Laura Johnston The Inside Out - The World Race 2008

Thailand a year later

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hey Everyone!

Merry Christmas! I hope the season is a happy occasion for you this year.

I know it has been a little longer than a year since I have been in Thailand and keeping you informed on what is happening there. The situation hasn't greatly improved, with thousands of girls still caught in the sex trade with little hope of escaping. I have a couple of stories for you from the racers who are currently in Thailand. One of their squad leaders is my friend Andrea Wendel who was one of my squad mates. One of the stories has a happy ending, and another of the stories is still waiting for their ending. Please take time this holiday, and throughout the year, to think and pray for these girls, and all of the future racers who have their hearts broken by Thailand.

Never the Right Time to Say Goodbye

Lola

Once again I wish you all the merriest of Christmases.

For more reading about Thailand, check this out and this.

In Need of Need

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I'm tired of living the mundane. I lived the World Race last year, and this year I have accomplished nothing. I have held various jobs, even moved across the country for a job. I have bought a car, live in my own place and I'm doing the things I'm "supposed" to do. I tried to do things with missions, but no doors were opening, and so I thought maybe it wasn't the time for me. I'm not sure what happened, but I now know this- the mundane, the regular, is not for me.

I have always said I'm not cut out for a 9-5 job. I'm not cut out for a routine and what most see as "normalcy". I want more for my life, I have tasted more in my life, and I'm just not satisfied without it. What I have realized is that with this "regular" life, it's just too difficult to have a relationship with God. I understand why the poor and hungry of the world have such a greater passion for God than most do here in North America. They NEED God. God is the only way they will survive. Essentially, I can survive here in North America without God. I'm tired of merely surviving. I want to LIVE! I need to go back to the nations- not just to spread the kingdom, but for myself! I am in NEED of NEEDING God.

Last year on the race there were some difficult times, yet I was always able to turn to God, and be drawn in. I lived in a community that wouldn't leave me behind. I have been wondering why, although it was difficult, was I still able to rely on God, yet here, when I have plenty of time, and I have a more comfortable life has it become so much more of a chore to be in relationship with God? I believe it is because I don't feel the same sense of urgency for Him. I want to be in need of God again. My soul longs for the community I still see happening at AIM, and with various parts of my squad. I desire to return to the closeness God and I had last year, and I don't think that can happen here. I still love God, still trust God for all of His promises, and I know that in the right time He will bring me from this season into a new one. I am trying to look for the lesson in this- maybe I am learning to be content wherever I am, and maybe my lesson is just discovering the NEED.

Isaiah 26:3-4

You Lord give true peace to those who depend on you, because they trust you.

So trust the Lord always, because He is our Rock forever.

Legs Growing

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So, I'm not one who is really able to post videos. But you really should click this link and watch the video because you can LITERALLY see legs growing. Seriously.

Be Incredible!

Tue, 9 Jun 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I was watching a movie on TV the other day- something I rarely do because I would rather watch movies without commercials- but anyway, it was actually kind of interesting. It was called the Stork Derby, and apparently it was based on a true story. Look it up sometime. So anyway, I was watching this movie and there was one particularly interesting line. There was a guy and he had just proposed to the main character. She had turned him down because she was too busy in her activist type newspaper reporting, she asked him why he wanted to change everything. He said because Im normal. I dont live an incredible life doing incredible things. And neither do you.

Sometimes I wonder if people tell others that its ok that you dont do overseas missions, because your workplace can be your mission field as an excuse to lead a normal life. I dont believe God calls everyone to do overseas missions, because the fact is that we DO need people to stay here because God is needed just as badly, if not more, right here in North America. BUT just because you are called to your hometown doesnt mean you arent called to have an extraordinary life. If your workplace is your mission field then MAKE IT YOUR MISSION FIELD! Be intentional in your conversations with your coworkers. Live to the highest moral standard. Do things honestly, promptly, and joyfully. Invite your coworkers to special events at church. Pray for your coworkers and your company!

Im going to include a little story here. When we were in South Africa last year a few of us went out to do some Marketplace ministry a couple of times (Terri Cash actually stayed on to do that and is STILL THERE). Basically we went to a business and prayed with the owners and workers for their personal lives, and for the business to have Gods favour- that things would go smoothly and increased profits. Well I tried this a couple of months ago at a business I worked at. I started praying that our sales would increase and IMMEDIATELY the sales went WAY up. Every day I prayed our sales would be twice as much as they had been. If I stopped praying, then our day would just not go very well. Praying for your company works! I told my boss that I was praying and thats why our sales were going up and he thought that was great!

So anyway, I appreciate people who are called to be in North America. Its a tough field. Just dont let that become your excuse to slip into the comfortable. Live extraordinarily! Dont let anyone tell you that youre life isnt incredible. Be incredible! Be ACTIVE in your church, dont warm a pew. Give the Holy Spirit TIME to speak and work through you. Be INTENTIONAL in who you speak to, and how you speak to them. If this is your mission field, then make it a mission field. We are all in this spiritual battle, so dont sit on the sidelines, participate and pray.

It's always nice to be a part of something... why not JOIN THE MOVEMENT

Mon, 4 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Matt Snyder is a really awesome guy. He is living

in Michigan trying to activate people to start living

in the kingdom! Have you ever wanted to be a part

of something? Wanted to belong somewhere?

Well Matt has a blog with tips on how you can

become part of the movement (and he also has

prizes available, like Starbucks cards...).

So check it out here!

Big Things

Fri, 1 May 2009 00:00:00 GMT

What is your deepest desire in the very depths of your heart? If you could do, or see, or be ANYTHING what would you want? My mom and I play a game, every time we see a lottery commercial on T.V. What would you do with the grand prize (be it one million, 42 million or a million dollars a year for life)? We both start to dream big dreams about homes, cars, travelling and philanthropy. While she dreams of a log home by a lake filled with grandchildren, I dream of fluttering all around the world holding orphans, and encouraging abused women (as well as seeing a few world wonders along the way). While both of our minds wander to very different places, both are big dreams. God has given us different desires for what we would do if we had all the money in the world. So what are your big dreams?

God has dreamed some pretty big dreams for your life. He is the author of all amazing things. I know some pretty incredible people, who once they started dreaming God's dreams, have seen some really huge things happen. I have even seen it in my own life. Let me tell you a bit about my story.

My whole life I had dreamed of seeing the world. I wanted to leave my little bubble, and go out and explore the world- see what there was to see, meet new people and never be tied down by anything. While this dream was never quite the same- at some points I was going to live in Africa and open a school, an orphanage, and hospital, and at other points I was going to be a hotel critic and try out all the best things in the world for free- my desire was always to go out into the world. Somewhere along the way though, I let my dreams die. I got sidetracked with life, and what I was "supposed" to be doing. After high school, I went to university, I got engaged, and began to settle into the idea of being married, and having a job to pay the bills. I had lost sight of the desires God had planted within me from a very young age.

Fortunately for me, God reawakened my spirit before things went too far. I was able to break off the engagement, and finish school with no responsibilities except to follow God's leading. Guess where He called me? He called me to live out my biggest dreams! I got to go into the nations and be a part of a community of believers from across North America, and travel with them all over the world. I fed the hungry, clothed the naked, and loved the unloved. I began to dream big, and dream God's big dreams for me again, and along the way I even got to see some Wonders of the World too.

I encourage you to keep following your dreams. Don't get distracted like I did. You have big dreams for a reason. God is the master of the universe, through Him nothing is impossible. Dream your biggest dreams, explore where you never dared exploring. God has a lot more in store for you than you can ever imagine. He even has big plans for you for where you are right now. What are your biggest dreams and goals to accomplish before you finish high school? Is it to see the salvation of your best friend? To start a soup kitchen in your community? To travel the world do God's work? Whatever it is, dream your big dreams and watch as God works in your life to make them happen.

To find out more about The World Race click here.

50 Day Challenge

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 GMT

How often do you do random acts of kindness? Do you notice others around you, or are you living in your own bubble? It doesn't take long to make a habit, so try this 50 day challenge and your whole world view could be changed.

If we all tried for 50 days to do one small act of kindness, the whole world would be a better place.

Do you jump?

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

You are standing on the edge. The bottom is a long way down. Do you jump? The ropes have all been tested. The owner assures you that he even lets his small children take the jump. You are promised over and over that it is safe. Do you trust it?

Jumping off of a cliff is similar to taking a leap of faith. God has given you promises in His word. He will catch you if you fall, He is going to provide for you, guide you, and bring good from every situation. He is never going to disappoint you. Do you trust Him?

Trusting God is more than simple faith. I was told that trust is the highest form of faith- that faith is having hope for something to happen, and trust is already having seen it happen. Trust in God doesn't happen overnight. It is a continual growth over a period of time. This past year I was fortunate enough to go on The World Race, a yearlong mission trip around the world, and all year long I was seeing God move, and my trust in Him was deepening. Each day is an opportunity for you to look and see how God is working in your life. Look and see how God is keeping his promises to you.

