Birmingham Summers

I don't think that words can even begin to describe just exactly what, and how much, God taught me today. In all honesty, I have never been really comfortable around people who don't speak the same language as me very well. It's easy to just nod and say hello but that usually doesn't involve any type of personal interaction, therefore no relationship. Well today the Lord literally pushed me out of my box and onto a field with a large group of Asian students that wanted to learn how to play American football. The fun that we had on that field can only be summed up by saying that everything I thought about international students up to today was left on a field in Selly Park. I walked away with friends from a complete opposite part of the globe and the cool thing was that I didn;y even have to try. These students just wanted to be accepted, much like I want to be accepted by my friends. Another thing that was totally revolutionary was how to easily share my faith with someone of a completely opposite religion without causing confrontation. i went knocking doors in Selly Oak with my friend Pete and I was in awe of how easily he just asked questions to people and casually shared his faith in Christ like it was the only thing he really knew how to do. He was polite, honest, and sincere in his love for Christ and the person he was talking to. I was blown away. For so long I always skirted around the fact that my friends that don't know Christ would probably laugh at me if I started talking about God. But for Pete, it was just a natural outpouring of his faith in Christ. On a sad note, Nancy, our project leaders wife, faced the death of her mother today. She was a believer but it is still hard when that moment comes. I would just ask that you would pray for Nancy and G.P. as they head back to the states to deal with the funeral and family. Also for Zach and Naomi as they stay behind and lead the rest of the project in England. i would also just like to end tonights note by saying thanks to Roger, Jerry, Hitomi, and Nick for helping me realize that we aren't so different from each other and that even those differences shouldn't ever keep someone from being a friend. Cheers!!