Heaven Come Down

I was sitting here for a few moments wondering what I should share with you guys, and my mind was going in so many places. There is plenty possible to share with you all! As I was praying, my mind was just all over the place. Probably a result of the fact that I haven't gotten a break at all today. The life and joys of ministry, oh but I love it! Anyways, as I was praying and figuring out what to write I was listening to a song called "Heaven Come Down" by Ascend the Hill (oh they are too good). At one point the song just repeats over and over again as an anthem "Heaven come down, heaven come down, fill this place." Oh man, my mind was just taken over by this anthem! It reflects so much of my prayer for this project! I want heaven to come down in Australia, to come down at the universities we are outreaching to, to come down into the hearts of our team members to give them strength and vision anew, and to come into my own heart. I want the spiritual world to be impressed upon my own line of sight. I don't want to be able to escape or ignore it. I want Heaven to reign down in fiery zeal. Now I know that the end times will come when God so chooses, and OH WHAT A GLORIOUS MOMENT THAT WILL BE! Quick tangent: I still remember being in Australia the first time around at a town called Daylesford. It was such a beautiful place, and such a great day with the LORD. I vividly remember what the sky looked like that day and how it looked like Heaven was gonna come down. One of my teammates (Jake) remarked that is was like the glory of the Lord COMING ON THE CLOUDS WITH FIRE! Oh so good! So I know God will choose the time, but it is so important for us to have the zeal of the spiritual world being impressed upon our hearts. I believed C.S. Lewis said something along the lines of: the men who will make the greatest impact for Christ in this world are the men who are so earnestly focused on the next. That is my prayer for this trip and I would ask that you join with me. Pray that Heaven Comes Down in all of those areas mentioned above.

This would be a good time to tell you a little about what has happened so far this week. On Sunday, me and Kelsey got to see two friends that we have made from previous trips in Australia, Tom and Jack. They brought some mates and we all got to go see a footy match together, and it was great! So much fun to hang out with Australians! It was so encouraging for me to remember I made that relationship on a Summer Project and there is so much opportunity for that to happen over the next few weeks. That night I gave a talk to my team about Loving the Lord and falling in love with Jesus. If you never have read it, I suggest a book to you called Blue Like Jazz, especially the last chapter of it. I get so pumped whenever I think about what a real relationship with Jesus entails, and how we have an opportunity to fall in love with our Creator and Saviour. When you love someone in a relationship, there are just certain things you do. You find out what offends them and stay as far away from that line as possible, you don't skirt as close as you can like we sometimes do with God. You find that person's boundaries and make certain to stay within them. You find what ways they are loved and try to do that as much as possible. You SPEND TIME WITH THEM. You laugh, cry, smile, and feel emotion. All of those are vital parts to our relationships with Jesus! The past two days on campus had their ups and downs. I love getting the chance to talk to Australians and try to share the gospel. Yet, it breaks my heart and is a discouragement every time they don't recognize its beauty. That sums up the conversations I have had over the past two days. No one got it. Yet, we loved people and shared the word with them. Successful evangelism entails leaving the results to God. Pray that I would be at peace with this.

These conversations can leave me with a sinful desire to put limits on God. I get frustrated and discouraged and want people to know Him. God has protected my heart against a lot of that this summer. Pray as a guard that He would continue to do so. I have limited God in my mind so many times in the process of this trip and every time He has come through. I never thought I could raise all the support to come back to Australia a second time, yet God helped me raise more than enough as Provider! There were many times when I felt like there was no way I could lead this trip, yet God is my Adequacy! And I knew how hard the soil is here, so I limited how effective God could be in my mind . . That was a dumb thought! God has already led five people to Christ (3 JUST TODAY!) through His usage of our team as instruments. Those are incredible stories to share. People will be joining us in eternity! Pray that I don't limit God, because doing so is just a bad decision. Pray for this team and for this ministry in Australia. None of this will happen without prayer! Much love to all of you!

Fruit

It has been such a great week to see our team evangelize in the power of the Spirit. We have spent the past five days on campus talking to students anywhere and everywhere. There has been a lot of awesome things that have happened. In everything, we have maintained that successful evangelism entails taking initiative in the power of the Spirit and leaving the results up to God. And man, has God provided some results! There have been many times of rejection in conversation, but we know that God is going to do His part! Many students have been able to make contacts and get phone numbers with friends they can hang out with again, which is awesome! The greatest news that I have the privilege to share with all of you is that TWO PEOPLE CAME TO CHRIST THIS WEEK! That is such an amazing gift for the members of our team to behold, and just such an awesome event! God has shown up this first week for us in ways that I could have never imagined, and I know He will continue to do that.