To view the rest of this article, with pictures, click here.

ie girl

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 GMT

ie girl is a group from Women's Alive especially for teenage

girls. If you are a teenage girl, or if you know one, then I

encourage you to check out their website. In February we

started a new zine (online magazine) for girls and we hope to

have as many readers as possible. New articles are always

being posted, and I am happy to say that I am one of the

contributors. ie is inspire excellence, and we hope to encourage

girls to become excellent in everything that they do, and to follow

God in all His plans for them. Check it out!

Grande Passion

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I have been home now from the World Race for almost 3 months. Coming off of the field isn't the easiest thing. At first I thought I was fine, that I didn't have much adjusting to do, but I have realized that it isn't the first few weeks that are difficult, at least for me. For me, the first month was fun- I saw lots of friends and family, celebrated Christmas and New Years. It was after that that I began to shut down. Everyone went back to their routines, leaving me to shuffle through my life on my own. No longer was I living with 27 people, no longer was I packing up every week or two. No longer was in a new and exciting place, and I wasn't being fulfilled with reaching out and helping others, and I stopped growing like I was used to.

I live in a small town with my parents, most of my friends live in other cities. There is no one at my church my age, and I was having a very difficult time being motivated to do anything. I got a small babysitting job for a few hours each day, but the majority of my time I sat on the couch doing nothing. I was BORED! I didn't have anything to do, I didn't have anyone to talk to, and I didn't know what to do with myself anymore. I have never felt so purposeless, I almost felt as if I were dying. This is such a change to how I felt on the race, the opposite of how I thought I should be doing, and I just kept slipping farther down. It's a slippery slope once you lose track.

I desperately needed some time with my good friends from university and of course my World Race family. I took a trip at the end of January and beginning of February to see just these people. I spent a few days in Windsor reconnecting with my university friends, and speaking at the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship there before heading to Michigan to see Tammy and then on to Port Huron to see all of the wonderful people who have moved there to be on World Race Staff. I was able to spend a few hours of time with Michael and Kathy Hindes, the directors of the World Race, and the coaches from my squad last year. They were able to talk some sense into me, help me to make a plan, encourage me and pray for me. They reminded me of who I had become, and helped me to see how I could live that out at home.

Since I have been back from my southern extravaganza (yes, to me, Michigan is south) I have really begun to feel more alive again. It was just the encouragement I needed. I have joined a college and career small group at another church nearby, and made a new friend there. I have 2 job interviews this week, and I am looking forward to some near future plans with AIM (I'll let you know more, when I know more). Things are looking up, and I am more excited about getting out of bed each day. Since I have been home God has been teaching me things again. It never ceases to amaze me how God will teach you, if you are listening.

God also has a sense of humour. After my month of suffocating in my own house God thought He would teach me about life. He thought that it would be the perfect time to give me a good Christian worldview, and teach me how to live my life passionately- no matter where I am. To many, this would me reaching beyond their comfort zones, to expanding their worldview to include the people of the world. For me, this means living out my Christian worldview IN my comfort zone, to the people of my town, and the people I have grown up with.

I have been learning about this from 3 different sources, all at the same time. It was when the subject kept coming up, and I was drawing connections between them that it clicked that MAYBE I should be learning something here. MAYBE God was trying to teach me something. Just maybe. In my small group we are going through the material The Truth Project by Focus on the Family. It is a 12 week DVD series for believers to be able to gain a Christian Worldview. So far we have had 2 lessons- what is truth, and philosophy and ethics- what is right and wrong. We are challenged to think about WHY we believe what we do, and how to live as though we really believe it.

I began reading a book the other day, The Gospel According to Starbucks. I am only a couple of chapters in, but I see where the main premise is going to take me throughout the chapters. It is demonstrating why holding to the Christian Worldview- living the life, not just stopping by church once a week, is vital to the continuation of Christianity. How is it that Starbucks does so well, yet churches struggle to keep people coming? Because Starbucks is a lifestyle, while Christians have lost the passion that Jesus came to give us.

The biggest realizations I have had have come through the beginning of reading the book of John. Right there in John 1:4 it says In Him there is life. God said to me through this that it doesn't matter where I am or what I am doing, I should always feel alive because it is Jesus that brings me life. The life can't be sucked out of me, as I had felt like, but I can only choose to stop tapping into the Life Source.

In John 4:14 it says the water I give will become a spring of water gushing up inside that person, giving eternal life. Jesus wants to fill us with the Holy Spirit. He says in John 10:10 that He came to bring life in its fullness. The Greek word here is zoe, passionate life. Jesus came to give us Grande Passion! He is the LIFE. When He is in you, there is no dying. There is no boredom, no purposelessness.

God is the God of LIFE! Everyday we can wake up and know that we are living. Anywhere you are- whether working 9-5, whether in a town of 1200, whether you are in the literal middle of nowhere in Bolivia, Mozambique, or Cambodia- you can be living a passionate, sold out life bringing kingdom to those around you. I encourage you to begin your life of Grande Passion today! Get connected to the Life Source and see where He may lead you.

My World Race Movie

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I really enjoyed the videos posted by Kim and Andi, and so I thought I would make a movie from my own perspective. You can see I really thought they chose a good song.

Creation Movie

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This year I saw a lot of amazing parts of creation. While I was in Swaziland I lived on Nisela Safaris and the song In Wonder by the Newsboys really captured my imagination while I sat silently watching the creation all around me. Take a moment to listen to the song, and wonder at God's amazing works.

Thanks to Mark and Gretchen, and anyone else, who took some of these great pictures.

10 Reasons to go on the World Race

Tue, 13 Jan 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There are many more reasons than 10 to go on the World Race... but Matt has put together 10 especially good ones to go!

Check it out! Think about it! Pray about it! GO!

This could be you!

Crazy Ridiculous Amazing Part 3: Asia

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I hope you have all read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series. I have been trying to give you all a summary of this past year. It's all a little much to think about at one time, so I have been taking a bit of time in between each blog. I am also using this time to make my super awesome scrapbooks too! Ok, so Asia was really awesome. Much more than I expected it to be. It was the continent I was least looking forward to, and ended out being my favourite.

New Delhi, India: We spent this month all together living in a house which regularly lost power, had no air conditioning when there was power, sleeping on beds that were harder than our Thermarests. This was August, the hottest month that India, the hottest country, has. We washed our clothes by hand, and with the humidity they never really dried right. This is not to complain, but to paint for you a picture of where I was as I began to deal with my inner turmoil of being held up by gunpoint. As for the ministries our squad split up to do different things. I was part of the "morning orphange crew" that went to paint the orphanage we worked with. The "afternoon orphanage crew" went to play with the kids who would then be home from school. There was a "leper colony crew" and a "burnese refugee" crew as well. We painted a large room blue, and wrote the fruits of the spirit in a border around the middle of the room. The children got to also put their handprints around the border.

God taught me: About His peace, and His protection and to TRUST Him. He taught me how to give my WHOLE heart to Him. He taught me more about free will and choice, about being vulnerable, that He uses all things for good, to pray for my enemies, and how to depend on God and on the body of believers around me. I had a lot of hard times, and hard lessons this month, but Michael likes me better this way.

Fun things this month: We had the opportunity to go and visit the Taj Mahal. We also had "Christmas in India" that brought us together as a family, and gave us something to occupy our evenings. We decorated the house, had a reading of "The night before Christmas", a door decorating contest and a gift exchange.

Phuket, Thailand: I went to Phuket with a small girls team of Gretchen, Sarah, Jenn, Rubie and I. We had a lot of fun there, and really fell in love with the ministry. We worked with SHE Ministries which is a business that is run by a British missionary couple, Mark and Sharon Biddell. They employ women to make jewellery who would otherwise have no alternative to prostitution. Being a Christian is not a requirement for the women to work there, but they are exposed to the Gospel through daily devotionals and Wednesday afternoon small group Bible Studies. I was able to teach the morning devo's for the time we were there, and I taught the women all of the books of the New Testament. 3 became Christians while we were there. During the evenings we would go out to the bars to build relationships with other women in hopes that they would decide to work for SHE.

God taught me: Who I am in Christ (finally I got around to starting to figure it out), the authority I have in Christ, how to use my giftings and how to wait on the Lord. This was what everyone else had been learning all along, but Thailand for me was a great big epiphany and all of a sudden something kind of clicked. It was a great month!

Fun things: Phuket is a beautiful island. I got to ride an elephant, go to a first class movie theater, and ride my first motorscooter. At our Thailand debrief I got to go parasailing.

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam: We did many things in Vietnam. I got to work with people from 3 days old to 90 years old. A lot of our ministry was in homes/centres/hospitals for children with disabilities. We held babies, and helped feed children. Many we just sat and played with. We went to colleges to speak English with students and invite them to our evening ministry at a local Christian coffee shop. One afternoon we went to help elderly women make jewellery to sell to raise money for the home they live in.

