This year has been a journey for me so far.  God has used our Life Connections Sunday night class and the influence of my wife to put me on the road to discovering what it really means to have a heart for God.  It's still a work in progress.

In our class we've studied material from renowned pastors such as David Platt, Francis Chan, and Robert Morris, but it was "In His Steps" -- a book written 114 years ago -- that finally got through to me.  "In His Steps" challenged me to examine what I had really done in my life to sacrifice for God.  I found that the answer was very little --  37 years of largely wasted time.  Some may say I'm being melodramatic, but I'm convinced that a significant percentage of Christians have wasted their time and resources here on Earth.

Scores of folks have told me that God will use this mission trip to change my life.  I need exactly that.

Please remember us all in your prayers this week.

Jared