Personally, my week looks a little different than the students. I get the blessed opportunity to disciple each of the guys on our team, leading them more in love with Jesus and preparing them for the ministry at hand. We have some incredible guys on our team and I am so excited to see how God is going to continue to grow them on the trip! This week I went over testimonies with them. Sharing our testimonies is such a vital part of evangelism because it is the story of our redemption! We learned how to keep our testimonies away from tangents, how to clearly communicate the gospel in it, and how to center it around our redemption through Christ's blood. This was a great tool to go over with all of the guys and it is already coming in handy for them. This type of training in discipleship is something I will be able to do with the guys throughout our time here. While it does cut back on my time evangelizing, it is so vital to prepare each of them to go out ready with answers to their faith. Please pray over these times that I have with the guys. Pray that this would be a great time of preparation and that it would also be a time of regeneration. Our team of leaders has been doing a great job so far, but please pray for our rest and decision making. It is hard for us to get rest because there are always things at hand for us to be doing. So please pray for us!

Now let me tell you a little about the evangelism I have done. While I don't believe that my gifting is in evangelism, I find it such a vital COMMAND that Jesus gives us. I find it so comforting that He has all authority on heaven and Earth and that is the name I go out with! This week I definitely had a few hard conversations. There were some rejections and some conversations with pretty strong atheists. I met people who believe there is no meaning to life, which just breaks my heart. I loved them even upon meeting them and I am praying God will work in their hearts. I had some conversations where me and my partner had the chance to share the gospel! No one was particularly receptive to it in our times with them, but I know that God received so much glory through our obedience to Him. Some of the good conversations I want to share and ask for definite prayer for: Me and my partner one day met two guys named Alex and Tom. They both knew a decent bit about Christianity, but we got to go through the full gospel with them. Neither was entirely receptive to it, but neither was far opposed either. We continued just to talk with them about life and it was a great conversation. We got their phone numbers and are hoping to hang out with them on campus again and talk to them even more. Pray that God would be softening their hearts in between our hang outs. The other one I would love prayer for is a conversation me and a guy had with some Italian exchange students. Two of the three of them were strongly against God and really any meaning in this life. But the third seemed to be listening and following. The influence of the other two pulled him back though. His name is Greig. We got to share the gospel with all three. Pray that God works in all of their hearts, but particularly pray that we get to talk to Greig alone and share more with him.

Thank you guys so much for your prayers, our team absolutely needs them! I thank God for every one of you

Fast Times at LaTrobe and RMIT

The past two days we have been evangelizing at LaTrobe and RMIT, universities in Australia where we are spending our team. These were our two first days of our normal schedule. We went to each campus last week to pray over them fervently and I believe many prayers were answered. It is amazing to hear our team come back each day and share their experiences on campus. Sometimes they run into a straight "no" from people. Yet, we continue to pursue others, trying to share the GOSPEL! The Gospel has already been proclaimed many times on these campuses in the past two days. More than that, we are building relationships with the students on these unis. There has already been a few times of exchanging numbers so that we can continue to meet up! Doing evangelism is very interesting, because there is such a unique balance. We yearn to love people. Every student we talk to, we want them to feel loved by CHRIST LOVE IN US. We hope and pray to build relationships, and not ones that they feel deceived in. We don't want them in any way to feel, and we don't want to be motivated by, that we are just being their friends to somehow trick them into believing the gospel. On the other end, we desperately want these students to know the true gospel. Some don't know it! We want to make sure they know the truth of the gospel that lies in Scripture! So, there is a delicate balance between building loving relationships and sharing the TRUTH! Help pray for every member of the team that out of their Spirit-filled life, we would be able to have discernment in each of these situations. Pray for all of our ministry on these campuses. Pray we would not be discouraged by hard soil, or jealous of how God may be growing someone else's ministry on the team. Our definition for successful evangelism is taking initiative in the power of The Spirit to share the gospel and leaving the results to God. Pray we are all reminded of this. And please continue to pray for my leadership, as I seek to lead the team. Some praises on my end: I have shared the gospel 4 times with students already and been able to answer many questions about Christianity. One person we talked to was an international from China. We got to answer his questions about the broken nature of humanity and how that is what makes Jesus' sacrifice necessary. While he did not come to faith, I definitely saw his heart move closer during that conversation. Also, me and my partner met two guys and had another great conversation. We opened with a spiritual survey to know their beliefs and then went right into sharing the gospel with them. Afterwards, we didn't just leave them like we didn't care about them. We stayed around and talked about Australian and American things for another hour. We exchanged phone numbers and it definitely gave me a sense of encouragement. As I end this entry I would like to leave you with a piece of Scripture I am currently memorizing (I pray it helps you as much as it does me) Pslam 130:
Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD; O LORD, hear my voice. Let your ears be attentive to my cry for mercy. If you, O LORD, kept a record of sins, O LORD, who could stand? But with you there is forgiveness; therefore you are feared. I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I put my hope. My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen wait for the morning, more than watchmen wait for the morning. O Israel, put your hope in the LORD, for with the LORD is unfailing love and with Him is full redemption. He Himself will redeem Israel from all their sins

