We're out of the boat...

Thank you all so much for your encouraging words about all that's going on in our youth group lately. It has been a new and exciting experience to be taking a more active role in serving our students.

Another thing that has been occupying a good bit of our time lately is preparing for a mission trip to Costa Rica. We have had the opportunity come up to go as team leaders with some awesome members of our student ministry. Here's a little more information about our trip:

This trip will partner with Youth with A Mission in Guanacaste,Costa Rica (this is one of the poorer sections of Costa Rica). YWAM has a base in a small rural village called Corral Piedra. Since 2005 YWAM has been working in evangelism, discipleship, mercy ministries and community development through various ministries and projects. YWAM has taken on a 5 year project to distribute a Bible to each house in the province of Guanacaste. That is a total 94,000 bibles. This team will be involved in different strategies to reach the UNSAVED or LOST person. There will be several youths on this team and they will play a key part in reaching the youth in Guanacaste. The team will be teaching through the churches of Guanacaste as well as working with the children in the Children's Ministry in the various places through out their stay there.


A few weeks ago I did the devotion for one of our team meetings. The Lord led me to Matthew 14:22-32 where Peter gets out of the boat and he was walking on water, until he took his eyes off of Jesus...then he sank. What was impressed on me was that Jesus does not call us to safety and His call is not without risk. He wants trust and obedience, so.....we have to get out of the boat!

I know that if that devotion was for no one else, it was for me. I can get so overwhelmed with the financial needs for a mission trip and begin to take my eyes of of Jesus and forget the fact that He has placed this call on our lives and opened the door for us to go. The thing is, we can't do it alone. And, the way the economy is right now, a lot of people are in a hard spot, and it's easy for me to doubt that God is going to provide.

We have until this Wednesday to come up with the money for our plane tickets. I have no idea where it is going to come from, or how God is going to do it, but I just have to trust that He will.

I have seen God use the blogging community for His glory in so many instances. He used several of you to meet our needs for our last mission trip to Brazil. I know that sometimes people won't give if they don't feel like they can give "a lot", but truly EVERY penny helps.

Just think, what if 100 people gave $20 dollars, or maybe 50 people could give $40...our trips would be paid for! NO gift is too small!

Some of you have asked me how you can help...if you feel so led to give, below is a paypal button marked for Costa Rica so your gift will go straight toward our trip.

Above all, we covet your prayers for this team and our trip. I cannot wait to share with you how God worked and give Him ALL the glory!! Thank you in advance for the part you are going to play in partnering with us on mission!