Fast Thursday

Well, I kinda fell off the fasting wagon, don't know what happened. But God has been whispering fasting to me again. We were doing Mission Fast Mondays for awhile. But I think I'm gonna switch to Thursdays since I blog gratitude on Mondays. Lord willing, each Thursday I'll have a prayer prompt and an invitation to fast with us. Fasting is a very personal thing, but there is biblical basis to corporate fasting. Acts 13:2-3 says: While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off." The church gathered together, fasted, sought God's face and then sent off Barnabas and Saul for the mission field.

So, would you consider joining us in fasting each Thursday until we leave for Uganda? Or perhaps another day, if Thursday won't work for you? We want to demonstrate to God that we're serious about getting to Uganda. We want to pray big, bold prayers and we want our fasting to declare that we will sacrifice something necessary for our very life in order to see His will done in our lives.

As I was spending time with Jesus today, He was gentle and yet firm about this call to fasting. He convicted me of my half-hearted prayers and my unbelief that He actually will answer when I cry out to Him.

"cry mightily to God, yes let everyone turn from his evil way... who can tell if God will turn and relent... Then God saw their works that they turned from their evil way; and God relented... and did not do it..." -Jonah 3:8-10

"The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much." -James 5:16

If we cry out fervently... He will hear and answer! Do you really believe that? Do I? Let's rally together with fasting and prayer and watch and see what God will do!

**Fast Thursday: Pray with us that the seeds we've planted this year will come to fruition. That people who have heard God's vision for Uganda would join our team in a practical way.

When You're Wilting...

...in the heat of life

someone is turning up the heat. stretch down roots, but there's nothing left to drink.

we enter a busy season of summer and then one by one we drop like flies. first Caleb. then Seth. then me. feeling better we head out to camp. but it's only just begun. there is ministry to do. there are road trips ahead. there are sick ones to tend. packing and driving. driving and packing. laundry. laundry. laundry. and we're wilting in the heat.

but as we settle into His arms... we are reminded to look closely at all the blessings that grace this desert place. we count out our gratitude. more numerous than grains of sand.

reminds me of three young men thrown into the fire (thanks, Joanna Coppedge, at women's retreat). Jesus was there in the midst of it with them. And as they clung to Him- they came out... not even smelling of smoke. Hallelujah! And so we count gratitude like grains of sand in the desert...

#2151. words straight from Jesus in a $4 devotional

#2152. "O My child, have I ever failed you?"

#2153. "I will never leave you nor forsake you."
#2154. His nearness
#2155. a cup of peppermint comfort
#2156. encouraging e-mail
#2157. the victory You bring even when none of the circumstances change
#2158. gatorade
#2159. saltine crackers

#2160. ginger ale sipped through a straw

#2161. an amazing husband
#2162. gracious people at camp filling in our gaps
#2163. the prayers of the saints

#2164. words of affirmation said through tears

#2165. courage of young ones to say "yes!" to whatever God asks

#2166. clean, freshly made beds
#2167. warm fluffy towels from the dryer

#2168. piles of clean laundry

#2169. brothers camped out on the couch
#2170. a man who lives out his priorities. family first.

#2171. being in this together

#2172. a shower. a little eyeliner. and a blow-dryer.
#2173. feeling human
#2174. a stolen date to Target after the boys were in bed
#2175. fresh air
#2176. getting out alone
#2177. sleeping in the same bed
#2178. being married to my best friend

Update: HQ

So our trip to Indiana for our Orientation Camp has been canceled on account of our illness :( We're bummed, but grateful we don't have to spend 13 hours in the car together.

Pray:
-that we would get healthy
-that we would use this free week wisely
-that we would stay encouraged and motivated to do the work He has called us to.

Thanks for fighting for us!

Midweek Update

Well, we spent the first half of the week back and forth between camp and home because someone or other was throwing up. Now we've raised the white flag of surrender and are home for the rest of the week- praying we are all healthy in time to drive to Indiana.

**Friday Update: Josh isn't feeling so hot. And the boys had a rough night.

Here is how you can lift us up this week- we really need you:

-that God would show us how to get rid of this illness (sanitizing toys and lysol-ing every surface are on the agenda today)
-that we would all be healthy for our drive to Indiana on Saturday
-for safe travels
-that our week at headquarters would be an encouragement
-that God would keep doing big things and provide all our funds by the end of October

THANK YOU!

Gearing Up!

Would you pray for us as we begin a full 5 weeks of ministry?

July 18: St Johns UMC
July 18-24: Delanco Camp
July 25-31: HQ for Orientation Camp
Aug 4-6 Portsmouth Rhode Island Camp Meeting
Aug 8: Trinity UMC, Clayton NJ
Aug 8-21: Delanco Camp
Aug 30: Perspective Final Project DUE!

As we travel we will keep you up-to-date with facebook and twitter mobile. Please pray hard that the boys will get over their colds quickly- that they will enjoy meeting all the new faces- that Jesus would use us to get people excited about missions- and that each minute in the car would be a safe one. Also would you pray that we manage our time well as we travel- making relationships our top priority, but also getting our homework done and our exercise in? THANK YOU! We are so grateful for you!