Introverts

I don't know how many of you have ever taken a Myers Briggs test (I am an INFJ), or really any personality test at all, but we have done that with the whole team this past week. It is a very good self awareness exercise. It helps one to recognize their tendencies around other people, in learning, making decisions, and in connecting with God. There were ten questions about whether one is an introvert or an extrovert. I answered introvert for all 10! God has definitely taught me over the past couple of years how much of an introvert I am, and how that affects my walk with His people and Himself. My energy gets immediately drained at parties, but I am replenished when I can remove myself and just be alone with my thoughts. We went over these tests in my discipleship time with each of the guys this week. I think it was great for every one of them and our team as a whole because it helps us to learn each others tendencies so we can be better unified. Last night was one of the times that this test came in handy for me. I was in a definite funk for no reason starting around dinner last night. I was able to hold myself together through dinner, but afterwards I knew I had to fix it. The team went out to a shopping center, but I had to remove myself from them for a couple of hours to be alone with my thoughts and my Creator and Savior. I took this time to listen to worship music, read, and examine my funk. I know from previous missions experiences that Satan uses these funks to keep us down on trips and keep us away from the rest of the body of Christ and Christ Himself. So coming to God in this funk was a top priority for my. I listened to a Mark Driscoll sermon on how Jesus gives life, and that message is so refreshing at any stage. No matter how you are feeling, the simple fact that the Incarnation, Death on the Cross, and Resurrection happened begin to work in your heart. Jesus paid it all, and is the only religious figure still alive so we can have hope in Him! I started jotting down a lot of scripture that I wanted to memorize over the next few weeks and one of the passages was Psalm 27:4 "One thing I ask of the Lord, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek Him in His temple." Seeking the Lord in my funk did a world of wonders, and this morning I woke up fresh and anew. Continue to pray for these times that may be difficult for me, especially as a leader and having to lead during them. Pray for our team as well, that we may be unified and grow together; no matter who is having a rough day. Thank you guys so much for all the prayer you have lifted up, our team will always need it!

Be My Everything

To begin I would like to share with you a story I read:

A dear friend of mine who was quite a lover of the chase, told me the following story: 'Rising early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the baying of a score of deerhounds in pursuit of their quarry. Looking away to a broad, open field in front of me, I saw a young fawn making its was across, and giving signs, moreover, that its race was well-nigh run. Reaching the rails of the enclosure, it leaped over and crouched within ten feet from where I stood. A moment later two of the hounds came over, when the fawn ran in my direction and pushed its head between my legs. I lifted the little thing to my breast, and, swinging round and round, fought off the dogs. I felt, just then, that all the dogs in the West could not, and should not capture that fawn after its weakness had appealed to my strength.' So is it, when human helplessness appeals to Almighty God. Well do I remember when the hounds of sin were after my soul, until, at last, I ran into the arms of Almighty God

"In himself, nothing; in God, everthing" is how A.W. Tozer puts it. The simple truth that we are helpless, nothing. Unable to deal with this world on our own strength. As a leader, the temptation is to say that I did this or I achieved that. My flesh wants to do things by its own strength and give itself the glory. Yet, in truth, nothing I do will account for anything in the end. It is all based on Christ's sacrifice. My leadership and walk with God should propose to be a reflection of that truth. On the one hand, I am utterly helpless, as weak and fragile as a newborn babe. Yet, God views me through the sacrifice of His son and provides me with all the equipment that I need. In myself, I am a sinner who sometimes does morally good things. In God's eyes through the sacrifice of His son, I am a righteous saint who sometimes sins. Many Christians have this view of heaven that Jesus is begging to the Father on His knees asking for forgiveness for each one of our sins. However, JESUS ALREADY MADE THE PAYMENT! God is a God of justice and does not ask for double the payment. Jesus has already one the case, by presenting the evidence of His own sacrifice He atones for every one of our sins, shortcomings, and sorrows. This is the truth I hope to cling to, as I realize my inadequacy to lead through my own strength.

