The two most popular reactions to “Hey I’m going around the world in October to talk about Jesus and live out the Gospel” have been:
1) “Wow, that’s awesome, [insert something about how much you’ll come back changed and inspiration here]”
or
2) “Are you sure this is what you want to do? I am going to be worried the whole time!!! (extra exclamation marks for emphasis)”
Now this is what I have taken from these comments, “SWEET, people care!” and “Alright God we got them hooked, now all we need is for them to pull the checkbook out and write a small, tax-deductible $15,000 dollar check to Adventures In Missions or go to the left of this page and click the [Support Me] tab!” Had to throw that in there.. =] It’s funny the whole support raising thing seems to be the most stressful part of planning for this trip, but God has been increasing my FAITH tremendously and given me the COURAGE to pray some pretty audacious prayers. It is definitely the start to a long, action packed journey and I have been loving it so far!
So I’m going to pause here for a second and say hope you enjoyed my scattered brain for a few seconds! Blogging stream of consciousness style.. Party!
But back to where I was going, my biggest thought about the two comments up above are that it is undeniably true that i am loved! i am love by the I AM, i am loved by my family and i am loved by friends! People care, You care and I know for a fact that God cares! Check this out, 1 Peter 5:6-8 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you!“
So here is my response to my responses, “Thank-You“! Whether you fall in category 1, 2 or somewhere in between… This trip has already begun to change me and YES I am sure this is what I want to do, not a doubt in my mind! (There is a lot of exclamation points in here, but they haven’t lost their luster so I am going to keep on exclaiming)!
I pray that you will pray and not worry, not just for me but for my team, my squad and for the activities, countries and people we will come in contact with… “Cast all your anxiety on Him because HE CARES!!” “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Psalms 37:4.. Our hearts should take delight in telling others of the LORD for what we should crave is to see hearts change in the world! This is what it is about… one HUGE JESUS PARTY!
For the past 4 years I have worn an orange band that says, “Hope Courage Faith“. When I was in high school, a good friend who was a few years younger then me came down with leukemia, which is a wrecking thing. Not once did I visit not to come across a smile or get a chance to look into eyes without hope… I can’t even recall how many times I have asked myself if I have lived in a manner that reflects this kind of encouragement to others around me. Most role models you come across are older and a lot more mature then yourself, but every once in a while you find one that is younger probably was still more mature, but that is that spark that ignites that HOPE, COURAGE and FAITH in you.
I was recently listening to a sermon and the words that stuck with me were, “The opportunity of a lifetime must be seized within the lifetime of that opportunity”! It is time to LIVE a life full of meaning before the ONE that gives us PURPOSE…
So here is my HOPE, that we will all fall face down in reverie of a God that knows infinitely more then we can fathom! My COURAGE is that I have a backing that will lead me into the great unknown not with anxiety, but with a strength that can only be found in Jesus and that this COURAGE will be instilled in you as well as anyone we come in contact with in order to reach others for the one that creates this heart change within us. My FAITH is that God will see us through to the very end… Hard words to swallow, but it is the Truth that will set us free!
Jesus Party,
Thomas
COME MAGNIFY THE SON, SAVIOR OF THE WORLD, THE HOPE FOR EVERYONE
