March, Preparing for Hope for Louisville

Never, in the writing of my many support letters, have I experienced such difficulty in the putting of my thoughts on paper. (That first sentence took at least twenty minutes of contemplation before deciding to “bite the bullet” and write.) Perhaps this difficulty lies in the reality of God showing me how little I know, I mean really know, of His grace, glory, and love—but how much I desire to know and share Him every second. He has been working a work in me that confounds me. I must step back and say that I do not know His plans for me, but I know that they are good.

Last semester while running, a line in a song punched away the little breath I had—“Peel back the veil of time/and let us see You with our naked eyes” (John Mark McMillan)

In so many ways I found myself on life’s rim.

I could only think of Moses the chosen, Moses the called, Moses of the ancient faith—Moses who could only handle the wake of God’s presence. I, who could barely breathe, was calling on the unveiled glory of God…if ever there was a time to be prepared for God’s glory, this was not it.

All I know is that almost daily I ask that I be shaken by God’s presence…yet it requires my remembrance of running that day to give me a glimpse of what it is I ask.

I have been in college for nearly two years. I entered the Linguistics program, aiming for foreign mission work, yet this fall it was made clear to me that Social Work is the direction in which I should be walking. I am now knee-deep in Social Work studies, with little idea as to whether I will be abroad in the future, or here in America. I fully trust this will be made clear in time.

Along with this shift in study came the opportunity to pursue working with the homeless in Louisville, KY. I applied and was accepted to work with several other young men and women in the HOPE program (through Jefferson Street Baptist) this summer. We will be serving in the inner-city community in downtown Louisville and building relationships with the homeless while serving at the shelter. Our goal is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. I am very eager to see how God will use us to minister, but almost more eager to see how He will humble me.

I ask that you join with me in prayer. I need it. The HOPE team needs it. We need humility and an ever-growing passion for the Gospel of Jesus Christ whose life, death, and resurrection absolved God’s righteous wrath on our behalf. We need strength, for Satan does not sit idly while God’s people work and pray.

I ask that you join with me in raising support. (I understand that many of you cannot. I understand this, and ask you again to pray.) The goal for each team member is $2400.00.

Thank you. Your continued support of me as I pursue God is such a blessing.

(for more information about the HOPE program, please see hopeforlouisville.com)