Hey guys. Please be in prayer for Galveston today! Specifically pray for David. Those of you who went to Mission GTX will remember David from the ministry house. He is a native Galveston resident, and he has chosen to stay on the island at the ministry house. It looks very dangerous for anyone who is staying, so please pray that the Lord will protect him!

On July 17 we are leaving bound for Galveston, TX!  However, I need you guys to know something up front:  THIS IS NOT A VACATION!  This trip is not for the faint-hearted or those who are not willing to labor in love.  When Paul remembers the Thessalonian Christians’ labor of love, he remembers that they literally loved in action so much for their brothers and sisters that they put themselves in a state of discomfort in order to make others more comfortable.  They went home everyday and crashed in their beds with aching bodies because of their love for Christ and their love for each other!  I bet it’s not everyday that any of us ache at night because of all our laboring in love.

I want you to be informed and prepared about this trip, so read this letter carefully.

We will leave July 17 to return on July 22.

First, you need to know that we are going to Galveston to provide much needed help to a ministry that practices what they preach.  They are not playing around!  These people have given up their lives to do what they do.  They have sacrificed comfort for the sake of the souls of men and women.  For a few days, we will be doing the same!  Here is what I mean:

            Where will we sleep?  Bring sleeping bags, pillows, and whatever you may want to make a bed.  We are sleeping in an old YMCA building gym.  A Church in Galveston has graciously offered to let us use their YMCA building for a headquarters.  Everything works as it did when it was in business: showers, bathrooms, electricity, etc.  I’ll give you the bad news about the facility first:  They do not run the A/C in the gym.  The good news: We’ll only be there at night, and we can round up a couple of fans to bring to add to the ones they already will be furnishing for us.  Yes, this is a sacrifice!  No, this will not be comfortable!  But, yes, it will also be fun, and rewarding!  And hey, at least we have somewhere to lay our heads (Matt 8:20).  (I’m not a fan of hotel mission trips!)  (note: depending on our number, we may be able to use their sanctuary for sleeping that does have A/C.)

            What will we eat?  The ministry staff has offered to provide all of our meals; however, bring money to eat a couple of meals out as a group.  We may eat a couple of fast food breakfasts or suppers, and we will also plan for one evening to go eat at a more decent restaurant.

            What will we do?  There are many things planned for us.  We will help with several housing projects in the area (fixing fences, repairing porches, etc.).  We will help with the “off the streets” program in whatever way they need us to.  This is a program that takes in anyone (poor, homeless, or other) with addictions or other various problems and gives them Christ, teaching them Scripture, teaching them life skills, and providing them with work.  We will help prepare and serve the “Hobo Breakfast” on Saturday that sometimes feeds around 300 people.  We will pass out Bibles and pray with people.  And much more…

            What else will we do?  Ok, so the entire trip isn’t going to be work and no play!  We will spend the evenings together at the beach, on the Sea Wall, in shops, and just having good fellowship and good times.  We will begin our days in prayer and devotionals.  Some evenings we will have devotionals under the moon out on the rocks that go out into the water.  Sunday, we will worship on the sands of Galveston, singing praises to God and taking Communion while sharing our experiences from the week.  The last day, Monday, will be a beach day.  If the waves are right, we may rent a couple of surfboards and catch a few rides!

            Who will be going?  Kelli and I will accompany you, along with Roger Edwords.  We will also meet up in Houston with B. J. Groome (minister of Townwest Church of Christ) and a group of high-schoolers that he teaches.

            What do I need to bring?  You will definitely need to bring some cash (or card) for a few meals.  If you want to buy souvenirs or anything at all other than a surfboard rental, you will need to bring money for that as well.  Bring your swimsuit: modesty required, use your wisdom, and when in doubt, wear a t-shirt.  Bring a towel or 2 for showering, and a towel for beaching.  Bring clothes that can get dirty, and bring clothes that won’t get dirty.  Bring your suit and tie or dress for preaching, just kiddin!  Bring your bedding.  If we need to wash clothes, we can all pitch in a few quarters at the laundromat down the road.  Bring sunscreen.  Bring your Bible.  Bring Christ and the love that He has poured into your hearts.

I can’t wait for this trip!  Be praying for Mission GTX.  And remember our day of fasting and prayer for the mission on July 16^th, the Wednesday before we leave.

God bless you guys!

Grace & Peace,

We have two big things coming up that remind me of Paul’s words in his first letter to the Thessalonians.  Paul thinks back on his time spent with the Thessalonians, and he thanks God for three things in chapter 1 verse 3.  He thanks God for their work of faith, their labor of love, and their endurance of hope.

Wednesday we begin our “Room Re-Do” with an all day paint session!  It’s gonna be some relatively hard work.  It’s gonna be hot, our muscles are gonna ache (unless you’re like me and don’t have any), and we’ll probably be sore on Thursday morning…

On July 17 we leave for “Mission GTX“!  There, too, we are going to be laboring in housing projects, feeding around 300 poor and homeless people, helping with rehabilitation programs, passing out Bibles, praying with people, and much more.  it’s gonna be some hard work!  There will be days when we will ache in the evenings from our labor.

But, you need to know something about Paul’s remembrance of the Thessalonians.  When Paul says they were laboring in love, he means they were doing things out of their love for God and for one another so that at the end of the day they literally ached from laboring in love so much!  The Thessalonian believers were actually loving in a way that brought them into a state of discomfort!  They showed the love of Christ in action. 

The purpose of Wednesday’s painting and our Galveston mission trip is to “labor in love” in a way that resembles our Savior’s love for His sheep.  John says

“By this we know love, that He laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.  But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him?  Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”

So, on Wednesday and from July 17-22, let us pour ourselves out in labor of love.  Let us love in deed and in truth!

God bless you guys!  See ya Wednesday at 8:00AM.  After we finish, we’ll go to Java Ranch for coffee and class.