Can't sleep but I like it!

So, many of you are probably wondering why I am writing this at 6 a.m. in the morning. No, I didn't go to bed and wake up ridiculously early because I felt the need to share, but instead I have been engulfed and absolutely consumed in reading Enrichment Journal magazine.

As a Missionary Associate, we receive electronic versions of several publications that the Assemblies of God produce. I'll be the first to admit that I rarely read them. In fact, due to pure lack of time, I'm lucky if I even glance through it and browse an article or two. However, after the amazing month I have had speaking at churches and just being in awe of how God can and IS using me, then having the Holy Spirit move in a mighty way through our bible study tonight, when I came across the email that said the publication was up and ready to be downloaded, I decided to take the time to log in and see just what was in there that God wanted to speak to me tonight.

Since about 1 a.m. this morning, I have been pouring over just the first few pages of this ezine, one that I had never yet taken the time to read, and getting SO excited about the outreach opportunities that God wants to do right here in my own community, through my own little church in the upcoming weeks and months.

Now, let me take you back to December. I had sat down with my best friend, Courtney, and her husband, Bradd, and asked if they had ever thought about getting together and just sharing about God and what He's speaking to us. As I just threw that tidbit into conversation, both Bradd and Courtney were eager to tell me that God had really laid a burden on their hearts to start a Bible study with all of our friends; a place where we could come and share about what God's speaking to us, and pray, support and encourage eachother in our walks with Christ. They also have hearts for missions and outreach and wanted to incorporate that into the Bible study as well. You see, we have a great group of Christian friends, yet most of the time we never took advantage of that fact. Rarely did we ask someone to pray for us, ask to be accountable to one another, nor take the time to encourage another good friend.

Although it took some time to get started, we now come together every Friday night to talk about what God has done that week, our failings and achievements, and to focus on how to be an effective Christian, that is, an effective tool in God's hand right now, where we are in life. The twenties are such a transitional stage in life and many times we find ourselves waiting to get to "the next level" or to be on a foreign mission field before we decide to evangelize and be fully what we are called to be. I know I have found myself a few times feeling like a lackluster shell of the person that I am in El Salvador while here in the states. I have at times felt like I didn't have an outlet to minister to people on the same level as I do during the summers and it left me feeling empty and just longing to return to my full purpose and call.

Anyhow, this Bible study has been not only an encouragement and a springboard for sharing about spiritual things amongst good (and some newer) friends of mine, but it has also been a place that God is ministering mightly to us and through us. God has been using my friends to minister to me and me to minister to my friends. He has put the words in our mouths and the thoughts in our minds, even when we don't know what it is we are saying. I think I am just reveling at how God wants to use us, even with all of our faults and brokeness. He's an awesome God!

On top of that, I just found out that I will be putting together a community outreach/fundraiser for my church on March 15th. We were planning on doing a yard sale to help raise funds for missions and children's programs. Then, after talking to several people, I had the idea of making it a community event and it looks like we might bring in local businesses, have games and food available, and possibly even a blood bank bus come out! I'm really excited to help organize this event, but I don't have much time. I really want the main focus to be the community and forming relationships with them. They are our mission field right here outside our front door!

This is the reason for my excitement. I started reading in this magazine about how much our communities need us and how all we really need to do is reach out to them! We can't expect them to come banging down our doors. We have to go OUT to them, reach them where they are at, fulfill their real and physical needs, form relationships, and only then can we expect them to want to step into a church building. The articles shared shocking statistic after shocking statistic about how America is now the third most unreached nations. THIRD! At first I was astonished and thought, "How can that be?" Then, I started to think about who I was growing up and what I knew about Jesus: VERY little. I would even say embarrassingly little. How much less is it with the children and youth nowadays?

It has encouraged me to pray hard for the lost here. I know I am called to El Salvador, but while I am here in the states, you can bet I will do everything I can to reach as many lost in the states and as I speak at churches, continue to spread the fire and passion for missions HERE and abroad! As those of you that have heard me speak and know my heart, you know that I absolutely believe that missions begins at home. However, I have to say that a new fire was lit under me tonight and I am EXCITED and ANSY with anticipation to see what God will be doing over the next several months through my Bible study group, through the community outreach, and through me!

Please continue to pray for me, but I'm begging you to pray for the lost here in the US and then go out and minister to them. Befriend them. Make an eternal difference in their lives! I've caught the vision of the ripple effect that God is creating, starting with just one person, one church, one community!

Now, even though my spirit is eager and couldn't feel more alive right now, my body is tired. I hope to hear spectacular reports back from you about what God is doing in your life, your church, and your community. Good night...or maybe I should say Good morning. :)