Reflections of Praise
What a crazy month! It’s amazing to say we trained a team, sent them out, and received them back within a month. Actually, they had been preparing and training for months. Had the opportunity to go to Ohio, which is a different culture altogether (“let’s go to Texas and hunt wild boar!” and “we don’t have to lock our car doors”) to this suburban California native. 
Thoroughly enjoyed meeting the India team members and was blessed by the Acts 2 community they live with through their sending church. Although I’m sure they had their ups and downs as a team (what team doesn’t?!), overall they seemed to have a positive and fruitful experience. Gave a children’s message, which was actually fun! Found out the Veggie Tales theme song is more widely known than Jesus Loves Me. Also had an unusually restful weekend! For those who encouraged me in that, thanks! In fact, I was so relaxed I almost forgot to play the doxology during 2nd service. It was a little weird to not try to be productive. Along with spending time seeking the Lord, I played hours of sudoku at the most challenging level possible and listened to music really loud. So weird how that actually clears my head and heart! Glad I got that out of my system… Now, I’m ready to plan for 2010.
Please Pray
- for the India team as they re-enter into their main mission field of Ohio and reorient themselves to the work God has prepared for them there
- for Paul, our main host in India
- that he will have time to rest and to reflect on the last two weeks
- he can discern how to use as much as possible of the fruit of our team’s work for his ongoing ministry
- for new hosts for 2010—I’m praying for hosts in three parts of the world…if you sense there’s a general area God wants WFI to enter, let me know!
- for two new domestic programs designed to equip and encourage worship leaders to engage in the Great Commission by using their gifts and talents
- for a growing network of partners and supporters—for the next few months, I’m praying for a total of 10 churches to really get behind this ministry and take it on as one way they help the Kingdom advance
Looking Ahead
No matter how hard I try, I never seem to get the hang of “cease striving and know that I am God.” There’s an oxymoronic observation for you! 
In the last three months, I had enough coffee and all-nighters to make you think I was a college student cramming for finals week. Except finals week lasted for three months. One of the things that resulted from this past weekend’s time of solitude was the challenge to discover what it is like to work hard, but to depend on God even harder. In my finite mind, those two don’t co-exist. However, they’re both in the Bible, so they must work together somehow! The verses He led me to are Psalm 90.17, Psalm 127.1-2, and Isaiah 55.2. “Finals week” could go on indefinitely; the only way it will end is if I consciously make a decision to cut it short. If the Sabbath was created for man, and not man for the Sabbath, then it seems to makes sense the same principle can apply to work. The list of things to do will never be completed until I reach Heaven (and even then, we’ll be plenty occupied!), but it can be more like Heaven if I choose to eliminate things that may not be mine to do in the first place. As summer kicks in, please pray we will experience truly restful labor in, for, and with Jesus Christ.
“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me – watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11.28-30
