In Mark 9, a man brings his son with an unclean spirit to Jesus in hopes that he will heal him:
“Jesus said to him, ‘If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.’ Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, ‘Lord I believe; help my unbelief!’” (vs. 23-24).
This has been the cry of my heart for the past several months. I have seen the Lord at work in so many ways across the Tees Valley, yet I still find myself doubting his power and might in certain situations. Will any of the children/youth I interact with on a weekly basis ever come to a saving knowledge of Jesus? Is the Lord really using me here to make an impact for the kingdom? Will he really answer the big prayers I’m praying? These are just a few of the questions that run through my mind quite frequently. But I love this man’s request to Jesus. “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!” He KNOWS who Jesus is and he KNOWS what he has the power to do, yet he still cries out for help to believe. I am so thankful for a God who is patient and kind. He has proven himself faithful time and time again throughout my life, yet I still struggle with doubt—with truly believing that he is doing abundantly more than I could ever imagine right before my very eyes. May we always be expectant of what the Lord is going to do in and through us. For what he has in store is far greater than anything our minds can ever conceive.
I just wanted to share a quick highlight from this past month. Our team was given an incredible opportunity to start a weekly lunch club called “Christian Union” (apparently the kids call it “the Jesus Club,” which we are totally fine with!) where we essentially teach the students about Christianity. Each week we’ve had an average of around 35 kids and have covered topics such as, “Who is Jesus?” and “Why did Jesus die?” We have been overwhelmed by the response we’ve received from the kids. They seem very curious and intrigued, and we are able to be completely open with them about our faith. (How in the world could I doubt God’s power after witnessing Him open this door for us so clearly?!) Please pray for our team and these students —that the Lord would continue to give us guidance in how to most effectively reach them and that He would unblind their eyes to see and experience the truth of the Gospel. Every time we walk into that school I am reminded that we carry the light and presence of Jesus, which is SO clearly evident in such a dark place. Also, continue to pray for the church youth groups in Stockton. Our team is praying about starting a weekly outreach event that our youth will feel comfortable inviting their friends to. We want to see life change among the young people in this city, and we firmly believe this must begin with the youth in our churches. Pray that the Lord would give them boldness to share their faith with their peers. I believe this is one of the biggest issues they struggle with. Thank you, as always, for your continued prayers and support!
“Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Ephesians 3:20-21)
P.S. This picture is from a couple weeks ago when a few girls from my team and I went to London! We had a great time exploring the city! :)
