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As time rapidly winds down for our departure date for the World Race, there are a lot of emotions and growing pains that are occurring within me. Without going into a lot of detail, every day God has been humbling me and tearing down walls I have built up, giving me a fuller picture of the grace and love that is being showed to me and that He wants me to share with others.
If you are not familiar with Luke 10, it is the part of the Jesus’ ministry where He says to His followers, “it’s your turn now” in regard to missions. He sends out 72 appointed disciples to the surrounding towns and villages to be a light and share the gospel with the people of the lands. In this time, they heal the sick, cast out demons and many come to know Jesus.
Us young people want to be trusted and given responsibility to go spread the word instead of just doing another bible study or attending church on Sundays. Don’t get me wrong, those things are not bad!! However, being in the stage of life where I am not married, do not have a family to raise, and flexibility in my commitment to a job, there is no reason for me not to act on Jesus’s call to serve the underserved and show people that we are all made in the image of God. For us, we are in a great time of enormous freedom and access to endless knowledge. Yet, often the enemy uses our freedom and comfort in our pursuit of happiness to suppress the knowledge that we are wonderfully made in God’s image to have a relationship with Him as sons and daughters. He wants us to be joyful and find rest and perfect community in Him and his people. We didn’t deserve those things, BUT it is a gift that He wants us to not only accept but to SHARE with our fellow humans of all shapes, sizes and colors. It is our job to look out for the people to our left and our right. As the disciples come back from their mission in Luke 10, they have spread the good news but also came back filled with utmost joy because of the growth that happened in others and their own life.
Thank you for taking the time to read how God is shaping me up before I leave, and I hope you as well can be encouraged. As always, you can subscribe to this blog, which is how I will share updates while I am in the field!
I am still in need of lots of support! Please keep myself, and the rest of the team in your prayers as the time winds down. “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore, pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into the harvest.” (Luke 10:2) Also, please consider helping financially. My first deadline that I need to meet is to raise $5000 by April 19th.
Lastly, be on the lookout for shirts that I am making that will go towards my fund!
– Bradley
