An Epic Summer

I can't believe summer has finally arrived! It's almost JUNE! For the last few months I have been anticipating summer because of the work I get to do with Epic Church in Andover, Kansas. For those of you who don't know, Epic is a new church plant spearheaded by my high school youth pastor and his wife, Kent and Jenni Wagner. They moved to Andover in January and have been planning to do a church plant for quite awhile now. I am so stoked to love God and love people this summer and represent Epic in the most positive way possible! It's so great to be a part of team with a vision that is bigger than ourselves, and a vision that can only be fulfilled by God alone. It's amazing to see how God continually provides -- church planting is a scary thing, it's an ultimate step of faith, that's for sure. Today was my first day at work and I'm already exhausted! One of my best friends from high school, Trista, is interning with me as well so we've gotten right down to work. Both of us got jobs to head for the summer already and we've gone straight to work. Here's some of the stuff that we've worked on today and a few insights I've had already:

• I am working on heading the summer Mini-Mission teams and events that will be going on this summer. My job, in this realm, is to basically recruit groups to come help us advertise Epic to the community of Andover.
• Looking at this job, I realized how God has continually been preparing me in ways I didn't even realize throughout the school year. By being in Winfield at college for a year, I know of many potential youth groups in many of the surrouding areas that could come help us out. Everything just flowed today, it was sweeeeeet!
• I've also realized how important the power of prayer and personal relationship is during this season. I am already exhausted from work and I've only been here a day! Please pray for strength, guidance, perseverance and wisdom for all of us here on staff at Epic.
• I totally, totally dig getting to work in coffee shops and Panera bread. Woot, woot for free wi-fi AND building relationships at the same time
• Trista is working on planning block parties and other evangelistic things...pretty SWEET. This all leads up to Epic's launch on September 13, 2009. Can't wait!!

With that said, I will end this post on this note. The other day I was reading in the book of 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5, which states:

"Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue doing the things we command. May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance."

Paul's request for prayer from the Thessalonians in this passage floors me, and it's really become my prayer for the community of Andover. May the message of salvation spread rapdily and be honored. And, as God's people, may our hearts be directed into his love and Christ's perseverance. What a b-e-a-utifully appropriate request!