Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Prayer Calendar for June/July 2013 Rwanda Team
Here is the prayer calendar for the Rwanda expedition that leaves on June 27.
Saturday, June 22, 2013
Prayer Calendar for July 2013 Venezuela Team
At the start of July, a church-planting team leaves for Venezuela. Please keep this team in your prayers as they make final preparations, and as they go!
Here is a prayer calendar for this expedition. It might be easier to read, if you click on the photo of the calendar.
Here is a prayer calendar for this expedition. It might be easier to read, if you click on the photo of the calendar.
Monday, June 17, 2013
Prayer Calendar for June 2013 Uganda Team
This week a church-planting team leaves for Uganda. Will you join us in praying for this team during the next few weeks?
Here is a prayer calendar with specific, daily prayer requests. Please watch our Facebook page for prayer requests and updates, as well.
Click on the calendar below for a file you can download and print out.
Here is a prayer calendar with specific, daily prayer requests. Please watch our Facebook page for prayer requests and updates, as well.
Click on the calendar below for a file you can download and print out.
Friday, June 14, 2013
God is the Main Character in This Story
“Do you know what I really enjoy? It’s a story in which God is the main character. When God draws a person to Himself, changes a person’s heart, or provides exactly what a person needs at exactly the right time in a way that only God could have orchestrated – I love that stuff.” With these words, I began a letter on Monday, May 27, to a team of people who have prayed for me and supported me over the years.
Telling stories, particularly when God receives all the glory, is a passion of mine. I recently joined e3 Legacy’s team to communicate, especially through social media, stories of how God is using ordinary people and ordinary families to reach people around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
My summer plans included two e3 Legacy expeditions: Uganda in June; Costa Rica in July. Dating back to last April, these were my fourth and fifth e3 Legacy expeditions – five expeditions within sixteen months, and in the middle of these was a sixth event that required fundraising. I concluded my letter: “God has already provided $300 to send me to Uganda, but the financial need is – well, God will need to be the main character in this story.”
Hundreds of miles away, a lady with a heart for Uganda – her children and grandchildren live there – began praying and regularly checking the fundraising progress. “Are your fundraising numbers correct that you have $300 for each trip? I am praying the Lord moves in a BIG way!”
“I am committed to going to Uganda and Costa Rica,” I wrote back. “Just keep praying. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills!” The part about cattle was a reference to Psalm 50:10, a declaration that God has abundant resources to meet our needs.
During our Uganda team’s second training meeting, which took place the previous week, we prayed specifically against discouragement – fully a third of our Uganda team members independently expressed feeling discouraged – and for God to release funds for the team. I wrote in my journal: “Lord, thanks for providing for me today. Please meet all of my needs. Help the financial needs to start being met, even from unexpected sources. I look forward to what You do.”
Three days after I sent my letter, a person accepted a request I had made a year or two earlier to be connected through social media. While we shared a common former employer and several mutual friends, we had never worked together or been formally introduced. Wanting to be polite, I said hello, and we exchanged small talk about common interests and experiences.
Later that evening, I helped prepare for a well-promoted fundraising event. On the night of the event, storms came, and I came away discouraged by the event’s turnout. I knew it was God’s responsibility to meet my needs, but I also hoped more people would demonstrably care. When my friend with the heart for Uganda wrote to say she was praying, it was futile to fight back a few tears.
My weekend plans carried me out of town, and I went to an unfamiliar church a little grumpy. When I entered the service, I avoided eye contact and slipped past a greeter, but the greeter tracked me down and shook my hand anyway. God was pursuing me in more ways than I recognized.
It took me a few songs to feel like joining in the singing, but God gradually softened my heart. During the song “Always,” by Kristian Stanfill, God drew my attention to the song’s reference to Psalm 121. The song’s refrain says: “I lift my eyes up. My help comes from the Lord.”
The pastor who spoke that weekend, a guest speaker, gave a message about being led by the Holy Spirit. “If your back’s up against the wall, and you’re not sure how you’re going to get through the next few weeks, and you’re out of options, and you need a fresh injection of faith,” the pastor said, “faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit.” The pastor’s father-in-law, a man with a heart for planting churches in East Africa, had tragically died several months earlier. Curiously, part of the message was about leaving a legacy of faith.
Encouraged, I wrote to the Uganda team later that evening, explaining how God had used the message and the song that referenced Psalm 121 to lift my focus back to God: “HE, not other people, is the faithful source of my help. HE created the heavens and the earth. HE will provide.”
During my trip back home, the person with whom I had recently first connected through social media got in touch with me. “I see that you’re off to Uganda to spread the good news. Wonderful! I am happy to contribute to God’s work,” this person wrote. “Just let me know where to send funds. God’s kingdom is the best investment. I’m sure your team and you will touch many lives for the sake of eternity.” I made a note to follow up with this person once I got back home.
