The World Race Rocktober 08 - Braedon Tabor

Getting Tunnel Vision

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making plans."

In the past few weeks things have been pretty crazy for me. Around the office we've been working on getting prepared for a Trainers Training, set to begin tomorrow night and go through Sunday morning. We're getting all of the lesson plans together, trying to get all of the equipment we need for the weekend, and brainstorming on how we can make World Race and Real Life training camps more effective in the future. We're really excited to see what is going to come out of this time of innovation, growth, and community. There is a lot of work to do for this-shopping, getting vehicles prepared, set-up for lodging, etc.- but there are a lot more things to get done besides just this one event. At the end of May we will have World Race training camp for approximately 180 men and women! That is a massive amount of people to transport around, feed, and house, but God is faithful and He's working out some great opportunities for us to make this work.

Amidst all of the practical to-do lists, the meetings, the phone calls, and the paperwork, there is still a piece of my mind that is not as focused on these things.

Matthew 6:34 says, "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow has worries of its own." I don't know how much God is telling us not to think about the future, but just that we should not worry about it. Right? Then of course if we start to think about the future, all of the factors and issues and details come into play and we begin to worry about what it is we should actually be doing in the future, what we need to do now to get to the future, and so on.

Have you ever been in one of those long tunnels through the mountains you drive through every time you go to grandma's house- the one where you hold your breath for as long as you can to see if you can hold it through the entire tunnel? Or at least you puff your cheeks out and pretend you're holding your breath so that you can "win" the competition against your sister. Well as you're driving through the dark tunnel, fluorescent lights flashing by every so often, you feel like the tunnel is never going to end, as if you will have to hold your breath forever, and you will never get that relief of the exhale and that new, wonderfully fulfilling breath of fresh air. You may even be able to see the pinhole spot of light at the end that you will drive out of one day. And you would give anything you could to get through that opening. You do not care about what the sides of the walls look like, nor what is even in the car with you- music, friends, family- you just want to get out of the tunnel.

Is this what life is like? Just an endless tunnel of darkness and the occasional glimpse at the end of it all? It's possible that this is what a lot of religious people see when they think about life. As they grow up, things aren't too bad. But as they get older they realize they are getting deeper into the dark tunnel of life and the only thing keeping them going is the light at the end- Heaven! They see a light coming up real close. It's not the daylight, it's only one of the dim fluorescent lights on the wall, but at least it's something- paycheck, car, vacation. But there is no satisfaction through the tunnel, just little things to get them by until the end of the tunnel... I am not convinced this is how God wants us to look at life...

The woods are a fascinating place. I went hiking last fall with my family in Pennsylvania, and we had the chance to look off the top of this little mountain down into a valley. It was so great to see the birds flying below where we were standing, to see the cool rock formations at the bottom of the cliff we stood on. But it was not just the lookout that was fulfilling. The very rocks we stood on were interesting to look at, the bugs crawling around, the bright-colored plants growing out of them. And best of all, I had my family there with me. I could talk about the beauty around us with my sisters, my nephew, and my parents. We shared in God's creation and we weren't worried about trying to get anywhere. We just wanted to enjoy where we were, what was around us, and who we were with.

It is so easy to get worried about the future and think about how all of the factors and concerns are going to get in the way of where we want to be tomorrow. But God is asking us to just enjoy being with Him. He wants to show us all of the beauty He has created and wants to show us all of the amazing things He has placed all around us. Take a look around and think about what sort of things God has put in your life, as simple as they may be. A bright, sunny day. A cup of coffee. A smile from a stranger. A granddaughter. A friend who is willing to listen. A family that looks after you.

Do not worry about tomorrow. Take a look at today and see the beautiful place God has put you in.

Thanks for reading.

Flashbacks

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

My dear brother, Matt Snyder, writes a special blog every Friday just sort of telling his readers about his week, maybe bringing up a funny thought or idea. So I'm going to do that today. And today, I'm going to discuss something that I actually cherish very much- Michael J Fox- no... that's not true.

(as you may know, I love referencing movies in my blogs, so today's is "Back to the Future")

While I was on The World Race, I would try to process everything that I was experiencing, whether it was through talking to my teammates, writing in my journal, or even talking to friends and family on the phone/skype. But it was incredibly difficult to explain it all. The only thing I could really say clearly was, "It's like every day is sensory overload!" Every part of me was being immersed in something new, uncomfortable, and real. The taste of the food, the smell of the air, the feeling of the dirt, the sounds of the vehicles and people, and of course the sights. Every sense was filled to the max of something new and exciting. What I didn't realize was that these things were creating memories in me. Each sense would hang onto those things and not let go.

When I came home from the trip, it was... interesting. I would be listening to someone and halfway through their talk I would have to interrupt them: "Oh, sorry Mom. You're going to have to start over. I was in Moldova for a little bit there."

Flashbacks! Sometimes when you're sitting at work or in school you get that smell that reminds you of your childhood. Everything else- sights, sounds, feelings- is distracting you from this, but the smell is so memorable. Well with these flashbacks, all five senses would jump back to these memories. It's like my whole body would be in this and that place.

SO COOL! Even though I can't actually be in Kenya, I can still experience Kenya again! Even though I'm not in the Philippines, I can still experience the Philippines!

As I was overwhelmed during the World Race by all of the smells, tastes, etc, my senses were growing memories in them that would sustain me past my time in those places.

Hmmm... this could go off into a ramble about how we need to soak up every part of God we can while we're on the "mountain top" so that we can rely on those great things while we're in the "valley," but I'll spare you the eye-ache.

Thanks for reading.

Revisited: Tanzania- Ministry

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Ministry

One gift The Lord blessed me with through The World Race was the relationships that I still have with some of the people we met. I asked Paul Nyabagaka to send us an update on how things are going in their community and church. It's not much, but it's great to hear from a brother in Christ writing all the way from Mwanza, Tanzania (keep in mind his first language is Swahili):

"Thank indeed my friend

All the time we keep you in our prayer

Pass my greetings to the all team

Here at Kilimahewa, Mwanza we are doing fine

Please keep us in your prayer we are still building the church and we are expecting to receive another team in March"

Pastor Paul and brother Jonathon Bisanga are two absolutely amazing men of God. They did everything they could to welcome us into their home, community, and church. Paul and his family were incredibly hospitable in opening two of their rooms up for us to sleep in and feeding us! Their five children are wonderful, fun, and friendly, and you can tell their parents pray for them every day that God would reveal Himself to them. Paul loves and cares for people on such a strong and passionate level that people are just drawn to him and his ministry. Please pray for his family, that they would continue to be blessed, healthy, and active in their community.

Jonathon is a wonderful brother and disciple of Jesus Christ. He has such a servants heart and always desires to learn something new about God. Jonathon was a great translator for us when we preached in church and open air services. By the end of the month, when I preached for an hour in a different church, he was able to stick right with me, and the words just flowed between us. Amazing! He also has dreams of starting some big ministries in the Mwanza area, but needs lots of help and lots of support in seeing these dreams come to life. Please pray for Jonathon and his family, that he would continue to be provided for, that he would be given more opportunities to serve, and that he would step up into his role as an apostle alongside Pastor Paul.

The church we worked with was the Assemblies of God Church of Kilimahewa (the community/neighborhood in Mwanza). They are located on top of a mountain overlooking Lake Victoria. This is also where our house is located. Even though it was a workout to get up and down the mountain to the church, we would fill the chairs at church every Sunday and Wednesday nights! The whole church building would be packed with men, women, and children dancing, jumping, and singing! I loved the music that we would make to praise God throughout the church services. And one of my favorite parts of the church was that they meet every Friday night, from 10pm to 3am to pray for the community, church, church leaders, congregants, etc. Everyone would show up, we would pray for something, have some praise and worship, have a teaching, pray some more, and repeat! So good! This church is absolutely anointed and blessed, ordained for the work of The Kingdom of God!

We had many other opportunities for ministry throughout our month in Tanzania, working with a boy with only one leg, praying for many sick people in the hospital, going door-to-door telling people about Jesus, and dancing away with all of the church folks! Though John and I had to leave early to meet up with the other men on the squad for "man-istry," we had a blast in Mwanza with our new family.

Please be praying for the continued blessings and anointing on our family in Tanzania, and for the Lord to have His hand over their communities and churches. Pray protection, life, and abundance over their lives.

Thanks for reading.

Revisited: Tanzania- Team Changes

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Team Changes

A year ago I spent some time in the beautiful city of Mwanza, Tanzania. It was a wonderful month of ministry with some great relationships built along the way. But before I get to the ministry side of things, let me talk about one of the biggest pieces of the month- Team changes.

Becoming a team leader was one of the biggest things God did with me on The World Race. It tested my patience, my integrity, my compassion, my initiative, and, obviously, my leadership. But I would not have gone to the (figurative) places I had if God had not put this mantle upon me. It was hard. It was tiring. It was lonely. But all in all I would not have given it up for the world.

I was fortunate enough to have two of my teammates from Karis, Cindy and Katie, moved to Team Crux with me. However, we were teamed up with Audrey, Bekah, John, and Steph, four people I knew very little. So in the midst of all the ministry opportunities we had, we also had to start the "get-to-know-you" process once again. We ended up having some real fun times, including a pizza night with some German med. students we met, and a swim in Lake Victoria that our digestive tracts will not soon forget. John and I gave the girls fruit and candy for Valentine's Day, as well as wrote them a lovely poem. Though it was a hard time of transition for most of us, I think we did a great job on trusting The Lord with what He was doing with us. And having gone a year since that first month as team Crux, I can say I'm truly grateful for this team God provided me with.

