nearing departure...

In a short time Kendra and I will be flying to YAV orientation in Stony Point, NY. About 30 hours to be more precise. I'm getting nervous. After a week in Stony Point we'll fly to Belfast, Northern Ireland. About a year later, we'll fly home. This blog will be the story of our time overseas loving God's people and learning about ourselves, His plan and what amazing things can happen when we simply get out of God's way and let them.

I've been putting off starting this blog for some time. Tonight I'm putting off sleep so the blog is finally getting its due start date. I've decided to name the blog "put your hand in the hand" a reference to the old gospel song. I love the line from the song "take a look at yourself and you can look at others differently by putting your hand in the hand of the man from Galilee." When we are willing to walk side-by-side with Christ, then we give up our identity as part of the society. We give up that identity that is thrown on us by this world and we become like Christ in that we can begin to see other people for what they are truly worth and who they truly are, not for the ways the world labels them. Because I am trusting and hoping that God will open my eyes and heart in ways that allow me to see other people through His eyes, I thought this would be a fitting title for my blog.

This first entry is just going to be a short one. I hope you'll take the time to continue following my blog and Kendra's blog (http://belfastbulletin.blogspot.com) through the year. I would also like to thank all of you who have supported us financially and with your prayers. At this point we have raised all of the money we have been asked to (about $16000 for the two of us) but donations will still go to further offset the costs of sending us abroad through the program. Thus, if you would like to give and haven't, please do by going to http://gamc.pcusa.org/give/E210109/ and making a donation. Most importantly, please keep us, the people we will be working with and all of the Young Adult Volunteers serving in the States and abroad in your prayers. Thank you again for your love and support. Blessings and peace!

Karl