Mission

Almost a year ago from today I can remember sitting in a small room illuminated by the warm August sun with my eyes closed concentrating on a vision. My mind conceived an image of me sitting in a field of grass so green that it was glowing, gazing at a huge sunrise, and taking in all the fresh air that my nostrils would accept. A year later an opportunity to serve in Africa has presented itself to me and I am truly grateful. Sometimes I observe Jesus’s words in ” The Great Commission” and feel a tinge of guilt, because at times I don’t feel as if I’m living it out. As I embark on this mission I realize that I have to devout myself to disciplined prayer and directional discernment in order to know what God’s will is in this situation. It’s amazing how God moves when you put your life in his hands; life’s fears and anxieties no longer have a place in your heart because you know that whatever happens is in his hands. Last year, before I was in a relationship with Jesus, I wandered around paralyzed by the thought of the unknown, but now that has all changed. My first service project was in an empty field planting flowers. Once occupied by a row of houses, the area is now empty without a trace that a foundation has ever settled on those grounds. Now a year later I have the opportunity to serve in another country and that, in itself, serves as a testimony to the power of God. From drug dealer to missionary, from lost to found, from broken to redeemed. Even as God continues to take me to new heights I can’t help but to think that many lives will be changed through God using me as an example. One of my favorite lines of encouragement to use is “If I can do it you can too.” In the “Ghetto” we tend to put our faith into things that have no eternal value and, therefore, are led astray from the truth. I just want young people to know that through Jesus Christ all things are possible considering that we are willing to sacrifice. And I say that just to say; don’t turn to people to accomplish what you want because we’re all human, people don’t move mountains but through people Jesus can do all.

Hope for All

Hey guys, it's me again. Since my last blog post God has been doing some pretty amazing things in Aliquippa! A few weeks ago God sent an understandably broken man into me and my friend's lives. This person (whom I'll just call "Greg" for reasons of privacy)had been standing in the same spot at really late hours of the night everyday and he even says he didn't know why he stood there consistently the way he did, but now we realize that it was Gods guiding hand and divine orchestration that directed Greg's steps. So a couple of my friends seen him standing in this paticular spot one night and went to speak to him. After speaking to Greg he began to hang out and eat dinner with us on a daily basis pretty much. One night after going out as a group and eating dinner with him we ended up at a cafe, when we arrived at the cafe another one of my friends (Trevor, the guy I wrote about in my previous post) was there. I was happy to see him there because I feel like people have the opportunity to meet Jesus just by being around those who carry his torch where ever they go. So after the cafe we began to walk up the street, and as we were walking, a bible verse came to my mind. So when we reached our destination I pulled my Bible out of my book bag without hesitation, stood up on the steps, and began to give somewhat of a devotional word. As I wrapped up my message I said, "So we just need to be praying about these things" and to my amazement Greg said "Well, let's pray right now". So me Trevor, Greg, and a few other friends formed a circle and began to pray outside. As I heard Trevor pray I became emotional because I feel like that was a direct answer to prayer, and also I was grateful for what the Lord was doing inside of my new friend Greg. So that night I went home and prayed extensively for both of my friends. Greg once said that he was attracted to being around us, he said he had never met people like us who were full of love and compassion. I told him that It wasn't us that he was attracted to, but that it was he who dwells inside of us. A couple more times after the night when we prayed outside he probed us to pray, even though he himself never prayed in those times. It delighted me to see his hunger and love for prayer even though he had not given his life to the Lord. But a couple of days ago that all changed. After sunday morning church service a friend and myself had an opportunity to sit down and talk with Greg about his salvation. Greg realized that there were huge barriers in his life and he didn't want to bring that "bad stuff" to God, but the spirit was present and the message of the gospel worked wonders because Greg accepted Jesus that day. Greg is currently working through some difficult things but God continues to place community around Greg. His story has been an inspiration to not only myself, but to the whole body of Christ. I look forward to seeing what God does through his life. We are called to promote a message of hope, but in reality hope will promote itself, because hope in contageous.

Please Pray that God will continue to work in my friends life. Pray that God will give him strength, Perseverance, and Faith. Thank you and God bless!!!

Fighting for Souls (What does that mean?)

I entitled this blog fighting for souls because thats exactly what we're doing. I created this blog to express the passion that God has instilled inside my heart for his people and his church. Every so often I weep for not only my sins, but for the sins of those around me. A couple of times a month I'll post a blog with a prayer request attached to the end of it, because I believe that any battle, no matter the depth, can be won through prayer. I love my friends but I know that God loves them beyond my comprehension. Theres a sense of urgency in the air. God has been calling them and I can feel it. The Lord has been directing their lives and they can't even see it, but I can.The conversion of the apostle Paul in Acts 9 continues to inspire me. I'm delighted to know that God uses broken, sinful people as myself to be his hands and feet, but first he orchestrates an encounter, and after an encounter with Jesus Christ I find it impossible that any man would be able to walk away unchanged. Sometimes I speak to a lost soul only to realize that I'm actually staring at a reflection of myself before I came to the throne. Before I had this inner peace that feels so mysteriously divine. Before I discovered that the will for my life was embedded in the sacred words of THE LIVING GOD. Now I grieve, now I weep, and now I strive to live for everyone but myself. Last month as I went off to an isolated place to pray the word of God spoke to my heart. James 5:16 NIV says, "Therefore confess you sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. THE PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN IS POWERFUL AND EFFECTIVE." After I read it I thought, "If the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective, then how effective is the prayer of a man with hidden or even exposed sin"? Probably not effective at all right? Therefor I search my own heart before I petition The Lord in order that my intercession may reach Gods ears without blemish. Bottom line is this: People are dying without knowing Jesus and I can't save them, be he can, so I pray constantly and diligently seek spiritual possibilities. Sooo, I'm going to end this post with a prayer request, Thank You and may God be with you all.

Trevor knows that he's being spoken to, but he hasn't been able to come to a point where he wants to put his future in God's hands. I love him and I've been asking God to show him that financial prosperity is meaningless.

PLEASE PRAY THAT GOD WILL REVEAL HIMSELF TO TREVOR IN A UNDENIABLE WAY.

THANK YOU!