Continue reading about our month in Tanzania here...

What's Behind Door #2?

Wed, 24 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Are we a product of our environment or are we simply who we always were to be? Am I Braedon because my parents gave me that name, I grew up in the Midwest, went to public high school? Or am I who I am because it's what my DNA always said I would be?

I believe our environment has a lot to do with it. I'm not going into all of the sociology and psychology of "nature vs. nurture" (though that stuff is so interesting to me), but I have been thinking about how the people around us really play a big role in our decision-making.

We have all hit those points in our lives where we are faced with several different BIG opportunities and we are not sure which path to take. We have this feeling in our gut that says one path is the right path, and another path is the wrong.

Living in such close community with so many wonderful, prayerful, and caring men and women, when you reach these paths it almost seems more difficult to make these decisions. There is always a feeling of black and white, as if God is going to give me a "Yes," or a "No."

But what would it look like if God was presenting me with several different opportunities and He left it up to me to decide what to do? Because in reality, if a choice is made to walk through Door #1, there needs to be a solid effort to glorify Him in any way possible. And if the choice is Door #2, can God still be glorified?

I'm convinced, more and more, that God is taking me through a season where He's leaving it up to me. He doesn't want to give me a "Yes," or a "No" because He wants me to "own" what decisions I make. It would be so easy to do what most people do in this case: sit on my couch with my arms crossed just waiting for God to throw something at me. But it's not that black and white. He's telling me the choice is up to me, and in that choice I should glorify Him.

I've got dreams and passions. But if I just sit here waiting for a "Yes" or a "Go," (which I've done most of my life) then I could miss out on some really good opportunities to glorify God.

So pursue I shall. What comes out of it, I do not know. And I cannot expect everyone to join me. But "a man has got to do what a man has got to do."

Thanks for reading.

Ramblings of an Internal Processor

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I have a secret... ...I'm not a verbal processor.

It seems like our entire culture,

especially my generation,

is based on verbal processing.

Not everyone is a verbal processor, but "he with the loudest voice is heard."

It's funny. Even as I write this it's difficult to think of what to say. It's as if I have these thoughts and feelings, discernment and intuition, but they are made up of some other s u b s t a n c e than words.

A great man once told me,

"There is a time for obscurity, but now is not it."

That's like saying to me, "there's a time to chew with your mouth, but now you have to find some other way to be fed."

In a world where everything is based off of language and words, there is only so far you can go with communication. You can only go so deep into the mind of the speaker.

Studies say 7% of communication comes through words, 38% of communication comes through tone, and 55% of communication comes from body language.

So how does a blog, such as this truly communicate to you, the reader, what I, the writer, am actually trying to say?

I don't have an answer. I'm tempted to just start doing video blogging so you all can see and hear me, but I'm not sure I have the technological capabilities at this point.

Several people have mentioned that there have been many well written blogs on here. Thank you for the compliments. But I am still not sure I've been able to express much of what goes on in my head.

This whole concept of internal/external processing seems to encompass my whole life. Work, relationships, entertainment. A supervisor asks what I think of such and such. No words come to mind. I think I have an understanding of how such and such went, but to verbalize it is like asking me to play music with a chair (I don't know what that's supposed to mean). My best friend Cindy asks me "what are you thinking?" all the time. A lot of times I say "nothing," or "I don't know." I just don't know how to get it out in words.

Obscurity is my life.

I can't get away from it.

So what is the point to all of this?

"I don't know."

A great desire is to seek understanding, knowledge and wisdom. But also to share that understanding, knowledge and wisdom with others.

Do you think you are able to communicate to others what it is your crazy mind is stirring up?

Thanks for reading.

Kingdom Come Training

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Hey Everyone,

Because you folks are important to me, I am sending a quick note to update you on what is happening with my life and ministry and ask for your prayer.

As you may already know, I have been appointed as missionary staff apprentice with Adventures in Missions, serving in the Training Dept. in Gainesville, GA.

I am excited about an intense three-week online training course I am taking to help me share my vision more effectively and connect people with a vital purpose for their redemption: being the expression of Christ to the nations.

At this point I am not asking for financial partnership in my ministry. Rather, I am asking for your prayer as I take on this course with lots of homework, and then launch this exciting temporary assignment. I look forward to getting in touch with you when my training is complete.

Gratefully In Him,

Braedon Tabor

Steppin' Up

Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

We've all been there...

We've all said it...

("I want to do something with my life")

We've all prayed it...

("God, whatever you want me to do, I'll do it.")

But what happens when God actually listens?

How do we react when God says, "I want to do something with your life, too"?

What do we do when God says, "Alright, then do this..."?

A month ago, I wrote a blog about how God was calling me to big things. And it didn't really come out of nowhere. It wasn't like I was sitting on the couch one day thinking "this is what I want to do the rest of my life," and then God poked Head into the room and said "Braedon, I need to you to do this for Me."

Nope.

I asked.

I prayed "God, whatever You want me to do, I'll do it."

On the World Race there were plenty of opportunities for me to pray this. I asked that God would take me out of my comfort zone and do some crazy stuff. I told God that I would do whatever I had to do to see His Kingdom come and His Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. I said that I would give up everything in order for God to use me. And there were passions that God put on my heart that I want to see come to fruition.

But around the New Years, and perhaps when I first moved down here to Gainesville, I realized that all of these things I was saying were actually being played back to me. God was saying, "Braedon, remember that time you prayed for a ministry? Well here it is. But you can't just jump right in. You are going to have to take responsibility. You're going to have to learn how to do this and that."

What I realized I was doing was giving up. The responsibility was showing its face and I didn't want to deal with it. I wanted to be the immature kid not learning how to lead, work hard, manage my life. I just wanted the end result.

I was in an argument with God.

And He always wins.

The day I wrote that blog a month ago was the day I threw my hands in the air and said, "Alright, God. You're right. I'm going to do what I have to do. For real. Not just words but actions."

And I immediately saw results.

God showed me opened doors revealing answers to prayers for my future.

And every day I take a deep breath, strap on my proverbial boots, and take a step toward God's desires.

It's difficult.

It's tiring.

But it's so good knowing My Father is in it.

Thanks for reading.

Revisited: God's Uganda (2/2)

Thu, 11 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"You were created for more than this. You can rise up and do the things that strengthen this community and glorify God. Don't just sit there and wallow in your inability, but trust that God has given you gifts and abilities to impact the nations."

This was not said to me verbatim during my time in Uganda, but it was implied numerous times from teammates and leaders alike. And as mentioned in my latest blog, you, my readers, were also deliverers of these words.

Our ministry in Lira, Uganda was headed up by our contacts at Victory Outreach Ministries, with Pastors Johnson and George leading the way. These two men of God have crazy stories to tell about how they have come so far in what God has called them. Pastor Johnson has travelled to the States many times and is a close friend with Christian writer, John Maxwell. Pastor George was almost assassinated by Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's police, when he proclaimed the Name of Jesus Christ and they left him alone. God has handed them the keys to a huge ministry in Lira and they are walking in a lot of faith to see the fruit of their labor. It's an amazing sight to see.

We were given several different opportunities to serve throughout the month, including such things as painting a local school, picking maze (corn) with local prisoners, visiting the local prison to preach, singing with the worship team, and evangelizing door-to-door. We had a blast being able to serve this ministry and also enjoying the shade of a tree after a long days work, playing with the chickens and roosters in the yard.

Throughout the month we dealt with some team issues, trying to reconcile some feelings of rejection and loneliness. We spent a good amount of time trying to work through these things while also being involved in ministry. And to top it all off, we got word of some team changes at the end of the month. Though we had some issues we needed to deal with as a team, we were all a little upset at the prospect of being "taken away" from each other. So even though we had plenty of ministry opportunities, we weren't as invested in them due to our thoughts and emotions trailing.

One night while Allison Johnston, our squad leader, was with us we had a night of prayer and worship, as Allison saw we need a little "pick-me-up." She encouraged us to push through these times of frustration and tiredness in order to serve the many people we met throughout Lira who did not know Christ. She also rebuked us for not stepping up into the things God is calling us to. This was quite the kick in the pants I needed at the time, and the next day Allison approached me to extend the invitation to be a team leader after the team changes that were to occur after this month.

As uncomfortable as it was, I had to say "Yes." I had heard God tell me through my own heart and through the mouths of other people (World Racers and friends and family) that He was calling me to leadership in some form or fashion, and I knew this was the opportunity He was giving me. I knew it would be hard, I knew I wouldn't feel confident about it, I knew I would have to take responsibility for six other people. But this was what my Father called me to, so I had to do it.

Our month in Lira, Uganda was overall a wonderful and ground-breaking month. It was the end of a beginning and the beginning of a new beginning. My heart is still broken for the men in the prison we visited, the kids we played with, and the sick people we prayed for (see the story of Maxwell here). This month is most memorable because it was the last month I was with my wonderful Team KARIS...

Thanks for reading.

p.s. check out this video of our squad whitewater rafting the NILE RIVER during our debrief. Crazy...

