Post-Romania Update (part 1 of 2)

This latest trip to Romania confirmed several things for me. I love Romania and the Romanian people. I love the people from the Baptist Church in Sighisoara, Romania and the people from Ephesus Baptist Church.

We were able to see the beautiful countryside of Romania while we were there and, more importantly, able to share the gospel with some Romanian youth that haven't had a chance to hear it so clearly in the past. We broke the Romanian youth up into groups on this trip with the American youth leading groups of Romanian youth that were already believers, and the American adults leading the groups of Romanian youth that were not believers (most, if not all, had not been attending any church prior to the youth camp).

During our Bible study sessions the Romanian youth in the groups led by adults were able to ask questions about the gospel and they all seemed to listen intently. At the end of the week, 2 of the Romanian youth decided to accept Christ - that was the main reason for our trip! One of the guys was the guy that I shared a bunk with during the week. I thank God for everything He did on this trip!

Before this trip, and during this trip it was my prayer that God would confirm some things for me. Is He really calling us to international missions and could Romania be the place that He sends my family? I didn't get any kind of supernatural vision of handwriting on the wall (not that I was expecting or needing one) but I do know that God is still leading us, slowly but surely, to serve Him in the place only He knows at this time. I still feel very strong that He has called us to international missions. I also know that I have a deep love for the Romanian people.

Please continue to pray for us as we seek God's more specific direction. It is such a great joy to be on this adventure that He has called us to. Although it is stressful at times I would not want to be on any road that I am not depending on God for His daily direction. Pray that we will stay faithful to the God who is SO faithful to us!

A song that Drew Stone sang on one of the nights in the camp expresses how I feel. It is "He will Carry Me" by March Schultz - here is part of the song:

And even though I feel so lonely
Like I’ve never been before
You never said it would be easy
But You said you’d see me through the storm

And even though I’m walkin’ through
The valley of the shadow
I will hold tight to the hand of Him
Whose love will comfort me
And when all hope is gone
And I’ve been wounded in the battle
He is all the strength that I will ever need
And He will carry me


I'll post some pictures from the trip in the next message.