God taught me: To work for Him and not for others (Col. 3:23, 24b; 4:2, 3, 5) and that He will finish His work in me as I do His work (Phil. 1:6; Col. 4:17). I learned to learn and move on from mistakes not dwell on them, and how to love the unlovable.

Fun things: We visited the Presidential palace, the Vietnam War Museum and the Cu Chi Tunnels which is a system of tunnels built by local agricultural locals to live in during the Vietnam War.

Phnom Penh, Cambodia: Our ministry contacts were not ready for us when we arrived, due to holidays and other things, so we were only able to do about 1 week of ministry here. However, once we got going I was involved in a really awesome ministry. Each afternoon Nate, Jen, Rubie and I would go to different small group Bible studies. We went with a Pastor, who is affiliated with Bible League. We got to share with, encourage and pray for local Cambodian people, and have them do the same with us. It was a really great time, and different from other things we had been doing all year. Seeing where and how these people live is quite an eye opener as well. Although living in very poor conditions they are full of joy and faith in the Lord.

God taught me: He healed me from being sick! He taught me about being chosen, about materialism, resting in Him, and again about the roles of men and women. I continued learning about waiting and TRUSTING. I learned about pride and selfishness.

Fun things: We got to visit Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, one of the wonders of the world. We also held World Race Olympics to bring our squad together as it was our last month before the end of the race. At final debrief I won the Olympics MVP award, due to some very hilarious events during the games.

During our final debrief Andrew Shearman said a TON of wonderful things to us. What I took away from it the most is that WE WIN THIS THING! To read about it click here.

Overall this year has been so wonderful and fabulous. Yeah, there were some rough spots, and tough things, but let's face it, this was a whole year. Of course SOMETHING will go wrong. With the amount of things that went RIGHT (like getting out of Thailand 3 hours or so before the airport shut down), it's hard to look at the bad things and think they could spoil such a wonderful amazing crazy ridiculous year. Thanks for sharing my journey with me, and keep looking for more blogs that will keep you posted on the new ministry opportunities I will be participating in next!

Have a Merry Christmas!

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Crazy Ridiculous Amazing Part 2: Africa

Wed, 17 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

I have been reading some of the summary's of the year that other members of my squad have been posting. It really is hard to fathom what we have all been through. I would suggest reading Nate Evans's, and I guess Robby is going to write a series, so you should start with the first. This blog of mine is also Part 2 of a series, so if you missed the first, click here.

South Africa/Mozambique: We had originally planned to spend the month in Back Door, South Africa. There is a feeding centre here, and they were making plans (which are now underway) for a learning centre and an orphanage community. We were excited to be a part of this, and had even started going into schools to encourage the kids, and making plans to visit hospitals. God has different plans sometimes. After about a week here, which included an amazing weekend even further in the middle of nowhere at a revival conference hosted by us, we were redirected to Mozambique. In Mozambique we were able to show the Jesus film twice, stay a night at a tent orphanage in the bush, and participate in World Prayer Day.

God was teaching me through this: I was learning how to question and interact with what I was reading in the Bible, I learned from Rubie at our conference that the key to revival is unity in community, and I learned the importance of praying for your country at World Prayer Day. God was also teaching me how to work on ME and not fix other people.

Some fun things: I had the awesome opportunity to go snorkelling in Mozambique, which was INCREDIBLE. I also go to go on safari in Kruger Park. I also really liked playing with the kitties we lived with.

Swaziland: We worked with some care centres around Nsoko, Swaziland. We had the opportunity to play with children (slash let them hang off of us, although Rubie and I are VERY talented action song singers), deliver food to the centres, and even teach the children some days. We really had an awesome time with the kids, they are so cute. Also, they are beginning a project where you can sponsor them, similar to Compassion or World Vision. Keep checking the G42 website for that.

What God was teaching me (there was a lot in Swazi): That He asked for a year of my life to show me that He wants my WHOLE life. Begin learning about my gifts. Moving from head knowledge to heart relationship- continuing to have my love for God grow, and continuing to learn what it means to TRUST Him. Learning about the love God has for me. Trusting God's guidance and plans. God taught me what FREE WILL is all about. Zephaniah 3:17 and Isaiah 30:21 were very important verses to me this month.

Some fun things: We actually lived on a safari, that's right, ostrichs beside my tent and a lion 200 feet away. We spent a day in the capitol of Mbabane, and a weekend in Manzini.

Durban. South Africa: For our last month in Africa we were back in South Africa. We worked with Missions Ablaze on the coast in Durban. Most of our time was spent either tiling the orphanage (Steve and Rubie) or building beds for that orphanage (Mark, Tammy and I). We made 45 beds in the two weeks we were here. A couple of afternoons were spent riding along and giving half loafs of bread and soup to hungry people in parks. That was a lot of fun.

What God taught me: About what it means to fear the Lord. I also learned a lot about God and who I believe God is by discerning what I didn't like while reading The Shack.

Fun things we did: We swam in the crazy waves of the Indian ocean, we went team bowling and a couple of great team dinners at what claims to be the Southern Hemisphere's largest mall and entertainment centre.

After Africa, we flew to India. However, between the end of ministry in Durban, and our flight to New Delhi we had an interesting turn of events. While we were finishing sorting out India visas, we spent a few days in Johannesburg. We stayed at a hostel that we had stayed at 2 or 3 times previous to that. But this time, we were held up at gun point, and many of us had our stuff stolen. 4 of us had our big backpacks stolen, so all of our clothes, and almost everything we had for the year. Others had laptops, IPODS, cell phones, watches, purses, passports and other things stolen. It was a very difficult time for all of us, we were all pretty shaken up. Some of us worse than others (I would say I was one of the "worse"). Through it though, I learned a lot. God taught me about His protection, His overwhleming peace, and how He brings good from all situations. Michael has said ever since that he likes me better this way. I guess I'm more vulnerable or something. God also started teaching me many other things, but I will tell you more about that under "India" in my next blog.

Stay tuned for Part 3 of this crazy year summary.

What if His People Prayed

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

"What If His People Prayed"

What if the armies of the Lord
Picked up and dusted off their swords
Vowed to set the captives free
And not let Satan have one more

What if the church for heaven's sake
Finally stepped up to the plate
Took and stand upon God's promise
And stormed hell's rusty gates

What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And turn from their own way

And what would happen if we prayed
For those raised up to lead the way
Then maybe kids in school could pray
And unborn children see light of day

What if the life that we pursue
Came from a hunger for the truth
What if the family turned to Jesus
Stopped asking Oprah what to do

What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face
And turn from their own way

He said that they would hear
His promise has been made
He's answered loud and clear, Yeah
If only we would pray

If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray
If My people called by My name
If they'll humble themselves and pray

What if His people prayed
And those who bear His name
Would humbly seek His face, Yeah
And turn from their own way

He said that they would hear
His promise has been made
He's answered loud and clear, Yeah
If only we would pray

What if His people prayed

This song is by Casting Crowns.

Just think for a moment- what would happen if people were SERIOUS about praying? What if they dedicated ACTUAL time to praying for specific things? Maybe sometime you should try it and see...

Crazy Ridiculous Amazing

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Well this year is over. Christmas is in less than two weeks, and all seems to be the same in Canada. Only this year I have just finished the most crazy ridiculous amazing year of my life thus far instead of anticipating it. The shows on TV are the same, the stores are the mall are the same (although we do have a new CampusCrew), and all of this mundane living is really fairly similar. However, this past year was so jam packed full of insane stuff that I'm ok with a little break. But just a LITTLE! And that doesn't mean forgetting who I am or what I have been through, but just that I am ok with something familiar for a couple of weeks. Anyway, I just wanted to give you an overall recap of what this year was like.

To start off with, to the best of my record keeping this is how much travel time we spent. This is time ACTUALLY MOVING. This is not layovers and early airport arrivals. This is time actually in transit: we spent 110 hours on an airplane, which is 4 days and 14 hours. 1.5 hours spent on a boat, 244 hours on a bus (10 days and 4 hours), and 34 hours in a car (going from one place to another, not daily transportation to the internet cafe). Total we spent 16 days and 5.5 hours MOVING. This is a ridiculously long time, if you stop and think that for most flights we arrived at the airport 3 hours early, and usually had at least a 3-5 hour layover in between. We spent a long time getting to all of the places God called us to. I'm glad He had grace for us and allowed most travel days to go smoothly- although 4 people missed our first flight in Peru, and Meredith was too sick to fly with us to Africa and had to come a few days later on her own. Overall travel wasn't as bad as one might imagine. We really all got used to it and by the end were saying "what? the bus ride is only 10 hours? thats not bad"

First we went to Chincha, Peru.

Chincha: My team worked with Pastor Nestor and his family at his church in Los Jardines. We ran a VBS, planted a community garden and played with a lot of children. I fell in love with one little girl in particular, Marisol.