Radical: Book Club

We are reading a great book this summer and hope you'll join us! If you want to add to the discussion, join our Radical Book Club group on Facebook :) We will message the group weekly with a discussion question and prayer focus. Praying we would all be willing to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow Him!

Lessons on prayer

Over the past few weeks God has really been encouraging Kelly and I to get more serious about our prayer life as individuals and as a couple. We have been traveling around for over a year now asking people to join us on our team to Uganda in prayer and finances. We look back over this year and realize just how little we have been praying, all the while asking others to pray for us. How hypocritical!

We had the privilege of spending the week of June 27th-July 3rd at Delanco Camps annual Camp Meeting. Ron Smith was the evangelist and Andy and Lizette Bowen were the missionaries. God really spoke through Ron and Andy and used them in powerful ways during the week. For me (Josh) personally it was during this week that God finally got through to me about becoming more serious in my prayer life. I want to share a couple of ways I have seen God already at work through my prayers now that I am a bit (still have a ways to go) more serious about my prayers. God receives all the glory for this!

God has been impressing upon Kelly and I to pray BOLD prayers. Praying against the status-quo and praying expectantly. One prayer we are praying now is that we will have all of our funds for Uganda by the end of October. We are sitting at 50% (49.2% to be exact) as of today and it has been over a year. To expect all of our funds by October, in our minds, seems impossible. However, God has impressed upon us to pray this prayer and so we are asking people to pray with us and let God do the hard work. Part of this prayer I have been praying is that people who we have already shared with will be inspired to come on board with a pledge. Since Camp Meeting we have had 2 individuals and a church come on board with a pledge. The first individual is an elderly lady from my old church in Clayton who we have not spoken with for over a year. She "randomly" sent us a card with a pledge and half of her annual pledge in it. Praise God! The second answer was a church that we spoke with back in the beginning of this year. We woke up to an email on Saturday morning from this church saying that they wanted to make an annual pledge. Praise God! The 3rd individual was from a church we spoke at back in May who sent in a pledge card to WGM. Praise God! It's not all about money because many people are joining our team in other ways but these are clearly answers to our prayers and for that we praise God!

Another example of how we have seen God at work through our prayers comes in a way that is not so pleasant. Many of you have heard about the terrorist attack in Kampala Uganda on Sunday evening at the end of the World Cup. A rugby club and a restaurant were hit with bombs and over 60 people are confirmed dead (1 American working with Invisible Children) and many injured. This event hits home for many reasons because it is in Uganda but even more so because the restaurant that was struck is owned by a family who sends their children to Heritage School which is where I will be campus pastor. The restaurant is also located in an area of the city that most likely will be our "neighborhood". When Kelly and I found out about this I said to her that had we been there by now (which was our initial prayer) it would not have been unlikely for one of us to have gone to this restaurant to watch the ending of the World Cup if indeed we wanted to watch it. Since we have a personal connection to the owners that is a place frequently visited by the missionaries. In our prayers of asking God why we are not in Uganda yet I have been thinking that maybe God is protecting us from something. Could this have been it? I have no idea but it really could be one of the reasona. Keep praying for the people of Uganda, for the families who have lost loved ones, and for those living in fear now after these attacks. Praise God none of our WGM missionaries were injured!

This is getting long (one reason Kelly does most of the blogging) but I wanted to just share how God has been working in our hearts when it comes to prayer. We invite you to join us (truly joining us) in prayer for this ministry in Uganda. Pray boldly and expectantly that by the end of October all of our funds will be in and we will be released to go serve in Uganda. We covet those prayers! Pray for the people in Uganda during these uncertain times. Pray for Heritage International School and Kampala International University which is where we will be serving. Bottom line: PRAY! Thank you so much for your support and your prayers.

- Josh

Splashes of Summer

Splashes of summer. Bits of God-glory. Smiles. Sun. Beauty. Trips. Friends.
Much thanks to give!
excerpts between #2051-2120

One blanket.
Two families.
Five kids.
One God.
His Body.
Reunion.
Food.

Drive to Kentucky.
Radiant glory.
C.S. Lewis' Narnia series on CD.
12 hours of solitude and worship.
safety.
a zippy little black car.
prayers carrying me.
wawa coffee.
ancient hymns. modern praise.

love.
a radiant bride.
a groom's eyes lighting up.
dear old friends.
college memories.
ancient buildings housing new love.
"I love yous" said and heard
romance.
a cool breeze on a wedding morning.
being useful.
the blood of the covenant.
the love of Christ for His Church.
a festive tent, flowers, food, friends, dancing.

still country beauty.
sunset over wildflowers.
winding roads carved into mountains.
simple, easy country life.
You, glorious You.

a dad and his boys. my men :)
Delanco Camp Meeting.
Lake Agape.
lazy afternoons.
Family naptime.
praising Jesus in the tabernacle.
the capacity to have the mind of Christ.

lots of little ones around.
next generation of campers.
new buddy buddy Isaac.
melty, delicious ice cream popsicles
like-minded parents
boys. cars. sand. sun.

family.
contagious laughter.
silliness.
being together.