On taking no thought ...

Paul, in what may have been his last letter, says at the end of 2 Timothy (vv. 16-18), "At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed ... The Lord will rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

That's really all we're promised, isn't it — Heaven. Take no thought for tomorrow, Jesus said. And yet we do. I can't, by fretting over the lack of teen missionaries, improve tomorrow any more than I can worry myself a foot taller.

Yet, with the deadline rapidly approaching, and no applications in, it is difficult to plan the summer. So much depends on recruiting and retaining teens.

I did get an encouraging email from a Trinity Bible College student who is very interested, but she also needs to find a summer job. CYIA pays pretty well for a high school freshman, but when real money is needed, it doesn't look all that attractive -- and then you have to raise your own missionary support, so it is hard.

Sometimes I wonder if we might even be better off without any CYIA. If we skipped training camp, that would give Lori and I another week to teach clubs. I think, if we pushed hard, we could do 20 clubs without CYIA -- four more than we managed last year with two CYIA. I am tempted to send them back, like Paul once did with Mark.

But in the end, Paul was asking for Mark once again (ibid v. 11b), "Get Mark, and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry." I wonder if Mark did return. We'll know someday, and that day is ultimately all we really need for all our hopes. Lord help me to say this with greater conviction.

To him be glory forever.

Yours in His service,

JG