The Final Month

It’s the final countdown! We have officially made it to the last month in our trip. That is so crazy to think about. God has been so good to us here, and it has been incredible to see how RIOT has grown since September.

Recently, RIOT held its first annual (hopefully) 5K run/walk! We spent a ton of time planning and praying for this event, and it could not have been more perfect. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! Sunny, slight breeze, not a cloud in the sky! We had 70 participants in the race and a bunch of people come to enjoy the BBQ afterwards. It was so nice to get the community together and show what RIOT has been doing. RIOT was able to raise £1,212 (which is about $2,000). We were so blessed. Many of you sent in your support for this event and ran the race in the states. Thank you so so so much for your support toward RIOT and the ministry that is happening here! You are making a huge difference in people’s lives.

For our last month here, it is going to be full of weekend groups and mission trip teams staying at RIOT. We are continuing our regular youth programs throughout the week, and slowly preparing to leave. The last week here we are attending a Christian conference, which Jenna and I both are really excited for!

Leaving here is going to be very bittersweet. We have grown tremendous amounts and learned so much. But we are so grateful for this next month and are trying to remain intentional in the ministry were doing.    

Thanks for reading J

Let's Be Honest...

Hebrews 11 is known as the faith chapter. This chapter is full of incredible stories of people with extraordinary faith. To be honest, I don’t know if I would make the cut for Hebrews 11…

 It is easy for me to think of myself as ok, or all set in the faith department. I have given up 9 months of my life to live in a foreign country and teach people about the love of Jesus… that takes faith.

But when I honestly think about my life, I know my faith is lacking. I choose to worry rather than trust. I panic instead of praying. I stress instead of resting in Gods peace.

When I read Hebrews 11, I felt like I had been punched in the stomach. But I also felt inspired. 

One day, when your life is over, what will you be known for? The mom who had the best dressed kids? The dad who provided well for his family? The student who received the best grades? Personally, I want to be known for my extraordinary, Hebrews 11, faith.

“How much more do I need to say? It would take too long to recount the stories of the FAITH of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, and all the prophets. By FAITH these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight. Women received their loved ones back again from death.

But others were tortured, refusing to turn from God in order to be set free. They placed their hope in a better life after the resurrection. Some were jeered at, and their backs were cut open with whips. Others were chained in prisons. Some died by stoning, some were sawed in half, and others were killed with the sword. Some went about wearing skins of sheep and goats, destitute and oppressed and mistreated. They were too good for this world, wandering over deserts and mountains, hiding in caves and holes in the ground.”

Is your faith BIG like those in Hebrews 11? Do you have the faith to shut the mouths of lions? Or quench flames of fire?! One day, will you be known for your faith? 

When You're At the End of Your Rope

Dia dhuit readers! (That’s hello in Gaelic). I’m not sure how many of you have read the book Radical by David Platt, but if you are looking for a good, challenging book I highly recommend this one. I have read it 4 times and each time God speaks to me differently. The past few days Jenna and I have been planning some big events for our ministry here. I was beginning to feel inadequate for the job God has asked me to do. Truthfully, some days feel impossible.

I know some of you are feeling that way. Feeling like life is just too hard, God has called you to do something that is just too big, or he is asking you to give up too much.  But here is the thing…. It’s not about you. Harsh I know. Sorry about that, but it’s true. You see, when we are at our weakest and it feels like too much, that is when God is at His strongest. In the words of David Platt…

“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.

            Consider the story of Joshua outside Jericho, a strong city with massive walls surrounding it. Certainly Joshua was anxious about leading the people of God in his first battle as commander. I can only imagine the sense of inadequacy he felt as he contemplated the task before him.

            That’s why, at the end of Joshua 5, we see him alone, wondering about the combat that lies ahead. But suddenly God appears. In that moment God promises Joshua that his side will win the battle, and he gives Joshua the plans.

            You can almost picture Joshua as he listens, thinking, What will it be? A frontal assault? A trick of some kind? Or just lay a siege and starve them out?

            Put yourself in Joshua’s shoes as you hear these battle plans:

       March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have all the people give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the people will go up, every man straight in.

           Let’s be honest. That’s weird. If you’re Joshua, you’re wanting a second opinion at this point.

            Why did God design this battle plan for taking the first city in the Promised Land? Don’t miss what God was doing. He was divinely orchestrating the events of his people so that in the end only he could get the glory for what would happen. Read the rest of Joshua 6, and you will see them take the city of Jericho just as God had outlined. But notice carefully what you don’t see. You don’t see all the Israelites going up to the trumpet players and telling them what an incredible job they did that day. I can almost hear them now: ‘Abashi, I’ve never heard you play that well.’ ‘Nimrod, when you hit the high C, that was beautiful, man.’ No, instead you see the people of Israel realizing that only God could have done this.

            This is how God works. He puts people in positions where they are desperate for his power, and then he shows his provision in ways that display his greatness.”

Today, if you are feeling overwhelmed and unsure how you will accomplish the big tasks in front of you, that’s GREAT! This means that God is going to work through you just like he worked through Joshua. Get ready. 

Welcome to 2014!

Hello Readers! Jenna and I hope that you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s with family and friends! We certainly did. For those of you that don’t know, Jenna and I had the opportunity to go home for Christmas. We wanted to keep it a surprise for a few people so it was very hush, hush. We had an AMAZING time at home visiting with family and friends. You all were so encouraging to us, and we simply feel beyond words blessed. As great as it was being home, we felt ready to go back.

Being home provided us with the energy boost we needed, and it gave us a chance to reboot, reconnect, and come back ready to go! We are so excited for the next 5 months in Northern Ireland because God has given us so much vision and new ideas for our ministry. God is clearly working here and we are so grateful to be a part of it! J

P.S. To the anonymous donors that we have had lately….. Thank you, thank you, thank you. You have blessed us more than you know. We wouldn’t be able to serve here without you.