...all nations.

Have you ever just wanted to pick up and leave? To just pack all your things up and skip the country? It's seemed like an intriguing idea lately. Oh I know, I know...I have to finish school and everything.

We've started a new project at church called "Operation World." To put it simply, we are praying for one specific nation each Wednesday night. At the end of the semester, we are dedicating a special night to praying for the twelve nations from the previous weeks. I'm choosing the country and gathering the information about it each week, and then Lindsay, the secretary at the church is putting the cards with the information and prayer needs together (and she's awesome at it!).

The leadership team felt that it was necessary to do this project after reading the book "Radical" by David Platt (a must read for anyone). We realized our lack of prayer for those serving the Lord overseas, and felt the need to take on this as a ministry. So that's how Operation World began. We have a book (conveniently titled..."Operation World"--wonder where we got the project name?) and I am using that to gather the information each week.

But just reading this book has stirred my heart. I don't just choose a country by flipping a coin or playing eenie-meenie-miney-moe. I've prayed over these countries, trusting that God will provide the right one.The first week was Sweden, which is known as the least-religious country in the world. This previous Wednesday was Yemen, which is in the top five of most persecuted countries in the world.

I left Peru two summers ago saying that I wasn't called to international missions- that God didn't have a place for me there. But that's not true. God has called everyone to make disciples of all nations. And maybe not everyone is supposed to go, but Christ made it pretty clear in Matthew..."go and make disciples of all nations." As I study these countries, I can't help but think of the unreached people groups around the world who have never seen a Bible or heard about Christ. To think that people around the world can't even fathom knowing the love I've found in Christ. These aren't people who've rejected the Gospel- these are people who've never heard the Gospel. They haven't had a choice to accept or reject the Gospel, because no one has ever told them about it.

I really don't know where God has me. I know He's given me a love and passion for writing, and a desire to serve others. I know He's given me a guy that loves Him more than he loves me and a love for people as well. I just want to be willing to go wherever He leads me and serve wherever He wants me to serve. I don't know where or what that is, but I just want to listen and be ready.

...ps, I really want to go to Belgium next spring.

That's all.