We are on our way!
After 3 months of prayer and total dependence on the Lord, we on our way to Gainesville, GA to start our missions work of mobilizing youth groups and discipling our nation in missions and following the Lord daily.
We can’t thank all of you enough for sending us out and allowing us to do this ministry work. We are so thankful that the Lord would call us to be a worker in the fields in this way.
“Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:37-38
Thank you for sending us and may we help send so many others!
The feeling in the air is so interesting for us. It is almost one of relief, refreshment, and fragrance. Its a new season for us and it is marked by the unknown. I believe that as we follow the Lord in with our life, what is on the other side of hill is always better that what is before.
I am reminded often of the time of the Israelites wondering around in the dessert. If we are to scared to step out from what we know, for the plans the Lord has for us, we will never see the promise land God has called us to see and live within. This step has been one of faith, waiting, dependence, perseverance, prayer, steadfastness, friends who have chosen to journey with us, churches being willing to listen and encourage us, and family who has kept us going.
My encouragement to you is to seek what God is doing in you now and to have the eyes of your heart opened (Ephesians 1:18) to what is ahead of you. Often the journeys the Lord takes us on requires abandonment of something that is “good” in order to gain what is even better. Be like a Joshua and Caleb who had the faith to go and to conquer the giants and step into the places God has called you to go.
Want to read further into the story: Read Numbers 13
Avoid those who want to walk around the dessert for 40 years. Step into the faith God has called you so you can life how He has purposed you.
One of the themes I have always encouraged the youth with is this simple sentence:
“It just one day at a time following Jesus.”
What does this following Jesus daily look like?
It looks like reading your Bible, applying the Bible to your life directly, living as Jesus would live, taking steps of faith, praying for people, being bold, knowing your identity, understanding His purpose, and so much more!
I wouldn’t expect for someone to simply wake up and go overseas to be a missionary the very next day. In fact, what I have learned over the last 10 years of my life is this: The Lord takes us one step at a time, deeper and deeper at the pace we are willing to walk by faith.
As we take the next 4 days to travel down to Gainesville, GA we will be stopping to see ministry partners in Chicago, IL, Asheville, NC, and Hilton Head, SC. This is part of building the relationships with those we will be sending youth groups teams too. We will get to see first hand the facilities and the ministries in place as well as hear the stories and testimonies of the impact that each ministry has on its community.
Another blessing is that my brother Ben has decided to move to Georgia with us. He will be shooting videos of the bases as we go. This will give churches a glimpse of what they get to be a part of when jumping on a missions trip.
Emily and I have an apartment waiting for us and a car full of cloths, small furniture items, and our air mattress. We will be starting with an empty space and we will see how the Lord fills it. One thing Emily and I have been looking for to is simply purchasing a bed. It might take awhile for it to feel like home, but it will get there eventually.
Please keep us in your payers and if you haven’t picked a day for our prayer calendar (1-31) please let us know. We would love to have you on our list.
5 Prayer requests for us currently are:
1. Save Travels – protection while we drive and sustained energy as we will be up early and often.
2. Transition – we will be moving into a new home and new office with really no idea of what to expect it to be like.
3. Community – for new friends to come around us and the trust to be built with our team.
4. Emotions – we would fully embrace and understand the change
5. Churches – youth groups, Bible study groups, and individuals would accept the Lord’s calling to go on a missions trip this summer!
Again, thank you all for everything and for pouring into us. Whether it was a little encouragement, simply for friendship, your prayers, your financial gifts, all of it means a lot to us as it shows the Lord is with us in this process.
Until next time,
God bless!
-Andrew & Emily
