March Update: Refreshed

In the book of Ecclesiastes we read that in our life there is a time for everything and we will often go through seasons:

1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

I must admit that these past couple of months has been a bit rough for me, but praise the Lord that He is faithful and pulls us through even when we struggle. I am a human, and just like all of us can get easily distracted from doing God’s will. Satan is so cleaver and so subtle, that often we do not even see what is happening around us until if feels like it is too late. The good news is it’s not too late! Praise the Lord! It’s funny to me because I have been obedient to come here to Ireland, but following God’s will does not stop there. I must be obedient to what He tells me to do here as well. He does not want part of me, but all of me. In order for me to be affective in the ministry He has me in, I must be fully devoted with all my heart to the work that He is doing today. What does God want me to do today?

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”- M@ 6:25-34

It is too easy to get wrapped up in the future. It is too easy to make plans that may or may not happen. It’s hard to say, ok Lord you worry about my future, I’ll worry about what today. However, that is what we are called to do.

I have been reminded, and want to share with all of you, about the importance of spending time with our Lord on a daily basis. We are not to do it out of duty, but need to do it in order to function as a follower of Christ. The Holy Spirit fills us and will continue to fill us, but if we don’t remain in Christ then how do we expect to function?

“4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.” – John 15:4

It is impossible to live out our live with Christ if we don’t spend time with him in prayer. If we can learn to strip away the formalities of prayer and learn how to just speak with God how wonderful it would be. How beautiful it would be to be able to sit down and have conversations with our God through His Spirit. But this can never happen if we do not set aside time to meet with Him. If we fail to do this we will quickly become depressed and stagnate in our relationship with Him. But when we remain in Him we are filled with joy unspeakable, and assured with a peace that brings hope for the future!

Things have been rather busy for me this last week, but it has been really good. I have really enjoyed some of the different opportunities that God is providing for me here. Last Tuesday I met with other youth workers from the Dublin Methodist circuit. The purpose for the meeting was to try and start creating some events for the youth to attend. One idea proposed was to have an annual summer camp, along with other smaller weekend events throughout the year. The conclusion of the meeting was to first of all begin with a day event that we are hoping will take place in June. We have a new couple attending the church that I mentioned last month found our church through my blog. They have two children ages 11 and 13 who I hope to be able to bring to this even in June. The youth workers plan on getting together a couple more times in order to plan this event. Please be praying with us as we seek the Lord’s wisdom on how this weekend should happen.

I have mentioned the need for a full time youth worker here at the church and the need just seems to keep growing. I have spoken with Bill about the idea of meeting up with youth from the Lucan church in order to do a joint Tallaght/Lucan youth group. Apparently they have about five or six youth who are around the same age and do not have anything for them other than on a Sunday morning. I would really like to see something develop that is for them.

I have mentioned before that we have many young kids who will soon be old enough to attend a youth group. It would be wonderful to have something stable set up for them to go to when they are old enough. Please pray with me for God to raise up someone who could come and do full time youth work here. It would be easy enough for someone from the States to come and do what I am doing now. The church is more than happy to have somebody from the States to come over and live in this house and work with the church. That is such a huge blessing as it truly cuts how much money is needed to be raised in order to live here. However, God knows what he is doing and will bring the right person here from wherever that person comes from.

I am a bit nervous about our Easter morning choir performance, but am excited about it as well. We have had trouble being able to practice every week because of other things that are happening in the church. We will get to meet once more before we sing at Lucan on Easter morning. Hopefully it will be a blessing for both those involved and those listening.

When I first arrived in Ireland we had a couple at church who ended up moving to a different church. They called me recently and asked if I could help them lead music at a kids camp that they are doing the first weekend in April. I was able to go to a meeting last night and meet with many of the other leaders that will be involved in this camp. It was such a blessed time. I am really looking forward to this camp and seeing God move in these kids lives. I once again had the chance to meet new people who have a passion for following Christ and want to see His will done. I will be meeting with some of them again in order to practice for the weekend, and am really looking forward to the opportunity to serve with them.

Kevin and I are going with some other people at the end of this month to a leadership convention in England. I have been looking forward to this for a long time and we are finally getting close to actually going. Kevin had the opportunity to go to this convention last year and said that it was very good. I don’t really know what to expect, but am anxious to see what the Lord has to teach me.