Financial Coaching from a Homeless Man

Thu, 4 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"God wants to release some big things to you, but you're holding on so tightly that you're not leaving room for the stuff He wants to give you! God wants to bless you, but you're too stubborn to receive His blessings!" -Greg

I mentioned in my last blog that we took the Real Life teams to downtown Atlanta for an overnight on the streets. Thanks to the help and hospitality of the folks at Safehouse Outreach (http://www.safehouseoutreach.org/), we were able to pull this off, and some good things came out of it.

Benny and I had about two hours to spare before the teams got downtown, so we hung out with some of the folks hanging outside the facilities. We met a homeless man named Greg, originally from Detroit, MI. He explained a little about how he ended up on the streets, how he ended up down here in Atlanta, and some of his church background. But the real interesting stuff happened when he turned to me and said, "Now let me tell you what I think the Lord is saying to you..."

Greg then went on about how God wants to bless me financially. He wants to open up some big things for me to receive. Greg continued to tell me about how I have been struggling financially in the past while. It's crazy because it's true, but even crazier because I had not said a word to Greg about what I do for a living. He then continued to tell me about how God wants to release financial blessings on my life and ministry, but that I have never released my finances to Him, basically saying "I don't trust you with finances, because you don't trust Me."

Another thing that Greg mentioned to me was that I haven't "tithed" in a while. And honestly, I haven't given finances regularly to the Lord in at least two years. It would be really easy to come up with the excuse "I haven't had an income in a year and a half." But in reality, this is a perfect example of how I haven't trusted God to take care of my needs. I think about all of the close friends I have around me who need financial help. These are my brothers and sisters. I want to be able to support them as much as I can, no matter how much or little I have, myself.

This is not just about my finances. This concept permeates my entire life. I wrote a short blog not too long ago about how I had to grieve my youth, how I have to be alright growing up and taking the responsibilities of the things God is putting in my hands. I want to see God's blessings pouring out into my ministry and into my community. But if I am not trusting that God will take care of those things, then I'm not going to see it happen, even if it is happening.

Throughout the night on the streets, I learned a lot. I am convinced that we met at least fifteen angels in downtown Atlanta in the middle of the night. God spoke. The Holy Spirit moved. Jesus walked with us. My Father showed me the keys to His Kingdom. He told me to trust Him with the things He's giving me. And if I do that, I'm going to receive those keys, and a whole lot more.

And what's really cool is... I was given Financial Coaching from a Homeless Man.

Thanks for reading.

... and in case you didn't watch the video from my last blog, here it is again...

The Beginning of a Dream

Mon, 1 Feb 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Last week was Real Life Training Camp. We sent out four teams to Africa and India, to Swaziland, Kenya, Delhi, and Andhra Pradesh, to go out for three months to work with missionaries and ministries, bringing the good news of Jesus Christ to some of the most dark and hopeless places in the world. They are going to remind people of the Love of their God for them and how much that Love covers them.

The first night with the participants was spent on the streets of downtown Atlanta, GA, meeting homeless men and women, sharing (and learning about) the Love of God. Here is a video by Katie Rowland that sums up the night on the streets:

Revisited: My Uganda (1/2)

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Almost one year ago to the day I sat in an internet caf in Lira, Uganda confused, frustrated, and discouraged. Here is one of the last things I wrote then in the blog called Things are Already Better:

"So basically I am praying for peace- Peace of mind, peace of body, peace of heart, so that God can use me even when I don't have much to offer."

And here is what you, my readers, supporters, and encouragers, wrote back to me (quotes):

Mom Tabor 1/15/09- "You ARE making a difference."

Brandon's Mom and Dad 1/15/2009- "Sounds like the Lord has taken you to the end of yourself, which is exactly where He wants you, no matter what the end plan is."

Brother Matt 1/15/2009- "Never forget that God is using you in ways that you may never know and I do think God works through/speaks to us most when we are completely vulnerable."

Snyder 1/15/2009- "You just have to keep pressing into them no matter how awkward you feel - and you need to be honest with your team about your struggles too, no matter how dumb they sound."

Carol 1/15/2009- "Dear Braedon, Thanks for your blog, I will begin to pray peace over you."

Casey 1/15/2009- "My prayer for you would be that you would learn how to process things and find the time to do it."

Carmen 1/15/2009- "Just remember that you ARE where you are supposed to be right now in your life, and that you are probably touching so many people in so many ways that you might have no idea and probably never will."

Wendy 1/15/2009- "A peaceful mind does not have to be seamlessly organized and an organized mind is not always filled with wisdom."

Crystal 1/15/2009- "Just take one day at a time and continue to keep God in the top drawer of your filing cabinet."

Kara 1/15/2009- "give yourself a chance, cut yourself some slack, take a deep breath and keep doing what you're doing."

Grama Clayton 1/15/2009- "Dear Braedon, I have never met you but I know I have already fallen in love with you."

Jim 1/15/2009- "I believe God is growing you through this so that you may be able to claim Philippians 4:12-13 at a level most of us will never understand."

Kim 1/15/2009- "I hope that is encouraging to you, knowing how many people are not only praying for you consistently, but they are encouraged and challenged by what you're doing and by what you're thinking and writing down here in your blog."

David 1/15/2009- "It won't be easy...but nothing worth while is ever easy!!!"

Leslie 1/16/2009- "It might take weeks, months or years, for all the data that is coming in now to get into the right files. Don't worry about that."

Mark 1/17/2009- "You are making a difference where you are Braedon, and wherever you find yourself on the day after this, I have confidence you will continue to make a difference."

Aunt Cyndi 2/3/2009- "Remember Moses... keep your faith, and keep moving forward."

My time in Uganda was not the easiest of my World Race experience, as shown by my blog. But after reading all of these amazing comments and encouragements, I came out of Uganda with a fire and an understanding that God has bigger things in store for me. So thank you to everyone that commented on this blog, and any other blog I have written. Your words are a large encouragement and have helped remind me of what God has in store for His Kingdom. Knowing that I have so many men and women, brothers and sisters, supporting me, praying for me, and protecting me helps me to get over my fears and go for what it is God desires. Thank you.

Like I said, your comments are a huge encouragement. If you have anything to say, long or short, when reading any of my blogs, please leave a comment. I want this blog to not only be an outlet for me, but a discussion with the people who love me most. If you have an idea of what you want me to write about, or you want to share something you've experienced, let me know! Love you all!

To read the original blog I wrote in Uganda, click here...

WOOHOO!!! Thanks again to all of you for supporting me financially! I have reached my first support goal of $3,000! God's given me food and shelter for the past 3 months, and now He's providing in a different way (my own income). Stay tuned for another support raising update...

"I don't want to!"

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Lately I've found myself in a place where I don't really care to do anything big, challenging, or important. There's a desire to stay lazy, comfortable, and away from responsibility.

I think I know what it is that's holding me back from really investing myself into something that impacts the Kingdom of God in a big way:::

As embarrassing as this is to admit, I have to grieve the fact that I'm not a kid anymore...

I'm not a young, irresponsible kid anymore (hitting myself on the head with a broom handle)...

I'm not a young adult with an impractical desire for adventure and fun times...

I am not a World Racer, called to travel the world, eating strange food and sleeping on 49 beds for a year...

God is calling me to some really big things. He's asking me to take up some big armor, some big weapons, and He's asking me to lead some big armies...

And it's a bit intimidating...

But I'm in...

Praying for Haiti

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Yesterday the country of Haiti faced tragedy.

A 7.0 magnitude earthquake hit the capitol city, and thousands are feared dead.

In 2008 they faced 4 different tropical storms/hurricanes. Floods. Mudslides.

They've had political unrest for years.

The spiritual climate is very dark because of the many followers of Voodoo.

It's not an easy place to live.

And now this...

How you can help:

Give a Gift

Click here to give a tax-deductible financial gift for the purchase of supplies needed for first response (food, blankets, shelters, basic health care, etc.).

Give Haiti Prayer

Continue to pray over the country of Haiti, over the ministry that we're establishing down there, and for physical and spiritual restoration.

text, video, and photos courtesy of Ashley Musick and http://updates.adventures.org/?filename=help-provide-relief-in-haiti

Tourism: a reference

Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

My friend Matthew Snyder wrote this blog today. It gives a good insight to what The World Race is all about (or isn't about)...

I'm kind of disgusted with tourism. I'm in the process of creating the October 2010 World Race Route page and as I'm researching facts on a lot of these countries, I can't help but feel like they're being neglected. I mean, most of these websites are talking about how beautiful the countries are in Africa and all of the touristy things you can do there. They ignore the history. The ignore the poverty in the countryside. They ignore the millions of lives dying from starvation and disease.

I'm really disturbed by it.

Why? Because that's what the world sees. When the world looks at these countries it sees all of the nice hotels and fun places to go snorkeling. It doesn't see the twelve-year-old girls in the huts two miles outside of town that can't hold in their own urine because they've been raped so much. It doesn't see the four-year-old boy that walks seven miles to get food for lunch and dinner. It doesn't see the men enslaved in the kitchen of their fancy hotels. It doesn't see the injustice littering the lives surrounding the glamor.

Tourism sees what it wants to see.

And I can only sit here and thank God that I know the truth, that the World Race isn't a nice vacation around the world. I'm glad that the World Race is something that pulls people out of their comfort zones and asks them to live in the huts with those girls, to walk the seven miles with that little boy so that he can eat, and to do something about the injustice in the world. Because, really, World Racers get really frustrated with tourist. When given the option to go snorkeling or eat lunch with the man without legs, we'll choose the latter.

Tourism sucks.

