The Beginnings of a Journey

So, here we go. This is an excursion into a medium that I haven't really had a desire to explore. But, God has silly ways of working in your heart and putting desires and convictions in there that you never thought would be a part of you at all. So here we go.

I don't pretend to be a wordsmith of any form. I can claim to be a decent writer, but I have never written for fun. I always just thought to leave the blogs of the world to the English majors and uber smart technology gurus. Well, that has obviously changed. So here is the story of how this blog has come about:

Some people are aware that I am indeed going on a mission trip to Skjolden, Norway this summer. When talking to a friend about preparing for my trip, she encouraged me to start writing down my thoughts, prayers, feelings, etc. To keep a journal of my life and what God is doing in it. Well, journaling in my past has either been the typical 7th grade sorrowful entries that are my own personal form of Lamentations, or my prayer journal... Journaling was an option, but not optimal. My thoughts then turned to the idea of blogging. I liked the idea of writing down my thoughts, but exposing those thoughts, fears, prayers to the world? Why would I want to expose myself to the world. Then, my thoughts turned to the fundraising journey that God has me on right now. And then conviction came upon me like a ton of bricks.

In my fundraising letters, I asked people to partner with me in my ministry to the people that I will be meeting this summer. I asked people to take money out of their pockets and help support me as I follow the Great Commission given to us in Matthew 28:19-20. I was willing to accept their partnership, and ask for it, but was I willing to meet them halfway and partner with them myself? In this area, I desperately fell short. When I went to orientation for my trip, we were encouraged to look at Paul and how he relied on the financial support of the Church to further the gospel of his time. Paul called it a partnership. Paul wrote letters to his partners, thanking God for them and praying for them. Paul shared life with them and shared his ministry with them. Philippians 1:3-6 says: 

³ I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, ⁴ always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, ⁵ because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. ⁶ And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion atthe day of Jesus Christ.

Paul's actual word usage there in the Greek comes closer to the point, meaning: fellowship, community, association, communion, JOINT PARTICIPATION. In my funding, I was expecting people to participate with me, but I was not thinking it was necessary to meet them halfway and participate with them. This is of course, wrong of me. (Leave it to Paul to smack you good on the head, just when you feel like you are doing a decent job)

So, thus my journey begins into the world of the blogger. Putting my thoughts, fears, anxieties, joys, praises, warts and all out into the cyber world we enjoy so much for all to see.