Foundations

This past month I had the opportunity to attend the YFC Staff Training School in the Czech Republic.  Throughout the week, we attended sessions about the history of YFC, different ministry models around the world, fundraising strategies, and effective ways to reach teens.  But of all the sessions, my favorites were about prayer and holy habits of a leader.  Both sessions were given by the same man--Marian, a humble, soft-spoken leader from Slovakia.  English being his second language, his speech was simple, yet so was his message.  He shared about the beginnings of YFC in Slovakia--how a group of men met for Bible study and prayer.  They were untrained, young, and inexperienced, yet God had big plans for them.  They prayed bold and daring prayers--that they would seek God above all else, and that God would use them.  Little did they know how God would answer those prayers. 

Marian shared his own personal story of how God led him to sell his house, buy a piece of land in another part of the country, and build a ranch.  Now, many years later that piece of land hosts one of the largest Christian music festivals in all of Europe, drawing a crowd of thousands!  God's plans are so much bigger than ours!

His story inspired me and resonated with what God has been teaching me lately.  Beginnings are always hard.  It's hard to know where to start, it's hard to start alone, it's hard to keep going when you see little results.  So often we want to start with action--projects, events, programs.  These things are great and often bring immediate results.  But God has been showing me that the best beginnings start with the unseen--they start in people's hearts.  They start with foundations that are laid in prayer, fasting, and spiritual disciplines.  They start with time spent in worship and communion with God.  It’s easy to brush these things aside because they aren't very tangible.  But that’s the thing about foundations:  they are underground.  You can’t see the strength of a foundation except by the sturdiness of the building, by its fruit.  The same is true in ministry.  You will only see the depth and strength of its foundation by the fruit it bears.  Now is the time to lay a strong and deep foundation.  Please join me in praying for the ministry of Youth for Christ in the Gulf.

Things to pray for:

1.      Local youth leaders in Bahrain—we've started a monthly meeting to share our experiences and pray for our youth groups and the youth of Bahrain

2.      Plans being made for our annual youth camp, Desert Challenge.  DC will be on March 28-29

3.      The country and leadership of Bahrain, especially this week as it marks the 3rd anniversary of the protests that began in 2011.