Day 30 - Jan 26, 2010

[a summary I handed in to our missions mentor]]

At the time of writing this summary, it has now been about a month since experiencing Urbana 2009. The memories that I treasure are: the music worship during New Year’s, the joyous cell phone display gallery in the dark dome, Sundar’s message on prayer, talking with various missionaries and having them pray for me, having the kitchen staff cheer as everyone entered to get dinner, the glow-in-the-dark sticks of those receiving Christ for the first time, the inductive studies in the morning, the family group reflections at nights, the Rahab skit, and the rap/tap dance. But most of all the people who I made friends with, prayed with, I could sense our closeness because we are brothers and sisters in Christ.
Sundar’s message on prayer, both as plenary speaker, and the seminar later that week, was the speaker that most impacted me. I sensed the Holy Spirit speak to me—I think I was meant to be a prayer warrior and I didn’t know it. Until that moment, my prayer journey with Jesus was like a wave, up and down, not consistent. Sundar’s message to pray big, pray bold, pray Scripture has challenged me to read the Bible from front to back each year. His podcast sermons on the Rexdale Church is listed which I have been listening to since Urbana.
Impressions left on my heart include having my eyes opened to see what the needs of the world are and how God’s people through missions are supplying those needs. I love how God is moving among the young people. During Sundar’s seminar, as he prayed he actually was in tears as he was humbled to see the room packed, thanking God for what the LORD is already doing, working in the hearts among the Urbana participants to prepare them for something great.
What challenged me the most was that I could be used in missions that was different from the traditional missionary stereotype. I was surprised to learn that there was a high demand for librarians, computer programmers, videographers—all diplomas I’ve graduated with or skills I’ve learned while here at Tyndale. Another challenging moment came when one of the speakers mentioned that current/future relationships may have to be cut if life directions don’t match.
Since Urbana I’ve been praying that God would work patiently on me, to make me more like Jesus, depending on Him fully, completely surrendering to His will, to give me a vision on how I can help expand His kingdom of righteousness, whether that means being sent, or prayerfully/financially supporting missions. I’ve been recently thankful to God, that His will is always better than my will. If God’s kingdom is expanded so that more people will ultimately be saved by God saying “no” to my will, then I’m praising God for it. May God continue to bless, guide and protect all Urbana participants who will be used mightily for His glory.
Applying the lessons I’ve learned is slow as I read through the many books I’ve purchased at Urbana bookstore. Many mission agencies have already contacted me via email and I have been looking at their websites and praying if God wants me to serve in any one of them. Above all, my prayer times with God post-Urbana are more intimate, more frequent, as I have now completely surrendered to God’s will, and He can do with me whatever He wants. Like Job, it hurts when God gives and takes away, but God uses it to make us more like Christ, to reinforce that He is in control of everything, that He is our strength and comfort, that the cross is more than enough, and that if I trust in the Lord with all my heart leaning not on my own understanding, but in all my ways acknowledging God, He will make my paths straight, to which I am forever grateful to God. With joy and a smile, I continue to work where God has called me but also await any future call from God. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for kingdom work which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

 "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." --1 Cor 13:13