What God was teaching me through this time was: Reliance on God -for daily strength, -beginning to TRUST God (I have used that word a lot even since the beginning of the year), and reliance for God's healing. I also learned about what it means to have God "break my heart for what breaks yours", and what it really means to LOVE.

Some fun activities: White water rafting, going in a plane over the Nazca lines, going on a speed boat tour to see sea lions and penguins and then spending the rest of the day swimming in the Pacific and a weekend in Lima.

Nauta: We spent two weeks living on a boat on the Amazon river. We worked with a church and again ran a VBS, which we dubbed Fiesta Con Dios (party with God). We also had a youth group, and put on a play to Lifehouse's Everything. Angie and I met with Hilter and his family, who became believers, and Rubie and I spent time with an older woman and her family, where we eventually served her by cleaning her house.

What God was teaching me through this time was: About prayer and REALLY praying for people, and how to remove my selfishness from my prayers. As well, how God intends our roles to be as men and women, and God's majesty.

Some fun things were: jumping off of our boat and swimming in the Amazon on our day trip to the head waters, and going for long random walks into the jungle community.

Iquitos: We worked with another church, called Iglesia Berea. We were welcomed very warmly into this small jungle church. We again hosted a VBS and youth group. As well we had experiential services in the evenings that Kim and Andi did an amazing job with.

What God was teaching me: Trust as a theme is continued. I was also learning about focussing my thoughts on God, and recognizing His answers to prayer. I began learning how to really love God, especially as a father. He was also teaching me about tongues

Some fun things: Mark buying an ocelot fur, going to the zoo, and something of interest, that wasn't so fun, was walking through flooded streets the day we left... that was not so fun.

Bolivia: We first debriefed in La Paz, which is a gorgeous city. Then we worked in two different locations with International Orphanage Union. First we were in Cochabamba painting orphanages and playing with some children. Then the biggest project that we did (at least the girls) was in Chapare, which is in the rainforest. We painted and varnished and finished off an orphanage that was being built there. Mark, who stayed with us, was able to build them a really nice staircase.

What God was teaching me: About the Holy Spirit, TRUST was continued as a theme. Worship and Heaven were two other things I learned about.

Some fun things: In La Paz we went 4 wheeling in the Andes mountains, in Cochabamba we climbed to the Cristo statue on Easter sunday, and in Chapare we bathed together in the river... I think that was most fun for Rusty ha ha.

Stay tuned for the summary of the rest of the year!

Dear: Team Israel

Wed, 10 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Again when it comes time to part ways the only thing I am able to say is "ok see ya!" It's not really so profound, and it's definitely not what I'm thinking. Leaving you this morning (I wrote this on the plane) was heartbreaking- from waving out the window as the taxi pulled off to the abrupt way Michelle and I had to leave each other. This is it- we are done- 11 MONTHS AND 3 DAYS!!! We WON'T be ripped off!! Ha ha. I love you all so very very much.

Gretchen: I love you so much. I admire the way you have worked through so much and how you now walk enlightened in truth and victory. I have looked up to you, learning from the way you are able to tell things like they are but all with grace and love. You are one of the most tender people I know. Your genuine love and care for others is incredible. Don't ever question what happened this year. Don't question your leadership abilities and certainly NEVER question the fact that there are at LEAST 28 people who love and accept you just as you are right now- whenever "now" is. I'm so glad we had these extra two weeks together. Thank you for your generosity with your computer and for sharing your practical intelligence. I love you tons sister! I pray that only good will come from any difficult situation you face. Grace and kingdom, what more do you need? I love you!

Michelle: I'm so sorry about the qay we had to leave. It makes me cry to just think about it. I did get to tell you the most important thing though- I LOVE YOU! You are such a sweet beautiful woman of God (and if I were Rusty I would insert about 12 more "sweets" here). You are kind and considerate and truly hilarious. I have loved spending time with you this year. Your patience with me never seemed to run out. I had fun practicing tongues interpretation with you and I am so greatful for your help with DHL. Your faith is a solid rock and I'm so excited for you to continue learning and growing in Spain. God has some huge calling on your life and He is certainly preparing you for it. I love love love you lots! I'll miss your constant companionship. You are awesome my sister. I love you! (You were the first person I saw in Florida and the last in Egypt by the way).

Robby: You are an amazingly strong man of God. Your strength and endurance is phenomenal. You have taken some hard hits this year but they have shaped you into an unstoppable fire breathing force who knows who wins this thing. Your love and devotion and loyalty are special qualities about you. Always remember and hold on to God's promises for you. Take each day as it comes. Bring Kingdom and light to those around you where ever God calls you. You are a wonderfully wise and thoughtful man. I love you brother. I know I can count on you for anything.

Kelton: Continue to work towards becoming the wild man that has been prophesied over you so often. Continue to learn lessons from this year and grow and become the man God has intended you to be. I appreciate your honesty and I'm encouraged by the unwavering faith you have in God. He has some great plans for you whether in Malawi or elsewhere. Always go on the last word you heard until you get a new word. You have kingdom in you so speak it where ever you are. I love you brother!

Peters: You really have grown and changed this year. You have evidently grown in your prayer life, you have gained boldness and you have learned to stop and listen. I have really appreciated the leadership you have demonstrated thses past couple of weeks, you made this trip so much easier on the rest of us. The way you have grown in your role as protector was displayed clearly in Egypt. You have such an adventurous spirit and it's a very unique and special gift. I know you will never be able to settle and so I know that the Kingdom will be brought to many wild and crazy places. Make sure you always have a covering over you and you are walking in submission because that is where your authority comes from. Thanks for sharing these past couple of weeks with me you wild and crazy awesome man of God. I love you my Canadian brother (even if you do make everyone think that all Canadians eat is canoe stew!) Love ya!

We Win This Thing

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Luke 10:19 Listen, I have given you power to walk on snakes and scorpions, power that is greater than the enemy has.

So nothing will hurt you.

We have power! It says quite clearly here that we have more power than our enemies- so let's begin to use it. We are kingdom people. We belong, we have been CHOSEN to be in God's kingdom so let's act like it.

Every kingdom has an army- we are all God's soldiers. We need to start acting like we are in battle. Don't ignore it, that is Satan's best trick. We are in a battle- and guess what? WE WIN THIS THING!

Right now Satan is acting like he owns the world- and we are letting him. But guess what? The day Jesus rose from the tomb was the day God bought earth back. This place belongs to Him! So let's start to fight for it- claim our inheritance and kick Satan back to hell.

(To the right is the garden tomb in Jerusalem, Israel- it's empty!)

Many Christians settle. They settle for the easy stuff- the manna if you will. Each day fed by God without having to think or work for it. Sounds nice right? I don't know about you, but I would get tired of the same thing every day. But let's just say though that this is REALLY good food- you can only have it while living in the desert. Is that where you want to spend your life? Camping in a desert?

The Israelites had it easy- living off of heavenly food, they had salvation and the Spirit. What more could they want? Life was good! But they hadn't claimed their inheritance. They weren't in their Promised Land. Once they were there they would have to work the land for food and to get there they would have to kill some giants. Only Joshua and Caleb (out of thousands of Israelites) seemed to think it was worth it. They wanted their inheritance. God had promised them something and by all means they were going to get it.

We need more Joshuas and Calebs! Let's kill some giants- we already know that we have more power. Let's put a little effort into this place and bring it back to its rightful owner. Satan belongs in hell so let's get him out of here!

We have God's entire armor. He has given us our protection in Ephesians 6 telling us how to be prepared for battle. We have

-The helmet of Salvation

-The belt of Truth (the truth holds everything up)

-The breastplate of Righteousness (right living so no one can accuse you of anything)

-The shoes of Peace

-The shield of Faith (Trust Him when things look tough)

-The sword of God's Word (learn it!)

Notice that your back isn't covered. There is no retreat, no going back. You must keep moving forward. Lucky for us- WE WIN THIS THING! We also get the spoils of war. Any weapon Satan tries to use on you, just turn it around- he only has words.

Satan: "You are afraid. You need to fear this. You are going to get hurt and the dark is scary and you should be very afraid right now"

Me: "I am not afraid- YOU are afraid. You only know fear because you are a spirit of fear. YOU are afraid of ME because I have more power than you. So GO TO HELL!" Then stop dwelling on it.

We are God with skin on. We have something to say, so let's say it. Do you want your inheritance or not? Let's fight for what is rightfully ours- the nations. It won't be easy, but isn't it so much more worth living for than desert manna? And the best part is we already know the result. WE WIN THIS THING!

Michelle and I standing above the valley of Armageddon in Israel- where in the end

WEWIN THIS THING!

Final Debrief

Mon, 1 Dec 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Final debrief was awesome! We had Michael and Kathy there, Andrew and Mo Shearman and Seth and Karen Barnes were there for some of the time. The July squad was also with us for the first few days on our Koh Samet Island in Thailand. Here are some photos of the week.

