God created us to be relational, to need people, to need to connect and bond with others around us. I am very much a "relationships have a purpose" person--I take quality over quantity and invest all that I can into the people I am blessed to have in my life. Now there are two completely different sides to this prayer request. In my time in Africa I will be building new relationships daily, and for those I will ask you to pray for opportunities to share Christ with people. Then there are the relationships that are established here in the states, the ones that, at least for the next year, will take on a completely different status. Right now, the transition seems to be a natural part of going onto the mission field, but I'm sure in about 6 months (or less), it'll be difficult as connecting won't be quite as simple as it is here in the US, and I'll want to share life and experience that cannot possibly be relayed.
Today, I'll ask you to pray for my relationships: both at home and abroad.
At Home...
- Pray that my close friends and family members and I would stay connected and not lose the value of the relationships we share
- Pray that we would continue to support one another, and pick up where we left off when I get back
- Pray that God would use this year to mold each of our lives and give us all a desire to seek Him first and our earthly relationships second.
Abroad...
- Pray for me that I would be open minded and yet wise about the people I allow into my life and the people's lives I invest in
- Pray that God would open doors with the people of Ethiopia, young and old, to share the Gospel, and pray that I would be confident and bold in doing so.
- Pray that the language barrier would not be a hurdle, and that I'll pick up on the language quickly!!
- Pray that God would bless me with one or two GOOD friends to be in community with
Beyond that, pray as our Heavenly Father leads you in regards to the way this trip will affect relationships both at home and abroad.
