Finishing up the last hour of my 14-hour flight from LA to Taiwan, and honestly—it went surprisingly well. I limited myself to two movies, did some reading just for fun, and slept a lot.
But I wanted to write this entry because of something my mom wrote in a card to me. She encouraged me with a scripture from Luke 9:1–2, where Jesus calls the twelve disciples and sends them out to do the restorative work God had given them to do.
It reminded me of this mission. Growing up, we were taught that being a disciple of Jesus comes with prerequisites: deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him. I remember how deeply that message impacted me when Mr. Garner taught on it. It’s clear evidence that we cannot be passive followers of Jesus.
During this flight, I found myself meditating a lot on how I’ve lived out those prerequisites. There are areas where I’ve succeeded and others where I know I need to grow. But either way, being here—right now—on my way to the Philippines is a demonstration of my commitment to following Jesus and becoming the kind of disciple He continues to send out.
The work I’ll be doing in The Philippines, along with what my brothers and sisters are doing in East Asia and El Salvador, is going to be life-changing—for us and for the communities we enter. When God is involved, change happens.
Please be praying for all that will unfold this summer. Remain faithful alongside us. Live out the calling God has given you in your own community. Jesus sends each of us out in some way every day. There is always an opportunity to advance His Kingdom. Have the eyes to see and the ears to hear where He’s leading—and then act in faith. That’s what makes your faith come alive.
Prayer:
Lord, You are a faithful God. Through generation after generation, we’ve seen Your mercy and grace. We read stories of Your promises—and we’ve seen that You never break them. You led Your people out of Egypt, called them Your own, and sent Your Son to earth to live in complete surrender to Your will—perfectly.
Jesus, we want to image You just as You imaged the Father. We’re blessed to have Your Word to shape our lives. We know what You’ve revealed about Your character is true, and we hold fast to that truth. Let it ground us as we step into the world to serve.
Back in Genesis, You desired a safe environment for Your children to grow, learn, and walk alongside You. Our world has strayed far from that—but we don’t limit You or the work You can do this summer across the nations and among Your people.
Help us remain in peace as we become Your hands and feet. Bless our communities in Nashville and Morristown, and give motivation to Your people there to continue the work. We were called to be a light in this world, and with that calling comes the surrender of our own wills for Yours.
This summer, I commit to that surrender. I pray that my brothers and sisters around the world would experience the blessing of their diligence, the nearness of Your presence, and the goodness that will come from their obedience. Amen.