*sorry to the girl in this picture. i don't know who you are but you were on Google when i typed in 'tourists ignoring beggars'. thank you for illustrating my point.*

"Take off your clothes"

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Today's National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. That means that for the 27.1 million people that are enslaved beyond their will are getting some much needed attention. Who's giving it? We are. We are their voice. We are their deliverance. We are their freedom waiting to be delivered. The question is: what are you doing to help them? God's given me a platform through blog and other media outlets; He's also given me a voice that I've dedicated to Him. So Twitter this, Facebook it, Digg.com it, and do what you have to, to get the word out. You're welcome to copy & paste this blog my friend Matt Snyder wrote a while ago.

* * * * *

"Srey Neang followed him through the entrance. At first her eyes had trouble adjusting to the darkness of the room. Slowly, she could make out the scene. At nearly every table a middle-aged man enjoyed the company of two or more young women who casually draped their bodies around him.

Chuan led her through the club, occasionally pausing to give a brief greeting to a male patron. Once they reached a staircase at the back of the club, he pointed upward with his index finger. Srey Neang went first. At the top of the stairs they reached a small hallway with three doors, all shut. She turned around to get further instructions. Chuan jerked his head deliberately to the right, indicating which door she was to open.

Srey Neang turned the knob and tentatively pushed forward. It startled her to see a man standing in the middle of the room as if he were anticipating her arrival. She heard the sound of the door click shut behind her... the room did not hold much furniture, save a bed and a small nightstand. The man, in his mid�thirties... uttered a simple, shocking command in the local dialect: �Take off your clothes.'"

-- true story, called "The Conspiracy"

My life was ruined last night. I don't think that I've ever said that before, let alone sincerely meant it to the very core of my being. In the matter of minutes I've never had my heart shatter into so many pieces that the only ounce of expression left in me manifested itself through more than three hours of tears.

Heart graced my cheeks.

And it wasn't something that I really wanted to happen � it just did. It hurt. It still hurts. And within me I can't ignore the urgency to act, to actually take a stand and respond out of obedience. I have to do something. I will not remain silent. It's one of those moments where the Lord's righteous anger boils within me, yet with such grace and love that my life pulsates with His goodness, His heart, and His mercy for all people.

Yet in the same moment I'm waging limitless war on hell.

I'll fight this until the day I die.

A few of us watched a movie last night called "Human Trafficking". I had heard of the issue in passing, not in depth, and I knew that it was a passion of many... yet I still never cared enough past myself to really dive in and learn. Maybe it was a subconscious attempt to keep myself distant from responsibility. Like I've said before, the further we can keep ourselves from an awareness of an issue, from keeping ourselves from knowing the facts, from the possibility of having some kind of "invested-interest"... we can void ourselves from having to react.

It's almost like an excuse for survival... but I don't accept it - even for you.

In case you don't necessarily understand the term "human trafficking", let me break it down for you into understandable terms: slavery.

I'm not kidding.

Human trafficking is, in fact, modern day slavery and it happens all over the world. At any given moment the International Labor Organization (ILO) reports that 12.3 million people are in slavery worldwide, the majority of them being for the purposes of sexual exploitation. Between 600,000 and 800,000 people are trafficked every year internationally (that doesn't include domestic trafficking) for sexual exploitation.

That means they're used for sex against their will.

We call that rape.

There's a lot of reasons that human trafficking exists, many I attribute to sewage that seeps out of hell and infects lives through all kinds of lies, deceptions, accusations, and the like. But it's also because people make a choice; they choose to feed the system, to turn over money to the monster that enslaves and imprisons. "Out of the total number of foreign visitors, roughly two-thirds entering Thailand were unaccompanied men. In other words, about 7.3 million unaccompanied men visited the country in 2003. Certainly, not all of these men came as sexual tourists, but it is a good bet that a significant percentage did. In fact, according to a survey of travel agents conducted by international aid agency World Vision, 65 percent of all tourists to Cambodia are men and one-fifth of them travel with the express purpose to have sex."

You might be thinking to yourself, "well, Matt, I've never even been to Thailand or Cambodia and I never intend on going. I don't contribute to the madness." There might be truth to that statement - I agree. But think about this: every time you sneak onto your computer and check out a little bit of porn here, a little bit of porn there... you contribute. In the Netherlands and Germany, they've found a significant association between prostitution, pornography, and human trafficking. The pornography industry is a multi-billion dollar industry... every year... and prostitution's merely a front that will typically mask human trafficking.

So maybe you weren't aware, but now you are, that many people that are trafficked are also used for pornographic purposes, yet another ploy within sexual exploitation.

I can get onto more facts in another blog... but you might be wondering what the Lord's calling out of me.

I've never heard the Lord speak to me with such clarity. Last night I was sitting on the balcony/rooftop of the house we're staying at here in Phnom Penh, letting the Spirit express itself through my body. I was wrecked beyond words. Kim was inches from me crying her heart out as well. I've never prayed more in my life.

And I've never heard the Lord speak to me with such certainty.

He said, "Matt � I've made you an exhorter, a teacher, a fire-starter... and I want you to create awareness. You're my mouthpiece. I need you to speak. I need you to open eyes and hearts to issues long ignored. Don't remain silent." He also told me to go to Bangkok, ASAP, and see as much as I can first-hand. I have a responsibility now and I cannot be disobedient to it.

So, truly, let's consider this the beginning. I'm merely getting fired-up and I fully intend on catching y'all within the blaze.

* * * * * *

Here are some good resources to check out for more information:

The Not For Sale Campaign
The Polaris Project
NightLight
The Hagar Project
The Well
Innocence Atlanta
She Dances
Click here for more...

Revisited: Kenya, Eldoret (2/2)

Mon, 11 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

If you missed part 1, click here and read it before continuing...

Team Karis travelled to Eldoret by bus, with the buzz all around of what Dad was going to show us next. We met up with Pastor William, his wife Pamela, and their friend Patrick. It was a tight squeeze into the home we stayed in with two other teams, but it was a great testimony to how community works. Some folks helped Patrick and Pamela cook (all day long), some people helped wash the immense amount of dishes, and some would get rid of the trash. Some people got sick ("runny stomach" as it was kindly referred to) for one reason or another, but there was always someone there to take care of them. But this was just our time at home.

When we trekked off into downtown Eldoret, we were blown away by a new image of the Church of Christ. It took a bumpy and dusty bus ride into town, a walk through the sheet metal market, past the trash dump, and through a rusty metal door to get to the magnificent church building that was known as "Latter Glory Church of Eldoret." And when we sat in the church on Sunday morning, praying for the pastors, for the preachers, for the congregation, and for God to show up, in walked the people of the church. Dressed in dusty, baggy pants, winter coats and hats, we found out that most of the people that attend the church are actually young boys who have been kicked out of their homes onto the streets. Nearly all of the street kids we met had a bottle of shoe glue in their hand, sniffing it until they were too high to remember they were hungry. As little as we were able to communicate with most of the kids that came in, it was amazing to at least pray for them, sit next to them, and even dance and praise God with them.

(This is Pastor William [middle, white shirt] with some of the street boys from the church)

One day I was talking with some of the boys (David spoke English pretty well) and David asked me to give him a pair of pants. I had only brought two pairs of pants with me on the World Race, one pair of jeans and one pair of nicer brown pants for when I had to preach or go to church. And he had a decent pair of pants on already, so I didn't think it was too much of a necessity. So I told him that he didn't need my pants because he already had clothes. But then there was a shift in the conversation. David said something like this: "Yes I have pants, but they have holes and stains all over them. If you walked into a place to get a job, they would hire you in a second, because you look clean and ready for the workplace. But if I walk in and try to get a job, they will kick me out because I do not have clean clothes and they cannot have a dirty boy working for them." ... I did not have a response. All I could say was "You're right." David did not have what it takes to get a job, at least in Eldoret, Kenya. No matter what David said or did, even if he gave up sniffing glue and was absolutely determined to get off of the streets, no one would hire him because of what he looked like.

Maybe this is what it sounds like to talk with a homeless man in the U.S. Hundreds of people walk by him every day with the usual, "Get a job, ya bum!" But maybe he's tried on many occasions to get a job, and because he doesn't have a suit and tie he's never given the job...

My heart broke that day. It broke for every one of those kids that came into church, every kid on the street in Eldoret, every kid we met walking around the community we lived in. I understood the care and compassion our Father has for them. The way my heart broke is exactly how His heart breaks every morning when these kids wake up on the street, hungry, dirty, cold, and parentless. And I honestly do not have the resources to get these boys off of the streets. I do not have the food to feed them. I do not have the clothes to cover them. But at the end of the day, when I sit next to them, listening to them, putting my arm around them, dancing with them, they experience love and care, which they have not experienced, perhaps, at all in their lives. I actually exchanged bracelets with one of the boys one day, without exchanging any words, and I still wear that bracelet to this day as a reminder of my brothers in Eldoret whom I care so much about.

We had opportunities to do a lot of things in and around Eldoret while we were there: door-to-door prayer and evangelism (with the amazing Pastor Titus), speaking about faith with local drug dealers (Eugene), and spending time on Christmas day talking with a man named Joseph about how he has the ability to hear the voice of the Lord speaking directly to him. I could go on and on about all that God did with us while in Kenya, but that would maybe take a publisher and a printing company (someday). So for now I will leave you with these two challenges:

1. Please pray heavily for the ministries of Pastors William, Patrick, and Titus, as well as the many other pastors we worked with in Eldoret and Kapsoya, as they have sacrificed so much in order to see thousands of men and women come to the knowledge of their salvation in Jesus Christ.

