Prayer for Secluded Expeditions

Have you ever worked on an oil rig in the ocean?  How about working at research station in Antarctica?  What about working at a small lodge so secluded that guests only get there by hiking on trails through mountains without roads?

Sunday mornings find churches praying about many things.  But who ever prays for people who are seperated from society by their employment? 

Many of these situations mean working in small groups with a minimal degree of connection to the outside world (although the internet is changing that).  Some of the people (but probably not all) working these jobs want to be away from society.  They have been hurt, laughed at, scolded.  They feel more free by their seperation.  But seperation never really fixes problems.  It just delays the issues from being dealt with.

Some of these groups may have no representation of Christ, or very little. 

Another concern is that being in a small group can be both rewarding and challenging.  Sometimes it makes negative influences or fights even worse because you can't get away from each other. 

Pray that Christ would express His grace and love to these groups.  Pray that the leaders of these expeditions and workers would have wisdom to handle difficult situations.

Preparing for Slovakia!

I am excited to announce that I have been accepted for attendance at this years Discipleship Training School with YWAM Slovakia.

Youth with a Mission is a HUGE international missions organization that holds these schools all over the world.  This is a chance to study the Bible and grow in my relationship with Christ and to explore the different aspects of working in ministry.

The first and third phases will be in Slovakia, a central European country surrounded by Ukraine, Hungary, Austria, and others.  In these phases we will have bilingual classes with varying speakers, small group discussions, and outreach opportunities.   

During the second phase we will travel in teams to a different country to be more fully involved in outreach. 

During the next 2 months I have a lot of fundraising and preparation to do.  Please keep this in prayer!

Faithful with a Price

This summer I am trying to help young adults and college students put prayer in just a little higher priority.  The best way I can do that is to suggest people to pray for and issues to pray about.  Can you join us in making this a summer of prayer?

I have a friend who is in Iraq right now.  He is in the Army and serves with the Chaplains program (although he is not a full fledged chaplain).  This is his second tour in Iraq and I remember him telling me about his first.

The thing that stuck out to me the most from that conversation was that a huge portion of the marriages represented in the groups he was with broke up during that time.  I want to say that it was 80% of the marriages that broke up (but I could be wrong).

So, this summer.  Every now and then, are you willing to pray for the marriages of our nations defenders?  Or of our nations leaders? 

What is your summer about?

Hey guys.

Sorry I haven't been on much lately.  I need to get back into the swing of things.

Well, my application to YWAM Slovakia is finally completed.  Now I wait.  I just mailed in the medical exam portoin which will take a while to get all the way to Slovakia from Michigan. 

While I'm waiting, I get to work on getting my new prayer group started on Tuesday nights.  It will be interesting if it pulls together.  Could you imagine if a lot of young adults and college students devoted this summer to being a summer of prayer?  Praying for groups of people they haven't prayed for before.  Praying for each other.  Praying for their communities.  What could happen if the church were to start praying for groups of people that kind of get ignored by the church?  Or if we started praying specifically for the marriages of our nations military? 

What are you doing with your summer?

If Movies could be Prophetic...

Have you seen the movie Cloverfield?  How about Back to the Future 2?  Are these movies really as unrelated as you are going to tell me?

In Back to the Future 2, there is surprise at the Cubs winning the series in the year 2004.  In that very year in real life, they came extremely close to winning it.  Stopped by a fan, believe it or not.  I'm not even a sports fan by any means and I know about this.  It was a big deal.  Correct me if I'm wrong about it.

At the end of Cloverfield, the main character gives the date and time.  "It is 6:45AM on Saturday, May 23rd."  He also states that it had been 7 hours since something had attacked New York City.

This Saturday is May 23.  I don't think J.J. Abrams meant for Cloverfield to be prophetic and I doubt that it will be, but I have to ask...Where will you be Friday night?