Safe? No one said anything about safe. But he’s good. He’s the king, I tell you!

8 has always been my favorite number.  If you have 8 of something, and a friend comes along, you can split it evenly… and if you each have another friend join you, you can split it again… and again!  It’s just a cool number that way.  That’s why today is extra-special, because 8 days from now, the “center of God’s will” for me will cross two international borders and land in Guatemala!  Right now, I’m split in two between what is, what God has for me here, and what’s coming, what God will have for me there. 

            He is so good,

                        He’s so faithful,

                                    He is El Shaddai, God Almighty, 

and in light of that, it really doesn’t matter how little I know for certain or how big the next few weeks seem as they loom in front of me; He will be there just like He is here, every day. 

The last 3 weeks, I’ve been out in Colorado for some training before I go.  The best way to summarize the experience is TOOLBELT!  In lieu of telling you what to do in a million different situations, the folks at MTI set out to give you a whole bunch of new tools and teach you how to use them.  Then, you practice, practice, practice! 

Conflict Styles day: practice on your small group! 

Stress Management day: here’s some stress, practice managing it! 

Grief and Loss day: use those tools and cry together! 

I’m starting to see that when God says, “My strength is made perfect in weakness,” it means me staring those weaknesses in the face and opening the door to a deeper dependence on the One who glorifies himself in them! 

I wish everybody could take missionary training. 

It could really change your life.  

More highlights to come!!  Thanks for reading =)