March 2014 Prayer Letter

In my newly redesigned prayer, I'm excited to share with you a support update, what's been going on at The Rock and a little about our Spring Break trips.

Please let me know what you think of the new format!

Chris

Visit to Soulfire Ministries

I had an incredible opportunity to get to speak at Soulfire Ministries last night in my high school town of Ash Grove. My long-time friend and supporter, Austin Houp, asked me months ago if I'd be interested in sharing and get to meet some of the folks involved there. Of course I jumped at the chance.

Started a couple years ago by Nic and Melissa Keith, Soulfire has become a growing outreach ministry in Ash Grove that serves the youth in the community and provides worship services and small group experiences for people to be a part of as well. I loved the chance to get to meet such a dynamic group of people and have a little time to try and unpack some Scripture with them.

I've been reading Philippians recently and just figured I'd share what the Lord has been revealing to me in this short letter. Paul writes this line early on which many of us have heard before. He writes, "For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain." Translating that as an instruction to become like Christ and to long to be with him, this changes our perspective of who we are, what we're meant to live for and how we are to treat others.

Please be praying for the youth, that the Lord spoke to their hearts last night. And if you want to check out what they're about, you can find their website here.

Praise, Worship & Communion

Last week, I was in town for a few days and got to go to one of our mid-week services. We had about 120 students pack into a room to sing praise, take Communion and hear a student's testimony and devotion. I loved the chance to reconnect with some of the students I haven't seen a lot of this semester and to get to worship together.

I was so excited to hear one of our students, a long-time friend now, share about his struggles with trusting God through years of self-hatred and many other lies he's battled. It was thrilling to see him share some of his hardest struggles with the church and to hear him share about the truth that God has been speaking to him about his identity through close friends and staff in the church.

These student testimonies are one of the highlights of my month. To see someone boldly share how God has met them and what they have been learning provides a unique insight for the rest of our church. They aren't teachings or lessons, but stories that others can relate to and take hope from. For me, it reminds me that God is at work here and that what we're doing in our little church matters.

Please be praying for my friend who shared and for others that they may find hope from his story.