Fried Chicken and Cats...

July 13th, 2007
I am an unworthy vessel God. Use me for to show your GLORY to anyone who you are calling to yourself.

As I think about today, I think about so many things that we experienced, learned, understood, and wondered about. We started the day with a great breakfast in the hotel and then we had our community devotions which were great. David led us to the throne of God by discussing Isaiah 6 and asking us to get into groups and let God speak through his holy spirit to us. I am so impressed by the students that have come on this trip with us. There is a longing to follow after who God is. There is a longing to know him and his word. That is exciting. We went to Grace International and met with the team that will be doing the sports camp. It was worth it to meet the team that we will be working tomorrow with. God is good and allowed us to form a quick team in a short amount of time. There are people from California, Thailand, and other countries that are part of that team. We start early tomorrow morning at the sports camp. We are working with over 280 kids. I’m excited to see what God will do in and through our students and in the Thai students.

After we trained for our sports camp, we ate lunch. We had a soup of some sort over rice. Very good. Pete didn’t like it because it had potatoes in it, but I thought it was very tasty. Overall, I have eaten very well. Thai food is good.

After the food we had a man that was experienced in Buddhism evangelism give us some facts and challenge us to simply love and reduce the variables of culture and life back down to who Jesus is and was and is to come. This was good for me to hear and I believe that the principle can be brought to my own context and area of ministry. Jesus really is the deciding factor and his name and his renown are the desire of my heart.

Sivy came in next. Dear Lord, make me like this 14 year old girl! Challenge my faith that it would grow beyond my years as Sivy’s is. Make me your servant, give me boldness, give me humility. Show your power.

Sivy was a girl from a different country. She was an orphan with a skin disease. (This would have been much better in person if you are reading this. J) She was healed by the power of prayer and put her faith in Jesus Christ. I broke down. I lost it when she said, “I wish I could be like you and go to a different country, my own country.” Wow. Do I have the heart and the passion for the people in my own country that Sivy does for hers? Does my heart break for my neighbors? Do I truly want to reach the people in Wichita for Jesus or is it simply a mechanical response to God’s word? I want the passion to drive me. I have experienced it…God let me experience it over and over again to be effective in building your kingdom.

We took a tour of Grace, went back to the hotel debriefed, and had dinner. Our debrief was good discussion and there is a ton of processing that is going on with students. God is faithful in his teaching and challenging. Thank you God.
I ordered “Fried Chicken” and right after I saw a cat with no tail run out of the kitchen, I got my food. Yum. No really, it was pretty good. I enjoyed it. There was some mystery sauce that Pete enjoyed too.

I miss my wife but she is amazing and is supportive and loving. I love YOU Cassandra! I am enjoying my God. His faithfulness reaches to the heavens. His love reaches to the skies.

GOD, thank you for your love. Thank you for your gifts that are abundant and life changing. Change our group. Give us an experience tomorrow that pushes us beyond where we are at. Push us out of our comfort zone and allow us to be incredibly challenged in the things that we are learning. Grant us peace tonight as we sleep and be with our families in the states as they support and love us from afar. Be with Larry. Give him wisdom and decision making ability that is God honoring and God following. ! Amazing!