Someone once told me that you grow as a person by the places you go, the books you read and the people you meet. I agree with this statement. God has allowed me to be a part of several different mission endeavors all across the world and for this I am thankful! What about you? Here are 5 reasons why every person should travel and see other parts of the world and every Christian should go at least once and experience a different culture.
1. Getting out of your comfort zone. We as Americans are so spoiled to the “extras” in life, most of the world is not as developed as the U.S.A. and lacks some things we think are necessities and take for granted. Here are some examples: clean water, good sewer systems, ice, air conditioners…etc.
2. All men are created equal, “one of the best-known sentences in the English language” –sound familiar? We often can have the attitude that we are somehow superior to other people from other countries and nations. We may have more “stuff” but we can learn a lot about work, family and dedication to God from our brothers and sisters from other parts of our planet.
3. Exposure. We live in a visual world and it can be very difficult to imagine what another place or country is like until you actual see it for yourself. Read the words of Christ in Matthew 9:35-37 sometimes we simply need to go and see.
4. Heavenly perspective. When we worship alongside christian brothers and sisters from another language, tribe, or nation we get a glimpse of how we will gather around the Throne room of God as all nations will worship God for who He Is!!! On my most recent trip to Puerto Rico worshiping with the Puertoricans was the highlight for my group.
5. Experience & Unity. Each opportunity I have had to travel with friends and kids in previous youth groups I form a bond with them that will always be. The unity of a group of people formed on a mission trip is powerful. The experience will always be a memory that you share together with your team! One thing that comes to mind as I shared with my group before we left is to be FLEXIBLE, anything can happen and each day is a new adventure!
God gives us the command to GO, pray this prayer as you GO,
“Lord I want to see as you see and understand as You understand”
Now trust God to be with you and GO!!!
Last week I was with Dawson at the Jacksonville Zoo and had an amazing time. Seeing so many different animals reminds me of God’s wonderful imagination on the day of creation. There was a particular zoo keeper that decided to enlighten me about what he called “our closest relative” the Bonobo (pic at the bottom). After I let him tell me his perspective on where we came from I made sure that he knew I was a Creationist. He was not very happy about the fact that I disagreed that the Bonobo was my closest relative. I didn’t get a chance to converse with him and explain to him why I believe what I believe so I will do so now.
Humans. Similarity is not evidence for common ancestry but is due to a common Designer! The unity of all creation is a testimony of The One True God who made it all. 
You are looking at pictures of Dawson with his teacher Mrs. Nyemade Baker-Marsh (on the left) and her parapro Ms. Turner (on the right). These two amazing teachers have been with Dawson for the past two years, and it is hard to believe that Dawson’s time with them has come to an end. There are many teachers in the world who teach for a job, but there are a few teachers who teach because it is their life. These two wonderful ladies live and breathe teaching special needs children. Dawson has loved school for the past two years. He puts on his backpack and walks to the car with a smile each morning. When Dawson looks at Mrs. Nyemade and Ms. Turner he smiles, hugs them, and plants a kiss on their cheek. For a child who is non-verbal, that is Dawson’s way of telling them ”I love you.” As parents we struggle with how to say thank you to two teachers who have potty trained our child, taught him to eat, put on his book bag, sit in circle time for 45 minutes and love it, teach him to match, to sort, to drink out of a cup, to walk in a straight 
line down the hallway, to follow the classroom routine, to follow directions, to listen, to obey, to point to the month and day at calendar time, to trace numbers and letters, to independently write a “D” and an “A” for Dawson, to color in the lines, to cut, to glue, to do puzzles, to love school, to become a better functioning child with autism, and probably a million other things that we 
have left out.
I have a burning desire to see men rise up and seek strong biblical relationships with other men. The church is in desperate need of authentic relationships and transparency within the community of believer’s. A few days ago I reconnected with an old friend from 
sharpening one another
8. 
Home is different it can be a real struggle to get him to eat anything. Since we have been back from spring break we have spent plenty of money at The Shane’s in Loganville. He has had pork every day sometimes more than once. It will be interesting to see how long his appetite for pork stays around.
Not to long ago a girl in my ministry asked me, “what exactly do you do?” I was a little caught off guard and stumbled around my words, so I thought I would take just a little bit of time and share with you what youth ministry looks like on a day to day basis. Here is a hilarious take on youth ministry check it out 
