Ten Days to Go

The trip is coming quickly!  We leave early in the morning on April 2.  I'll try to keep updating the blog between now and then.  I will also post to Facebook so that those of you on there can see new posts and pictures.

At this week's team meeting, we got a crash course on speaking Chinese.  Dezi Worstell taught us the top 20 things we need to be able to say if we are in the situation where the people we are with don't speak English.  I still need to practice!

The final check is due Monday and I have written it to finish paying the $2500 cost of the trip.  Thanks to all who sent support for this trip.  I was amazed at the generosity of family and friends and how much the Lord provided through the churches and through the people.

Part of what I had to do to finish preparing was write my testimony for CRAM to have on hand.  You might enjoy reading my story, because all of you have been a part of it somewhere along the way.

---

            I grew up around the church, going to Vacation Bible School every summer and Sunday school every Sunday.  Our family regularly attended revivals, both at our church and others.   The summer before my 6^th grade year, I went to church camp for the first time and found out what it meant to follow Christ in a biblical way.  While I didn’t make the decision that summer, the impression was certainly made in my heart.

            That December, we went to a revival and I went forward to decide to become a Christian.  My brother and my mom ended up being baptized the same Sunday as I was.  I was baptized by immersion by a Methodist preacher in a Free Will Baptist church for the forgiveness of my sins.  In the years of junior high and high school, I kept being exposed to several opportunities to grow in Christ through camps, college trips, and youth group.  Along the way, I decided to go to Bible college, because I wanted to be a minister.

            Going to Central Christian College of the Bible, I started preaching almost immediately, and had my own church by January of my freshman year.  I ended up preaching at three different churches during my college years, as well as singing on multiple teams and traveling on behalf of the college.  It was clear that my future was in full-time ministry, and the the girl whom I dated and married only further confirmed that decision.

           I was ordained in May of 1993 and I started preaching in my own church in July of that same year.  For three years, I served the Liberty (IL) Christian Church, where we found wonderful people and lots of opportunities to work with young people through camp and television ministry.  Sandy started her own daycare in our home and we ministered to that community until I was called to become a professor at Central.

            Finishing my master’s degree in May 1996, I moved in June back to Moberly, where we began serving the College in a variety of capacities.  By 2001, I had been named Vice-President of Academics, where I have been serving ever since.  In the time that I have been at Central, we have seen some great growth and had an opportunity to send lots of mission teams out to places around the world.  I’ve never been, because I was too busy keeping things running back at home. 

            I’ve also been quite involved at our local church, where I have served as a worship leader, Bible teacher, deacon, elder, and Bible bowl sponsor.  Our church has a couple of people serving in Taiwan and China that we support, so I really want our elders to have the benefit of someone who has visited that field.

            When I heard about the one trip to China this year, I wanted to be part of it.  So I signed up to see what it was like to go on a trip and to become more united with the students and staff.  I’m looking forward to using my gifts in language, music, and speaking to be a blessing to the people and the missionaries there.  Between the support of friends and family (over $1,000 in donations) plus my own funds, I am fully committed and supported in my decision to come for the trip.  I can’t wait!