Before departing on church-planting expeditions, e3 Legacy teams meet four times for training. Following each training time, teams typically participate in a day of fasting, as spiritual preparation. While I had been out of town, I missed training sessions for the Uganda and Costa Rica expeditions – they happened concurrently, and I was unable to join either of them. I contacted the leaders of each expedition to verify that we would be fasting on Monday. The leader of the Uganda expedition said “yes,” we were fasting on Monday. The leader of the Costa Rica expedition said “Tuesday.” I had committed to both expeditions. In my heart, I decided to trust the Lord through a two-day fast.
For a few years, I’ve followed a plan to read the Bible completely through each year. It includes parts of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs each day. Very late on Monday evening, I did my daily reading. My scheduled reading for Monday included Psalm 121. Shortly after I read that, without thinking much about it, I checked my Uganda fundraising page.
My fundraising thermometer for the Uganda expedition had skyrocketed. When I investigated to see how God had provided, I discovered that God used the person with whom I’d recently connected through social media to fund the remainder of the Uganda trip. I was stunned – joyful, but stunned.
I only slept a few hours Monday night. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I could scarcely wait for Tuesday to arrive. When I awoke on Tuesday morning, my friend with the heart for Uganda had already noticed that God provided. “When the Lord moves, He moves BIG!” Her message was waiting in my inbox.
On Tuesday morning, I wrote another letter to the team of people who have prayed for me and supported me over the years. It began: “Here’s a story in which God is the main character – a testimony to God providing exactly what I needed at exactly the right time in a way that only God could have orchestrated.”
When I’d written the first letter a week earlier, little did I know that the next story I’d share would be about God providing for me.
David R. Hoskinson recently joined e3 Legacy’s team as Communications Coordinator. He plans to join e3 Legacy expeditions to Uganda and Costa Rica during June and July.
Telling stories, particularly when God receives all the glory, is a passion of mine. I recently joined e3 Legacy’s team to communicate, especially through social media, stories of how God is using ordinary people and ordinary families to reach people around the world with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
My summer plans included two e3 Legacy expeditions: Uganda in June; Costa Rica in July. Dating back to last April, these were my fourth and fifth e3 Legacy expeditions – five expeditions within sixteen months, and in the middle of these was a sixth event that required fundraising. I concluded my letter: “God has already provided $300 to send me to Uganda, but the financial need is – well, God will need to be the main character in this story.”
Hundreds of miles away, a lady with a heart for Uganda – her children and grandchildren live there – began praying and regularly checking the fundraising progress. “Are your fundraising numbers correct that you have $300 for each trip? I am praying the Lord moves in a BIG way!”
“I am committed to going to Uganda and Costa Rica,” I wrote back. “Just keep praying. God owns the cattle on a thousand hills!” The part about cattle was a reference to Psalm 50:10, a declaration that God has abundant resources to meet our needs.
During our Uganda team’s second training meeting, which took place the previous week, we prayed specifically against discouragement – fully a third of our Uganda team members independently expressed feeling discouraged – and for God to release funds for the team. I wrote in my journal: “Lord, thanks for providing for me today. Please meet all of my needs. Help the financial needs to start being met, even from unexpected sources. I look forward to what You do.”
Three days after I sent my letter, a person accepted a request I had made a year or two earlier to be connected through social media. While we shared a common former employer and several mutual friends, we had never worked together or been formally introduced. Wanting to be polite, I said hello, and we exchanged small talk about common interests and experiences.
Later that evening, I helped prepare for a well-promoted fundraising event. On the night of the event, storms came, and I came away discouraged by the event’s turnout. I knew it was God’s responsibility to meet my needs, but I also hoped more people would demonstrably care. When my friend with the heart for Uganda wrote to say she was praying, it was futile to fight back a few tears.
My weekend plans carried me out of town, and I went to an unfamiliar church a little grumpy. When I entered the service, I avoided eye contact and slipped past a greeter, but the greeter tracked me down and shook my hand anyway. God was pursuing me in more ways than I recognized.
It took me a few songs to feel like joining in the singing, but God gradually softened my heart. During the song “Always,” by Kristian Stanfill, God drew my attention to the song’s reference to Psalm 121. The song’s refrain says: “I lift my eyes up. My help comes from the Lord.”
The pastor who spoke that weekend, a guest speaker, gave a message about being led by the Holy Spirit. “If your back’s up against the wall, and you’re not sure how you’re going to get through the next few weeks, and you’re out of options, and you need a fresh injection of faith,” the pastor said, “faith is a gift of the Holy Spirit.” The pastor’s father-in-law, a man with a heart for planting churches in East Africa, had tragically died several months earlier. Curiously, part of the message was about leaving a legacy of faith.
Encouraged, I wrote to the Uganda team later that evening, explaining how God had used the message and the song that referenced Psalm 121 to lift my focus back to God: “HE, not other people, is the faithful source of my help. HE created the heavens and the earth. HE will provide.”
During my trip back home, the person with whom I had recently first connected through social media got in touch with me. “I see that you’re off to Uganda to spread the good news. Wonderful! I am happy to contribute to God’s work,” this person wrote. “Just let me know where to send funds. God’s kingdom is the best investment. I’m sure your team and you will touch many lives for the sake of eternity.” I made a note to follow up with this person once I got back home.
