GOer Group Trailer

I just finished making a trailer for the GOer Group video project I’ve been working on.  Check it out.

http://www.vimeo.com/17165834

GOer Group editing

Here’s my life for the next several months. Editing can be a headache sometimes, but I’ve had a few breakthroughs lately, so right now it’s fun. :)

XPLORE in Spanish!

Look what showed up at the office yesterday… That’s right, the XPLORE study is translated into Spanish! Putting the finishing touches on it over the next few weeks, and it should be available soon!

Success: Paul’s 25 day, $25 challenge

If you’ve been following the story, here’s Paul shaving the beard.  Check it out!

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=558855727205&oid=289071246201

Almost there! 80%!

I leave for India in two weeks, and I currently have 80% of the support I need raised!  Thanks to all of you who have given or been praying for me!  Only $600 left to raise!  (That means if 3 people gave $200, 6 people gave $100, or 12 people giving $50, I would be there!)  Check the previous post for details on how to give, and thanks for your continued prayers as I’m preparing to go.

In other news, Paul reached his goal for his 25 Day -$25 challenge! That means the beard will be coming off soon. I’m sure there will be a video of that soon.

I hope you all have a great weekend!

Update on India Trip

I just wanted to send a quick update on the progress of my India trip.  Several of the things I asked you to pray for have already happened.  We have both received our visas and our plane tickets have been purchased.  We’ve also found a dSLR camera to borrow. I just got an itinerary emailed to me a few days ago, and it’s starting to set in… I’m really going to India!

So far in only a few weeks, about 59% of the support I need for this trip has either come in or has been pledged!  Thank you all so much! That means only $1,220 more remains to be raised. My goal is to reach $3,000 before June 25. Thanks for considering partnering with me in this strategic way.

To give, visit www.perspectives.org/giveonline and select my name from the “Choose a Staff Member” menu.

Or if you would prefer to give by check, make it out to USCWM – MA-210 (for IRS purposes, do NOT write my name on the check) and send it to:

U.S. Center for World Mission
Ministry Accounts
PO Box 3586
Fayetteville, AR  72702

Include a separate note that has my name and says it’s for my India trip.

GOer Group Video update

In other news, back at the USCWM, I’m working with a summer intern named Jessica, and we’re just about to start filming for the GOer Group videos tomorrow afternoon.  So far we’ve built a small sound-proof studio (ok, more like sound resisitant… you can’t soundproof a room that starts with 1inch walls and no ceiling) in a back office (Dad, thanks for teaching me how to use power tools!), put together a set, started scheduling some incredible speakers to come in for interviews, and brainstormed how to get t his valueable information to college students.  Please pray with us as we take on this huge task!

I hope you all are enjoying the first few days of summer!  Let me know what you’re up to!

Trip Dates:
June 26 – July 9

Total Trip Cost:
$3,000

Amount left to raise:
$1,220

Ways to Pray

• GOer Group Project: Pray for guidance and creativity as we start filming this week.

• Support for India: Pray that my friend and I will both be able to raise the support we need for this trip.

• Long-term Workers: Pray that this trip will help raise long-term laborers to go to this region!

Exciting things are in the works

A sneak preview of what we’re working on… This is our video studio, in progress.  We’re trying to soundproof a ceiling-less room with 1-inch walls at the back of an office.  Not an easy task, but it’s sure been an interesting construction project with carpet on the walls and the make-shift ceiling, hanging curtains from conduit, etc.  But, we’re making progress.

Our goal is to film the GOer Group videos this summer.  We’re trying to make 15-20 minute instructional videos exciting an interesting.  Pray for us as we brainstorm over the next few days!

25 Day -$25 Challenge for Paul

Paul was one of our GOer Group students this semester.  He’s taking the next year of his life to go to Central Asia to share the love of Jesus and teach English.  Check out his video and then go to http://www.teachoverseas.org/contribute.php to join give $25!  He’s already got 100 pledges, so only 150 more to go in 19 days.  Let’s see this guy clean shaven and on his way to Central Asia!

