New Year- New Outlook

A new year has begun!! New year's always sparks hopefulness, resolutions and a promise to make ourselves better than ever. I don't tend to make resolutions. Not because I don't have hope and aspirations to improve my life, but because when I have those desires I make them right then and there, may it be June or January. This year, however, I did buck my own self made system and sat down in the New Year to decide exactly what I wanted from this 26th year of my life, what is it I want things to look like when 2011 rolls around? I made some more typical goals like taking chances so as to become a better cook, trying something new like rock climbing, be consistent in exercise. Then I made a more daring statement, not only for myself, but also for the interns I'm leading. I want God to push us, I mean really push us beyond the regular efforts we give Him each day. Thinking about it I wondered if we truly gave Him our all. Do we give God less because we know that He is a gracious, good and a loving God who will forgive us? I'm not talking solely about a works based faith, but looking more at putting our faith into action. Living up to what God truly desires and deserves from us, no more half hearted Christianity. As a team we have agreed that we want God to push us and to give Him 110% in everything we do. We are getting an amazing opportunity to put our words into action with our first missions trip at the end of February to Lebanon! When I heard Lebanon it made me scared and excited, but I knew that it was just the challenge we were looking for in our lives. The Middle Eastern culture is something we have all been exposed to, but not one we have ministered in and definitely a culture we have preconceived ideas about. As a team we are preparing ourselves in prayer and asking God to open our eyes and hearts to what He wants to do through us in Lebanon. Please keep us in your prayers!