The Hole in Our Gospel - Richard Stearns

I decided to re-read "The Hole in Our Gospel" by Richard Stearns. I read it last year just before I went to Uganda. It's a great book and if you have not read it before I highly recommend it! As I was reading it today I came across these quotes from Stearns that made me think a bit.

Why did God make me? To love, serve, and obey Him. Very simple, yet extremely profound. If we all woke up every morning asking, “How can I love, serve, and obey God today?” it might change everything-it might even change the world. -Richard Stearns

How often do we really think about why God made us? How often do we wake up wondering how we can love, serve, and obey God today? I don't think it is as often as it should be. We should be asking those questions and then fulfilling what God wants every day but we don't. We get so busy in our day to day lives that we don't think about it! He didn't put us here to sit around and do nothing. God puts us on this earth to Love, Serve, and Obey Him!

When we say that we want to be His disciple, yet attach a list of conditions, Jesus refuses to accept our terms. His terms require unconditional surrender. - Richard Stearns

How many times do we put conditions on things God wants us to do? God doesn't want our conditions. He wants us to COMPLETELY surrender to him. Following Him. Even in Matthew 8 it talks about the cost of following God. A disciple told God He would follow Him but then he said "Lord, first let me go and bury my father." But Jesus said, "Follow Me, Let the dead bury their own dead." That disciple tried to lay out his own conditions first but God said Follow Me. Unconditional surrender. It's not and won't be easy! If we all Loved, Served, and Obeyed God...If we all Fully and Unconditionally Surrendered Everything to Him - it might could completely change this world, like Stearns mentioned. If we did all that, just imagine what our relationship with God would be like! I think it would become stronger and we would learn to trust, and lean on Him for more than we ever have! More people reaching the Nations. More people reaching the lost and the needy.

Well, that's my thoughts for now! (:

Remember to keep my team in your prayers as we prepare to head to Uganda! A few people have asked for the names of who is going, so here they are!

Me
Dana Whitton
Nathan Whitton
Audrey Hofer
Lynn Patterson

We leave in 8 days!

Uganda

I am so excited about the upcoming trip to Uganda! A team of 4 will be leaving for Pensacola, FL on the 8th of July and then we start our journey to the far off land of Africa on the 9th! It's hard to believe that it is only 12 days away. I didn't think I was going to be able to go back this year, but God had other plans. I usually plan a mission trip a year in advance and send out support letters to let people know what I am doing and to ask for prayer. Well, that didn't happen due to moving to a new state, new job, and moved again to a new home. Things just got so busy I figured that was God saying I am to stay home front this year. I was of course upset that I wasn't going to be able to go because I miss Africa so much. I have left my heart there. In April, an opportunity came up out of the blue to go back and then a small team formed! I was excited but at the same time wondering how I was going to raise $2,000 for a plane ticket in 3 weeks and another $800 before I leave! Finding that much money in such a short amount of time when I am used to collecting 10 months in advance was crazy! People didn't even know I was going. I mentioned it on facebook a few times but that not a letter. That's where I believe God said "trust me". It wasn't easy. The plane ticket date came up and I still needed that $2,000! Through lots of tears and prayers the money was provided! God is good. He wants me to go but it is not going to be easy. He is making each of us come to Him and rely on Him for everything! NOTHING will be easy. Plane tickets are bought and the packing begins! We are each taking 3 - 50lb bags full of items for the Sonrise Baby/Children's Home, Children's Choir, Village Children, and Sonrise Church. I look forward to going back. Pray for the people we come in contact with through hut to hut evangelism, the village schools, orphanages, islands, building huts, and the markets. No matter where we meet them, pray that we show Gods love to them and that they may come to know Him. Pray for the team as we prepare to go. Pray for us as we are gone. Trip dates are July 8-26th. Keep watching the blog while I am gone! I will post every few days to keep you up to date on everything that is happening! Love you ! Phil 4:13