Of All Nations

My brother leaves tomorrow for his summer-long mission trip to a county in Asia.  I am so excited for him!  I am thankful that he has heard the call is being obedient to Christ.  He is going to make disciples.  As I try not to cry (this is his first overseas trip), I think about all of the summer missions trips that my students, friends, and fellow church members are going on.  There's a group headed to Belize at the end of the month, a team in Tanzania, a team headed to Swaziland, a group down in Florida for the Summer Beach Project, people headed to Poland and Hungary, there was the soccer camp this past week, VBS, a team going to help out at the Palmer Home, and of course, my team going to Northern Ireland.  I am excited about all of these opportunities, and I cannot wait to hear reports when we all return.  I am so excited that the Church is going (and sending) to make disciples of all nations.  I pray that more will hear the call to go.  I pray that more will be obedient to send.  I pray that we all would make (more) sacrifices for the sake of the gospel.  It's not enough to just go to church, sit through a sermon, sing some songs, participate in Sunday School.  God has saved us from death.  He has blessed us abundantly.  We should "Give praise to the Lord, proclaim His name; make known among the nations what He has done, and proclaim that His name is exalted."  I am so excited that my brother has the opportunity to do this in another county.  I am so excited for all of the teams going out and for all the people at home who are getting ready to faithfully share the gospel with hundreds of kids in VBS.  I pray that God will be glorified.