73 (or 67) days

This is one of the first of many entries regarding London. It is taken out of my written journal, but as the written word is more personal, not all information is written exactly (I have removed incredibly personal info I don't want to share). This entry was actually written on 5/12, but hopefully in the future I will be a little quicker. It now is 67 days away.

5/12/2012
London. 73 days. Seems a lifetime away, almost like it will never get here. I still don't think that it has hit me yet that I am going, much less that I will be flying over water. Not so funny that I can't possibly go to Africa, but you throw London in the picture and I suck it up to be there? Sad, in a way, but maybe God is using this as a way to say flying over water isn't that bad. London 2012, Kimini 20?? You never know.

I'm starting session 2 of the Fast Track London workbook. So looking forward to seeing what God has in store.

Galatians 3:28 - There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I completed an exercise about how I view church (and what words come to mind) and how the culture I will be entering views church. I started with how I think Londoners view church. I only had 3 words in common with my views. It really opened my eyes about my prejudices of the culture there. I had no idea I thought any differently. About London? Really? It seems the closest thing to my culture as you can get outside the US.

I have so much to learn. And so many attitudes to fix.

The workbook says: When encountering different beliefs, the first challenge is to understand them - determining the meaning behind them in their particular context - and then to evaluate them according to their consistency with scripture and the purposes of God.

I think this can be used within our own culture as well - maybe even to try to understand those we know well but we don't how or why they believe as they do. Maybe if I reach out and understand where s/he is coming from, s/he will let God move him back.

Please pray for each team member - that we will grow in Him and be able to discern His will in our life, and that in all we do, we do it for His glory.

Team members: Gene and Diane Eulinger, Steve and Pam Liebi, Derek Watson, DJ Watson, Mary Schreck, Belinda Ashley, and me.