Heartbroken

With the Christmas season in full force, lives are busy, love is shared, and the warmth of family and friends fill us with joy, and we are hopefully counting our blessings, and realizing what fortunate lives God has blessed us with.  You typically don't have to look far notice how much blessing has been placed into your life by our beautiful creator.  Yesterday Devon and I worked at Calvary Community Church volunteering for their Christmas Giving Tree program.  Yesterday hundreds of families in need had the opportunity to come into the church and find Christmas presents that had been donated.  Families walked through the door, were given a free coffee & donut from the Calvary baristas, and then the parents went into a huge room where they could find presents for their children, and their children even got to go in a seperate room where they could pick our presents for their Mom's....and SOMETIMES their dads. 

I met an amazing young man named Tyler yesterday.  I was blessed with the opportunity to help Tyler walk through, pick out a present for his mom, and have it wrapped up so he could place it below the tree when he got home.  Tyler was one of the friendliest people I have ever met with a smile and sense of joy that would light up any room I've ever set foot in.  Tyler was a 9th grader, in a behavioral secondary school.  Tyler lives with downsyndrom.

I got the chance to talk with Tyler after we walked through to pick out gifts for his Mom.  We sat in the foyer chairs while he drank his Italian soda and ate his donut.  As I got to know Tyler more, he opened up to me about the fact that He didn't have a father.  He hasn't seen his Dad in years, and told me that he is probably always with his friends.  He then broke my heart, Tyler told me that years ago, his dad left because he wasn't very smart, or likeable.

It frustrates me to think that there are actually men out there heartless and selfish enough to leave their son and wife, because his son isn't smart enough or likeable.  I have spent 20 minutes with Tyler in my entire life and I have seen enough beauty in him to know full well that a man with any kind of heart would be honored to be Tyler's father.....God sure is.

MEN:  When you make a decision to marry, or bring new life into this world, you are forever sacrificing the option to live for yourself.  Often times you have brought new life into this world because you haven't figured out how to not live selfishly in the first place.  So why does it surprise me that your son has to suffer the consequences of you being an idiot.  Step up and stop being fools.  The responsibility of raising your son is not in the hands of just women.  There is absolutely no way that Tyler should be sitting in a church, approaching Christmas, feeling like he wasn't good enough for your love.  There is no way Tyler should have to share with a stranger that he doesn't have any friends.  If you're doing your job as a Father, then he should always have his best friend right beside him.  If you weren't a heartless piece of work, and you were Tyler's father then Tyler would know that he is the smartest, and most likeable person you've ever met.  I pity you the day you stand in front of God, if you have a Tyler in your life that you have abandoned, a son or daughter who will never know what it's like to be pursued by their Father.  A man who doesn't provide for and love their own family, is worse than an unbeliever, and unbelievers burn in hell.  Thank you Jesus for loving Tyler, and for loving us when we have no-one.

Welcome to Uganda!

Greetings from Uganda!  We arrived safely a couple of days ago and what a great trip it has been already!  We flew into Entebbe late Tuesday night before making the long drive to Karuma on Wednesday morning.  Travels were safe so thank you to all who have been praying for that!  What an amazing trip it has been so far.  The people of Uganda, the workers and orphans at Restoration Gateway are all so special.  It is amazing to see the joy of knowing the Lord shining through the people here.  They have welcomed us in with open arms and everyone on our team has submerged themselves in loving the children and the people living and working here.  We have spent time eating with the children, playing basketball and soccer as well.  God is doing big things here in Uganda, and in the lives of the people here, we are so blessed to be a part of it.  Thanks again for all your prayers, we are safe and so thankful to be here!  The internet connections are very bad, so uploading pictures and communicating is hit or miss, not sure when I will update again.  We love you all!
 

We'll See Ya!

This morning we are jumping on a plane, heading to Uganda!  I am excited about the opportunity to be part of what God is doing in Africa, and particularly for the people of Uganda.  We have approximately 18 hours to be on a plane, so if you have any revolutionary ideas on how to kill time on an airplane, please make every effort to get in touch with me before I take off at 3:30!  If you are interested in checking out the work that we are doing in Uganda please check out my organization's website @ http://www.onein6.org Thank you for your continued prayer and support, I'm excited to share my experiences and the work that is being done for the people of Uganda when I get back.  God Bless!