April updates

I get to enjoy these every day as I walk on the way to the office.

Support

First of all, I want to thank all of you who have allowed God to use you to bless me financially.  Some of you have been on my team for over a year, and I can’t begin to thank you enough for the encouragement that you are to me.  So THANK YOU for allowing God to use you through this ministry.

A few people have asked me recently where I am with support.  I currently need to raise about $500 a month more to reach my full monthly budget.  If you would like to be part of the exciting things God is doing through my ministry with Every Ethne, visit the Join My Team page for more information.

GOer Group

We are nearing the end of another semester and only have 2 GOer Group meetings left.  It’s been an incredible experience.  The 20 or so students that have been involved are amazing.  Many of them are attending summer projects or going on short-term mission trips this summer or next semester.  I’m so excited to see what God does through them this summer and the next few years as they prepare to go long-term.

If you would be interested in joining the prayer or financial team of some of these students, let me know. It would be a huge encouragement to them to know people they haven’t even met want to be part of what God is doing through them.

XPLORE study

The XPLORE study has been reordered again (because we’ve sold or given away so many of our previous printings!), and it’s crazy how people are finding out about it.  We haven’t really even done much promotion yet, so most of it is word-of-mouth!  I have had the privilege of hearing about several students and young adults who have gone through the study and seen their lives have changed as they respond to the challenge to engage in completing the Great Commission.  It’s so exciting and humbling to know that God is allowing me to be a part of something that He is really using to impact the nations.

Every Ethne

We’re on the front end of a lot of big projects here with Every Ethne.  I’ve spent some significant time recently researching video and media equipment, and we’re hoping to kick off a video wing in the next few months.  This is super exciting, as well as a bit overwhelming, since I know how little I actually know about this.  :)  Please pray for us as we’re trying to strike out into this area with enormous potential.

I’ve also been working on ideas for a redesign of the Every Ethne website.  The potential for this is also huge.  We hope to be able to help guide and mobilize students across the country with resources offered through this site.  We’re also brainstorming how to create a version of the GOer Group that will be accessible to students all over the country so that they can find their most strategic role in the Great Commission.

So that’s a lot about me.  What’s going on with all of you?

First GOer Group!

We had our first GOer group this morning!  It was supposed to be last week, but it got postponed due to ice and snow.  I’m ok with that, because it meant I got to be there for the first one.

My alarm went off around 5:30am.  I had to fight with myself for a good 15 minutes to finally roll out of bed.  Me and mornings don’t get along.  But, miraculously, I was mildly coherent this morning.  Kyle, my EE co-worker, graciously picked me up so I didn’t have to walk, and we arrived on campus to meet in one of the dorms.

We arrived with Starbucks coffee and donuts, and were greeted gradually by 18 college students.  We were crammed into a little room on the first floor of Humphreys, and it was awesome.  By showing up, all of them are committing that they are actively pursing mid- to long-term missions in their future.  Amy Sterns shared about “Where should I go?” as our first topic, and it was very well received.  (For more great information, check out the book Run With The Vision).  She did a fantastic job, and several of the girls commented that she had so much energy it didn’t even feel like 6:30 in the morning.  :)

After that, everybody broke into groups of 2-3 to ask each other some accountability questions about how they’re going to apply the things their learning, and then we prayed for each other.  It was sweet to be able to stand in the back and hear the conglomeration of prayers.

Please join us in praying for these students!  Somewhere around 90% of students who say they want to become missionaries never actually make it to the field.

• Pray that God will keep these students on track and help them push through the obstacles that will stand in their path.
• Pray that their passion for God’s glory to be revealed among the unreached will grow
• Pray for strengthening of their commitment to each other, to hold one another accountable and to encourage each other
• Pray for us as Every Ethne staff, that we will have the wisdom to be able to guide them and provide an environment that will nurture them as World Christians