We all had signs on our doors telling everyone at the resort that the Kingdom was in their presence

We had some great worship nights and teachings from Andrew. This is one of the combined nights with the July squad (I love you guys!)

Tammy had her birthday during final debrief, and so we all had dinner with her to celebrate. This is me and Angie.

Angie and I went parasailing. It was so awesome and freeing... It would have been quiet and peaceful except she kept shouting FREEDOM! the whole time, which was ok with me.

Michael, Kathy and I at our final debrief banquet dinner ( I love you guys)

My team and I ( I love you guys too)

We had a really good time at final debrief. Now everyone else is home and Team Israel (Gretchen, Michelle, Matt P., Robby, Kelton and I) are leaving Israel and going to Egypt tomorrow. It has been an awesome trip so far, and I miss those who are at home a lot. I love you all, you better come visit me.

Dear: World Race Family

Fri, 21 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Hey you guys! I miss you so much already. I'm still here in Bangkok and everywhere I turn I "see" another one of you. The guys here with me are being all tough and "it's ok we are fine whatever we will see them again" but of course Michelle, Gretchen and I are about to burst into tears again at any given second. Well ok, not quite that much, but we did go to Starbucks to journal and grieve for you guys. I just wanted to post some messages for you, what I would have said to you as good bye except that I was trying so hard not to cry/ crying too much to say anything. Thanks for being such an AWESOME squad and making this such a fabulous year. I love you all!

Mark: Thank you so much for all of your work this year. We would all have been wandering around like penguins in a desert if you hadn't known everything. You have the balance between serious and fun. I love the way you fell in love with Asia. I knew you came on the race not knowing which area of the world you were called to, but sensing that God did in fact have a great calling on your life. It's so incredibly awesome that you found out where your passion lies. Do not forget what you have learned this year. Do not let go of the dreams God has now given you for Asia. Most of all keep proclaiming kingdom for yourself and bringing kingdom to everyone you meet. I love you brother!

Tammy: I love you! You have taught me so much this year I can't even start to list them all. From day to day stuff to more deep spiritual things. You aren't afraid to speak your mind and it is always in a gentle constructive way. The patience you have demonstrated this year is truly Christ like. Thank you for being my constant encouragement, my spiritual guidance and most importantly, my friend. I was always learning from you, I loved our chats especially in Durban. I loved jumping off that cliff with you... Are you gonna be my girl?

Steve: All I can say is wow! The change and growth you have gone through this year is outstanding. You are going home a new man. The difficult times have made you stronger. You have always been open and willing to share- always wanting to get to know people better. This is very admirable. You are very sure of your faith and so I know that you will continue to grow and be refined by God into the man He has created you to be. You are so genuinely caring and I thank you for being there for me in India. I love you brother- the Wild She Camel dance just wouldn't be the same without you.

Rubie: You are such a fantastic, wonderful woman of God. You have learned so much this year from being weirded out by tongues in Chincha to 5 months later sharing the key to revival in a small South African village because of the way you listened and were obedient to God. I even think you don't suck at relaxing quite as much. I appreciate your down to earth-ness and your servants heart. You are so willing to help in any situation even if you don't really want to. You get to keep living the life! Do not let anyone tell you that what you are doing isn't where you are supposed to be. You know God's voice and He will tell you when He wants you to move. I love you so much, and you will be sure to hear from me as soon as I get my toe nails painted again!

Becky: My first World Race friend! Your encouragement over these past months has been invaluable to me. Your zeal for life is infectious, it is so amazing how your joy and creativity can turn a hot house into a winter wonderland in August. You are a continual life giver. You are able to breathe life into any situation. God has given you a special heart to love the most unloved of the world. The passion you have has grown so much this year and you have become quite the prayer warrior. I appreciate that you were always truly in the race and did not always get caught up with things at home, as east as it could have been. You are awesome Becky Miller! I love you!

Sarah: I've told you many of these things, but I know you like to hear them again. You ARE a NEW person. You are NOT the same. You do not have to go back, concentrate your firey passion on stomping on the devil's head and running far away from temptation. Sarah- get a mirror and look yourself in the eyes everyday and remind yourself of who you are. I can't even begin to imagine the incredible things God has in store for you. He clearly has a purpose for your life- He keeps chasing you down to get a hold of you. Don't let go of Him. One of the great things you have gained this year is a family. We love you. We want to hear from you. Stay in touch with Michael and Kathy. I want to hear from you! I love love love you! You are an amazing woman of God- His chosen woman to bear His message of love and hope to the nations.

Caroline: You are a beautiful woman of God! From day 1 you have been bringing hope to people. You were Baby Carol's family's miracle. Jesus shines through your in a way I've not seen in other people. Your honesty is such a great characteristic that you possess. You are always uplifting, always smiling, and always focussing on the unseen. You bring kingdom in every step you take. You are radiant. I have appreciated every moment I have spent with you. I love you lots!

Matt S.: Man of God! You are a fire breather. You ignite everything in your path. You have moved from being a head guy to a heart guy which is the most important transformation. You are covered in a lot of dust. I have appreciated you in many ways, especially for worship. Remember to lead with love and not answers. You are so awesome! I love you! And by the way, Angie says you should write verses on the bottoms of all of the socks you give away.

Michael and Kathy: Your very presence in a room makes me feel loved, safe and peaceful. Your visits truly were the highlight of each month. They were much anticipated and felt like a piece of home was arriving. You have poured your lives into us, invited us to your home and call us your children. Your warmth and hospitality is clearly Christ working through you. Thank you for being such a wonderful example of being sold out for the kingdom and for the generation. I love you. Thank you for believing in me and for helping me to become the woman I now am.

Rusty: I really do appreciate what you have done for our squad this year. You have worked tirelessly and endlessly to make sure that we got to where we were going, that each detail got worked out and that we stayed focussed and encouraged. When you say you don't give a flying flip about the ministry you are wrong. Your ministry that God called you to was us. And I know you cared a whole lot of flying flips about us. You stayed behind in Lima, you flew back to the states, you always managed to go ahead of us, and bring up the rear. You are an incredible man- one of a kind. My life will never have so much running commentary again. I love you!

Rachel: The joy bursting out of you is unstoppable. I'm so glad you had the opportunity to find a team that was able to be a good support and encouragement to you. Your endurance is astounding. I'm so proud of all you have accomplished this year- from your new healthy lifestyle to the growth you have had and the discoveries and truths you have found in the Lord. I know God has some great plans in store for you. Don't ever settle! Always be looking to Him for guidance and comfort. I love you lots and lots!

Jenn: You are a seriously quirky girl. You make me laugh. You are so carefree and it's so great how you rely on the Lord for everything you need. You have such a pure relationship with HIm. I'm so glad that you have been able to deepen your relationship with Him even recently with your new found language. Bring kingdom where ever you go. Never forget this year, but use it only as a step to the even more crazy adventures that God has for you. I love you!

Andi: You are a wonderful, wise, beautiful, kind, generous, loving, amazing woman of God. You are so calm in every situation. You have so much talent and creativity. The services in Iquitos were great, and the indian grinch was so funny. It has been so incredible to have the chance to spend the year on the squad with you. Thank you so much for all of the wonderful advice you have given me and all of the ways you have served our squad. I love you!

Patrice: Pillar of strength. You hold everything together. You are so wise and have a lot of common sense (which really isn't that common). I have enjoyed every conversation with you. And I remembered another time we shared a room this year- even a bed! Remember ALL the way back to Fort Lauderdale in the Holiday Inn. We were fresh racers, about to embark on what was a big question mark to us. Now here it is- the end of this chapter. We are a bit battered but we are better for it. Patrice you are an amazing woman of God. You are so sure of your faith. You are steady. Thank you so much for everything you have brought to our squad. I love you love you lots!

Angie: I've said everything to you at the beach. I love you so much with every bit of love I have. You mean so much to me. Keep looking at our feet over the ocean. Remember the peace and freedom. I'm so proud of you! I love you so much!

Nate: You are such a powerful speaker. You hear the voice of God like no other. You always have your listening ears on- both for God and for other people. You are patient and wise. I can see you have learned lots this year, about God, about women and about being the man that God has made you to be. I love the passion you have. You are so close with God, and so obedient to Him. I really enjoyed going out to do the Bible league with you every day in Cambodia. Thank you for always having an encouraging word to say. I love you brother!

Kim: The passion in you is huge! You really want to get in there and get your hands dirty. You have such a beautiful voice, you are so talented with music. I love sitting and listening to you sing, or play piano- especially songs you have written because when you have written the song there is so much of that huge passion on your face and in your voice. I will miss hearing the random songs throughout the day. Your smile always brightens a room. I love you!

