In a few short days, I embark on yet another mission with another fantastic team. This time around, we travel to Catadupa, Jamaica. For 8 days, we'll serve the community, leading Kids Club and completing work projects side by side with the local people. This is the same community our team traveled to in 2012, and we are excited to return. We are excited to go back and see what God has done and how he has continued to move and work.

After planning and completing an amazing mission trip to Chicago, it was time to get to work on this mission. To be honest, I've been stressed out - the result of an overwhelming amount of homework (yay Greek!) and prepping to take 25 people on international mission. From organizing countless forms, making multiple copies of insurance cards, passports and notarization to leave the county to prayerfully seeking God's words for this team as I write devotions, there's been a lot to do. I've felt the stress and weight of making sure this trip goes well (as well as it can) and is a positive experience for the high school team, college age team and adults. I want it to be perfect, not for my sake, but because I want nothing to come in the way of this team meeting God - maybe again, maybe for the first time.

Today, I sit in my office, with my desk (mostly) clear. The planning is complete, all the loose ends are tied up. The Ipod is stocked with music. The last of my homework has been submitted, so I'm free from that for two weeks (PRAISE GOD!)... From where I sit today, this is the best part of the preparation. I am free. I am free from all the things I have to do, get done and complete. I'm free to surrender to worship and prayer.

The truth is, as I've planned and prepped for this mission, I've been overwhelmed, not by all that needs to be done, but the words and prayers God is giving me for this team.

Countless times I've gone through the high school team list and God has given me prayers for these people. Or words for their families or parents. Our high school ministry has grown - maybe not wide, but deep - these last few years. Our faithfulness to God, our obedience to his will, has been fruitful. This high school teams is ready for whatever God brings. They are open, they are fearless, they are found in Christ. And so I pray in anticipation for what he will bring each of them on the mission.

Our college team has rendered me speechless, breathless and on my knees in prayer for them and for what God will do through them on this mission. This team has been on my heart since day one of youth ministry, when they weren't much older than my son. As we have met, talked, prayed and chiseled in preparation for this mission, God has revealed much. He is carefully preparing for heart, soul and mind surgery on each of them. They know it. I know it. I am overcome with a sense that God is on the move within each of these young adults.

And so today and in the days ahead, I am free of what I need to do, and find myself free falling to my knees. I humbly invite you to join me and to pray for this team and the mission ahead:

Prayer Requests (Full Team)
- Pray for the community of Catadupa
- Pray for the youth team from Ashburn Presbyterian (who will be there with us)
- Open hearts and minds to the work of God.
- Hearts open to surrender and freedom in Christ
- Pray for lives changed for God's glory
- Wisdom for our leadrs
- Our team time, prayer time and worship
- Boldness in sharing the good news of Jesus with one another and the people of Catadupa
- Strength and endurance for the hard work, heat and new surroundings
- Traveling mercies (long flights, drives, roads)
- Health, wellness and safety
- That all of our financial needs would be met

Prayer Requests (High School Team)
- For our graduated seniors, as they complete their last mission with Youth Ministry
- Strengthened faith and relationship with the Lord
- Commitment to serving God not just on mission, but at home
- Open eyes to where we can serve others
- Divine appointments for this team, that God would meet them where they are at

Prayer Requests (College Team)
- Discernment of future plans, as God speaks on this mission
- Wisdom for decisions about college, ministry and mission callings
- Strength and wisdom in allowing God to prune their lives of things not of him
- Strength to boldly proclaim Christ to the high school team
- Release the burden of guilt, shame, accept forgiveness so they can be open to God's healing and work
 
Prayer Requests (Leaders)
- That all needs at home/work would be met as we lead and serve
- That we would feel peace about our decision to lead mission
- That our children at home will be cared for in our absence
- For the people caring for our kids and helping our families
- For our spouses, as we lead and serve this team

Today is day 41. 

41 days ago, Jeff and I were en route home from the Exponential conference. We had been filled, renewed, inspired and challenged in our faith and what God is calling us to both individually and together. 

In one of the breakouts, the challenge was put forth: before you do anything, before you act, decide, before you move, spend 40 days with God. You see, throughout scripture whenever someone is called to ministry, there is a period of waiting, desert, temptation, time with God. A time to press into God, seek his truth, his revelation. The 40 day challenge was put forth to press into God and wait on him. And so, in the car on the way to catch our flight home, I asked Jeff if we could do this journey together, reading scripture and for me, journaling. He agreed.

And God gave us Proverbs 4. 

Proverbs 4: 5, 12 - 13.
"Get wisdom, get understanding. Do not forget my words, or swerve from them.... I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered, when you run you will not stumble. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well for it is your life. 

In these 40 days, we have daily turned to God's word, and daily we have been filled by his wisdom. We have felt his hand guiding and leading us. We have found hope that as we walk by faith and obedience to him, he is narrowing our way. We have held to his instruction and been reminded that HE is better than life.

To guide us, Jeff found an app that allows you to randomly chose scripture. We have been all over the bible. Old Testament, Minor Prophets. Epistles. Gospel. We have learned - or rather been reminded - that God is never random. God is perfect in his timing. Daily we have been filled fully by the Spirit, reminded of call and purpose, helped as we hone in on what he's calling us to. In the process, Jeff has taken a leadership of our faith, and for every ounce of me that is egalitarian in nature, I am so thankful that God is raising him up to lead in our home, in this way. 

Some days as I wrote, the pages were stained with tears - of happiness, dread and joy. Other days, I asked God to help me understand what he was revealing. Still others we added a Psalm, or read far beyond the assigned reading. And in all things, he has worked for good, as we answer his call.

At day 15, Jeff felt convicted of two things:
1) We should keep going after day 40
2) We should end the first 40 days with a fast. 

So on Thursday night, we prepared for our fast. We prayed together, asked for guidance and strength, wisdom and revelation. We shared communion. And then we began.

Yesterday, God gave us Proverbs 19: "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails." 

Today - Lord God, today - I'm amazed. He gave us Ephesians 3. The passage that has come over and over and over again. The mystery of the Gospel revealed, as well as the Prayer for the Ephesians. 


The prayer I have prayed for my kids, and the youth kids and my husband. And that God knows I need to hear, that which has been revealed countless times since last July. He gives us today, a reminder: 

Ephesians 3: 14 - 21
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being so that Christ may dwell in your hearts  through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.


In the 40 days, as we have pressed into the Lord, through prayer, worship, scripture and submission to God's will, we are strengthened by the truth shared in Ephesians. He is doing more than we can imagine. He is preparing us for his call, his purpose and aligning our passion to reach people for HIS glory. I can not say we are at ease with where he is leading us - yet. But we've had great conversations, thrown out different dreams and fears. And all the way, we are more and more encouraged by the love of Christ.

We are encouraged.. "to make a change, leave our home, give to the poor all that you own. Lose our lives...so that you can find it." (Lyrics: Josh Garrels. "Zion and Babylon," Love, War and the Sea In Between, 2012) 

 His love - the love of Christ - is worth it. 

Thanks be to God.