As always, God is a work here in Ireland. It is a privilege to be called by the Lord and I am thankful for all He does for me. Thank you all for your prayers and your support. You play such a huge role in impacting Ireland for Christ! Hallelujah! May He fill you all with peace, comfort, and joy that is beyond description!

February Update

How are we all doing? I hope and pray that this letter finds you all well, and that the Lord is continuing to work in mighty ways in all of your lives. We serve an amazing God who is truly always moving. What a blessing it is to be called children of God!

Many of us can still recall when the group from Ireland came over and visited Denver a few years ago. Phil was one of the two men that came a week after the bigger group arrived. Phil works in Dublin’s city center at a homeless shelter run by the Salvation Army. Often times in Phil’s work he comes across men who are struggling with drug addiction. Recently Phil was able to link up with an organization call Teen Challenge, and has been able to send a few of the people he has been in contact with through this program. The trouble has been that Teen Challenge does not have a men’s home based here in Ireland. The closest one was in Glasgow, Scotland; and so Phil has had to send these men out of the country in order to go through the program.

For a while now Phil, along with other friends from DV8, have had a vision of getting a Teen Challenge men’s home up and running here in Ireland. A lot of thought and prayer has already gone into the project, but it still needs more. Please pray for the Lord to grant these men with His wisdom.

The reason I mention all of this to you is because I am here to update you on what I see God is doing in Ireland. Keith Flynn, Kevin, and Shirley are also involved in the project and I am certain that all of you are interested in their lives as well. I am telling you thing because this project needs your prayers. God is doing amazing things; however, this is by no means going to be an easy ministry for anybody. I am thankful for this ministry, and am thankful that there will be a place in Ireland for drug addicts to go. This will be a place that not only helps them to get off drugs, but also teaches them the truth of who Jesus Christ is and how he can transform their lives. Please pray for this ministry and for all the leaders involved.

We have officially started a choir at the Methodist church and things seem to be going quite well. I originally had about 12 people come up to me and say they would like to participate, but have only had about 7 actually come to practice. However, this is a start. We are practicing an arrangement of the Easter Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” in order to be able to sing it at the Lucan Methodist church on Easter Sunday. It has been a bit of a stretch both for me and some of the members singing, but it has been a fun challenge. Please pray that we will not simply do a good job, but that it will build fellowship through being able to sing together.

I continue to be amazed with what happens here at the Friday night youth club. It seems that every Friday I feel discouraged before I leave to go play soccer with the kids. There always seems to be something whispering in my ear that it is not worth it. However, every Friday after all is said and done I come home uplifted and encouraged. God is doing something with these kids and I believe that Satan does not like it. I believe that he will continue to do all he can to discourage me from this ministry. Please pray for me to be protected from these spiritual attacks. Please pray that God will give me the strength to persevere every week to meet with these kids. Like I said, I know that God is doing incredible things in their hearts.

We have decided to only bring the same kids back to the church every week. At first this may seem kind of harsh, but it has actually been a tremendous blessing. We are able to meet with the same kids every week, and they have actually calmed down a lot. We have a curriculum that we are using and, although the kids would not admit it, the kids seem to enjoy it. Every week I am worried that they will get board and want to leave. However, last Friday they worked on their worksheets for close to 40 minutes without a complaint. They were asking me questions, and anxious to fill out the correct answers. It was so cool to see it. It is also quite humorous to watch them as they all swear quite a lot. You are never really prepared to hear both the “F” word and “Jesus” used in the same sentence when “Jesus” is used in the correct context.

Please continue to pray for these kids as well. Pray that their hearts will be softened and prepared each week to hear what the Lord wants to teach them. Pray that they will be protected from the harsh environment they live in. Pray they will be protected from getting involved in gangs, drugs, or alcohol. There is so much trouble available to them, and is quite frightening. They need your prayers.

I have been speaking to our minister Bill about the future, and have seen a need here at the church for a full time youth worker. The church has a lot of kids between the ages of 8-12 who are soon going to be teenagers. While I have been here they have always been under the care of the children’s ministry, but they are quickly going to be growing out of that. The church is open to having somebody come from the States to do full time youth work under the same arrangement they had with me; however, that is not the only place a youth worker could come from.