Leadership

Man this trip to Australia is going to teach me a lot, and it already has. Deuteronomy 18:2 talking about the Levitical priests says this "They shall have no inheritance among their brothers; the LORD is their inheritance" I read that today and it struck me as a minister of God's word and leader of His people here in Australia. I think for a couple of reasons. One is that I am dependent upon every one of you and everyone supporting me to even be here to minister. The other is that this trip has already taxed me after just three days. There are many free times for the students to enjoy, but the leadership team constantly has pressing matters to attend to during these times. Now, by no means am I complaining, because I have enjoyed myself so much here and am learning so much. Also, every one of the students are so amazing and I am seeing God in each one. But it hits me that as a leader, there is a higher standard and more work to do. Yet, the LORD is the inheritance for the ministers for His word. And that puts my heart back into such a position of peace!
Like I said I have already learned a lot on this trip. For those of you who don't know me all that well, I hate making decisions. Yet, as the Project Director I am looked towards to make the decisions. And many of these decisions are spur of the moment type ones. I am trusting in God to do His will through each of these decisions. I am also learning how to keep short accounts within the team and make sure everything goes smoothly. Conflict and disagreements arise, and are bound to arise even more, so it is important to deal with these in a Godly manner. Hands on training! The last is in flexibility. I am not the biggest detail person, but there have been many things that have happened where the details have changed on us and we have had to make certain calls because of that. Patience and keeping a peaceful mind is so important not to become upset in each of these moments. All of this being said, myself and our leadership team could definitely use your prayer! I beseech you to pray for us to strengthen our team. Thank you so much!

Hey I Just Met You

Our whole team arrived here yesterday! It was so exciting getting to see many of their faces for the first time! I had known five of the members from UCLA, but the other nine came from all over California (Cal Poly SLO, Chico State, Stanislaus, Merced). Everything that we had been planning over the past six months became more and more real as each student walked in. The couple of days before the briefing started I had become a little nervous about leading this team and how good I would even be. But as one of the coaches for our team reminded me, "The safest place you can be is in God's will." I know I am in the Lord's will in this mission, and have been affirmed by all of the support that you guys have been giving me. And I know I rest safe in the number of prayers that are being lifted up for this team, not only from my prayer warriors, but every one of the support teams the students have put together.
We had our first time to sit down and get to know each other as a team last night. It started out light, just like any other time you get to know people in a semi-awkward group situation. Then the students and us started sharing how we are doing coming in to this mission. They were so incredibly vulnerable, and it was amazing to see God at work in that room. We heard about pain, hurt, struggles, and victory. Students affirming, encouraging, and praying for one another. To tell you the truth, it was the type of sight that words cannot totally grasp. To hear where some students were coming from just made me amazed that they were even at briefing. God's sovereign hand was in all of it. We have been focusing at briefing on how to love the lord, love our team, learn a new culture, and launch a movement. It is so great to share with the student's our leaderships vision of the project and what their days will look like. I have been getting so pumped and it has been amazing. Thank you all for your prayers!

Grandma Betty

Grandma Betty is my grandma, and I am proud of it. She has constantly been an inspiration to my faith and has loved me always. She is always praying, seeking through Scripture, and has her mind set on the kingdom of the Lord Almighty. God has certainly used her in my life as a model of a servant of Jesus, and one who loves unconditionally. Before I left to begin my training at briefing, she gave me a piece of Scripture as encouragement. She gave me James 5:20, "Let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." Now this verse may have a lot of theological stuff in it about people wandering from the faith and whose sins are covered. While those are important topics, they are not as important as the great piece of theology that screams out of this verse. SAVING A SINNER BRINGS SAVES THEIR SOUL FROM DEATH! It is always God who saves, but He uses us a people to plant, water, and sow the seed of faith in others. This whole process is about bringing someone to life who is currently dead. I once was dead, but now I'm alive because of Christ and His sacrifice for me. Honestly, I go to Australia this summer for two reasons. God consistently affirmed me that it was in His plans for me, and that I will get the blessed opportunity to bring Australian sinners back to life. Not that I can't do that here, because all of us certainly can. In fact, I don't do it near as much as I should. As John Piper puts it, "The world will tell you that you are arrogant, not loving, if you spread the message of Jesus's saving work as the only way to God. But God calls it love!" This is an amazing truth, and I pray that in Australia our team could save sinners. I have the way to life, how awful is it for me to keep it and not tell the world that Jesus is a spring of everlasting water that can save them from hell. I pray to always remember this, not only to help me in Australia, but throughout the rest of my walk with God on Earth. Thank you Grandma Betty!