Shalom Friends 🙂
I am headed back to Europe again this summer for another 40-day missionary trip (same trip as last year).
After my trip last year I thought: “This is great! I just completed my first mission trip, God showed up and got me through it and now I can say I have done it…(but maybe lets pick some “easier” trips for the next time…)” But I am so thankful for my friends (Miss K.) that ask me tough questions like: “Why aren’t you going back next summer Samuel?” and force me to admit to myself that the reason I did not want to go again had nothing to do with schedule and everything to do with not wanting to go through that same hardship again. But God taught me while I was in Brasil on my “easy” mission trip a deeper meaning of what He means when He says “…For apart from Me you can do nothing…” (John 15:5 BSB). He means that we actually need to continually lean on Him and not on us no matter how “easy” or “hard” the situation seems to be; But He also says “…I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength….” (Philippians 4:12-13 BSB). These together set up this beautiful unity and partnership of mutual abiding; Christ loving us first to make the way for us to love Him (I John 4:19).
All of that being said, preparing for the trip this year has been harder spiritually than last year. The details and the what to expect are much easier because I have done it once before, but the enemy has been using all of those hard times last year in spiritual warfare against me. BUT since I did make it through last year, that means that every hard situation the enemy is throwing at me has ALREADY BEEN CONQUORED!!!
Please pray with me:
+ As I continue to prepare and stand in FAITH for this summer,
+ For the rest of the team and leaders from the organizations as they prepare,
+ For the hearts of the people with whom we will interact while there.
Grace and Peace, with Love,
SHP
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