Already Exhausted...

My brain feels like it's been in some sort of taffy pull or something.

A quick update on my 5 challenges:

1. Prayer for the world - I signed up for the 60 day challenge on operationworld.org.  They will be sending me a prayer link each day with a specific country and the details on what some specific prayer needs are.  The cool thing is you can watch video feed of others praying.  That kind of intersects with the fifth challenge of becoming part of a multiplying community.  Two birds, one stone.

Here's the basic email I received from OW:

60 Day Prayer Challenge Day 1 - Today's prayer country is Afghanistan:

Population: 29,117,489
Largest religion: Muslim
Percent Evangelical: 0.0%

So, wow.  My first thought was okay, I can pray for our troops. And therefore, I'm missing the point here.  Although I of course think we should be praying for our troops, the gestalt of prayer for the world is praying for the Afghani people.  Praying that those folks come to know the redeeming grace, peace, hope, and love of Jesus.  This is harder than I thought.  I've got quite a bit of knowledge of Islam from past experiences.  I know what they teach in the Quran.  I know that they believe Jesus was a prophet and revere him just as they revere Muhammed.  They don't believe in the Resurrection (or at least that's how my Muslim ex-fiance explained it to me - I don't pretend to be an expert on any of this), and therefore, they don't believe that Jesus died on the cross in order to save mankind from their sin.  They don't know that Jesus died on the cross and took all of their sin upon himself and endured the wrath of God for sins he never committed, so that we might have a chance at eternal life in the presence and glory of God.  I pray that the men and women of the Church who are interacting with Afghani people plant the seeds needed to shake that nation.  I pray that those people will find salvation through Jesus Christ.  I pray that they will stop fighting.  I pray that their hungry and needy and desolate will find hope and strength.  I pray that those Afghani people who have found Christ will find ways to spread the Word without fear of persecution. I pray that they will see a new age of rebuilding after many years of war and oppression.  I pray that the children there will see no more wars in their lifetime.  I pray that the men promote peace and the women find their voice. I pray that God will bless them and the people will know Him and rejoice in the great gift that God gave to all mankind, his Son.

*Don't worry I won't pray on here every day.  At least, that was never my intention with this blog. I'm going to confess that I've always thought that if God did exist, that there were different paths one could take to get to him - that maybe Muslims would go to heaven too just by being humble and loving each other.  I mean, they worship the same One God.  It's confusing.  I'm conflicted.  I know what I'm supposed to believe as a Christian, but it's difficult for me to think that reverent Muslims are not saved because they do not know Jesus Christ as their savior.  Again, my brain.  Ouch. I'm trying.

2. Read the whole Bible - I restarted on Romans.  Gee, it's so very dense and confusing.  It's difficult for me to put myself in the perspective of the Jews at that time in history.  I need some background context.  I need a children's Bible to break down all of Paul's rhetorical language.  So far, I've gleaned that the Jews are not so happy about the Gentiles entering into a covenant with God.  It seems as if there's a lot of debate about what should be required of the Gentiles as far as the Law goes (EX: circumcision).  I can empathize with the Gentiles, however.  It's how I feel every time I go into a new church.  Will I be good enough for them?  I don't know whose pew I may be sitting in.  Am I supposed to take money up to the altar during communion?  It's intimidating not to know the underlying processes of the church service. Sometimes, I get nervous enough to make me just want to stay home and have "church" with just me and my Bible.  However, that's not meeting requirements of challenge number 5, and I know it's not helping me become fruitful.

3. Money - still working on this.  I think this particular month I want to donate money to the school that Agape Total Childcare Center in Uganda is having to open.  I want them to meet whatever requirements they have to in order to keep the school open.  I just have to figure out how to give enough to make it a "sacrifice".

4. Different Context - also still working on this.  I need to get a checklist drawn up on going to Uganda.  So far, still haven't heard from the orphanage director getting confirmation on my time there.  I feel like this is where God is leading me, but wherever He wills me to go, I'll go. I'm listening.

5. Multiplying Community - there aren't a lot of bible study options here, so I'm thinking I may have to start one up myself.  Still brainstorming.

I'm exhausted.  I wish I could take and focus on one challenge at a time.  Like for a year just dedicate myself to becoming familiar with the Word.  Then, the next year I'll focus on praying for the nations of the world.  I want to do this correctly.  I want to make an impact on others.  And selfishly, I love how reading the word and praying fervently and getting ready to go to Uganda make me feel inside, so I'm just going to suck it up and thank God that I get to undertake this challenge in a country where I am free from religious persecution.

"Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.  Cast your anxiety on Him because He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7