Don’t worry, I haven’t become a druggie since beginning the World Race. Crack (actually spelled craic) is an Irish word for fun, and we’re having a lot of it. We’ve been here for almost two weeks now, but it feels like so much longer. Three teams from my squad are partnering with Abundant Life Christian Center here in Galway. Evangelism has been the main focus of our stay here. Each day we walk about twenty minutes to Eyre Square, where people come to relax, hang out with friends, shop, etc. We’re trying to be real with people. I’m not trying to walk around a hand out free tickets to Heaven. We are trying to have conversations with people…to show them a different view of Christianity. More on that in a little bit. Each night we attend an hour long prayer service at the church. People of Galway faithfully come to pray…for their families, the church, the city, Ireland as a whole, and for revival. Every single night since January 1st, they’ve met to pray. I’ve had countless people tell me that they would be praying for my journey over the next year, so I thought I would give you a few specifics as they arise.
Prayers for Ireland
- Before coming to Ireland, I thought this country would be a piece of cake. It’s a first-world nation…they share the same modern luxuries as I do in the U.S. We would come in and have a nice ice-breaker to get us used to traveling. I’ve now come to realize that this is probably the most challenging mission field I will face. Approximately 2% of Europe claim to be evangelical Christians. 2%. I was talking to a couple of teenagers named Sarah and Cillian the other day in the park and they helped us understand the generalized view of Christianity in the country. They see no need for it. They were forced to go to Mass when they were younger and came to despise it. It was boring, pointless, and offered no relevant input for their lives. The concept of a relationship with Christ is completely foreign to them. They have no reference for it. However, there are passionate disciples here in Galway. They are relentless in their pursuit of their city, and great things are coming.
- Please pray for the weather! It sounds trivial, but it really is starting to wear on us. It rains every single day, and it’s pretty unpredictable. The wind and rain make it very hard to sleep at night. I woke up about a week ago because the side of my tent was hitting me in the face, meaning the wind was basically flattening it. I went out with some rope and tried to fix it, but the wind was too strong. Luckily, Adam was roaming outside at 1:30 am and forced me to get back in my sleeping bag while he secured the tent. The rain gets in the way of ministry too, since we are working in a park.
Prayers for Shannon
- Shannon’s father passed away a couple days ago after a year long battle with cancer. Shannon is a fellow J-squad member who brings such encouragement to the group. She flew home to be with her family and will join back with us in Romania. Her faith through this trial has been so inspiring. During our worship service the day she found out about her father’s passing, she wept with joy and thanksgiving over the life of her dad. He was a true man of God, and his death will bring life in others thanks to the faith Shannon portrays. Please pray for Shannon and her family during this time, and you can visit her blog to show your support.
Prayers for…Me?
I’ve never been good about asking for prayer. I feel like there are so many more important things to be praying for. However, this year is going to be a huge growing experience for me, so I ask that you pray for me to get over my difficulty in asking for prayer!
Pray that I can find my identity in Christ. Confidence isn’t one of my strengths. I doubt myself. I doubt my contribution to people’s lives. I doubt my abilities. I doubt my worthiness of love, and feel inadequate. I use affirmation from other people to build me up, but that only lasts so long. During training camp, I had a moment of epiphany. Christ is in me (pretty basic). My prayer has always been for Christ to work through me – so I can be a vessel. When I tell myself that I’m not good enough…I’m telling Christ He’s not good enough. When I tell myself I can’t do something (like this crazy World Race), I’m telling Christ that His strength isn’t sufficient. Even though I’ve realized this, it’s still a work in progress. I want to be bold. I want to be confident, not in myself – but in Christ’s work through me.
Pray for community. I’ve been blessed with 5 amazing teammates to share this year with. One of the things that scared me the most about the race (and almost kept me from applying to begin with) was the idea of community that the program emphasizes so much. I haven’t really experienced a strong sense of community before, even in Christian contexts. Honestly, the Christian context of community I experienced is the reason I think I have such a hard time with it. At a time where I needed the body of Christ the most, I felt like its back was turned. I needed someone to listen, I needed comfort, I needed to know I wasn’t alone. My world was turned upside down over the course of a year, and I felt not only abandoned, but betrayed by the people I’d looked to as Godly role models – as the example of the church. I like to think I’m past it, that I’ve found forgiveness, that I can’t generalize the institutional church. But I’m having a really hard time even typing this, so I ask that you pray for healing. Talking about this is very strange, but I’m trying to begin this whole honesty thing, so bear with me. I’m looking forward to a community where the norm is being completely honest with each other…laying everything on the line…refusing to defile each other by talking behind backs…discussing any negative issues that arise (every single night)….letting a group of people know my heart. If you know me well, you know that I like my space. I don’t open up to people, I don’t trust people, I often don’t even like being around people. Sounds harsh, I know. I weigh the risks and benefits of making true connections, and most of the time the risks win. That isn’t going to work during this journey, and I’m honestly very excited about it. I’m finding that I crave community. I’m amazed by the conversations we’ve already had – the things we’re working through – together. No judgment, just grace. Pray that I can take the leap of faith and let people see my heart.
Hopefully this gives you a starting point! Sorry it was a little dramatic. Like I said, just practicing the whole “lay it all on the line” thing. At training camp, we talked about the fact that it’s okay to not be okay. I’m trying to embrace that. Thank you so much for the comments – they really brighten my day, even though the weather is horrible! Until next time, grace and peace.
