Blessing to you in the glorious name of our God and Savior. Grace, peace and mercy to you through our eternal hope, Jesus Christ. Praises to our God who is and was and always will be.
I wanted to give you all an update on my plans here in the next little bit. As most of you know, and if you don't you will as you read this, I am going to Kenya on Monday the 31st. I will be gone until September 20th. Yeah, that is a long time, but is not going to be long enough for all that is planned while we are there. We are physically building 2 churches, helping to install a few pastors, bringing food and medicine into the Massai tribe, teaching young leaders, training pastors, leading men's retreats, leading young leaders retreats, preaching in churches, loving on missionary kids and doing evangelistic outreaches. And that is just to name a few things.
We are getting prayed up and are totally expecting great and mighty things while we are there. I serve a God who is still alive and well, and loves people enough that He wants to encounter their imperfect lives with His perfection. I am privileged to be a part of this great work that God wants to do. I am seriously waiting in anticipation to see what God has planned. But I don't want to be a spectator. I want to be USED by God. I want to have His Holy Spirit so active and alive in me that anything could happen. I am truly expecting that we will see salvation, healings, demons cast out and the dead brought back to life. No joke! Not to or for my glory…but for His. All for HIM! I would ask that you please pray for us before we go and certainly while we are there. Pray not only for us, but for our families as well. There are four of us going. Myself, Rick, Tim and Gary. We have to encounter God everyday while we are there. If we try this, even for one day, in our own power we will stumble. In that kind of spiritual battle, we can't afford to stumble or fall. We have to be strong in our LORD. So, we need your prayers.
I have written devotions for the team to read and apply to our lives every day while we are gone. I think it would be wonderful if there were more than just us reading and applying these certain scriptures to our life each day. I would love to have each of you follow along with us, where ever you may be. If you would, pass it on to a friend. Have them pray for us, read with us, and apply these scriptures to their lives as well. I have posted these devotions on New Hope's website, http://newhopenorthport.com/ministrytrips.aspx. That is just the easiest way for me to do it.
September is going to be a busy month. A week after I get back from Kenya, we are having an X – Treme Team outreach in Northport, September 28th. We are doing some school assemblies during the day and then the outreach that night. Then the next day, September 29th, we are going to Ione WA to do the same thing. Then, on October 3rd, Rick and I are heading to India for 10 days. Over there we will be bringing the gospel every day to people in schools, in churches and outside in open air festivals. I know that the people of India are so open to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the Church has a passion for loving Jesus and loving their neighbors.
As you can see, I am going to be very busy, but very fulfilled. Fulfilled, you ask. Yes. See, when we are in the center of God's will for your life, there is a fulfillment that comes. I have been called to be His torch bearer, and I am getting the chance to do this. Normally I get the great privilege of serving Jesus in this capacity while in Northport, but now God is expanding my territory. I don't take this as an opportunity to brag, be boastful or try to have people look at me. I still shake my head in amazement that God would choose a guy like me to do work like this for Him. All I want is to bring glory to Him and bring a smile to His face. I want people to encounter a loving God, who wants them to have a relationship with His Son Jesus. An encounter that doesn't just last for a fleeting moment, but a lasting relationship of pursuing a living God. God has placed a calling in your life. A calling to go and make disciples. He has even given you the tools that you need to do this. He has given you the power of the Holy Spirit to be His witnesses. Live out this calling. Live it like today is the last day that you will have to share Jesus with people. Live it like you actually love Jesus and don't want others to die without being introduced to him. Call upon God today. Ask for His power. LIVE today!
I will keep up on Twitter and on this blog while I am gone. Check back from time to time and see what is going on.
Like always….
Bearing His torch
Eldon Kelley
