Gloritrek

We're less than 10 days from take-off on Gloritrek!  This morning, Luey, Andy, Noah and I biked Noah to school (about 8 miles).  After dropping Noah off at MCA, we rode about 20 more miles, nearly circling the city of Taichung.  It's a city of 2 million, with maybe 2-3% knowing Jesus.  I prayed as I rode this morning.

Good news!  Christ Church in Griffith Park, Burbank, CA; is hosting us while we're in L.A.  We are so grateful for this church, and Pastor Bruce & Tanya Fleenor!  What a blessing!  We look forward to meeting them!

I've been convicted in the last week, feeling a little like Jacob, wrestling with the Lord!  Why?  There are many days in our schedule where we've been unable to find a church to host us, especially out west.  What to do?  It would be easy to just go find a motel, one with a pool preferably!  Of course, that cuts into what we hope to give Team Expansion at the end of the summer, as we focus on unreached peoples.  So imagine you're a pastor or church secretary, and you hear a knock on your door....

"Hello, my name is David Atkin, missionary from Taiwan.  This is my son, Noah.  These are our Taiwanese friends, Luey and Andy.  We're on a Gloritrek for unreached peoples, and we're biking coast to coast, church to church.  We have nowhere to spend the night tonight.  Would you be willing to host us this evening?  In return, we'd be happy to tell you about what we believe God is leading us to share with churches across America."

Wow!  What would you do with this, probably inconvenient, opportunity standing at your door?  Some  may say, "Go in peace!"  The spiritual way of saying, "Get lost!"  However, for some whom the Lord has directed us -- we may be a real blessing to them, as they are to us!  So, in every town we enter, before going to check into a motel for the night; we will first visit the area churches, and give them opportunity to accept us into their home/church, or forfeit the chance to interact with us.  For, if we believe that God is leading us on this Gloritrek;  and, we do, otherwise, there aint no way it would be happening!  Then, we believe God will lead us to those whom God has been preparing!  If Jesus is preparing a place for us in heaven, it is a small thing for Him to prepare a place in each town/city we visit.  What do you think?  What would you say?

Thank you for praying for us!  We are feeling the weight of preparation details; as well as the challenge of increased training and staying healthy and safe.  Like, yesterday, as I recover from bronchitis; I went to the pool for the first time in more than a week and broke my pinky toe.  It is black today!  You may have heard the expression, "The devil is in the details!"  Let us pray that the Lord would smash Satan under our feet!"  Amen.