Join Us In Prayer

As I approach my trip to Uganda, Africa tomorrow afternoon, many of you have asked how you can be praying for our team.  Here are some specific prayer needs that we have, and we thank you for praying diligently with us!


1.) Servant's Attitudes
Please pray that we will first and foremost have the attitude of Jesus in the way we serve the people we are with.  We are confident that there will be difficult times, and times where we may not be motivated to work, share, or serve.  Please pray that we would persevere through these times, and stay focused on the reason why we are there.

2.)  Trust in Him
Going on this trip will force us all out of our comfort zones, and place us in situations that cause us to fully depend on God.  Please pray that we would trust His sovereignty and that we will grow tremendously in our faith through the situations where we must fully rely on Him.


3.) Travel Safety
We will be traveling on January 10th-11th from Dallas, to Uganda, with a layover in Amsterdam.  In addition, we will be busing approx. 5 hours each way from the airport to and from the development site in Northern Uganda.  Lastly, we will fly from Uganda back to Dallas, with layovers in Amsterdam, and Memphis on our way home.  Please pray for safe travels, and smooth transitions at our different airports.

4.) Safety In Uganda
This is a huge prayer request.  Uganda is a dangerous country to begin with due to lots of civil unrest.   In addition, Uganda is going through elections at this time, which causes additional violence and radical protesting in certain areas of Uganda.  Please pray for protection and that we would be kept clear of areas where war and protest are happening as a result of the elections.

5.)  Communication Barriers
Please pray that God would open the lines of communication for us.  Communication is key in sharing the gospel and love with people in Uganda, we are excited to see how God will open the door for us to communicate, so please pray for the opening of that door!  Also, pray for effective communication when we arrive at the airport in Uganda, that we would find our transportation when we arrive, without any problems.

6.)  Health
Please pray for our team's health, that we would not run into sickness caused by food, water or native disease.  We pray for health so that we can serve to our full potential, and be effective in our ministry.

7.)  Blessing
Please join my in praying for the blessing of those who have supported this team.  Many of us have been supported by friends and family financially, please pray for Gods blessing upon those who have made sacrifices and given generously to the work God is doing in Uganda.

Thanks for your prayers, check back for more prayer requests and updates from Uganda!

The Wow Factor

Just a lazy Saturday night, watching some playoff football with my roommate Jordan.  We are both from Seattle so of course we were sitting in our living room all afternoon cheering on the Hawks, who pulled off a huge upset earlier.  It's no big deal, thats what the Northwest is all about!!  Near the end of the game we witnessed what was possibly one of the greatest touchdown runs in postseason history, by Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch.  As the play developed we sat in amazement by the effort that was put forth by Lynch, to get the ball in the end zone to seal the W for the Hawks!  The only thing to say was....Wow, as we were sitting in both shock and amazement.

As I approach a trip to Uganda, Africa on Monday afternoon, I am so excited to see what God will do through this trip.  My heart is prepared to experience something that is beyond belief, and know I will once again be wowed by the power of Jesus.  Although I wait in anticipation and prayer to see what God will do, it should come as no surprise to me, when His power and love once again blows my mind.  We are talking about the same revolutionary God who "made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, was made in human likeness, and obedient to death on a cross (Phil 2:6-7), all because He simply loves us.  It is this love that in my life, is the "wow factor."  Just like Marshawn Lynch carried our Hawks to victory, Jesus quite literally took our lives, and carried them with him on the cross, to seal the W for those who follow him.  Wow!  This wow factor quickly reminded me why I feel a call on my life to serve others, and be part of God's mission.  As believes we should serve not out of our own compassion, not because of the great feeling that helping someone brings, not because it puts our life into perspective, and not to make much of ourselves.  We serve and sacrifice ourselves, out of a genuine understanding of the love, service and sacrifice that has been granted to us through grace.  "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."(Romans 5:8)  Wow.  I am thankful to enjoy grace, and have the opportunity to share Christ's love with others in a global environment, and I am pumped to see God once again at work in Uganda in the coming weeks.  Please join me in prayer as we approach this journey, and please join me in serving, no matter where God has you.  "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16)  If His unbelievable love has wowed you, take that understanding, love someone else, and see a generation that has experienced Christ's love, and will truly be left with nothing to say but....Wow.