I hadn’t really thought of this until recently, but Hannah and I have never been on a missions trip together. She has been on several trips in the US and I spent two weeks in Thailand while we were in college. So, we are very excited that we will both be going to Yucatan, Mexico with a group of students from American University next semester over spring break! We will be partnering with DiscipleMexico.org in assisting and empowering local churches reach out to their community through various construction projects and by putting on services where we will share our testimonies and creatively share the Gospel in Spanish. About that…Neither of us are fluent, but we are brushing up on our vocab and will be working with people that can translate.

One thing that Hannah and I both love about Chi Alpha is that global missions is a part of the core DNA of this ministry. By encouraging students to pray, give and go – they become equipped to reach beyond their local college campus and around the world.

So, we are asking you to consider giving a special gift that would go towards our mission trips. The combined cost for both of us is $2,600 and one of the most expensive parts of the trip is the airline tickets, which will need to be purchased in the next several weeks. We decided to put all the money we received from family and supporters for Christmas towards our missions trips but we still need to raise $2,120. Will you partner with us?

All donations are tax-deductible and you can give online, which will allow your donation to be processed quickly so that you will receive credit for this tax year. If you would rather write a check, follow the instructions on our support page and indicate that it is for our mission trip (please note that this method may not get your deduction processed before the deadline for year-end donations).

I cannot believe that our first semester with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries at American University is under our belt! One on hand, it feels like we have lived here for years and on the other, it feels like we moved here just the other day. This has truly been a great season filled with new friends, incredible ministry and tons of memories. To each of you that prays for us and supports us financially, thank you for being the reason we can answer God’s call to reach the nations via the university campus! Abby, one of the students getting ready to study abroad next semester, created a recap video of this semester and I thought it would be great to share it!

Okay, okay. It’s a bold title, right?

Let me explain. This year, Hannah & I spent Christmas in Mt. Airy, MD with her aunt, uncle and cousins (it was amazing, by the way). And one of her cousins, K.S., invited us to go to church with her on Christmas Day at Covenant Life. Since I tend to be the megachurch jeopardy champion (man, I wish I could cash in on my knowledge), I knew that Josh Harris is the lead pastor. He has written a handful of books including Dug Down Deep, Sex is Not the Problem (Lust Is), I Kissed Dating Goodbye & Boy Meets Girl. [You can see the full list on his blog].

Even to this day, I remember the moment when my mom handed me a copy of I Kissed Dating Goodbye when I was around twelve years old. I was right smack dab in the middle of experiencing the crazy years we call, “Middle School.” Even at that young age, the book was a challenge to glorify God within the context of relationships and it really gave me the framework for cultivating healthy friendships, maintaining physical purity and how to pursue someone romantically with the idea of God’s plan for marriage in mind. I hope that extremely long sentence (comma splice?) conveys the impact that book had on my life and eventually, my relationship with Hannah. It was a game-changer, to use the lingo of the cool kids.

Fast forward a decade to Christmas Day. As we drive up to the church, I am of course, counting the number of hosts/parking lot greeters/ushers outside and scoping out their facilities. Don’t ask, it’s just what I do. We get out of the car and walk to the front door and none other than Josh Harris is greeting everyone while holding open the door, which is pretty cool. This guy made a huge difference in my life, so, I was pretty stoked about the handshake. Well, it gets better. K.S. pulls him aside and introduces us. And thankfully, she owns an iPhone so she snagged the picture in this post. But then, the best part happened. I had the chance to personally thank Josh for writing. As I looked into his eyes, I had the chance to tell him that his books truly changed my life.

So, I guess it is a stretch to say we “spent Christmas together”, but hey, it makes a catchy title!

Tell me about an author that has impacted you or shaped your thinking in some way…

Maybe, like me, you tend to have a wallet full of Amazon Gift Cards the day after Christmas. I know, I know, it is a #firstworldproblem but they are literally burning a hole in your pocket. I got you covered! And while you are deciding which books to order, you could strike up an unforgettable conversation with the person next to you using (wait for it) Conversation KickStarters: a free eBook. Okay, now that the shameless plug is over, I have a treasure to share…

I was attending a seminar on The Master Plan of Evangelism taught by Robert E. Coleman several weeks ago (it was amazing!) and it was an hosted by the CS Lewis Institute and The Falls Church. As I was looking around the church (I tend to do that), I found an incredible resource. I mean, this is a gem. And the best part – it’s free!

It is the most comprehensive and wisely curated recommended reading list I have ever seen. From Platt to Packard, contemporaries and classics alike are represented. It is 14 pages of book recommendations with color covers, custom descriptions and ISBN numbers. It doesn’t get much better than this! You can read it or download it via Scribd below:

Recommended Reading TFC