Today is the day. I’m as nervous as I am excited, and I’d appreciate your prayers so much…

For open doors to gospel conversations and faith sharing. I love the way my friend Christina put it in a text message yesterday: “Praying for unexpected opportunities and conversations with faith-filled responses.”

Yes, that!

Also…the forming of new friendships,

and the encouragement of those who work there full time in anticipation of these things.

A couple of weeks ago, I found this on a stack of checks and notes of encouragement people had sent to help with my trip:
When I opened it, I found a very generous gift from Kayla. It’s not the first time she’s been generous with her hard-earned babysitting money to someone going on mission, but something about her generosity toward me and the country I’ll visit was just so sweet.

While I packed last night, she and Robert cooked me dinner. They prayed over me while we sat at the table. Robert gifted me with a small journal in which he’d written a scripture for me to meditate on each day that I’m away, but left lots of blank pages for me to record the details of the journey. Such sweet moments and gifts from these two whom I’m very sad about leaving, even if it’s only a week.

At the risk of sounding overdramatic about this short mission, which involves slight risk, yes, but not in comparison to what others risk every day, I just wanted to share a couple of things that have encouraged me from the Word recently.

Last week, my seminary lectures were all on the book of Esther. My usually dry and witty professor got very emotional as he taught on Esther’s willingness to risk her life for her people. Through tears, he repeated her famous words, “…and if I perish, I perish,” and urged us to reclaim that attitude in our own lives. “We’re so prone to seek comfort and protection, but the gospel is worth our very lives.”

I believe that, but I certainly fight the desire for not only safety, but also the acceptance of people. Sometimes I won’t even risk speaking the name of Jesus here where it’s still (somewhat) safe, because I fear the loss of approval.

And here’s the other encouraging bit:

 ^“But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”

Luke 21: 28

Again, not be be overdramatic, but the world does seem an increasingly volatile place. We’re experiencing so much tension and turmoil and disaster these days. Somehow, whether we be near or far from the return of Christ, this verse encourages me not to fear, because my full redemption is drawing near.

Good, sweet news, and I’m feeling very sweetly sent off across the ocean by all of these things.

(And if you would, pray for Allyson, Jordan, Angela, Rob, and Aiden, too.)