I ask that you will pray with me for God to raise somebody up who will be able to be affective here in Tallaght doing youth work. I desire for God to raise up someone who will be able to tackle both church and un-churched kids. Again, I know God is working in the hearts of the kids who come on a Friday night and I would love for someone to come who would be willing to invest in them as well.

As always God’s work is continuing to take place here in Ireland. Please continue to pray for me as I seek the Lord’s will for my own life. I thank you all so much for your prayers and support. You are such a large part to the ministry that is happening here. Thank you all so much for being obedient to our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May He bless and keep you all.

RTE' Television Service

Preparing for the RTE' Television Service.

January Pictures

Jake Fox

Cairistiona at the Cliffs of Moher.

The entrance to Bunratty Castle.Cairistiona at Bunratty Castle.

Slippery at Bunratty Castle! :)

January Update

I hope and pray that the new year is treating you all well. I want to apologize for being so late with this month’s update. It seems that this past month has really flown by. It was a very nice Christmas this year, and I was privileged to have Cairistiona here with me over the Holidays. The Lord is truly good and continues to poor out His blessings on me.

We had our carol service here at the church on the 19^th of December. I believe that everything went very smoothly with this service. We had the opportunity to get people outside of the church involved by doing some readings. During the week the church is also used as a community center, and this was a chance to reach out to those who work here in the building. We are in contact with many of these people almost every day, and I am not sure how many of them are claiming Christ to be there Savior. Please pray for the people who work here that they will come to know Jesus as their own personal Savior. Pray also for us to be attentive to what God is doing here and that we would be ready speak when the Spirit leads.

Cairistiona sang a duet with me at the carol service, and that night was asked if we could both sing the song on Sunday at the RTE televised service. When we got to the studio on that Sunday, one of our normal singers was unable to attend because she had gotten sick. As a result, Cairistiona ended up singing throughout the entire service. It was very unexpected to have Cairistiona come to Ireland and help with the televised service, but it was a blessing to have her.

I believe that the RTE televised service went pretty well. It is much harder to be free to move in the Spirit when everything is rehearsed and on a timed schedule, however that is what needed to happen for the service to be aired on live television. Being able to look back at the service now, I believe that everything went pretty well. I pray that God was, and is, able to use that service for His glory. If he was able to speak to even one person that Sunday morning, than I believe it was worth it.

I asked for prayer last year that the Lord would bring fellowship to this place. God is so good. Almost every night it seemed that Cairistiona was here we found ourselves going to somebody’s house for dinner. Through her being here, God showed me how many people I actually know and have become close with here. Praise the Lord! God hears our prayers and answers them! I believe He is answering our prayers right now. Is the Tallaght Methodist church perfect? No, but what church is? I believe that God is working in this place. We need to be aware of what He is doing and serve Him in His plan. My friend Keith and I were talking last night about how we should not simply present our plans to God looking for approval, but rather seek God’s plan and see how we can serve Him in it.

I am hoping to start a small choir or ensemble at the church. Last year Easter virtually went by and I hardly knew that it had come around. That just doesn’t seem right to me when the resurrection of Christ has got to be one of the most important things to celebrate. We serve a risen God! The plan is to take this small choir and perhaps do some dramas as well. Please pray that as I begin this that I will stride out with confidence from Christ. Pray that people will want to get involved and that it won’t just become something we do, but that the Lord will be able to use it to minister to His people.

In case you have not heard the news, I proposed to Cairistiona while she was here. I am very excited about this new step in life; however that does not change or relieve me from where God has called me now. I will still remain in Ireland until July, and will continue to seek God’s face to know His plans for my life. When I think about the future, the only answer I hear from God at the moment is to wait. Not to go and try to make my own plans, but simply to wait on Him, and rest in Him. God is good and already knows the plans He has for us. Please pray for me as it will be hard to be away from Cairistiona for the next six months. However, I do not want that longing to be with her to be a distraction from what God is doing here and now. Nor do I want to be a distraction to her and where God has placed her at the moment. We long to seek God’s face together and to put our trust in Him, even if at this particular moment we have to do it apart. Again I say praise the Lord for He is good. He truly is my all.

