The Day After

July 31st, 2008

God answers prayers. 30 people prayed for God to use them and God came through! We chose to be placed into uncertain circumstances, and we asked to be stretched and challenged. It was in those unfamiliar places that our God was faithful. Different sights, sounds, smells, languages, beds, foods, planes, trains, buses, schedules, and roommates. These and much more left us desperate for God. The spiritual battle was at levels we never new existed. What an incredibly vulnerable position to be in. It’s like finding yourself in an unexpected blustery snowstorm when you were prepared for a sunny day.  And it is in this very position when we get the clearest view of Jesus. He showed Himself faithful, day after day and moment by moment in every situation.  He placed 30 very ordinary people together for this very extraordinary time. We are all so different. Yet God molded us as one for His purposes. Day one was the first of many miracles. ALL of our equipment and luggage and people arrived in Europe basically unscathed. Other than Tony’s suitcase taking a beating, and a German guy yelling at me in the Munich airport, it was a great day of traveling. And then we hit the ground running in Italy. Praying and seeking God’s face together; feet shod with the gospel, we began to engage with the culture through music and evangelism. Hundreds heard the name Jesus lifted on high. Through microphones, one on one conversations, and gospel tracts. God knit us together with the local saints as if we had been laboring together for years. We loved them and they loved us because God loves ALL of us. 6 days of this and then we participated in a thematic retreat on the coast and in Rome. We gathered together daily with glad and sincere hearts and anticipating hearing from God during different teachings in incredible surroundings. Then off to Poland in yet even a new set of changes. Poles are a quiet people who rarely even make eye contact. The airport was eerily quiet until 30 Americans arrived. I was very intimidated by the language. Most of the signs at the airport had a series of g’s and z’s placed together in some sort of arrangement I felt could never be verbalized. At least by me. We sought the Lord in prayer and through His word and once again He was faithful and loved this group of people through our music and His Holy Spirit living in us. It was uncanny and phenomenal. God get’s the glory because He is glorious. And His name was lifted high. The name Jesus echoed from buildings, and could be heard in the many intentional one on one conversations.  All this in a country relatively young in it’s escape from communism. The only reason for success is God. The saints from Poland loved us and we loved them and from that arose a beautiful symphony. Our very lives in a position of worship before a Holy God.  It just felt so good and right. Poland will never be the same, and neither will we. And our trip home was equally successful, other than Zach was left in Denver looking for his bass guitar.  He was able to catch a flight 2 hours later. So please pray for them to find his guitar, or give him cash to buy another one. I guess somehow God had one more lesson in this for Zach. You see he was never alone. God was with him. Thank you Jesus for allowing us to be involved in this kingdom building life. You answered our prayers just like You promised You would!  

United 

Mac

Entry Filed under: Daily Entries, General