Snapshot: Workspace at the Wire

Leaving for the Trek TOMORROW!!!!!
Can't believe it's already here.
Global Urban Trek 2011.  Lima, Peru.
7 weeks, 10 students, 3 staff, 2 ministry organizations.

Romans 12: 1-2 - "So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you."

Snapshot: Discernment

Seriously.  This is what it looks like when I take a day to dialogue with God (and with documents/ notes/ writings) about future direction in ministry.

Good thoughts came out, too.  Common themes: vision, the WORLD, advocate, the poor, mobilize, prophetic discipleship, Church, bridge/ connect/ invite...  It is so cool to see patterns over the years through books and journals and jotted scraps.

Dreams for the Trek

[Departure countdown: 5 days!]
Allow me to share the things we've been dreaming and praying for college students as they come on the Trek to spend 6 weeks in God's cities this summer.  Please pray and dream with me!!!

Primary Trek Objectives:

-      Vocational discernment of what it means to join God’s work among the urban poor—whether as your vocation or not

-      That your life would be changed by hearing and learning from God and other cultures

-      Multiply and enhance the good work being done by our partner agencies—not bringing harm or more work for them, but serving with mutual benefit to all

In this process, we also dream:

-      that you would become lifelong learners, who are able to listen for God’s voice and instruction in any place or situation

o       finding new insight about the nature of poverty and global urban realities through first-hand experiences and stories

o       with a greater understanding of the holistic gospel: seeing and hearing anew what is the GOOD NEWS in your life and in the world

-      that the Trek would plant seeds and create frameworks for long-term changes and actions in your life

-      that you would take new steps and risks in faithfulness and submission to God

-      that you would discover something new and beautiful about the God who loves you, who created you, who nurtures you, who challenges you, who KNOWS you—no matter where you go.