Planning for GRIT 2010 begins!
GRIT 2010 might be several months away but the preparation has to start now. I am talking with Pastor John Murray from Campus Baptist in Iowa about our plans for next year. He is hoping to be here for much of the summer. We are planning for another 10-12 GRITers so housing and transportation are the big issues we need to deal with once again. It is possible we will be putting a new floor in the second floor of our barn and using it as housing for the guys. Time and money will be needed to make that happen so we will see what God provides and which direction he leads in the coming months.
Anyone interested in attending should plan to contact us soon!
GRIT 2009 Wrap-up Thoughts
So I'm sitting here thinking about GRIT 2009 and all that it entailed. Wow, what an experience. Daily exercise (sometimes with no break for the guys when we had AirSoft on Sundays), constantly studying God's Word, deep, thought-provoking conversations and life-changing decisions. I think the hardest part of all is going back to "normal life" and we don't see the changes we think we were going to see. All of these things are very possible but somewhat improbable unless we make a plan for it.
Norman has really tried to emphasize to me personally that I probably plan too much, and I do understand that in life there are many things we cannot plan for. However, if we are not careful we will regress and be, as the Bible says, "And the final condition of that man is worse than the first." (Matthew 12:45). We can think we're okay, but it is as King Uzziah was when he became strong. Once we're okay with where we are in life, we don't need God. We may still praise Him, but we don't see our need for Him.
It's the same way with accountability. Belief and knowledge without action means no belief. We don't want to hear those words, but I think they're very important because they're convicting. We need more people to tell us what we don't want to hear when we need to hear it- and then to respond to that. I know there are people in my life who tell me what I don't want to hear, but I've learned to listened to them because they tell it to me not to make me upset or angry but because they want the very best for me.
Wrapping up GRIT for me does me a time to take a breath before the next part of the journey really begins, but it also means making sure you don't start going down the escalator of life. We must press on if we're going to become like Christ (Philippians 1:6) and we cannot do the Christian life alone.
The end of GRIT is here and the beginning of difficult and real life is setting in. Where will we be in a year from now? That's up to how we live our lives and all allow others into them... each and every day.
The end is in sight...
We only have a few days left before the group begins to break up and return to whatever "normal" life they might have. We will be wrapping up in Nagashima from Saturday night until Tuesday morning, returning here to pack and the first two will fly out on Wednesday morning 8am. It is difficult for me to know how much real heart change occurs in the summer but time will change. For me personally this has been one of the most challenging summers spiritually.
As Susan and I reflect on the summer and look to the future we always have counted the costs and said it is totally worth it. It has been and still is my prayer that God will use my feeble efforts to draw young Christians closer to him and that HE will mold them into the disciplemakers that He intends them to be.
To God be the glory!
A Disciple's Prayer
So the times in which we wait but we still want something to happen teach us a lot about ourselves. The main thing is that we focus far too much on the 5% of life that God hasn't revealed in His will. We worry, fret and do all kinds of crazy things when we should be serving Christ at that moment. The problem is, we aren't even serving Christ with our lives when we aren't worrying about the 5% of our lives that hasn't been revealed. Then, when we might think about serving in the times we're worrying, our entire existence is tied up in the small things and then it cripples our possible ministry "while we're waiting."
The right response that we should have is to run as hard and as fast as we can after Christ. When things go bad, when our 5-year plan doesn't work out, when everything goes to pieces, this is the time we should be right where God has us and wants us to be. We just forget. We always forget. We forget how faithful He has always been to us. In everything, He always has our best interest in mind. He will bring us lasting happiness through giving Him glory and knowing Him. Those are the two things we were made for.
As GRIT winds down, I think about what could be next for all of us. I'm writing this on Monday night. Maybe I'll get my VISA, maybe not. Maybe Who knows? God is still sovereign. He is always in control. He's more involved than we ever imagine. Whatever happens, I'm going to do as Christ has called me and I pray this is the same for all GRIT members:
To make disciples of all nations.
PS- I still haven't received any mail yet regarding my VISA status yet. Should come tomorrow and I will be posting about it.
The parents
Last Tues kids meeting
Bloody Andrew
Andrew wrecked his bike, but he is OK Mom! Maybe a small scar on his check. I am sure he will call to brag later.
Kids program
Learning Japanese calligraphy
Rainy work at camp
We worked hard at camp for two days and returned really tired. Today we are mostly taking it easy until the cafe tonight. We are all reading Colossians and will be talking through it on Saturday.
Yummy!
Tea ceremony
We had a chance to learn about the tea ceremony today. Nice to be out of the rain!