2. Make it a point today to step out of your comfort zone, look around you at the people you pass by today (mother, child, mailman, cashier, random guy on the street) and speak some encouragement into them. And even if they don't seem to appreciate your gesture of compassion, know that Jesus Christ Himself is there working in that person's life. Show them some love!

Thanks for reading.

::Support Raising Update::

To continue to raise up more missionaries who will go out and impact nations like Kenya, and people like David, Eugene, or Joseph, I need your help. You have the chance to impact their lives, too. God has blessed me with almost a third of my 6-month support-raising goal. I only need $237 to reach my initial checkpoint. If three people stepped up and donated $80 each, I would reach this goal! Please click the Support Me! button on the left of your screen! Thank You to all supporters who have gotten me this far!

Revisited: Kenya, Kijabe (1/2)

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

"Praise the Lord.

Praise the Lord from the heavens,

Praise Him in the heights above.

Praise Him, all His angels,

Praise Him, all His heavenly hosts.

Praise Him, sun and moon,

Praise Him, all you shining stars.

Praise Him, you highest heavens and you waters above the skies.

Let them praise the name of the Lord,

For He commanded and they were created.

He set them in place for ever and ever;

He gave a decree that will never pass away." Psalm 148:1-6

The first memory I have of my time in Africa is an image I can picture in my mind at any given moment, recalling the sounds, the feelings, the colors, and the joy. The setting is in Kijabe, Kenya just on the eastern lip of the Great Rift Valley, approx. an hour northwest of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Looking out into the Valley, with the cool wind blowing on my face and the sounds of monkeys jumping from tree to tree, I felt like I was getting a glimpse through a window into Heaven. Sure, there is plenty of corruption, drunkenness, and carelessness throughout Africa (like anywhere else in the world). But there was an overwhelming sense that THIS was a special creation of God's.

Have you ever heard any stories of an artist, who during the day is working hard to make the paintings that will sell well, please the employer, and feed his family? But when he gets home, he spends some time with his kids, has a good talk with his wife about their days, and then he goes into his own little studio and paints the painting that he has a passion for, that means so much to him, that expresses all of the love he has for his wife and kids. That painting is not something that can be sold, not a creation that can be spoiled or ruined. It has a special place in the artist's heart. That's how I saw the Great Rift Valley- a work of God's own hands, an expression of God's love and passion for us, His children.

My team leader on Karis, Lindsay Heston, recently wrote a blog titled "Valleys Fill First," about being in the low place, the hard place away from the mountaintop experience we so desire. But she explains that it's in those hard, dry, dark places that God is closest, working and growing us more and more. It's because that valley, though it doesn't always seem like it's any sort of creation from a loving Father, is not some trap God has caught us in. It's a work of passion, love, and desire, a piece of art made by the hands and heart of Our Father. He loves us so much that He wants us to grow, learn, and become closer to Him. The Valley is exactly where we are supposed to be, fully experiencing the passion of our God!

Our debrief and preparation for our time in Africa gave us a week in Kijabe, worshiping, praying, resting, and dancing. I was given the opportunity to be the first G-Squad member to preach in front of the squad. We had some amazing times praying for patients in the local hospital and speaking with local shop owners. But our time in Kijabe was only a jump start into our ministry in Kenya (click to read part 2)...

Revisited: Christmas!

Fri, 25 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! When I wake up, I'm getting a CAT Scan!" - Tim Allen, The Santa Clause

Sitting here on the couch at my parents place in Pennsylvania, watching National Lampoons Christmas Vacation, I have been thinking back to my Christmas one year ago, outside Eldoret, Kenya! There's not a whole lot I could say to explain our Christmas experience on The World Race, But luckily my squadmates made videos of those fun and crazy times. So please enjoy these wonderful videos, everyone. Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Racers, take your mark!

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

When I made the big move to Gainesville, GA, the first thing I was able to be a part of was Training Camp for the January '10 World Race (M and N Squads). I got to watch them grow, change, and experience freedom from their pasts. I was also able to watch them spit all over each other in a wonderful model about ministering to people groups that do not speak English. I watched as they stepped out and did their first ministry together as teams. And it was a pleasure to be a part of stomping the tar out of them during our Racers vs. Alumni Dance-Off (it seems I cannot lose a dance off... I guess it's my destiny). And now these 100+ plus men and women are preparing for their own 11 month life-changing trip starting in January.

M and N Squads will be starting their trip around the world in Auckland, New Zealand, and though all of us at the World Race office are running around making sure that we have everything prepared for their departure after the New Year, there is a buzz of anticipation to see what sorts of things are going to happen through these men and women. We can't wait to hear stories of orphans being held in their own arms, mouths being fed with their own food, wounds being held with their own faith, and truth being spoken with their own mouths. It's going to be amazing!

As these folks are preparing for their trip after the holidays, getting their tents, backpacks, and quick-dry underwear ready, there are still some of them who are struggling to get all of their support accounts where they need to be. They need to have 60% of their $14,000 by January 1^st in order to leave for New Zealand, or they will have to be delayed to a later Race. Please pray for their support accounts to be past the goal so that they will not have to focus on support-raising in the midst of feeding the hungry, playing with street kids, or building a house. If you feel God is asking you to help out one (or all!) of them, keep in mind how much of an impact your help will have in lives around the world, from New Zealand to Romania, Thailand to Kenya.

And I know that some of you became very excited about the idea of me dancing, so here's an old video to prove why it is physically impossible for me to lose a dance-off!

Thanks for reading.

You're Sitting in a Chair IN THE SKY!

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

There were a number of titles running through my head for this blog, like "It's the hap-happiest season of all..." and "Gratitude," but I settled with this one thanks to the sermon I heard yesterday (three times because I played with the worship band). It was titled "The Attitude of Gratitude."

Pastor talked about James 1:16-17, which says:

"Do not be deceived, my dear brothers. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

Something we talked about at church was the idea that we, as Christians, have no allowance to complain about anything. The lives that we have are gifts given to us by God. He tells us that He's got everything under control, that He'll take care of us. If we have a job, it's a blessing. If we have family, it's a blessing. If we have food, it's a blessing. And some will say "well I lost my job this past year," but do they still have a roof over their head? Things may be tight, but you still have people that care about you. Even for the homeless living on the streets of every major city in the world, they still have clothes on their backs, even just a coat or a blanket. This is absolutely not to say that we should not give in any and all ways we can give, but this is to say that we need to personally be grateful for the things we have been blessed with, big or small.

Having just finished with a holiday based around the concept of being grateful (Thanksgiving, for all who are unfamiliar with this holiday), and also heading into a holiday based on the concept of giving out of a joyful heart (and a clay reindeer with a lightbulb for a nose), I want to focus on this idea of being grateful for the life God has given me. I want to say "I trust You, Father, with my life and that You will provide me today with my daily bread," and walk in that trust. I can't say "I believe God provides," in one breath and in the next breath complain that I don't like the food I'm eating, or that my computer is too slow. God gave that food so that I would be filled and nourished. And at least I have a computer I can use to do work on and communicate with family and friends around the world. "The grass is always greener on the other side." But think about the fact that you have grass in the first place. Be thankful that you have anything on your side. And you do have plenty to be thankful for.

Check out this clip from "Conan O'Brian..." It will make you laugh and, hopefully, think...

Thanks for Reading.

Revisited: "Big Red"

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is the second issue of my series called "Revisited" where we go back to the countries I went to on The World Race to see how God has been working around the world, whether we are there or not. This issue is about "Big Red" (Summer Olympics '08), for the month of November. Let's go...

Hong Kong 36 hr. train ride City of the Bronze Horsebus rideCity of the Crooked Eyecramped SUV rideCity of the Fire Dancersbus rideCity of the Blowing Hornbus rideCity of the Silver Stars and Swansbus ride backCity of the Bronze Horse24 hr. train rideBeijing24 hr. (miserable) train rideHong Kong

Phew! One way to describe this month is "Rock Star." It was like being a band on tour, staying here and there for a few days, then packing back up and settling, getting to know a few people here and there. There was our amazing brother, The Shark, and his wife. There was Peter and his wife. The high school kids we met on one of the buses and their many friends. So many smiling faces that we will never forget.

Though I can't go into too much detail for security reasons, I do want to tell you a little bit about The Shark. He grew up in a different country, and he does not speak even a tiny bit of English. But we could hear the passion in his voice even before his words were translated. He had been given a huge gift from The Lord several years ago: a giant heart for the people of "Big Red." His passion for young people to come to know Jesus Christ was inspirational, and really gave us a desire to support him and help him in his ministry. And it was a pleasure to pray for him and his wife, as they had been trying to have a child for a while now. So you can imagine how excited we were when we heard, a few weeks after we left "Big Red," that they had become pregnant shortly after we left! God is blessing The Shark in big ways as he continues to serve The Kingdom. Please pray protection, safety, and boldness over this family, our brother and sister.

