"Go, therefore into all the world..."

Why Azerbaijan? I'm sure alot of you are wondering why would you go to a place that I can't pronounce nor do I have a clue where in the world it is located. For me the answer is two-fold: Because God said Go, (Matt 28:19-20) and because I am availing myself to go where others may not want to go.

So many times growing up I sat in church listening to the missionaries that came with their many stories, pictures and passion to reach the lost. I would sit there fighting back the tears that were not for what was just shared but there was something deeper inside of me that was tugging, and calling me. The injustices shared, the hopelessness revealed drew me to wanting to be a part of bringing answers to the situations. The greatest answer being that there is a loving God who never meant for us to experience hurt, pain, hunger, etc. and that His desire is that we come into relationship with Him. I briefly want to share a small picture of what I believe God leading me in to. I have a business/finance background and believe that God will use this experience to help bring opportunities to the nations that will bring Godly business principles to disadvantaged people, including the widows and the orphans. How does the bigger picture look? Honestly, I am not sure but I believe that as God begins to build my foundation these next two years I will be able to see the specifics and will be able to share even more with those God brings along side of me over the next few years.


Paul on His many journeys sought the Lord as to where he was to go and if he got the all clear he went. When I had heard that Azerbaijan was a possibility I prayed whether to lead a team and had the Lord's peace about this. I have known for quite a few years now that I would be doing some work in muslim nations and to have this opportunity is very honoring to me. Because of the sensitive nature of the nation I will not be sharing the details of what we will be doing on my blog but will be sending out confidential e-mails and letters to those of you requesting more info and also to my regular supporters.

If you would like to help support this specific mission trip or to support me on a regular basis please refer to the support tab of this blog page. My current need is $5,000.00 by the end of this month in order to lead this team. I am grateful for those of you who want to be a part of this work.

God is Big Enough and Good Enough

Have you ever just laid in the middle of a field, or on a mountain looking at the stars as they light up the night sky? It really gives you a sense of how small we really are in this huge world, in the middle of this huge universe, in the vastness of this galaxy that exists in harmony with other galaxies. Well, with that picture in mind, God is even bigger than our knowledge of the known outer space. It is a very humbling thought, but it brings even more of a sense of my need to honor this great God of the universe.
This was the way that our speaker this week, Matt Rawlins, helped us to see that because God is so big, great, mighty, majestic, etc., that it should only make sense to fear Him out of reverence. It's not the fear that we are thinking in our minds of what fear has become for many but more of a respect, of honor that we fear Him. Why should I not fear the One who so intimately knit me together in my mother's womb? There can be nothing more than reverence for the One who loves each one of us more than we could ever hope or imagine regardless of what we have done or are currently doing or what we will do. He love us.

Focus

Sometimes there is just so much going on in our lives that it becomes easier and easier to be distracted. The enemy of my destiny is always ready to contribute to this. I have learned through the years to fight for my times with God but even in that we can so easily be thrown into a mind fogging issue that can take our focus away from God. For me, as this quarter begins my focus has been on the Lord but little by little issues have come up that have tried to take my focus off of Him.

When Jesus walked to the boat in the middle of the sea Peter stepped out and walked toward the Lord but as soon as the waves moved Peter he took his eyes off of Jesus and onto the circumstance. At that point his life was in danger but he quickly knew where to look for help, Jesus.

Keep your focus on the Lord. He is the only one who can bring you peace in the storm. He is the only one who can work all things for our good.

Jesus' eyes, so beautiful, so deep, so loving, so kind.

They draw me to Him, deeper, falling, blowing my mind.

How can I see so clearly who I am, who I am growing into?

How can I see you clearly in these hues?

The windows of His soul.

Revival Day

This is the eve of what we have been working on these past few weeks. It has been one month since my arrival here in Kona. We, as staff, have met together on a pretty regular basis. From making it a point to have as many meals together throughout the day, to meeting every Wednesday night in the DTS office, to just choosing to be together at any given point of any given day for any given reason. Our greatest times are when we are in these moments and out of nowhere comes the One who has brought us to this place. We relish these moments, no we actually live for these moments, to hear Him call our names, to feel His love poured into us. Can it get any greater than this? As we take all that God has poured into us this past month we are ready to pour out as extravagantly to the students who arrive tomorrow. We have prayed that all we have experienced and even more so will be poured out to each student. This is why it is revival not arrival. Hearts are going to start to come alive, lives are going to be changed. But this is just the beginning. Stay tuned as the journey of a lifetime begins for this Awaken DTS.

Urgent Expectancy

The past few weeks have been amazing in so many different ways. Building family and community with my fellow staffers has been a complete joy. In this time as we meet up at various times I keep hearing a common word, expectancy. I guess there is no greater word to describe what has been in my heart, my soul and my mind.

But what is it we are expecting? The plain and simple of it is the Kingdom of God here on earth. To see the even greater things that Jesus said we would be able to see and do. God so wants to meet this desire. So as this group begins to grow and build and encourage and strengthen each other and as we keep our focus on Jesus I trully believe we will see this happen. As it was in the book of Acts they met together, fellowshipped with oneanother, with one purpose and one mind, perferring the other over himself so we will see God's Kingdom come and His will be done during this time.

A few years ago in a worship service the Lord had given me the words, urgent expectancy. As I relayed this to the pastor he felt I was to pray this out. What I felt was that God is ready and waiting to perform miracles through willing vessels in random places of everyday life. In other words as we walk throughout our day we would be doing what we saw the Father doing, healing the sick, feeding people, praying, speaking the Word, the list goes on. I saw all of this happening as I began to pray. God so wants to release into us what the Apostles experienced in the book of Acts.

According to Webster's urgent means: 1a. calling for immediate attention 1b. conveying a sense of urgency. and 2. urging insistently. With that expectancy 1. The act, action, or state of expecting (to look forward) 2a. something expected.

For me, this is what I desire, to do what I see my Father do, to speak what I hear the Father speak. He is waiting to release the even greater, my heart is filled with expectation to see it happen.

You call to me to come by Your side.

Before my eyes unfolds Your creation.

As You spoke each part into being it was completed.

Then You turned to me and said "now it is your turn".

I look into Your face of beauty, Your eyes so deep.

I hear what You want me to speak; I speak.

I see what You are wanting to create.

I join into the song of heaven.

Love of our Creator for His creation.

Love of His creation for her Creator.

Beginnings of a New Journey

Let me begin by saying I'm really not sure how my blog will look from day to day or week to week but like my title says I will be sharing some of my heart.
After seven years of being away God has brought me back to this place, Youth With A Mission, Kona, HI; to do what I love, discipling young people so that we can go out and disciple the nations. I am totally open to what the Lord has planned and can hardly wait to see what it all is as it unfolds before my eyes. By doing this blog, I hope to keep everyone up to date with the happenings here and abroad. I also hope to hear from you as you read my entries.

I had heard it said that all of mankind has a song in their hearts and it is our journey to discover just what our songs are. The Lord uses these songs to point us back to Him and the reality is that each one of us are the songs that are in God's heart. Zephaniah 3:17 reads "The Lord your God in your midst, the Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." Amazing, His love, His mercy, His grace, His joy over us. I have discovered only part of my song and He speaks to me that there are so many more verses to be discovered. To me the chorus seems to be constant, "He loves me, He loves you, He loves the world". My desire is that not only do I discover more of my song but that I am able to help others to discover their songs too.

My heart sings a melody,

It plays it's strings a song of love

for my King.

As I sit quietly before the Lord,

It fills with His love for me and for others.

My heart sings His melody.

March 2010