Dear First Pres,
One of the incredible privileges of participating in our recent mission trip to Albania was seeing with my own eyes the great work of God. Just over twenty years ago there was no visible Church in the entire country; just over twenty years ago there were essentially no Christians in the little town of Erseke. But when the Lord opened up the country to Christian missionaries, He also opened the hearts of many young people to the Gospel. Now those first believers, many who are younger than I am, are leading the local churches of Albania. Just over twenty years there were no Christian camps in Albania. The thought of a Christian camp was even more farfetched than the thought of a local church. Now, there is a Christian camp in Erseke, called Udhekryq (Crossroads in English), that shares the Gospel with more than a thousand kids every summer. God has done more than we could possibly ask or imagine; He has done a great work!
One of the great things God did in me while in Albania (and our short trip to Greece to fix Andrew's broken arm) was to give me a fresh dose of faith - faith that God can indeed do great things and faith that God is at work in powerful ways among us. I wonder what God will do in the next twenty years in and through First Presbyterian Church Fresno that is beyond what we could possibly ask or imagine. Isn't it inspiring to think about that? If God has done such a great work in Albania, why not here? Why not now? Maybe God will do something huge through our Community Groups to bring His redeeming transformation to the city. Maybe God will bring a great harvest of kids to Christ through our student ministry. Maybe God will dramatically change downtown Fresno through our partnership with other local ministries. Maybe God will add to our number daily those who are being saved. If God can build a thriving local church in a country that was absolutely closed to all religion, He can certainly do any of these thing among us. Why not here? Why not now?
Do you believe that God can do immeasurably more than we can possibly ask or imagine? Do you believe He will? May the Lord give you a fresh dose of mountain-moving faith today.
"He is able, more than able To accomplish what concerns me today.
He is able, more than able To handle anything that come my way.
He is able, more than able To do much more than I could ever dream,
He is able, more than able To make me what He wants me to be."
(by G. Ferguson R. Noland © Universal Music)
Blessings,
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