One week to go!

"In direct contradiction to the American dream, God actually delights in exalting our inability. He intentionally puts his people in situations where they come face to face with their need for him. In the process he powerfully demonstrates his ability to provide everything his people need in ways they could never have mustered up or imagined. And in the end, he makes much of his own name." -David Platt

This quote comes from chapter 3 of David Platt's new book Radical. This chapter is titled "The Importance of relying on God's Power." Seems a little ironic huh? Why would someone have to write a chapter on the importance of relying on the infinite God's power? Why would we have to read it, and yet we still won't get it. Shouldn't we already know the importance of it? All we have to do is look around us at everything that God has created to see his glory and power. But we all too often think our own power is sufficent. I am all too often guilty of this. I say that I believe in the Lord's immeasurable power, but my actions say otherwise. And so God keeps putting us in situations where we are forced to fall on our faces before God and admit our utter dependency on Him-but only after we have exhausted all efforts and resources of our own.

I like to have a plan. I like to be in control of my life. Really, who doesn't? I'm quickly leanring that God's plan doesn't always look like mine. As I venture into a different country, I wonder if I will be a coward in sharing the Gospel. I, myself, do not have the power to do this, but the Lord has equipped us with the Holy Spirit to lead us. He has given us his power. My prayer this summer is that the Lord would use me in ways I never knew possible--that he would use me so much that I couldn't help but attribute all of it to his glorious name.

Please join me in praying for the Aussies--that the Lord would break down any walls in their hearts toward the Gospel. Pray for me and my team that we would be bold--that the Gospel would be so much of who we are that we would jump at any opportunity to share what has so deeply changed our lives. Also, please pray for support to come in. I am still lacking about $1350 to go on my personal goal, and others are still lacking as well. The Lord works on his own time schedule, so pray he would provide and display his glory!

I'll update before we leave next Monday with more specific prayer requests so check back! Thanks guys!