you serious, Clark?

Well, today is December 1st, and I woke up to find myself extremely homesick. I feel like I got through Thanksgiving pretty well, but Christmas is going to be rough. I didn't realize how many family traditions I would be missing. About this time, I should be starting the process of watching every Christmas movie ever made with my brother and sister. If I was home right now, I would be planning Winter Fun Vol. 5. I would be baking a lot. I would be decorating the tree with my mom out at the ranch. It would be chilly outside instead of 100 degrees. sigh...what I would give to be sitting in the living room with Steph and Andrew watching Muppet Christmas Carol.

Here's some questions for those of you who still read this thing:
1. what is your favorite Christmas movie?
2. what is your favorite Christmas tradition?
3. describe your favorite ornament
4. how much do you miss me?

wanna hear a cool story?

Since I have been here, there have been numerous times where God has done some stinking crazy stuff just to bring more glory to His name, and draw more people to Himself. I thought for this week's update, I would share one of those stories with you. As some of you may know, one of my good friends from home, who is on staff with YWAM in China, is visiting here in Perth for a week. He told me this story and it blew my mind.

Every Thursday night we have evangelism, where our whole, 300 person base goes out into the city to minister. Zack (my friend) and his partner had candy canes that they were supposed to hand out that night. Before they went out, they prayed over what to write on the little note cards that went with the candy. Zack, felt that he should write, "Jesus loves you and it's time to step into a relationship with Him." on one of the note cards. When Zack and his partner got to the city they began walking around asking the Lord who they were to talk to. They passed a group of teenagers and kept walking but Zack felt like the Lord was leading them to talk to the teens. He told his partner, but when they turned around the group was already gone. They started looking around the area for the group of teenagers, but after half an hour they were nowhere to be found. Zack assumed they had left the mall and asked the Lord, "Was that you really you asking us to speak to them? Should we keep looking?" God answered back loud and clear, "Keep looking. This is how I search for you. I keep looking until I find you." The Lord also gave him the name "Travis" and told him that the candy cane he had written the note on was for him. Zack was confused about what the name meant and asked his partner to pray and see if the Lord gave her the same name. She prayed but recieved no name. Zack said,"OK, Lord, I think this is you but you're going to have to show me." So they kept walking until they spotted a group of teens hanging out near the food court. Zack wasn't even sure if it was them anymore, but figured he might as well go for it. So they walked up to the group and asked if anyone wanted a candy cane. Most of the kids were too cool to accept a candy cane from a stranger, but one boy timidly said, "I'll have one" and grabbed a candy cane out of Zack's hand. Immediately Zack realized, shoot! that one was for Travis. So he looked around the group and said, "There isn't anyone here by the name of Travis is there?". The kid who had grabbed the candy cane looked at Zack, confused and was like, "Yea, my name is Travis." haha! Zack looked at him dumbstruck, and said, "Oh man! We have been looking for you for the past 45 minutes. The Lord gave me your name and told me to look for you."...and he explained the whole story and got to share with him about a God who seeks people out and wants to be intimate with them. What an amazing testimony of how God pursues us. I love it.

Friday Christian

Well, the Lord gave me an answer and I am on the team that will be traveling to Jakarta, Indonesia and the Central African Republic. The Lord made it pretty clear as I prayed over the choices, so I'm really excited to see what He has for me there. Another answer to prayer: my team is awesome! I have a few good friends that also chose this trip, which will be really nice. Thank you to all of you who interceded on my behalf for my decision. I couldn't have gotten a clearer answer. Over the next 4 weeks I will need to raise $3,665.48. I'm beginning the process of asking the Lord what I need to do to raise this money. I have no idea where it will come from but I am confident in His supreme ability to bring in every last penny. We have seen so many miracles here on base, where people have received specific amounts from random people. God definitely knows what He is doing. Would you pray and ask the Lord if this is something He would like you to invest in? Each "no" or "yes" I get from someone is just more confirmation of the plan the Lord has for my finances.

