( us with high school kids after sharing with them about our trip)
1 Corinthians 4:7b “What do you have that God hasn’t given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?”
Ephesians 2:8 “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
There can be a variety of ways that I could choose to look at America and the life I have always known. And there are different feelings I could have towards our culture, the people, and the church in America and the list goes on. But it is God’s grace and goodness that I was blessed to be part of this life changing and challenging journey that has opened my eyes to so much.
I was listening to a sermon which talked about how God continually throughout scripture from beginning to end has pursued a relationship with humans. The pastor goes on to point out the covenant relationship God had with Adam, Noah, Abraham and Moses. He starts off saying about each man, “Great man? No, not at all. He was a sinner just like you and me.” It is not any of these men’s greatness that saved them, it was nothing that they did.
@ a local high school in Ukraine
The pastor says at one point that God didn’t show Noah grace because Noah was a great man but because God is a good God. “Noah was saved by faith, not because Noah’s good but because GOD IS.” Just as me being saved is all by God’s grace and goodness so this trip is the same for me, nothing I can boast in. I’m not on this trip because I’m such an amazing person; I’m here because God is an amazing God who shows grace, devotion, and affection continually to us who do not deserve it. And anything I have done this year has been all because of HIM- His unfailing love towards me that in turn I have been able to share with others.
“It is not anything great about you, it all points to God’s goodness.” Mark Driscoll
I can never thank you each enough for supporting me with your prayers, finances, for taking time to write me encouraging e-mails, and for keeping up with this journey these past 10 months. I cannot thank God enough for the blessing each of you have been to me and in my life.