Peter and his wife were really fun to hang out with. We just happened to meet up with Peter one day as we were eating our usual beef noodles. He took us around town to show us all of the historical things, and even took us to a few Muslim temples that were over one thousand years old! He was able to get us into a few high schools to speak (and sing "My Heart Will Go On") to hundreds of students (who looked at us like celebrities) where we tried our best to expose the students to the gospel. We had a traditional dinner with Peter and his wife, where they named all of Team Karis with "Big Red"-ese names! My name is Dai-Bau, meaning first treasure (Brandon was named Ar-Bau, meaning second treasure, haha). It was great to meet this man and woman, and we continue to pray that The Lord will reveal himself to them more and more through other Christians in the future.

Our time in "Big Red" was difficult, as it was hard just to find an English-speaker, let alone tell them about Jesus Christ. But we realized that this month was about more than evangelism. We learned how to intercede for people in prayer, and how to really become intimate with our God. And as a team, we learned through brokenness and helplessness that we need each other as a team. November was the month that Karis really became a family, willing to put ourselves at the bottom of the totem pole in order to serve and love and care for each other. Overall, as hard as life was in "Big Red," with sickness, frustration, and fear, we grew in ways we never expected, and we had a blast becoming brothers and sisters along the way.

Actually, one year ago to this day, I was celebrating my 23^rd birthday with my team! We had to travel back to the City of the Bronze Horse to meet back up with the other teams before heading to Beijing, so we were blessed to have some amazing food from The Shark and his wife, as well as watch one of my favorite movies, "Hook." That will certainly go down as one of the best birthdays I have ever had (right after my He-Man themed birthday...). And it was made so good by my brothers and sisters from G Squad.

Though I do not see myself returning to "Big Red" anytime soon, I still have flashbacks of all of the good memories of being there, and I remember all of the good things God is doing even when He's not legally allowed to do it.

Thanks for reading.

Ol' Man Tabor

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

As you may have read in my last blog, "Revisited: "Big Red," today, November 20th, is my birthday. I am officially 24 years of age! And I feel so different!!! I woke up with a full beard, a full chest of hair, my back hurt, and I couldn't remember anyone's names!... None of that is true of course, but I am super blessed to celebrate my birthday at "home," or at least on U.S. soil.

Last year, I celebrated my 23rd birthday with my G Squad Family in China, where i got to eat Mexican food, watch "Hook," and drink some wonderful Chinese rice wine! Plus, my sisters, Cindy, Katie, Lindsay, and Tangi, bought me a pair of Chinese underwear, lovingly named "fundies," as they had a very useful pocket on the front of them for anything that may need hidden, such as passports, money, my wallet, or even a package of crackers! Unfortunately, I lost these wonderful undergarments somewhere along the World Race, so I cannot wear them today on my birthday. But I will always remember how much my sisters wanted me to keep my things safe during my travels.

As for this year, I'm with a new community of folks (along with some G Squad family) who are just as willing to take care of me on this day, the day of my birth. I have received lots of peanut butter flavored protein bars in order to gain more weight. And the whole crew is taking me to Australia for dinner! (we'll make our "Outback Steakhouse" waiter say, "Crikey," at some point, just to make it legitimate). So as you can see, God has blessed me with so many things for my birthdays. So thanks, families, for all of your love and care!

"What do you want for your birthday, Braedon?"

Well, funny you should ask, because I am still low on my support account. What I would really love for my birthday is for some folks to help me out with support. And since it is my 24th birthday, it would be amazing if I saw a bunch of $24 contributions in my support account! In fact, if someone wanted to pledge to give $24 a month until May, this would be the greatest birthday EVER!

Either way, thank you for your birthday wishes, gifts, and prayers. I know that God has done innumerable things in me in the past year, and that He has some HUGE plans for me in this next year.

Thanks for reading.

Revisited: Philippines

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

This is the beginning of a series called "Revisited:..." where you and I will go back to the locations God took me to during my World Race experience. I want to try to report on a location during the same month I visited it a year ago, but I was unable to do that for The Philippines, so here, now, is our trip BACK to the Philippines.

There are so many emotions and memories that overcome my senses when I think back to our time in Manila, Philippines. The smells (car exhaust, human waste, burning trash), the sights (palm trees, kids running around, the haze over downtown), the sounds (kids laughing, Mario and friends singing, car horns), the feelings (sweaty, dirty, joy), they all mean so much to me, having lived there for a month last October. I had no idea that the environment we experienced in The Philippines would be so impactful and memorable for me. But it has become so easy to daydream, to drift off into a "flashback" of my time there, playing with the orphans, teaching the street kids, or building the sidewalk. And it's not just a little picture-daydream, but a full length, full sensory experience.

I have tried to keep up with what is going on with Kids International Ministries since we left, especially through fellow alumni World Racer, Christie Albaugh, who has been living in Manila since April. And right about when I came home from The World Race there was a massive flooding right in and around Manila that devastated thousands of families and homes. But in the midst of it all, Christie has been doing profiles, including pictures and videos, of some of the orphans staying in the home in Cuatro, showing how much the kids have grown up. It is AMAZING to see how much the children have grown just in a year! Check them out here (click on any of the "Introducing..." links)!

Team Karis has actually kept in contact with our dear friend, Jason, and we receive updates on the community every so often. While we were in the Cuatro community, we prayed for many sick and dying people. Two of these people were Vivincia, a very old, very sick, but very beautiful woman, and Porcuano, a great man who had diabetes, but no money to treat it. Well, we found out along the way that Vivincia actually passed away on November 7^th, only a week after we left The Philippines. We also found out that Porcuano passed away sometime in April. So please be praying for their families, as well as the community of Cuatro. But we have faith that they are rejoicing for eternity in the presence of The Lord!

When people ask me what month was my favorite of them all, it's just natural instinct to say "The Philippines." Yes, it was our first month, we were full of energy and excitement for the hype of this year-long trip, and we were ready for big stuff. But I'm convinced that even if we had been there for our last month of the trip, I still would have loved it as much as I do now- Because I left a few pieces of my heart there, with Mario, Venus, Aira, Jason, and many others. It may not be politically correct, but it's definitely "Kingdom-Correct:" I am 1/11 Filipino!

My prayer is that one day there would be a true revisit to Manila and to the Cuatro community, both for myself and for all of you, but until then, please join me in praying for all of the orphans at KIM, all of the families of Cuatro, and all of the street boys we taught, and that there would be a revival of God's Children rising up to glorify Him and all His Love and Passion for His Kingdom.

Thank you so much for going with me on this trip to The Philippines. Without you, my supporters, this trip would have never happened. Now, I am working in the Training Program for Adventures in Missions, helping to raise up the next generation of missionaries to go into the world and "make disciples of the nations." But in order to keep up this work, I have to raise support for my income. That means I need to rely on the Body of Christ (all of you) for the things I need in my life. I have to raise $3,000 by Dec. 1^st in order to make this dream a reality. Please let me know if you would like to help in this amazing endeavor to mobilize this generation to glorify The Father!

Thanks for reading,

Dreamland

Mon, 9 Nov 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Since moving to Gainesville, GA, amongst all the hectic running around and getting all of this "stuff" done around the AIM office, even going to Mexico for five days, there has been a pretty common discussion that has come up: "Big Picture," "Vision," and "Dream." And it is a really interesting concept, at least for someone like myself- "Small Picture," "The Now," and "Reality." Something people have been asking me in the past few months is what really drives me, excites me, motivates me? And as I sit in the car, or the coffee shop, or outside, I find that it is very difficult for me to answer that question. It's almost like my dreams are on the other side of a WALL, and I'm just a little kid looking up at this monstrosity of an obstacle. But what's worse is that I have no idea what's on the other side of the wall...

Maybe... it's a playground with never-ending slides and tunnels that take me to places around the world I've always wanted to visit, and sandboxes filled with pixie sticks.

Maybe... it's just like that backyard you always passed by going to the bus stop as a kid, the one with the broken down car, and the rusty tools, and the big Doberman pincher that loves to eat little kids.

Maybe... it's a land full of giant turtles, luck-dragons, wolves, rock people, and flying cities.

Maybe... there's nothing. Maybe you get to the other side of the wall (using rope, trampoline, dynamite?) and you find out you were supposed to stay outside the wall all along.

In reality, I know I'm a dreamer. If I wasn't a dreamer, I wouldn't be able to write a blog like this. And I know that God has Promised Big Things to me. I've heard the whispers of His Still, Small Voice in my ear. So I know that He's going to give me dreams, visions, purpose, plans. It's just really difficult to imagine what's on the other side of the wall in this world today. We're taught from an early age to stick to one thing and do whatever you can to achieve "success" at that one thing, even if it means you're miserable doing it and you don't see a light at the end of the tunnel (and in this economy the end of the tunnel has been blocked off by the Hudson, like in Stallone's "Daylight"). Some people tell us we can be anything we want to be, as long as we set our minds to it, which leads to the thousands, if not millions, of "starving artists" on the streets of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, etc. And you have thousands of young men and women who desire to be in full-time ministry (like myself), some having gone to school (or at least part of it), some having gone straight into ministry, but even if they are working hard to achieve their goals they have immense amounts of debt to pay off from the two to four years spent in higher education. I could go on and on and on...

What is there to do? Where has the dream gone? Is there room for the dream? How can we live the dream when it seems like our world today is a ~~dream shooter-downer~~?

There's more to this life, especially as a Disciple of Jesus, than just a 9-5, working for the next paycheck, just so we can spend it on TVs, couches, cars, iPods, fast food, and week-long cruises. Life is about living out the dreams of our Father (not the "Founding Fathers") and building up His Kingdom (the one that is "not of this world") instead of our own kingdom. We have to be looking for more opportunities to love our neighbors and enemies, feed the hungry, fight for the cause of the widows and orphans, and walk in faith that Our Father is bringing His Kingdom to earth. There are much bigger things to be striving for, even bigger than worship services, youth groups, Christian music festivals, short-term mission trips (these aren't bad things, of course, there are just bigger dreams than these).

