"So...WHY are you going to Italy??"

Many people who hear I am moving to Italy for a year want to know WHY.

Great question! :)

Other than for the reasons I have listed in previous blogs explaining the deep spiritual need in Italy, here is why I am going and what I will be doing when I am there:

Over the course of the past year God has called me to go on STINT with Campus Crusade in Florence, Italy. I am so excited that He has called me to go back and be a part of what He is doing!

Win, Build, Send

The mission of Campus Crusade is to "build spiritual movements everywhere so that everyone knows someone who truly follows Christ". A big goal - But God is doing big things and we are seeing cities around the world come closer and closer to fulfilling this mission.

How?

This is accomplished through winning students for Christ - introducing them to the gospel through personal conversations, testimonies, outreaches, media, etc.

Once a student becomes a believer we work to build them up in their faith through mentoring relationships, small group Bible studies, conferences, etc.

Ultimately it is our desire to see Italian students being sent to their own nation and the world. Then, they in turn can be a part of winning, building, and sending students from around the world.

Basically, I will be going on campus at the University of Florence every day meetings students, building relationships with them, sharing Jesus with them, and pouring into their lives. Our team hosts a regular Bible study where students can come and experience Christian community as well as go deeper in the Word and grow in their faith. We also do large-scale outreaches such as Bible distributions and themed parties for holidays and other events.

...

::A few words about Italy::

The Church has lost millions
of adherents to New Age thinking
and materialistic secularism, so
much so that the Pope has called
Italy a mission field.

The Occult is widespread,

and there are estimated to be 100,000

full-time consulting magicians in Italy —
nearly three times the number
of Catholic priests.

A new poll reveals that
a divorce happens
every four minutes
in a country once regarded
as a bastion of marriage.

“It’s a country that has lost a little of its

will for the future. There is more fear than hope.”
~Walter Veltroni, Rome’s mayor

70% of Italians from the ages of 20 to 30

still live at home, condemning the young to

an underproductive and prolonged adolescence.

Italians need the hope, love, and grace that Jesus Christ gives.

God is raising up laborers to go and share this love with the people in Italy.

Pray for more laborers.

Pray for those who are already there.

Pray for those who are going.

Pray for those who are sending the laborers through prayer and finances.

Pray that God would do miracles and take this country back for Him and His glory!

Ahhh!!!! It's August 15!!!!

Wow.

Today is August 15.

One month from today I will be boarding a plane and flying to Italy for the next year of my life.

Crazy...

And so AWESOME!!

Right now I am in Colorado at STInt Briefing with all of the people from the US who are doing what I am doing and giving the next year to serve somewhere over seas with Campus Crusade. There are about 25 countries represented here. It is such a humbling thing to stand in the rooms with these 300+ people and know that out of His abounding grace God has chosen me to go and be a part of what He is doing around the world.

There are people here going to Mexico, Russia, Greece, North Africa, East Asia, Venezuala, Bosnia, Brazil, France..and on and on. It is so amazing to look around and know that each of these people represent a different story of God's grace and provision. Each of these people have a unique way that God called them and brought them to this point. And yet all of us are the same.

We are all broken. We are all here only for God's glory. And we are all here with the desire to see God move in the country we are going to. We are all committed to doing whatever we can to take the gospel to the ends of the earth.

I am so thankful...and in such awe...that God has brought me here.

The mountains are such a great place to have this briefing conference. I am absolutely in love with the beauty of God's creation and I feel so close to Him just walking around or sitting by a stream looking at the skies and the mountains and the trees and the rocks and the clouds...etc... It's so great.

AND it even snowed today!!! YES, In August!!! It was crazy...but really great too.

It's great to be here right now instead of Oklahoma where I'm sure its in the 90's if not higher...sorry guys! :)

Anyway, I'm here and I'm training...but I still have some more support to raise. Please continue to pray with me as I believe God to bring the remainder of my support in. He has worked in some pretty amazing ways so far and I believe He will finish out my support before September 15!!