Currently, Melissa and I are in full-time support raising mode. Campus Crusade has no central funds, so everyone on staff is reliant on a group of individuals and churches that will partner with them, financially and prayerfully, to do their ministry.
This task, which we call Ministry Partner Development, or support raising, is often a tough one. We had no idea, when we joined staff long term in July, that we would begin to develop our financial partners on the verge of this great economic crisis. Praise the Lord that He is never in an economic downturn!
But it has been really difficult. This is not a mountaintop period in our lives. Frankly, lately, we often feel stuck in the wilderness. Hope often deserts us. We are overcome by doubt and frailty. God often seems distant. Where are you, Father? Why has our support not come in yet?
The desire of our hearts is to fulfill the Great Commission. We want to bring students worldwide to a place of decision about the risen Savior. We want everyone to hear the gospel and bow a knee to the king. Then, why, Lord, is this so hard? Shouldn't you bring our support in quickly?
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 brings us great solace.
"To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
What a marvelous passage! Praise the Lord that this time of trial and hardship for Melissa and I will bring beyond it a goodness and strength in our character. We will be made perfect, rather, God's power will be made perfect by our weaknesses. When we are weak, He is strong. Students the world over will benefit from this tough time in our lives. Praise God's sovereignty.
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