What dreams do I have? I am not convinced I even know my dreams. I am in no greater position than any of you when it comes to dreams. I'm writing all of this because I recognize that we all have the potential to dream dreams and live dreams, and that most of us have lost our ability to dream for (1) one reason or another (2). But I want to urge all of you (and myself) to ask The Lord for bigger dreams, bigger revelations, of how you can walk out the Kingdom of God in your own lives. Because your life is worth so much more than you think it is, and the dreams you have in your head aren't meant to just sit in your head, but are meant to be walked in, because your Father in Heaven gave them to you.

Having returned home from the World Race only two months ago, I am just now trying to picture the dreams God is putting in my heart, and learning how to walk out those dreams. Part of my dream is to not rely so much on the world economy (since I'm not a big consumer in this consumer-based economy), but to rely on the Body of Christ to live. As I have said numerous times in past blogs and letters, YOU are the body of Christ (Romans 12). My dream is to rely on you, my brothers, sisters, mothers and uncles (sorry, I only have one Father) for my daily bread, and I am really learning how to pray for The Lord to give His Daily Bread as I have need every day. So if you are interested in partnering with me in living out this dream of Kingdom Economy, as well as dreaming bigger dreams, please visit the Support Me! button to the left of your screen, and please feel free to contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns. You can call me- (484)919-0162; e-mail me- braedontabor@adventures.org; or click on the Contact Me button to the left of your screen. You can also Get Updates! whenever I post a new blog. Thanks for your prayer and support, and thank you for helping me dream big.

If you have any dreams out there (seriously, I know there are some BIG dreams out there), feel free to post some of them in the comments section below! I would love to hear them!

Thanks for reading.

Raising Up a Generation

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

On Friday, October 16^th, one hundred sixteen men and women from all over the United States and Canada got together for the first time, after only speaking to each other a few times through little blogs here and there. People from all different walks of life, different church backgrounds, different families, found themselves groaning for more in their relationships with The Father. So after praying, applying, and praying some more, they came to Gainesville, GA to be trained for what would become a starting block for walking in the steps of Jesus Christ. They will be leaving for The World Race in early January 2010.

Over a year ago I was in the same position. I remember flying from Philadelphia to Atlanta with butterflies in my stomach the whole ride. I didn't know who I would see or what I would experience, but I knew it was where I was supposed to be. Walking into the terminal to meet the rest of my squad, I had no idea that these people I would be small-talking with about where we were from or "what we do" would become my real family, true brothers and sisters, men and women with whom I would travel and grow.

But this time around, over a year later, I got to see things from the outside. Having just moved to Gainesville to work with the training program for The World Race, I was assigned responsibilities throughout the training week. One of the biggest things was to observe the M Squad, in order that I may be able to help in forming the teams that would go out together in January. The participants began the week unsure, awkward, and frankly, afraid. They didn't know what they were signing up for. But as Michael Hindes, director of The World Race, taught and shared his wisdom, he hinted as to why the 100+ people had come to Gainesville (despite their popular beliefs). It's not because they want to travel the world. It's not because they want to be nice to people. It is because there is a whisper inside of them that desires more for their lives.

Jesus taught us how to pray, and for what to pray. He says,
"Father... may Your Kingdom come... on Earth as it is in Heaven." Christ talks about the Kingdom of God, Heaven, manifesting itself on this earth, during our lives through the works and faith of His daughters and sons. In Romans 8, Paul says that we are considered heirs of God's Kingdom, and co-heirs with Christ. Now let's get theological here for a second. We, as Christians, believe that Jesus Christ was not only fully Man, but also fully God. So if Christ is God, then He has full ownership of Heaven, or as some called it in the Hebrew Texts, Zion. And through faith in Jesus Christ, (Him being the Way, Truth, and Life) we become one with The Father with Jesus. Paul says we are co- heirs with Christ of God's Kingdom, and Jesus says we are one with God.

A question I have heard asked before (which, frankly, should be asked more often in the Church): If the only reason for getting "saved" is so that we may get into Heaven, then why don't we simply say "Jesus is Lord" and then die? And the answer is found right in The Lord's Prayer: May Your Kingdom come to Earth! God doesn't want us to proclaim Him as our God and then get lazy. The Prophet Isaiah talks about the lame walking, the blind seeing, the captives being set free, all of the things that the Messiah is to speak into existence in the Kingdom of God. We, being all of the AIM/World Race Staff and participants, believe that Jesus is the Messiah, and we believe that we have the Love and Spirit of Jesus Christ within us. So if we are to be Christ alive today, we need to live like Christ- walking, thinking, breathing, trusting, speaking like Christ. When Jesus walked the streets, He spoke and Life flourished! He noticed the blind man on the street that everyone passed by, and the blind man's eyes were opened. Jesus touched the leper's body, and the leper was clean. God's Kingdom on Earth!

This may be a radical thing to say (to some of you), but I believe that with the strength, power, and authority we have in the Holy Spirit that dwells within us, given to us by the Love of Our Father, we can do these things. Because we are Kings and Queens of God's Kingdom, we can speak and life will flourish.

Many of the World Race participants who come to GA for training camp have never heard this concept. Or they just think the gifting of the Holy Spirit is something that only happened in the first and second centuries. Or they're afraid of being those loud and crazy people Paul rebukes in his letters to the churches in the New Testament. They have been brought up in their churches to be quiet, serious, comfortable, "successful", finding their own place in the pews of the building called "God's House" (when did God ever dwell in an institution? He loves camping out). But when the Squads called Massive and Numerous left the training facility in Gainesville, they walked out knowing that the Power and Love of the Creator dwells in them and they are going to be heirs of His Kingdom in the Nations that have been promised to them, proclaiming Heaven come down on those places!

Father, I thank You that you have called these men and women to walk in Your Presence, Your Authority, Your Love throughout the nations. I thank You that You don't want us to get comfortable or lazy, but that You call us to radical lives of inheritance, to walk in health and strength, sharing Your Love with the nations, our brothers and sisters who do not know that they are Kings and Queens. Father, I pray that You would show M and N Squads Your Glory, Grace, and Favor as they prepare to be stripped of themselves, refined, and then built back up as the Men and Women You promised them to be from the beginning. We love You, we praise You, and we thank You for all that You are! Truly.

Thanks for reading.

Where am I going with this?

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hey everybody! It has, once again, been a while. It's funny, I thought that once I got back into the United States, the land where Internet is plentiful and fast, I would be back on a good blogging schedule. But I guess it's hard to get into a habit of doing something when you have so many other distractions jumping in front of your face.

Today has started off a good one, having come to a coffee house in downtown Gainesville to get some work done. This has been my first real week working at Adventures in Missions as an Apprentice for the World Race Training Program. And so far it looks like this will be a good 6 months! I'm already sending packages, summarizing evaluations, researching facilities in Europe for next years Awakening event, and of course, taking down tents. We just finished up a week and a half of Training Camp for M and N Squads, leaving in January, 2010 for their very own World Race experiences. And what a blessing it was to be a part of their training program. (more on that in a later blog)

Re-entering the U.S. after my World Race trip was, for lack of better words, interesting. I felt lost in a dream, as if everything was just a play of my imagination. Someone would be speaking to me, maybe praying, maybe showing their delight that I am home safe, or asking about my trip, and I would just stare at their faces, unsure if they actually existed. "Am I actually here? Or am I sleeping on a pink couch in Eldoret, Kenya, having only been on The World Race for three months?" There were times I would be in conversations with my mother at home, or eating dinner, and I would be staring off into space:

"Braedon? Helloooo? You there?"

"What? Oh, sorry, Mom. I was in Eastern Europe for a little bit there..."

Fortunately I had some people to call up who would understand what I was going through- my team. I spoke to Cindy Flores, an amazing woman of God, who would prophecy over me on the phone, encourage me just with a single word. But as we conversed and laughed about the little things we were learning about living in the U.S., like flushing TP, or driving, speaking to real English-speakers, there was something familiar I heard in our voices... It was that same distance I heard in my own voice when I spoke to my friends and family about the trip. We weren't completely back from all of the countries we had visited in the past year. In fact, I'm realizing that every time we left a country, we left a little bit of ourselves in those places, from the first to the last, from The Philippines to Nicaragua. Our hearts and minds still work and function in those time zones, those languages, those currencies, those foods, those people. I left my heart in the nations.

There were times I felt like it was difficult for my heart to break for the places we were in. But I'm now realizing that, because I had the Love of The Father in me for each one of the people I met on The World Race, my heart didn't just break for them, but the pieces were left with each of those people.

What I plan to do is give you guys a glimpse at those places, once again, and where my heart still exists and beats, even to this day. We are going to revisit each of the eleven locations God sent me to during my eleven month excursion in order that we might get a better idea of what The Lord is doing in each of those places. You see, during my trip, I could only see my experience from one point of view, and when every single day is sensory overload, it's hard to really see what God is doing in the midst of all the chaos. So going back and processing the things I've seen, heard, and experienced, we might see new things that Jesus has done that we didn't get to see the first time around. This time, we're going to take this journey together- you, me, The Father- travelling the world together. I know we don't have the plane tickets, and we all have our jobs and families to tend to (I have a job!) , but this will be a good way to get all of our hearts following the footsteps of The Holy Spirit.