Meredith: Oh Dita! You are a fabulous story teller. You are so good at writing songs. You are so good at so many things. You are such a prayer warrior, and your prophetic side certainly shines through. You have been so open to learning this year, your love for everyone is awesome. I know it isn't always easy, but you are always up for a challenge. I love listening to you laugh, because you let it take over your whole self. I know God has so many wonderful plans for you- and for your family. I love you lots!

Eli: Always doing your own thing. You are so good at connecting with families and really pouring into them everything that you have. You really have come into your own this year and made leaps and bounds towards becoming the man God has intended you to be. You have so many talents and you are going to be great at whatever you do. Always remind yourself of who God says you are. You have so much in you to give to others. I hope to see you in Israel since you ran off to the airport without saying good bye to any of us. Love you!

TEAM ISRAEL- I AM STILL WITH YOU!!! I WILL PROBABLY WRITE YOU MESSAGES AT HOME, SINCE I WILL LIKELY BE CRYING TOO MUCH TO TALK TO YOU WHEN I LEAVE YOU TOO. BUT UNTIL THEN GOOD MORNING!

Not a Saint

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

The race is over tomorrow. I can hardly believe that it is true. I will be posting a few blogs in the next few days, with pictures and everything. The following is a blog from my squad mate Nate.

I'm No Saint

And when I say that I'm not talking about when the Apostle Paul is addressing a church in one of his letters and says something like..."grace and peace to all the saints" at _______ church.

No I'm not talking about that. The church today actually does need a far better understanding of that truth. But that we will save that for another time and place.

Here's what I'm talking about. You ready?

I'm referring to the tendency of Christians to elevate other Christians onto pedestals. Creating a realm of "Christian stardom" where only super Christians or saints can hang out.

Let me give some examples:

How about Martin Luther King Jr.

Here is a man that stood for justice, equality, love for enemies and non-violence.

There are numerous books about him, streets named after him and there is even a national holiday.

Yet out of his many admirers' how many of them are striving to live out lives of non-violence and justice? There are many that love to quote him or read about him but few that are actually trying to live out what he taught.

Or take Mother Theresa for example.

All around the world people speak well of Mother Theresa. Non-Christians, rich, poor and people from all walks of society would say they admired the life she lived.

To many Christians she is a prime example of what it means to give your life to the poor and her testimony is very powerful.

My question is: If millions around the world would agree that she is a great example to follow....why isn't there more Mother Theresa's' around now a days?

The list could go on and on. Jim Elliot. The missionary that died along with four other men trying to bring the gospel to a tribe in South America. Billy Graham. The popular evangelist. Shane Claiborne. Author of The Irresistible Revolution and Jesus for President.

Name your Christian superstar or "saint". Whoever it is.

Here's the problem:

It's easier to name a street after Martin Luther King Jr. then it is to live out what he stood for.

It's easier to have a coffee table book on Mother Theresa nicely placed in your home in suburban America - then to live in the filth, dirtiness and death of a place like Calcutta.

Heck, it's even a lot easier to wear a cross necklace then it is to pick one up and follow Him.

Do you see what I'm saying?

We make saints out of people to

make the lives they lived (or live) seem unattainable.

We have to make what they did (or do) super human because otherwise we might have to make the same sacrifice and pay they same price they did (or do).

So, please I am nothing special. Just because I gave 11 months of my life to travel as a missionary does not make me a "super Christian". I'm just another Christian like anyone else back in the States that decided to take a step in faith.

In fact, "super Christians" don't exist.

All there are, ever was and will be are:

Humble men and women willing to lose their life to save it (Matthew 10:39) , head over heels in love with their Savior (Ephesians 3:19) and understanding the power they have in Jesus. (Ephesians 3:20)

That is all Jesus has never been looking for. From his very first disciples(read John Macarthur's 12 Ordinary Men) until now Jesus has never been looking for the super anything or the saints that really don't exist.

So, let's stop making "saints" of people and start living out the radical lives He has called and enabled us all to live!

One Last Thing:

I'm no saint.

Don't write me off that easy.

Tattoos and stuff...

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Many people on our squad have decided to get a tattoo- 4 have done so, and more are thinking about it. It has certainly been a topic of conversation. I have often thought off and on about getting one since I was about 16 years old, so I am considering it. Even if I don't end up with one, I really wanted to share with you the thoughts I have had about WHY I am even considering it right now.

God has done some incredible stuff in everyone's lives this year. He has shown up in ways unexpected, and kept us safe from many dangers. He has healed people, and He has taught all of us so many lessons. The first question Andi asked me when I wondered aloud what to get for a tattoo was "what have you learned this year"? So I sat and I really thought about it. I have learned a lot of things, and many verses have spoken to me at different points during this year. I have had my ups, and I have had some seriously low downs. Thinking about getting a tattoo has actually helped in the processing, debriefing process. What I discovered was that when it comes right down to it, a lot of what I learned comes down to TRUST. Do I TRUST God? If I were to get my tattoo it would be this word. TRUST, with vines through it and the reference Hebrews 10:23 underneath it.

Hebrews 10:23

Let us hold firmly to the hope that we have confessed, because we can trust God to do what he promised.

This verse encompasses many of the lessons I have learned, and that I am still learning. The most recent being how to wait on the Lord. As I am waiting on the Lord, the question is do I trust Him to bring something worth waiting for at the right time? Do I trust Him that He has something for me at all? TRUST. A good reminder that God wouldn't tell me to wait without reason.

One of my favourite verses this year is Isaiah 30:21.

Isaiah 30:21

If you go the wrong way-to the right or to the left-you will hear a voice behind you saying, "This is the right way. You should go this way."

TRUST that God will guide my steps. He will let me know the right direction for my life.

Romans 8:28

We know that in everything God works for the good of those who love him.

TRUST that God will bring good from every situation I find myself in, even guys with guns in my face.

Jeremiah 29:11

I say this because I know what I am planning for you," says the Lord. "I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.

TRUST that God has something good planned for me. TRUST His plans.

Romans 5:5

And this hope will never disappoint us, because God has poured out his love to fill our hearts. He gave us his love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us.

Isaiah 28:16

Because of these things, this is what the Lord God says: "I will put a stone in the ground in Jerusalem, a tested stone. Everything will be built on this important and precious rock. Anyone who trusts in it will never be disappointed."

TRUST that God will never disappoint me. TRUST this hope that I have.

Isaiah 40:31

But the people who trust the Lord will become strong again. They will rise up as an eagle in the sky; they will run and not need rest; they will walk and not become tired.

Colossians 1:11

God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient.

TRUST that God will make me strong.

Psalm 91

1 Those who go to God Most High for safety will be protected by the Almighty.
2 I will say to the Lord, "You are my place of safety and protection. You are my God and I trust you."
3 God will save you from hidden traps and from deadly diseases.
4 He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you can hide. His truth will be your shield and protection.
5 You will not fear any danger by night or an arrow during the day.
6 You will not be afraid of diseases that come in the dark or sickness that strikes at noon.
7 At your side one thousand people may die, or even ten thousand right beside you, but you will not be hurt.
8 You will only watch and see the wicked punished.
9 The Lord is your protection; you have made God Most High your place of safety.
10 Nothing bad will happen to you; no disaster will come to your home.
11 He has put his angels in charge of you to watch over you wherever you go.
12 They will catch you in their hands so that you will not hit your foot on a rock.
13 You will walk on lions and cobras you will step on strong lions and snakes.
14 The Lord says, "Whoever loves me, I will save. I will protect those who know me.
15 They will call to me, and I will answer them. I will be with them in trouble; I will rescue them and honor them.
16 I will give them a long, full life, and they will see how I can save."

TRUST that God will keep me safe.

Matthew 6:33

Seek first God's kingdom and what God wants. Then all your other needs will be met as well.

TRUST that God will look after my needs.

James 5:13-18

13 Anyone who is having troubles should pray. Anyone who is happy should sing praises.14 Anyone who is sick should call the church's elders. They should pray for and pour oil on the person in the name of the Lord.15 And the prayer that is said with faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will heal that person. And if the person has sinned, the sins will be forgiven.16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so God can heal you. When a believing person prays, great things happen.17 Elijah was a human being just like us. He prayed that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years!18 Then Elijah prayed again, and the rain came down from the sky, and the land produced crops again.

TRUST that God will hear and answer my prayers.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.

TRUST that God has given me BOLDNESS and POWER.

One thing that Michael said to me when I told him my most important lesson of this year was to trust God really stuck out at me. He told me that trust is the highest form of faith. If you asked any father if he would rather his children have faith in him or trust him, he would say trust without a doubt. Faith is having hope for something to happen, trust is having already seen it happen. Faith is hoping God will save you, trust is knowing God will save you, because I have already seen Him save me. When I heard Michael say this, that's what sealed the deal.

God has given me many promises this year. Promises for provision, protections, power and guidance. He has promised all of these things to me. Hebrews wraps it all up by saying we CAN trust God for all of the things He has promised. I have been learning how to do that this year. How to let go of the control I so desperately want to hold on to, and to TRUST that God is able to, and will look after me. It would be a reminder to me that I have learned to trust and to continue trusting. Do you trust the Lord?

