Mark's Blog

Tonight September 25, 2010, is the 30^th Anniversary Let’s Start Talking Celebration Dinner—and this is the last in this series of blog posts on the history of LST.  It’s been fun remembering all the days, but I’ve been reminded of a few things from writing down our history as well:

• “The horse is made ready for battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” Proverbs 21:31 We have made many, many plans for how to start things, how to improve things, what to do next, where to go, who to work with, how to fund things, but rarely do things go as we planned. You are either frustrated because you can’t make things happen—or better, you are thankful that God is in control!  The verse above does not say, don’t prepare; rather, we are reminded that God’s Way is the best way, so hurray that God took the steering wheel out of our hands!!
• “A friend loves at all times” Proverbs 17:17 – We are still friends with some of those very first students—who at the time were just 10-12 years younger than we were. We don’t see Amy or Pete or Lisa that much anymore—but I would do anything for them, and they would do the same.   Many of the adults who began to go with us in the 90s are those we visit and sit with at lectureships—even travel with occasionally—because we love each other.  The average age of the people on staff has always been about 30 –and we are dear friends and love to do things and have fun together.  People come and go in your life, but those you serve the Lord with are your brothers and sisters forever!
• “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5 Our work for 30 years now has been with that which is unfamiliar. We’ve worked in countries we didn’t understand, with cultures we didn’t understand, with people who thought differently from us. We have always tried to be wise and use good judgment—but I know that it is not our wisdom or intelligence or experience that has created a good work or kept it on course. God alone has provided  all that is good. Sherrylee and I have been the recipients of His mercy, and have, in the process, learned to trust Him even more!
• “The harvest is plentiful.” Luke 10:2 – I’m pretty well convinced that people are receptive all over the world and that we are very foolish to try to decide on our own who is and who isn’t receptive. It’s like being a day trader and trying to pick the stock that is going to make us money today. I’ve never been in any country where there weren’t  more people to talk to about Jesus than you could accomplish in a lifetime! I’m OK with having places where certain people can work better because of the way God wired them up, but I believe God is loving and seeking in all places, and we should be sowing and seeking –and sometimes harvesting in the same places where God is!

Well, I’m committed to getting back to shorter posts, so I’m going to stop and make breakfast . There is really just one story that counts, only one story that gets us up every morning of our lives:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son so that whoever believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life!”