Botswana

"Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

I spent the last ten days in the city of Gaborone, Botswana with 14 other students. One of our goals during the orientation was to grow closer together as a team in nine specific areas. Here are just a few:

God-Centered. Being God-centered means that we should seek to do everything for God's glory regardless of the circumstances. As a team, Stephanie and I really learned to have joy in every situation. We had the opportunity to live in a village with a Bostwana family for two days. We cooked a lot, served a lot, took a bucket bath, fetched water from across the street, and brushed our teeth in the bushes. While it was challenging at times, it was definitely an awesome experience. Here are some of the kids we got to meet in the village:

Trusting. There were several activities in which one person from each team was blindfolded. It is important that we learn to trust each other even in the small things.

Servant-Hearted. Not only are we supposed to share the gospel of Jesus Christ using our words, but we are to show them through our actions. We did not come all the way to Africa to be served but to serve. We spent one afternoon at an orphanage to love on kids, share a Bible story and serve them a meal.

Team-Player. God planned for Stephanie and me to be partners/teammates during these next few months. Please pray for us as we join Rachel in proclaiming the gospel to the people of Soweto.

Africa Bound

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. - Matthew 28:19


The story I've been writing about the last few days is 100 percent true. But it's not just a story that we should read, give it a thumbs up, and then put aside. God has commanded each of us to go and share this story with those who have never heard it before.  


I will be boarding a plane in a few hours to head to South Africa. Because I believe this story is true, I have decided to obey God's commandment to go and spend five months in an area where the gospel is scarcely preached. 


These are some of the faces I will get to see

And as an added bonus, I will get to spend the next five months serving with my best friend, Rachel

South Africa.... here I come!

Forever With God

“God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and He will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God Himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” – Revelation 21:3-4

For all those who trust in Jesus alone, God has also promised HE will make all things new. The new heaven and new earth will be completely free of sin and selfishness – a place of perfect friendship with God, others and all creation. No more pain, sickness or death. Everything will be restored to the way it was meant to be. The new earth will once again be the perfect home God intended for His creation. God’s original purpose will flourish, as those who trust in His rescue will enter into the grand purpose of worshiping Him by loving Him, serving Him and enjoying relationship with Him forever.

The most wonderful part about this new world is that we will be with God forever, experiencing complete joy. We will be restored to a perfect relationship with the One who created, loved and died for us.

The Promise

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” – 1 Peter 3:18

God removed Adam and Eve from the garden as a result of their sin but left them with a promise of rescue and hope. He promised them one of His descendants would someday rescue mankind from sin. God prepared the way for this person who would become the Savior of the world.

The promised Savior was God Himself. God became human in the person of Jesus Christ almost 2,000 years ago, fulfilling all the predictions in the Old Testament. Jesus’ birth was miraculous since his mother was a virgin. His life was unique: He never sinned. And His death was a sacrifice that rescued us from sin and Satan. He willingly, obediently and sufficiently died an agonizing death on a cross for the sins of all mankind in the greatest display of mercy and grace the world has ever known. The perfectly innocent died to rescue the hopelessly guilty. He took the place on a cross rightfully meant for us, to pay for sins we have and will commit against God.

But the grave could not hold Jesus. Three days later, Jesus emerged from his tomb, fulfilling His earthly mission to defeat sin by dying on the cross and to defeat death by rising from the dead – just as God promised. Forty days later, he returned to Heaven where He reigns as the rightful King.

BUT the story doesn’t end here…

What Went Wrong

“There is none righteous, no, not one.” – Romans 3:10

Adam and Eve were far from being equal to God, yet He lovingly placed them in charge of all He had created in Eden. He gave them the freedom to make decisions and govern the earth, with one rule: not to eat from a specific tree. One day, God’s enemy, Satan, lied to Adam and Eve and deceived them into thinking God was not good and did not have their best interest in mind. As a result, they knowingly disobeyed God. In rebellion, Adam and Eve ate the fruit, deciding that they, not God, would determine right and wrong.

The consequences of their actions were devastating. Like a virus, sin entered all of creation and into the hearts of Adam and Eve. Sin, suffering and pain were passed down from generation to generation. All of creation was distorted from its original design. An honest glance into our own hearts reveals the truth: We are all guilty. Everyone has sinned and the ultimate consequence, even worse than physical death, is eternal separation from a loving God.

But there is HOPE…

The Beginning

“In the beginning, God.” – Genesis 1:1

This is the beginning of the story.

See, God has always existed. One day, He spoke, and everything was created. Of all the beauty He created, His masterpiece was a man and a woman. God created us to be with Him so we can worship Him and bring Him glory. By God’s design, all of creation was in harmony and was exactly the way it was supposed to be. There was no pain, no suffering, no sickness, no death. There was only love, acceptance and intimacy between God and man.

But something TRAGIC happened…