Before departing on church-planting expeditions, e3 Legacy teams meet four times for training. Following each training time, teams typically participate in a day of fasting, as spiritual preparation. While I had been out of town, I missed training sessions for the Uganda and Costa Rica expeditions – they happened concurrently, and I was unable to join either of them. I contacted the leaders of each expedition to verify that we would be fasting on Monday. The leader of the Uganda expedition said “yes,” we were fasting on Monday. The leader of the Costa Rica expedition said “Tuesday.” I had committed to both expeditions. In my heart, I decided to trust the Lord through a two-day fast.
For a few years, I’ve followed a plan to read the Bible completely through each year. It includes parts of the Old Testament, New Testament, Psalms and Proverbs each day. Very late on Monday evening, I did my daily reading. My scheduled reading for Monday included Psalm 121. Shortly after I read that, without thinking much about it, I checked my Uganda fundraising page.
My fundraising thermometer for the Uganda expedition had skyrocketed. When I investigated to see how God had provided, I discovered that God used the person with whom I’d recently connected through social media to fund the remainder of the Uganda trip. I was stunned – joyful, but stunned.
I only slept a few hours Monday night. Like a kid on Christmas morning, I could scarcely wait for Tuesday to arrive. When I awoke on Tuesday morning, my friend with the heart for Uganda had already noticed that God provided. “When the Lord moves, He moves BIG!” Her message was waiting in my inbox.
On Tuesday morning, I wrote another letter to the team of people who have prayed for me and supported me over the years. It began: “Here’s a story in which God is the main character – a testimony to God providing exactly what I needed at exactly the right time in a way that only God could have orchestrated.”
When I’d written the first letter a week earlier, little did I know that the next story I’d share would be about God providing for me.
David R. Hoskinson recently joined e3 Legacy’s team as Communications Coordinator. He plans to join e3 Legacy expeditions to Uganda and Costa Rica during June and July.
Monday, June 10, 2013
What I Want to See All Over Uganda
Next week, an e3 Legacy team from the United States heads to Uganda to partner with Ugandan church leaders to plant new churches. A member of the team leaving from the United States shared the following account of how God is preparing him to go.
Yesterday I wept for the first time in a long time. It was in song. I was leading worship for my church yesterday morning, and the last lines I sang came out as mere babbling. Why was I crying? Why was I bawling into my microphone? It was because of you guys.
Before we started our last set, my church watched a video about church planters in Ethiopia. It ended with an Ethiopian pastor weeping and shouting in an interview, saying “This is what I want to see all over Ethiopia! This is what I want to see all over Ethiopia!”
After a week of praying that God would stir a deeper love in my heart for the people of Uganda, this hit me like a train. Seeing such an earnest heart for his people moved me in a way I had not expected. This will likely be the heart of the church leaders we will be working alongside. This is their vision for Uganda, and it is one that we must share if we are to take part in it.
Then, in our last song, we ended repeating the lines “Let the amen sound from your people again!” And it hit me even harder (like a collision of trains): this is our ministry. We are taking on the task of bringing people back into relationship with their Creator and welcoming them into a global family of believers, and they will sing to God just as we are. The amen will sound from His people again and for the first time.
How humbling that God drew us of all people for this task. And so I wept. And so I pray that this message reaches you, as well. And I pray that God is deepening your love for the people we are going to minister to. Be seeking Him as we fast tomorrow. We must be desperate for Him, for it is only by His grace that we will succeed.
Sterling Pounds departs next week for an e3 Legacy expedition to plant new churches in Uganda. This week, the team completes its fourth day of seeking the Lord through fasting, in preparation for ministering in Uganda.
Yesterday I wept for the first time in a long time. It was in song. I was leading worship for my church yesterday morning, and the last lines I sang came out as mere babbling. Why was I crying? Why was I bawling into my microphone? It was because of you guys.
Before we started our last set, my church watched a video about church planters in Ethiopia. It ended with an Ethiopian pastor weeping and shouting in an interview, saying “This is what I want to see all over Ethiopia! This is what I want to see all over Ethiopia!”
After a week of praying that God would stir a deeper love in my heart for the people of Uganda, this hit me like a train. Seeing such an earnest heart for his people moved me in a way I had not expected. This will likely be the heart of the church leaders we will be working alongside. This is their vision for Uganda, and it is one that we must share if we are to take part in it.
Then, in our last song, we ended repeating the lines “Let the amen sound from your people again!” And it hit me even harder (like a collision of trains): this is our ministry. We are taking on the task of bringing people back into relationship with their Creator and welcoming them into a global family of believers, and they will sing to God just as we are. The amen will sound from His people again and for the first time.
How humbling that God drew us of all people for this task. And so I wept. And so I pray that this message reaches you, as well. And I pray that God is deepening your love for the people we are going to minister to. Be seeking Him as we fast tomorrow. We must be desperate for Him, for it is only by His grace that we will succeed.
Sterling Pounds departs next week for an e3 Legacy expedition to plant new churches in Uganda. This week, the team completes its fourth day of seeking the Lord through fasting, in preparation for ministering in Uganda.
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