While presenting XEE at the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, Chuck Swindoll shared 10 ministry lessons from his 50 years of experience. He opened with this unshakable quote: “when God wants to do an impossible task, he takes an impossible person and crushes him.” Even as I write this, I’m not sure what to think. If this quote is right, coupled with his 10 lessons from ministry, then these serve as finger posts along the journey pointing us in the right direction. (check out the link on scottcarson.org to see all 10 lessons)

Looking back, I’d say the crushing started immediately and occurred often. When we first embarked on this adventure together, I thought that in six months I’d have all the support secured and shortly after be working out of the office in sunny Fort Lauderdale, FL. Like lesson 9 states: “God’s way is better than my way. God is going to have His way.”

Moving home after college was a humbling experience. To me, moving home after college meant failure. To add to that, I had no real desire to ever step foot back into the high school I graduated from. Needless to say, the two years I spent substitute teaching at that exact high school only added to the feelings of failure and brokenness. All part of Swindoll’s sixth lesson he shared with us.

After two years and what looked like more at home, I was invited to move up to the Chicago-land area to be discipled by Darrell Farney. The learning curve did not get any less steep, as I lived and worked out of a basement that was graciously loaned to me.  It’s been an unregrettable season of learning from a man who’s devoted his life to pursuing God’s call.

My season in the Chicago-land area is coming to a close as I prepare to move to Fort Lauderdale, FL shortly after Christmas. In the midst of still living here, the truth of Acts 17:24-28 continues to ring true. Just in getting involved with The Edge (youth group) we’ve seen four students come to Christ, one of which I’m discipling as he pursues missions.

Disillusionment, frustration, patience, perseverance, crushing, submission and joy all accurately describe my experience with my job so far. As hard as the time at home was personally, God gave me a gift in disguise. I had an extra two years to spend with family and close friends before we all dispersed.

When you boil it down, each day we take part in seeing lives transformed and it’s worth it. God has allowed us to walk people over the threshold of faith and meet some of the most incredible people in the world, you! Some days it’s tempting to believe that we haven’t made any progress over the last 4 years. Then I catch glimpses of how God has been transforming lives through our ministry and sit in awe of what God is allowing us to be a part of. Simply looking at our Fiji internship, there are three people overseas sharing the gospel as a result. One is working with Youth With a Mission and reaching Muslims, another is in Fiji training youth to share the gospel, and the third is an advanced placement art teacher in the Middle East.

Please continue to join me in praying for wisdom as we start a new season in our ministry in Fort Lauderdale, and pray that our ministry would continue to bear fruit that remains.

Grateful for your prayers, encouragement and support