Tuesday already. WOW - weekend was great. Spending it with family and some dear friends up at the cabin. Its nice to unplug and get away. I am really wishing though for some extra time there.... but school is still going and that kind puts a kink in the solution. BUT, hope to get back up there this coming weekend. There is nothing better than a cup of coffee on that front porch looking east and sitting on the boat with some Kenny on while at the beach, at the doc swimming or with ancor down in Party cove. What a peaceful place to refresh.
Its hard to believe after looking at the calendar for the month of June - and getting the Student Ministry newsletter together - Jeremy Camp is 18 days away .... Jamaica is 20 days away!
Gosh, that just really excites my heart and has me thinking forward. Gosh I still have a message to finish for Jamaica and Flood tomorrow, June 8th and 15th to plan. Its going to be a jammed pack summer but I am excited for the kids to be out of school as well.

I want to walk through a great story this afternoon - one that is touching my heart with Jamaica on the horizon. I will finish it up with a few personal thoughts and that shall be it. With me?
I want to talk through Acts 8:9-21
Now for some time a man named Simon had practiced sorcery in the city and amazed all the people of Samaria. He boasted that he was someone great and all the people, both high and low, gave him their attention and exclaimed, "This man is the devine power know as the Great Power." They followed him because he had amazed them for a long time with his magic. BUt when they believed Philip as he preached the good news of the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus, they were baptised, both men and women. Simon himself believed and was baptised. And he followed Philip everywhere , astonished by the great signs and miracles he saw. When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them.; they had simply been baptized into the name of Lod Jesus. Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on the apostles hands, he offered them money and said, "Give me also this ability so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." Peter answered: "May your money perish with you, because you thought you could buy the gift of God with money! You have no part or share in this ministry, because your heart is not right before God.

In less that a month, a team of 10 will be meeting another team of 10 -who have never met. Who have only briefly spoken and who have little contact really with each other, live in another part of the country - but yet are going to another country for the same purpose. The same message. The same goal and with the same heart. Its been a long time worry for me - with a mission trip outside of the states and being in such a uncomfortable place that none of us will be familiar with. That excites me but it also scares me. I worry about leaders and teenagers putting themselves first while there. Even if its only for a few minutes. Our goal and destination and vision must not change and that is to do Gods work while there. Loving on the people, the families, the hungry, the sick and elderly and remind them of who we all share in common - Jesus. If they dont know Jesus then its our duty as followers of Christ to speak truth and life and love to them. Its all about Gods glory on this trip and if that means we do with less, if we miss a meal, if we are hot, bothered and tired - so be it. Experience it while keeping the vision. Keeping the heart of Christ in ours at all times.
Peter got all up in Simons face about wanting to buy the holy spirit and be able to have what everyone else had. Problem is, its not for purchase. Problem is it cant be really bought. Problem is, your heart has to be in the right place in order for anything to work. I fully believe God will have the hearts right on this mission trip. Partly in a way - this is my purpose and responsibility as well. Talk about it until I am blue, get everyone on the same page - excite some people! Go into this fired up and ready for anything. I used to say - charge hell with a water pistol - and I guess in many ways I am still saying it. Satan has done his work to take our team down. Money is down and we are having to fund most of the trip ourselves. Air costs have went through the roof. Vacations are on hold, families are out of work, kids are struggling with Christ and their purpose in life as they try and find Christ in their own lives. - There is a LOT going on but God has made a way so far and I fully believe He will make a way all the way through this.
I once heard someone say that when some big thing happens in the world, America is always generous with the gifts of money - funding so many projects and so many outreach programs. I too have struggled with this as I think about the cost of the trip - wouldnt the people of Jamaica in the towns we will be at be better off for us to just give them $1300 each then for us to spend that money and go there?
Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. Yeah sure we could do that. They would be thankful for it but once again a gift of a helping hand comes and still - there is no face attached to it. There is no name attached to it. When you help someone get through a tough time, when you reach out a hand and take theirs when they need it most ...and there is a name or a face attached to it. IT CHANGES EVERYTHING! Now that person can be thankful to another person. They have a face to always remember that gift, that outreach, that helping hand or that face full of tears. They can relate now, sacrifice is what its all about. Sending money is easy..... thankful for those who do - but when you sacrifice on the behalf of others ... that is when it really hits home.

Jamaica - will have 20 faces, 20 hearts, 20 arms of love ready to hold sick babies, new born babies, kids who need a hug and to know someone cares about them, an older person on their last days on this earth - they need to know they matter and someone cares, someone loves them and it means so much that they sacrificed to go there ... not just send some money but actually do something. Now step that up a notch and come in the name of Jesus.
There is where everything changes........

Lord I pray for life change not only for the folks in Jamaica, who ever we may be meeting, you already know those details Lord and I pray for those hearts but I also pray for the 20 hearts you will be forever changing. I pray for changed and reminded hearts of Jim and Penie who have went further in their ministry and walk with you to help others come closer to you through this mission work. Lord I pray for those little hands, those little feet who need a hug and a smile to let them know they are loved and that they are not forgotten. I pray for all those who we will meet who are sick and just need someone to share Jesus with them, to listen to them and just read their life story on their faces. So much different than ours. May our hearts be burned with the images we will see for your glory and your purposes Lord. Help us put faces and names together because of the sacrifice of everyone. Gosh Lord, I pray our hearts are in those places and your Holy Spirit is fully with us during this time. May we honor you in all we do there.
I pray is Jesus name,
Amen~