Revealing Fissures, Building Bridges

On Wednesday I went sharing with David “Paydirt” Pater. We got invited to lunch with the group we were sharing with, and that gave us a great window in which to share our beliefs. They seemed to believe there was a God, but didn’t realize how Christ could impact somebody's life.

This is so typical in France. People don’t understand their need for a savior. Even if they believe in God, they don’t understand the disconnect between a perfect God and an imperfect people.

1 John 5-6 says “God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to follow Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and don’t live by the truth.” God cannot allow an imperfect people to interact with Him and dwell in His kingdom. The Spirit cannot enter an unjustified body.

Dave and I got the same reaction when we met Charles, a really cool guy who loves sports and people – his grandpa was on the French Olympic basketball team that lost to the Americans in 1972. Charles had grown up in the Catholic church, but still didn’t fully understand the gravity of God. The full truth had not been revealed to him. It was a joy to share the gospel story, carefully going through the separation of God and man, and all of our need to repent of our sins, and surrender to the God of the universe.

David and I were talking to each other about the person of Christ, and what it takes to know Him. The French cannot truly understand what forgiveness from Christ means until they understand the need. There has to be a gap before there’s a bridge. The fullness of what this means cannot be grasped in the short hours we have with them, barring some drastic revelation from God.

Once the person sees the need for the bridge, they can fully grasp the person of Christ. At that point, what else is there to do besides glorify God? Our song of praise should be the loudest in all the Earth. In Nantes, I want simply to glorify God by spreading His gospel.

Overall, the day was really amazing. David and I were able to meet some interesting people. Again, both contacts were willing to talk, and talk for a really long time. We invited Charles to play some soccer or basketball sometime, and to come to our party on Friday. We made some facebook contacts, and I hope to see them all again during the five weeks I have left here–which suddenly seems all too short a time.

Treading Water

Support raising is feeling like treading water. I'm working, but not seeing much of a change in scenery.

Whenever people told me that raising support was one of the most trying times they had been through in college, I kind of acknowledged it and shrugged it off. "I'm sure it was," I would say. Now, I have seen and can personally attest to this very fact. And, I'd like to add a few words of my own: it's awesome.

With support raising, I fall into worry every day. I worry I won't raise the money, I worry I'll send Austin over to France as the lone male representative from OU, I worry I'm missing out on an awesome opportunity to glorify God. I worry, I worry, I worry. Then, I pray.

Worry over support causes me to lift my heart and my summer to God each day. It forces me to acknowledge the goodness of God. If I'm going to be in Nantes this summer, it will be because of Him. I see how support in itself is something God uses to make us glorify Him.

I am still a long way from being done with support. Each day I dedicate time to pray for the project, to grow my support team and that all of those students raising to go to Nantes, or anywhere else, can raise their support.

Even before I board a plane, summer project will have made a tremendous impact on my life, and I'm grateful for it.