Angie needs your help!

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Angela Tibbo is one of the most wonderful people in the whole world. And it just so happens that she is on my squad. I have had the opportunity to see her grow and change to become more like the woman God has intended her to be. She is caring, and giving. She is willing to do things for others all of the time, and she is very supportive and encouraging. There have been many times when I have gone to her and asked her for advice and for prayer. She has taught me a lot, and demonstrated God's love by her dedicated friendship with me. While I was having my rough time in India she helped me through many tears, fears and my depressive state. She has the best laugh, and does the best Chincha goat impression I have ever heard. She seriously sounds just like them. She has come on the World Race this year expecting God to provide for her every need. She began in January with just $4500 in her support account, not knowing where the other $9300 was going to come from. God has provided miraculously for her this year, and He is going to continue to do so for her.

We are only 8 days until the end of the race, and she still needs $770 (that's right, less than $1000!) to top up the account. If she can raise more than that she would be able to get reimbursed for vaccinations, insurance and her flights to training and to the start and finish of the race. How cool would that be if God would provide that for her too?

Angie loves God with all of her heart. It is so evident in the way she talks and the way she acts. Not having to think about this remaining money would be such a relief of stress for her, as she is returning home, and as she begins to process and understand what she just went though this year. Do you think that God is calling you to be His method of providing for her needs? Please support her, by going to her website and clicking on support me! It would mean the world to her. Thanks a bunch!

www.angelatibbo.theworldrace.org

http://angelatibbo.theworldrace.org/index.asp?filename=urgent-support-needed-8-days-to-the-finish-line

broken and in love.

Sun, 9 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

This is what the World Race does to you...

By: Becky Miller

i don't even recognize myself anymore.

today was the last day of organized ministry

i don't know the old me

i no longer live for me

i live for something so much bigger

i can't even contemplate the change

yeah, i've been to 11 countries in 11 short months

i fell in love with more people than i can count

my heart broke for those i don't even know.

i've experienced new cultures and this world,

but ultimately, i experienced Jesus

it's a supernatural change

i can't describe it. when i try to process it

my head spins, my heart hurts

i fell in love with jesus

i live for kingdom

i'm a radical, a broken mess

i'm a child of god, a lover

he's got my heart

forever.

Do I Deserve This?

Tue, 4 Nov 2008 00:00:00 GMT

Here I am in Cambodia. Actually it's not much longer until we are actually leaving Cambodia and going to FINAL debrief in Thailand. I always knew I would make it, but for a long time it seemed as though it would never arrive. Here I am, at the end. There are still a few days of ministry left, and it really is a struggle to go at it whole heartedly. Let's be honest. This is tiring. The World Race is not easy. It wears you down physically, and mentally. There is a constant spiritual battle raging. The needs of everyone around you take a toll on your emotions. In every way this year tests you. I have been wondering lately how previous racers have felt at this point. Am I the only one who is tired? Even worse is this shocking realization I had last night. Let me explain. . .

I have had quite a lot of frustrations this year with a certain shipping company. I have used them twice and BOTH times they have broken the things I have mailed with them. The broke a one of a kind hand made glass bowl from South Africa, and also many various souvenirs I got in Vietnam. Not only did they break my things, sending one package was a complete hassle, they charged me for the PACKAGING (seriously, what is the original price for?) and were in general not helpful. The first time I sent a package was in July and I am STILL dealing with the insurance, and getting the credits and charges all sorted out (something with a bank error?). Anyway, I have been overly frustrated and been worrying about all of this stuff, dealing with managers, and sending off numerous emails trying to get the reimbursements that I am entitled to.

Right, I know what you are thinking. WHAT? ENTITLED to? I thought I had left my entitlements behind as I showered with buckets, and slept in my tent, and used baby chairs all the time. I thought I had left behind all of my RIGHTS- the right to know the next country we were going to, the right to good food, and the right to being clean and comfortable. I don't DESERVE anything, just because I think I should. So why have I been so upset with this shipping company? Why have I been so ready to snatch up every cent that I am entitled to, and a little more for all of the frustration they have put me though? Is it because I paid a little extra for insurance? Well, yes, I did, so a reimbursement I will get. But do I have the right to demand to speak to a manager, to demand that everything be taken care of in what I deem a timely manner, do I have the RIGHT to decent customer service? What happened to stripping myself of entitlements and rights?

This is not how I expected to finish the race. Ah, the key word. Expectations. That's what everything boils down to. Expectations. I expected to finish this race feeling better than when I started. I EXPECTED to be a better person, so full of the love and grace of God. While I do believe I have changed this year, I am still finding myself thinking I deserve all of this wonderful and timely customer service when really I should have left all those rights in Chincha. I am trying to let go, and trust that the people from the company are capable people, and that I will be reimbursed properly because of the insurance that I have. But this is what it all comes down to- have I really let go of my rights? What will happen when I get home? Will I be back where I started as a consumerist, materialist Canadian? I mean really... the stuff in the packages was just STUFF. Is it really that important?

I challenge you to look at your own life. What is it that you believe you have the right to? What is it that you DESERVE? Why are you entitled to more, better, anything you want? There are people living with nothing, I have seen plently of that this year. And yet, why should we expect more than them? God blessed you with the resources to have more than nothing. Be greatful for what He has given to you. Realize that everyone has expectations and things they believe they are entitled to, and they can sneak up on you even when you think you are over them. Don't get caught up in the stuff, don't get caught up with what you do or do not deserve. As you can see I am still working on it, even as the race is drawing to an end. It is a process. As you empty yourself of any selfishness, greed, entitlements and expectations, fill yourself with God's love, grace and promises of provision. It's not easy... but with God's help it is possible.

And We Walked

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

       I realize it has been a long time since I have really shared with you what has been going on in my life. Life has been going so quickly, it's hard to tell whats up and down anymore.   After leaving Thailand, half of the squad went to Hong Kong, while the other half and I went to Vietnam. I believe we all loved it there. It was an amazing country to spend 2.5 weeks in. As senior World Racers we have learned to settle into and adapt to new places rather quickly, so Vietnam felt like home within a couple of days of arriving. My first impression was complete sensory overload. There was TONS of traffic, which creates a lot of noise, motion and some pretty interesting smells of pollution. There were lights all around and the sudden downpours made my mind spin the first few times I ventured outside. However, shortly after arrival the constant overload became natural. Walking into the street with 20 or so motorbikes zooming at you was perfectly normal as you would otherwise never make it across the street. As Matt (who had gone ahead to Vietnam with the July squad) said "just walk. Don't stop. They can dodge you. In fact they are really good at it. It is when you start to dodge them that they don't know what to do and then you have problems."   And so we walked. Into traffic. Every day.

      The people in Vietnam as so incredibly friendly. They are helpful and considerate, and most speak at least some English. It was refreshing to be with people who genuinely care about you, and are interested in who you are what you are doing. Unfortunately because it is a communist country we could not share openly what we were doing in their country. There were also many government spies around who try to get us to say that we are missionaries. Christianity is a real threat to communism and the power it holds over people so they do not like Christians. There is an open church in Vietnam, to make their country look good to foriegners, but every person is recorded by the government, as is every activity. Each time we did any volunteering at a government centre it was recorded by the government. It was difficult to know what to share and with who. It is hard to catch someone by their words, and in Ho Chi Minh City where the open church is well attended there is a smaller risk of something happening (jail time or deportation) than in the countryside.

      We participated in many ministries in Vietnam. We went to centres, hospitals and schools for children with cerebral palsy among other disabilities, we went to an elderly ladies home to make jewellery with them, and we also did a college ministry with students our age, inviting them to a Christian coffee shop to help them learn English and to possibly share God's love with them. Each of these opportunities was incredible in it's own way. Over the next couple of blogs I will share with you some of the things I learned at each of the different ministries.

      While in Ho Chi Minh we got to visit the Presidential Palace, the War Museum and the Cu Chi tunnels. The history of the Vietnam War is very real here, and most people are still affected by it one way or another. At the Palace we saw the central command system for South Vietnam during the war. We saw where the president lived, and where he made crucial decisions. At the War Museum we learned so much about the war, and what happened during it, and how it is still affecting the people today. The reason there are so many babies born with disabilities is due to the chemicals the country was bombed with during the war. There are also many people who have missing limbs, largely in part to the war. The War museum was hard to stomach, as there were many graphic photos. At the Cu Chi tunnels we learned more about the guriella warfare, and the countryside farmers battle. They built tunnel systems under the earth to live in, 20, 60 and 80 meters under the earth so that they could not be detected by American soldiers. They also set up many booby traps for enemies. We got to crawl around in some replica tunnels that were tiny for us, but were actually replicated larger so that sliding on your stomach was not the only option for movement. With the way that Vietnamese people view Americans from the war it is amazing they allow them into the country at all. The fact that they are so wonderful and welcoming is just incredible. There is a lot to be learned about forgiveness from the Vietnamese people.

