Breaking News and Reflections

You can finally give online!  I know many of you have been sitting around bored to death just wishing there was some good cause you could give your money to during this time of financial bliss — well good news — doing this is made really easy for you at:

www.intervarsity.org/donate !! (For step my step directions, click ‘donate’ on the top right of this page)

For those of you who have already started to give: I can’t thank you enough!  I ask now that you would join me in praying for more supporters who would – like you have modeled – respond generously to my request.  I especially want to thank the people of Lake Forest Church here in Charlotte for making me feel like one of their own as I have been in and out of the country over the past few years.

So as you can see from the above support raising is in full swing.  Check “My Budget and Needs” for the most up-to-date specifics on where we are at.  Today I am at 23%.  Almost 1/4 of the way there.  My goal is to reach 60% before Christmas.

For those of you who have pledged to give but have not yet specified an amount: Thank you so much for your interest and your support of me and this ministry!  In order to reach my goal of 60% before Christmas, I want to ask those of you in this category to make this decision and sign up before November. If you wait until later in November to actually sign up and begin giving through auto-payments on-line, the money will go towards January.  By giving earlier than November, your giving will start in December which is a huge blessing and encouragement to me in the midst of this sometimes daunting task.

For those of you who I have not been able to get in touch with yet: I haven’t been able to call many of you in Iowa yet but I expect you to have my letter memorized by the time I do…  Or not.  But seriously, I hope to get in touch with many of you next week.

Things I’m learning. I’ve been taking a look at the biblical basis for raising support.  Having done it some in the past (on a much smaller scale) and being in communities where many people support large families through a network of supporters, I decided to take a closer look at what the Bible says about raising support.  I think it’s a common enough and relevant enough topic to include as a permanent fixture in this blog, so that’s coming soon.  You will find it on the top next to the other links.

I’m learning that becoming a ‘professional christian’ as those in the biz jokingly call ourselves is really confronting me to ask myself how deeply I trust the truths of Christianity that I profess.  A comedian named Jim Gaffigan starts his show with a joke, “I’d like to make everyone feel comfortable that’s why I’d like to talk about Jesus…”  The audience laughs because it so evidently contradicts their experience.  Talking about Jesus is uncomfortable.

Well I have found out that talking to people about Jesus and money simultaneously can take the uncomfortable to a whole new level.  So much so that – given any other cause on earth – I would happily give my own money monthly just to not have to do it.   It’s not easy to ask and the failing economy is not helping.

Whats the point?  Through trying circumstances, it is in HIM and his call to us I find renewed resolve and joy and commitment to the road that lies ahead.  I am a firm believer that when Jesus says he came to give me “life abundant” he didn’t mean an easy life.  He is teaching me experientially what I have always thought I knew: that it is actually the times when life is anything but easy that my heart is most vulnerable to his sculpting.  Like any runner will tell you — you will never get faster or go further without pushing yourself beyond what is comfortable.  This time when I am forced to ask how much I trust him for provision is where my faith is strengthened.

Thanks to you all for investing in his work in and through me.