Just finished the first day of Launch which is what the World Race calls the first few days you have before officially hitting the field. It involves getting to know you team better and different sessions to mentallly and spirtiually prepare you. There was a lot of fruit that was that came from the sessions we had tonight. Sean Smith always has a great word to speak into out lives. The beautiful thing about this first day of Launch is parents and relatives were allowed to be to say goodbye and just pour into their children before they leave. Near the end one of my squad leaders Robbie got up to talk to the parents. He stood up on a chair and told a store about when he first went on the World Race in 2007. The night before leaving his mother came into is room crying and told him that she was releasing him back to Lord. She had raised him up in the way that he should go and she was releasing him to do God's work. He told all the parents that was what they were doing for their children as they were a few days from going into the nations to spread God's word. My family was not able to come to Launch but hearing that made think about how that all applied to my own family.
I had the privilege to speak at my church this last Sunday about why people do missions. It was a lot of fun. I was blessed to have my grandmother, Aunt Regina, Uncle John, Dad & Stepmom, Mom & Stepdad, my sister Candice, and little cousin Julissa to be there to see me. They all gave me so many encouraging words. When my Aunt Regina came in town she came up to me and handed me a bible that happened to belong to my Grandfather. She told me she had gone to his grave the day before because it was his birthday and she felt lead that it was finally time to give it to me. I had told her and my Grandmother not long after he died my senior year of high school that I really wanted any book that was his. My Grandfather was truly one of the wisest men I have ever known. I was truly blessed to have him in my life the short time he was here in my life. My Aunt told me that she felt as I was preparing to leave she wanted me to have the bible my Grandfather used all the time. If you have not read in one of my earlier blogs my Grandfather was a preacher. Also a few blogs ago I talked about putting on my armor. On the way home I started thinking about how her handing me that bible was her giving me my Grandfather's sword. My Grandfather was truly an anointed man and I truly feel that was like her bestowing me with the anointing God had giving my Grandfather.
As we all said goodbye to each other Sunday, and saying goodbye to my mother yesterday it was not easy. I know there were, there are, parts of them that might not want me to go. I am thankful that they see that God has placed this calling on me. They have always been there for me but they realize there is only so much they can do, but God can do all things. So I want to thank them all from my Parents and rest of my family. I want to honor them in how they have prepared me. I want to go out and share Jesus first, and hopefully people see that. I also hope that people see things in me that my parents taught me. And in seeing those things in me see how my Parents chose to honor God first in raising me. I want to thank them all as I go for releasing me to the FATHER!
