Love

Tomorrow is Valentines Day, while I have absolutely no reason to celebrate the traditional Valentines day, I do have a reason to love.  Today in church, Pastor David talked about the Valentine Command, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another."  Each of us as Christians, is  commanded to love those around us.  I have heard this all of my life, but somehow, this morning it really clicked.  I have to love those around me.  One of he things that Pastor Higgs said is "Until I love God like I should, I will never love others like I could."  That really stuck with me.  Lately I have seen over and over how I need to keep God first and center in my life.  Then everything else will work itself out. 


He also said something that scared me a little, he said "Loving others like Jesus did will send me somewhere."  I am leaving for Alaska in a little over twenty days, and I am afraid that I cannot love the people there the way Jesus has called me to love them.  And according to Pastor Higgs, I have o learnt o love Jesus unconditionally before I can even begin o love the people of Alaska. 


Also as many of you know, I applied to be a summer missionary this summer.  This weekend, I am attending Discovery Weekend, his weekend s designed to help me see where God wants me to be this summer.  Who he wants me to serve.  I have been putting off thinking and praying a out where God want me to be, saying I have to wait until Discovery Weekend. And now as this weekend is mere days away, I actually have to look my God in the face and ask Him to reveal his hear to me.  And that is scary for me. 


So, today I want to change what I write here a little.  I would like to ask you to pray for me.  Pray that I will have an open heart to what God has for me.  Pray that my heart will be the hear of God.  Pray that me and all those there this weekend will be open to what God is revealing to us.  


I would also like to ask you to pray for the people of Nome.  Lisa, Kirsten, myself and dozens of other volunteers will descend upon Nome in a few short weeks, pray that all of us would be ready to get our of our comfort zone and be ready to show Christ's love to those around us.  Pray that all the volunteers are able to bridge relationships for Christ with several segments of the race and village community.


I will continue to post new prayer requests as our trip gets closer and I will be sure to post how this weekend goes.  Thank you all for your support for me and everyone else going on this trip.  I would not be where I am today without the support of those around me.  And for that I am supremely grateful.