes! 100%!" I was honored to pray with her as she invited Jesus in to her life.
A song by Leeland reminds me of this week:
This is an emergency! There are tears from the saints for the lost and unsaved; we're crying for them come back home. And all your children will stretch out their hands and pick up the crippled man.
Father, we will lead them home.
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