Je ne parle pas francais...but I'm going anyway.

Bonjour! In five days, I will be boarding a plane with eight other people on a mission trip to Paris, France. I was excited, until it really hit me today that this is really happening, and then a little fear and doubt started to creep in. I start to think: "What are you doing?" "And just who do you think you are?" "What in the world are you going to do to help?" "You are not very good with words and speaking to people." "You don't even speak French for crying out loud!" Ok, ok...yes I know, Je ne parle pas francais...but I'm going anyway. And that is all God asks us to do. I was reminded of that this morning in church. The pastor said something that calmed my fears: "God doesn't call the equipped, but He equips those He calls." Wow...did you catch that? Because it took me a minute. Think about Moses. The guy had a speaking problem and God wanted him to lead the people. Huh? Can you imagine the taunts from the people: "Hey Moses....I'm sorry man...can you speak a little louder...what did you say?" And Moses had no problem pointing out his faults to God. He said: "O, Lord, I'm not very good with words. I never have been, and I'm not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled." But God answers: "Who makes a person's mouth? Who decides whether people speak or don't speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see? Is it not I, the LORD? Now go, I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say." Exodus 4:10-12 How cool is that? It reminds me that all God asks is that I go. He will help me with the words. And I pray with all my heart that if my words come out tangled, then my actions will speak louder. I have been practicing my French this weekend and I plan to practice everyday this week. But in the end, I know that the thing that will make the most difference in the lives of the people I connect with next week, will be the language that comes from the heart. The language of the love and salvation of Jesus. And that is THE language we all need to know and speak. Please pray for us if you will. Jesus t'aime. Au revoir.