God has really been refining me over the last few weeks. Bringing the dross to the surface clearing it off and making me pure. Last week's lectures were on Lordship and I had some serious business to do. "Either God is Lord of all or not Lord at all"...cheesy, I know, but something I really needed to realize. I like to pick and choose the things that rule my life, and God is sometimes in the mix and sometimes not. The things that rule my life aren't necessarily bad in and of themselves but when they take a place higher than I give the Lord, it's no bueno. I realized I'm a Friday Christian (someone who lives in the day Jesus died on the cross and not on the day He rose). They say, "Jesus died on the cross, I'm forgiven", but they never move on. A Friday Christian is characterized by these things: fearful for the future, anxiety, difficulty hearing God's voice, doubtful, filled with unbelief, weak when temptation comes, ruled by their feelings, continually fighting internally, and are ultimately unfit to receive Spiritual truth. These kind of Christians continually nail Jesus to the cross with their attitudes, thought life, and actions. I fulfil almost all of these characteristics. I had to make the decision to lay down a lot of areas in my life. My appearance is one. I realized that when I'm stressed, or feeling unloved or need to feel accepted I change something about my appearance. I will go shopping or cut my hair or dye it. Instead of running to the Lord, I turn inwardly and try to fix the problem myself. As a result, I'm never satisfied, always looking for a change, always looking for acceptance in others. The Lord spoke and asked me to lay down this area of my life. For the next year I am not going to cut or dye my hair or go shopping. It's not so hard while I'm still here in Australia but I have a feeling Satan will attack as soon as I get home. I would challenge you to search your own heart if you're reading this...are you a Friday Christian? Do you continually live in the fact that Jesus has forgiven you without moving on to the fact that He is risen and calling you to righteousness? The Lord is so ready take you to Sunday! He has already begun this work in me and it has been so awesome to lay stuff down and finally find full satisfaction in Him alone.

victory

Sorry for the lack of new blogs...things have been very busy and I wanted to wait until today to write, so I could update you on our outreach phase choices. We have 5 different options, 2 of which I am ineligible for because I am American, and they don't give visas to Americans. I'm actually ok with it though...it makes my decision that much easier.

My heart is heavy with anxiety, although I know it should not be. There is so much that goes into this decision. I'm anxious to hear the call of God to a specific area, but I'm afraid of the group I will end up with, will I get along with them? will I get along with my leaders? will the money come in? Because summer is just beginning here in Oz, the plane tickets are very expensive. All of these things are in the Lord's hands, I just have to choose to believe it, even when everything around me seems to say the opposite. This morning our prayer and worship time was completely centered around the fact that the Lord is victorious in all He does. He calls people but He also equips them. Please pray for me as I head into a time of deep prayer and fasting for which area I am called to. Here are the issues that I need and want to see victory in:
1. I have to make my decision by this Thursday-- not a very long time
2. All choices, with the exception of one are very expensive, but I do not want price to play any role in my decision. Our God is rich beyond measure and is in complete control of the situation
3. I am worried about what my team will end up looking like, and how we will get along.
4. Our complete outreach fees are due in five weeks and all of my resources have already been tapped
Please pray, intercede, and believe with me for victory in these areas.

Here are the country choices we have been presented with:
1. Jakarta, Indonesia- 3 months $2,900
2. Jakarta- 2 months
Ethiopia- 2 1/2 weeks
Eritrea/Djibouti- 1 week $5,500
3. Jakarta- 2 months
Central African Republic- 3 1/2 weeks $5,500

Eritrea, Djibouti, and especially Central African Republic are closed and often dangerous places to be, but the leaders of my school felt a specific leading to go there. I know the Lord will speak clearly in my decision. Thank you all for your continued prayer and support. This week will be intense but my confidence rests in God's unfailing love and clear guidance. He has proved Himself over and over in my life and I know this will be no different.