The Journey Continues

It has almost been a year since I left Uganda. The sounds and smells of the city I lived in are fading away. But a part of me holds on to it all. I dream about the corner market where I would see my friend Tom and talk with him about the premier league soccer. I dream about Richard my friend who made rolex's(its food) for me. I then dream about my good friend Khan down at the Arua soccer shop, where he would buy me an ice cold coke. These memories are dear to my heart and I know my time in Uganda has impacted my life deeper than I ever realized. I also never realized what kind of impact I would have on the area. I met some men who were a mix of Muslim and Christian there connection to one another was their profession. They were motorbike taxi drivers and they were my main mode of transportation while there. These men ask me to teach them about Christ and I began meeting with them. Since I have left another man has begun to meet with them and the word I have received is that it is going really well. I had no idea that my small attempt to share Christ would keep going long after I left. The Lord blesses us with being able to partner with others to advance the gospel to the ends of the earth.
Just a few weeks ago two of the people I served with Jeff and Brigette got married and I was blessed to be able to partake in the service.

Since this time I have returned home to work with my family and do life in Flint, MI. I am still in college and working toward finishing in the Lords timing.

"Rise, Peter, Kill and Eat"

The vision of Peter in Acts 10 shows Peter that what is unclean is now clean. During my lecture today we began discussing this passage and many other ones as well. My mind began to wander a bit while we discussed this. A homeless man walked into Starbucks and sat very near me. The smell of dirt,and body odor filled the room and suffocated me. I felt anger or dislike toward this man coming to this clean good smelling establishment. I was quickly convicted by Gods word in Peters vision. This thought of Peter wouldnt go be with the Gentiles (the unclean people, due to what they eat) because it would make him unclean. This smelly homeless man was the gentiles and I am the Jew. I felt I would become unclean being around him. A woman was kind to this man and gave him a breakfast sandwich and a coffee. She saw a man in need and filled it. All the while I sat judging this man, and the Lords conviction is humbling. So I ask what in your life is "unclean?"

Foxes have holes and birds have nests

In Matthew 8:20 Jesus tells a man who wants to follow Him " Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head."

In my life I sometimes have to embrace these words that my savior said. Many years ago I told Christ "I wanna serve you and proclaim your name to the nations." Following Him is hard and there is a cost to a life that surrenders all to Jesus. Not saying I am great or better than the rest I fail all the time. In the past several years I struggle to have a place to call home. I have moved so many times and seem to never have a stable place to call home. Knowing this place will be where I live for a long period of time. Following Jesus has a cost, and having no where to lay my head seems very real to me. I know the cost has so many more things than just no where to live, but at the present time I have no where to live. I have some places to stay for just a short while, but no place of refuge, a place of comfort, a home, a place of love. I long for the day where I can one afford to have a home that is my sanctuary, my refuge and two to have someone to say I love you every day. I am loved, but there are days I struggle to feel loved. I "walk by faith, not by sight." I am Trusting in the Lord and know he has a purpose for his Glory. May we all way the cost of following the Savior of the world. Praise be to Jesus.

1 AM

I sit here in my room at 1 A.M. not able to sleep, and yet I felt a need to share my thoughts with, well anyone who might read this. I feel life has been one grand adventure with great times and difficult ones as well. Serving Christ is difficult mainly due to me failing to serve Him. I feel most the time I desire the Lord, but from time to time I feel I desire to worship myself. I become my own object of affection. I know that this is sin and I desire the Lord to be first in my life. I feel a war raging between my spirit and my flesh. I can hear the words of Derek Webb in his song "wedding Dress" ringing in my head. He says "I am a whore I do confess I put you on just like a wedding dress and run down the isle." Christ is our groom and when we sin its as if we are sleeping around with others, but we still throw the dress on and run to marry Him. Why would Christ wanna marry us? Why would God love people who turn from him? I believe He loves us deeper than we can understand and this love goes deeper than our failings. Like a father to a son, I know I don't have kids of my own, but I do have a younger brother who is 3. The love I have for him goes so deep that when he disobeys I still love him. If human love is like this then God's love is deeper, more intimate, and everlasting. I trust in Christ's work on the cross for my salvation and know only in him can I find any hope or joy. May I run the race with endurance and fix my eyes on Christ. Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of peace. May we be a generation who prays to the Lord.

The End is Near

As this trip to Arua, Uganda comes to an end there are many things I will miss and things I wont. I know the Lord has his reasons for everything and I have grown in my faith a great deal. I sit here wondering could I have done more, or have I been faithful to the call on my life. I know we can always question our ministry and wonder if we are being faithful to the Lord. At this point in my ministry I havent had any conversions, and I havent had anyone seem really interested in the Gospel. So in the worldly view I am unsuccessful, but in the Lords view I am faithful. I rest in that truth and feel I have planted many seeds into peoples lives here in Arua. Like I said there are some things I will miss like the students, the muslim men, the children, and the team I serve with. Things I wont miss cold showers, power outages, poor internet, bad food, and cultural clashes. I look forward to chicken nuggets, ice in my drinks, wearing shorts in public, and most of all seeing my family and friends.

Prayer Needed

I need your help and anyone you know whos a believer. I met a young man named Hasan he is a muslim and I have started talking with him and I need prayer warriors for me and for his salvation. I have never in my life felt a stronger call or feeling or whatever ya wanna call it to invest time and energy into a person. I have shared Christ with him several times and we have a good friendship. The time is short and the Lord can do miracles and I pray for this man to know the Lord Jesus Christ. Please be my warriors as I know I am heading into a battle I cannot win in my own strength. I need the Lords army and his power. I love and care for this man deeply and I desire to rejoice over one lost sheep brought back into the fold. Thanks