Stay tuned for more blogs, including my account of the Training Camp experience, Life in Gainesville, GA, and my time in Manila, Philippines (I'm going to try to revisit countries during their respective months I visited them i.e. Philippines: October, China: November, Kenya: December, etc. however, I got a slow start on this months, so I will be getting The Philippines and China out during the month of November).

Thank you again for all of the support you have all given in the past year. You have taken this trip with me and you deserve to experience all of the joys of God's Heart for His people around the World.

Thanks for reading.

The Other OTHER Side (simply a reference)

Sun, 4 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Hey Everyone!

I just wanted to refer you all to Mark Newland's latest blog called "The Other OTHER Side." If you have the time, read it, think about it, pray about it. Peace.

Keep On Keeping On: Part 2

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

So Whats Next?

Some of you are asking yourselves (or have already asked me) What is Braedon going to do now? And the answer to that is to keep pressing in deeper into the Heart of The Father. There were several different opportunities presented to me to work with different people in different places, and after debating for a while, I thought I would settle with going out to Seattle, WA and doing community/life and working with my older sister and brother-in-law. However, God threw me a curve ball at the last second. Once I really sat down with The Lord to hear His heart, I realized He wanted some more for me than what I had planned. He told me He wanted more growth for me. More accountability for me. More encouragement for me. More opportunities for leadership for me. And He told me He didnt want me to get off easy, because He has SO MANY GREAT THINGS in store for me. It just takes me laying down the things I desire, laying down my comforts, laying down my feeling of safety, and then ultimately picking up my cross and following Him.

On October 15^th I will be flying down to Gainesville, GA, where Adventures in Missions is based, to work with the Training Camp program for future World Race, Real Life, and Novas Project participants. This is a 6-month apprenticeship that the World Race has designed for post-racers looking for more. The World Race is basically an Initiation time, so that young men and women can begin to understand that God has more in store for them. But then we need to be equipped and learn how to walk in the life God has called us to from the beginning. That is where this apprenticeship jumps in. So I will be moving to a new family of people who understand where I have been in the past year, and who will challenge me to keep walking in the things God has taught me on The World Race.

What I will be doing is learning how to lead a Training Camp (along with leading worship) for the people preparing to go on a trip, preparing them (as best we can) for the cultures, people, languages they will encounter, as well as the spiritual life they are being called to. And to top it all off we will be placing each person with a team they will be living in community with for the duration of the trip. Essentially, we are trying to mobilize an entire generation into acting according to the Kingdom of God. And looking at the numbers of people signing up for these programs shows that more and more men and women want to see The Kingdom in action throughout the world.

How can I help?

I have learned that when God calls me to something, He will see it through as long as I am obedient. But it still blows my mind every time I think about how He pulled together the resources I needed to go on The World Race. And one thing God loves to do while showing His Faithfulness is using His Body to help the Body. The Hand doesn't say, "you don't need my help, figure it out yourself," when another part of the body is in need. The Hand must give what it can to help out the rest of the body when it needs help. So from one part of the Body of Christ to others, I need your help! I cannot go to Gainesville for six months, mobilizing a generation, without brothers and sisters backing me up in prayer and resources.

Prayer is a key in all of this, and the more people who are asking The Father in humility, the more He desires to show His provision. So please spend some intentional time in prayer for me and The World Race as I make this transition. The Lord hears your voice! You have power and authority in your prayers through The Holy Spirit. Your prayers are not only heard by God, but they are felt by the people you pray for, and you can bring entire nations to their knees through your pleas and cries to The Creator. Let out the groans of your heart, because those are the groans of Our Father for His children!

Because all of the money gifted to Adventures in Missions goes back into the mission field, all of the people behind the scenes (logistics, office work, admissions, etc) have to raise their own financial support just like anyone going on trips like The World Race. In my case, I need to raise $9,000, one third of which I need to raise before I can receive any of that (which means $3,000). All of this money will be given to help support my needs, including housing, food, student loans, transportation, etc. While I have learned to live off of what can fit in a large backpack, how to live without a TV, how to live off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and instant coffee, there are still needs to be met. Part of me is afraid that this is an absurd goal that I will never be able to meet. However, I am absolutely certain that this is what my Father has called me to, and He will see to it that I can follow through with it. So please, take time to pray about how you can support me and what The Lord is doing in my life. I am asking that you partner with me in motivating the young men and women of this generation who desire more and more for this world God has called us to.

If you would like to support me financially, you can send money either to me directly: 26 Michael Lane - Denver, PA 17517, or, you can send money to Adventures in Missions with my name on it (maybe with "The World Race" on there somewhere): Adventures in Missions - P.O. Box 534470 - Atlanta, GA 30353-4470 . ALSO: You can click on the "Support Me!" button on the left side of your screen to DONATE ONLINE. Thank you so much.

Closing Thoughts/How Can You Contact Me?

This has been an amazing journey, and I have only begun to be able to process all of what Our Father has done in my life in the past year. Thank you, again, for all you have done, through prayer, giving, words of encouragement, etc. You don't know how much it means to me, and I could never express how much you have supported me. If you would like to sit down with me to talk more about what I have experienced on The World Race, or if you would like me to speak at your church, bible study, or event, feel free to call me: (484) 919-0162, or you can leave a message on this blog using the button on the left side of the screen, or you can e-mail me at bt1167@gmail.com. Don't hesitate to ask questions. They don't get old, and it helps me to remember all of the amazing things God has done in the past year.

Thank you for reading, and Bona Sifiwe! (Praise The Lord!).

Keep On Keeping On: Part 1

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Greetings and Blessings

Jesus said, Who is my mother, and who are my brothers? And pointing to His disciples, He said, Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. -Matt. 12:48-50

Jesus talks about the people who are doing the will of The Father, following the teachings of Love and Truth that He spoke of so often in the gospels. These people feed the hungry, house the homeless, visit the sick, clothe the naked. And I thank God so much that all of you reading this now are these people of whom Jesus is speaking. Praises and rejoices rise up in my spirit for the people (brothers, sisters, entire families) that have supported me in the past year and have raised me up for the glory of The Kingdom of God. I pray favor, grace, and glory upon all of you reading this now.

What I have experienced on The World Race

After returning home from an intense eleven-month trip to more than eleven different countries/cultures/peoples, after spending literally every moment of every day with five other people who are joining me in serving The Lord through blood, sweat, and tears, there are very few words that can even begin to explain what I have experienced. Even after less than three weeks of being back in the United States, I am not completely convinced I actually saw, touched, heard, smelled, and felt the things I encountered in the past year.

After Jesus sent out His disciples to do ministry for the first time, giving them authority to cast out demons and to heal the sick, all of them returned practically dancing with joy and excitement that they got to experience that. They rejoiced and praised The Lord for what He had done in their lives. And Jesus partied with them! Thats kind of how I feel right now. God called me to go out and to make disciples of all the nations, and I saw darkness fall from the sky. God used me to usher in righteousness throughout the world, and I just want to shout with praise and excitement for all that The Lord has done in the past year.

God allowed me to see His face in the eyes of an orphaned newborn baby in the Philippines, and I was blessed enough to be baptized in Hong Kong, China by some strong men of God. Despite the governments fear of Christianity and the illegality of practicing the teachings of Christ, my team worshipped Jesus in a public park in mainland China. When the enemy stopped precious water from coming into the pipes of our house in Kenya, we saw the faithfulness of Gods love for His people when, after praying for hours for the floodgates to be opened, the living water flowed freely. The cries of a wife were heard in Uganda when her husbands eyes, closed for months from sickness, were opened to see her beautiful face. God let me experience selfless hospitality through the families we met in Tanzania, and I learned that in the heart of Calcutta (Kolkota) theres the heart of a King! I gained new brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, children, and homes in the hills of Moldova, while I came to understand the importance of all that family in a village in Romania. Though most comfortable in Budapest, Hungary (the most Americanized place I had been on the trip), I learned how much God calls us to put others before ourselves. In beautiful (and hot) Guatemala, I learned how to serve with a joyful heart. And in Nicaragua I learned that Joy can flow past even the hardest of times, and become a great river of Life. I learned that family and community, though difficult and distressing, are pertinent to the growth of any man or woman. And I learned what it means to be a Man of God.

And after all of these things, I simply want to Rejoice!

Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophets reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple- truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward. ÐMatthew 10:40-42

All of you who have supported me in any way- prayed for me daily, prayed for me once, given me $5000, given me $1, read all of my blogs, read only this blog, sent information about me to all of their friends, told one person about me- God promises all of you rewards in this life and the next, eternal life. You have all supported me not as a family member, or as a friend, or as a co-worker, or as a kid you watched grow up, but as Christ. You all let me into a part of your hearts because you saw Christ in me, and you wanted to see Him glorified. But not only did you help me go on the trip of a lifetime, but you helped touch the lives of many people around the world- Mario, Peter and Laura, Eugene, Maxwell, Abele, Shandar, Andre and Larisa, Sandu, Alex, Antonio, Sonja- all of these people have felt your prayers and have felt the affection of your hearts caring for theirs. So thank you for being a huge part in the Kingdom of Our God! I cannot say it enough, and words can hardly express it. But thank you from the deepest parts of my heart.

Read Part 2...