Let me tell you what's going on up there in the old thinker! Let me tell you all about what I think is going to happen on this trip, what I hope is going to happen on this trip, and what is actually going to happen on this trip. First of all, I can just go ahead and remove number three. I have no idea what is going to actually happen on this trip. Only God knows and He hasn't told me what His plan is yet.
Now, this is what I think is going to happen: I think that I'm going to 11 countries and God is going to show me Himself in a whole new way. I think I'm going to be faced with situations that I've never dealt with. Situations like facing cultures with beliefs contrary to mine and those beliefs being a way of life. Not just a go-to-church-on-sunday belief, but a belief where these people will give up there life. Will let nothing stop them. It's going to be difficult when all others who believe contrary to them can be considered an obstacle in their path. However, what happens if God lets me touch their hearts? What happens if they see God in me? What happens if they hear the words I speak and God convicts them? I'm not going over there to convert people. I'm going over there to help. To show how Christ has saved me. But through my example and testimony, maybe they will be converted.
Now lets talk about hope. Hope and faith go hand in hand-although I think faith is of God and hope is of man. So, lets talk about faith. In the KJV Bible, it says "faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." So without faith, there's no point in hoping. As I said, I think hope is of man. But you throw some faith in there and maybe you're a little bit closer to God. So I have faith that God is going to show himself to not only myself, but my squad as well! I have faith that as God is working overseas this very minute; that as God is healing people, and showing people His unmatchable love-He's going to do the same when I'm over there and theres nothing more that I look forward to than knowing that people without hope-without faith-will have a new light in there eyes. They'll have a new peace about them. If I can be that person that God uses to work that faith through, then I'm ready for it.
This, of course, is not going to be easy. I have no misconceptions about that. I know that I'm going to be tested spiritually. How can I just walk up to a witch doctor and have all the strength and confidence I need? I'm going to be nervous, but I'm going to pray that God will show me what I need to say. I believe that as long as I remain in Him, then He'll lift me up and strengthen me as I need.
This 11-month mission trip is going to be one of the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but I know that God will keep me as He always has.