      We made some good friends in Vietnam. A couple of our translators became good friends. Fuga and Hannah were so sweet, wonderful and helpful to us the whole time we were in Vietnam. They are Christians, filled with a passion to serve God. Often they would come to dinner with us or the market just to hang out, not to "translate" anything. It was hard to leave them but we know that someday we will meet again.

      Now we have arrived in Cambodia. For this first week here we are having a sort of debrief, relax time. We are in Siem Reap, and at some point this week we will be going to Angkor Wat, one of the ancient wonders of the world. It is an ancient temple- the one used to film Tomb Raider. On Thursday or Friday we will likely be headed back to Phenom Penh to begin ministry for 2 weeks. As things go on the race our plans have changed, and so we aren't exactly sure what we will be doing for ministry, but it is our last country and so we are all looking forward to whatever God has in store for us as we finish this part of His calling on our lives. After the ministry we will be headed back to Thailand for final debrief (it's hard to believe our LAST debrief is so soon). After that many will be headed home on Nov. 21, however a few of us will continue on travelling for 2 more weeks in the Middle East. We have walked AS our Saviour has walked and we want to walk WHERE our Saviour walked. It will be a beautiful end to a beautiful year.


Mark about to make one of those "crucial" decisions for the Vietnamese!

Ministry in Vietnam

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

      The ministries in Vietnam varied widely. We got to be with people from 13 days old to 92 years old. One day I went to a centre where we were able to hold and feed infants. They were so cute (for pictures check out Rubie's blog). Their hair stuck up in all directions and they all smiled when you picked them up. I got to hold quite a few of them, and I fed 1 from a bottle. Whenever you placed them back into their cribs they would cry. They are so starved for love, they want to soak it all in while they can. It was so much fun to be with them for a couple of hours, but leaving them in the cribs was heartbreaking. There are many cribs in the room, each with a child that has some disability or another. One had 6 fingers on his right hand. Another had water on the brain. Each child had their own special struggles, and all were left to live in this centre. While the nurses do their best to keep up with the babies needs, there are just too many kids and not enough staff to give them all the special love and attention they need. Any baby in that room would capture the heart of all who walk in.

In other areas of the centre there were children of different ages. There was a whole room with toddlers with HUGE heads due to the water on their brain. Some also have other problems such as fingers grown together, and breathing problems. Again, each of these children cry when you put them back into their cribs, but the smiles you get when you pick them up is uncomparable. In another area there are older children who are able to run and play. They have disabilities that are less severe than the smaller babies.   With one little boy I played "catch" with. Catch was more of a game of dodgeball on my behalf because he threw the balls wildly and really hard. He seemed to be enjoying himself though. With the oldest kids we were able to play clapping games, and even have short conversations in English. This centre was a really good place to go and spread God's love with the children, and even the staff who grin at you the whole time as well.

      On two occassions I went to a school nearby to the hotel we were staying in. It was a government run school, a part of the Vietnamese education system. It was a special school for children with learning disabilities, and some physical disabilities. At this school the kids learned many things- including math and language. We were able to sing songs in each class, and meet each of the children. One of the smaller kids was our favorite. He was so cute, and loved to play with you. He loved to blow kisses, and give thumbs up. His smile was beautiful. Unfortunately, after visiting twice the government decided they did not want us to go there anymore. They did not like us volunteering in a place that was not for charity. The teachers there all showed a great deal of patience. They smiled at us, and encouraged the kids to sing songs for us as well. They participated in the hokey pokey, and seemed to enjoy our visits.


      A couple of mornings we all visited universities. We went to chat with students, and eventually invite them to the coffee shop where we could talk more freely. Most of the students were thrilled at the chance to practice English. They lined up to talk with us and try out their conversational skills. A few evenings a week we would go to a Christian coffee shop to speak with students there and help with English. Here we were able to build relationships with students our own age, and become friends with them. I really enjoyed these nights, getting to be a part of a different culture in a way we previously hadn't been. One of our nights there we had a games night. We played many different games, and enjoyed the company of the Vietnamese youth. It was Mark's birthday and he was lucky enough to have Happy Birthday sang to him in 6 different languages by native singers. On our last night there I was able to share with one guy about what it means to have a relationship with God, and how to hear God's voice. He said he was Catholic, but that he was lazy and did not have a Bible or go to church. He also shared that he was scared of the spirits of dead people and mentioned the movie the Exorcist. I was able to tell him about God's protection, and the power of the name of Jesus and how it is more powerful than any spirits. We spoke about many different things, but when it was time to leave he thanked me for the information I had given him about the Bible. I am continuing to pray that God would use those seeds to bring him into a relationship with Him. I know that the young man has Christian friends because he mentioned one who "has strong beliefs like me".

      We also participated with a weekly activity that the students at the coffee shop do. Each week they go to an elderly woman's home to make jewellery with them. It is a fun activity for the women and they are able to sell the jewellery to make some money for the home. It was really sad to see the conditions these elderly people were living in. They slept on concrete beds, with only a grass mat on them. However, the women seemed joyful enough and although they did not speak English we were able to joke around and help them with the jewellery that they had difficulties with. I chatted with one lady who is 92 years old. She mentioned a time 50 years ago that she went to Cambodia and rode an elephant. I realized that 50 years ago she was still twice the age I am now! It was really fun to be able to spend time with the older generation.

      Overall Vietnam's ministries were an enjoyable experience. We built some real relationships, loved the forgotten, and learned from all those around us. Everyone was welcoming and I really enjoyed waking up and being able to meet with these people. There was only one place that was more difficult to go to. However, I even learned a lot from that experience. To read more about that check out my next blog.

The Challenge

Sun, 19 Oct 2008 00:00:00 GMT

        As you read in my last blog most of the ministry we participated in in Vietnam was enjoyable, and rewarding. However, there was one place that was really challenging to go to. It was a centre with more severely handicapped children. Many were tied to their beds so that they didn't hurt themselves. Most were only tied by one foot, but one was tied down with all 4 limbs. The kids that were here had such severe mental challenges that they could not control themselves. They were crazy, and with the changes in normal routine with us there they went beserk. I tell you the following series of events so that you might better understand where I am coming from. The day I went one kid ripped my earring out of my ear, one tried to yank my necklace off of my neck, another pantsed me (he walked by pulled my pants down and kept going). One child whom I was supposed to be feeding kept growling at me, then spit his food on another kids face, and then did his own face plant into his bowl of food. The morning was stressful, and I did not feel like we were doing anything to help these kids. As we left the centre I determined in my mind not to ever go back to that place.

      I tell you this so that you can see how God worked in me to teach me lessons through this day. A week later we were scheduled to have a group go back to that same centre. It was our last day of ministry and no one would go. Everyone had had their challenges there and no one was excited at the prospect of returning. In my own selfish and sinful ways I believed that I had the right to refuse to go just because a child had pulled my pants down. I became self righteous and self seeking, only desiring to do what would be enjoyable. Then God got a word in. He convicted me of my terrible attitudes, and reminded me that I was not on this trip to do enjoyable things. I was here to love the unlovable, and that I wasn't here to decide who I would love and who I would not love. God loved me when I am unlovable and full of sin, and I need to love others because of that love that He has given me. I had to love these chilldren even more precisely because not many others love them.   I am supposed to be God's love to others this year, and that is exactly what I was resisting. God really changed my attitude towards going there. So although I had adamently refused to go, I went back to Mark and told him I would go with him in the morning.

      However, the lessons don't stop there. That morning as we were waiting for the translator to show up I was praying that God would make the children clear minded for at least the few hours we would be there. I believed this would make it easier to be there, and that I would be able to love them better if God made them calm while we were there. This was the second opportunity for God to convict me of my selfishness. This prayer was a selfish prayer because I wanted them to be easier to love. If I truly wanted to be selfless and love them because God loves me, then I needed to pray that God would increase my love and my patience so that I would be able to love them just as they are. I needed God's love to flow through me so that I would not see their craziness, and see them as children that God has created and whom He loves. Praying for their healing is not bad- as long as it is done out of love, and out of concern for the child, and not so that I don't have to love crazy people.

      The whole ordeal was difficult. It really amazes me that I made it this far into the race and I am just learning now to love the unlovable and to be selfless in that love. The "unlovable" in other countries were not unlovable to me, the beautiful children in Africa, the prostitutes in Thailand, then poor families in Peru. It wasn't until there were people I found to be unlovable that I realized how self centred I am. I am trying to learn and see how I can move away from this and love all others, even those who are not so easy to love. Please pray for me as I learn this difficult lesson, that God would fill me with His love for people, and that I would be relying on Him to love people and that it is not my own strength, but His that is filling me everyday. Pray that I am able to become a person who always loves others more, and that I do not grumble at the opportunities God is giving me to love and to learn.