The time is almost here!
The two of us are working from home today, alternating time on our laptops with packing and other necessary preparations as we get ready for our upcoming departure. The last few days have been a wild ride, ranging from finding out our co-leader would not be able to be a part of Orientation with us (due to unexpected employment obligations) to being totally loved on by our Newsong church community over the weekend. With lots to do in the short time remaining, we feel rejuvenated by the love and prayers of so many....and so thankful for great health and high energy levels!
What follows below is from our recent prayer letter, for those of you who haven't seen it yet:
Praying for Discovery this summer
As we think about what lies before us, and how we would like to be supported in prayer, we particularly like this excerpt from Francis Chan’s book “Crazy Love”:
Haven’t we all prayed the following prayer? “Lord, we pray for safety as we travel. (Shevawn would add here “and good health!”) We ask that no one gets hurt on this trip. Please keep everyone safe until we return, and bring us back safely. In Jesus name we pray, amen. The exact wording may vary a bit, but that is the standard prayer we recite before leaving on mission trips, retreats, vacations, and business trips.
We are consumed by safety. Obsessed with it, actually. Now, I’m not saying it is wrong to pray for God’s protection, but I am questioning how we’ve made safety our highest priority. We’ve elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God’s best is, whatever would bring God the most glory, or whatever would accomplish his purposes in our lives and in the world.
Would you be willing to pray this prayer: God, bring me closer to you during this trip, whatever it takes…People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
We would appreciate it so much if you would pray like this with us/for us. In addition, here are some other things we would appreciate you praying for:
What follows below is from our recent prayer letter, for those of you who haven't seen it yet:
Praying for Discovery this summer
As we think about what lies before us, and how we would like to be supported in prayer, we particularly like this excerpt from Francis Chan’s book “Crazy Love”:
Haven’t we all prayed the following prayer? “Lord, we pray for safety as we travel. (Shevawn would add here “and good health!”) We ask that no one gets hurt on this trip. Please keep everyone safe until we return, and bring us back safely. In Jesus name we pray, amen. The exact wording may vary a bit, but that is the standard prayer we recite before leaving on mission trips, retreats, vacations, and business trips.
We are consumed by safety. Obsessed with it, actually. Now, I’m not saying it is wrong to pray for God’s protection, but I am questioning how we’ve made safety our highest priority. We’ve elevated safety to the neglect of whatever God’s best is, whatever would bring God the most glory, or whatever would accomplish his purposes in our lives and in the world.
Would you be willing to pray this prayer: God, bring me closer to you during this trip, whatever it takes…People who are obsessed with Jesus aren’t consumed with their personal safety and comfort above all else. Obsessed people care more about God’s kingdom coming to this earth than their own lives being shielded from pain or distress.
We would appreciate it so much if you would pray like this with us/for us. In addition, here are some other things we would appreciate you praying for:
- Pray that we will be filled with God’s wisdom, patience and love as we lead the team. Pray that God will have his way in all of our lives; that we will all be open to what He wants to do in us and through us.
- Several of our Ghanaian participants are completing their final year at university; in the past, this has presented problems for the team if their professors need to see them about final projects/papers during the trip, especially if they are out in a language project. Please pray for God’s will to be done in the lives of all involved.
- Pray for wisdom in how we manage our time, especially when our participants are engaged in their internships. We are going to have to significantly modify what we can do and how we are able to invest in our Ghanaian relationships this year; we want so much for love to be communicated even if the amount of time we spend with colleagues and friends is not what it has been in the past
- Flooding is often a problem in Accra when we first arrive, and having been through a flood once before in Tamale, Shevawn sometimes has a battle with worry here.
- Pray for the Indonesia and Papua New Guinea teams and their leaders too!
- Pray that many of the 2011 participants will go on to further involvement with Bible translation in some way after their trips are over.
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