Thank you once again for all of your prayers. You are a vital part to God’s ministry here in Ireland, and I thank you for your dedication and service to the Kingdom of Heaven. May the Lord bless you richly in all that you do.

December Pictures

Banners that Natalie from FDFC made.

December Update

Merry Christmas!

I pray that this letter finds you all well this holiday season. God is good! What a joy it is to be called to His service. I pray that we never forget that it is pure joy to serve our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I have been distressed to hear about the YWAM shooting, and the shooting at the church in Colorado Springs that happened yesterday. If you are reading this I ask that you take a few moments to lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ up in prayer. I have been challenged recently by a friend to be quick to prayer. Often I think to pray, but not near as much as is needed. I long for prayer to be an automatic reaction, and no longer something that I plan to do. If I hear anything that needs prayer, than it is my desire to be quick to drop everything and pray. I believe that we will all quickly agree to the power of prayer and its necessity.

The RTE Television service is now only two weeks away. It has been busy trying to get everything squared away, but I believe everything should be in order now. Although a lot of the preparation has been additional work, I pray that this service will be a benefit to those who see it. We lift the service up in prayer asking that the Lord will be able to use it to share Christ with people this Christmas. I believe that if Christ is able to reach even one person through this service, than the work to prepare will be irrelevant.

In my last update I mentioned that I did not believe God was calling me to be the leader of the Friday night youth club this year. What can I say, God is so good. One of the men who started the club, Dave, has really taken charge of Friday nights. It has been really incredible. Dave is from this area of Tallaght and can relate with the kids very easily. He attends the West Tallaght Fellowship, and has invited his pastor along to help on Friday nights. Everything has been well organized and the experience has been a drastic change from last year. I have really enjoyed being with the kids and have had many more opportunities to share the Bible and the Gospel with the kids. We are trying to get them to do memory verses; however, I don’t know how well that is going yet. I do know that the word will never return empty (Isaiah 55:11)!

I wanted to be sure to mention that God bringing Steo into the house is an answer to prayer that I long to give glory to God for. Last year I was praying desperately for God to not return me to Ireland alone. While I was traveling around the States, a few people mentioned to me that they felt led to pray for me to have someone in the house with me. I keep saying it, but God is good. He has answered that prayer faithfully! I believe that it is important to rejoice together when God answers our prayers. And He does!

Our church in Tallaght is connected with another Methodist church in Lucan. Bill, our minister, is also the minister of the church in Lucan. A couple of weeks ago we had a cultural night with the Lucan church where people brought food from their native culture (I brought hot dogs) and sang songs in their native tongue. This was a very wonderful time of fellowship. Many of the people in our congregation, as well as the Lucan congregation, are from Africa. I would say that about three fourths of the people that came that night were African. It was very enjoyable to watch as they got up and sang praises to God in their own language. It was a very blessed time that I thank the Lord for.

Natalie Williams from FDFC was kind enough to make us banners to hang up at the church. I think that they are absolutely phenomenal and am very grateful to her and everyone that helped her sew. We finally got the new projector up, and while we had scaffolding here were able to put up the banners. God has given us all different gifts, and can use them for His will and purpose as long as we submit to Him. I am thankful for Natalie’s obedience to use her gifts and talents for the ministry of the Lord.

While I was home I began to date a lovely young woman named Cairistiona. Again, God is good. I am anxious as she is going to be able to come to Ireland during her Christmas break. She will be leaving Denver on December 14, and returning in January. Please pray for her as this is her first time to travel internationally, and she is going at it alone. Please pray for God’s protection over her as she flies, and for the Lord to bless her time while she is here.

Kevin and Shirley are continuing to pursue the vision that God has given Kevin. They both believe that God is calling them to move into a new house apart from the Methodist church in order to get this new ministry underway. The house they are moving into is rather expensive as all housing is here in Ireland. They have run across much opposition from fellow believers that do not believe God will provide the money. However, they are confident that this is what God is calling them to do. Luke 16:10 says that he whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much. Kevin believes this is his next step of faith. Please pray that God will provide. I know Kevin and Shirley love the Lord and long to be obedient to Him. Pray that He will carry through in providing the finances needed to buy this house.

Thank you once again for your continued prayer and financial support. I pray again that you have a blessed Christmas. His grace and peace that surpasses all understanding be with you all.