Favor
Hood River - 1/27/2025
January 2025 FCA Portland South Newsletter
Favor.
As I’ve stepped into the first month of ministry as the FCA Area Rep for Portland South, that’s the word that has defined this transition. Stepping through the doors God has opened, I see each room already prepared. I have yet to honestly “pursue” anything, but instead find myself on the receiving end of God going before me and clearing the way. From fundraising, to coaching, to students expressing their hunger to know Jesus more deeply, to parents stepping into the ministry alongside me (or in some cases vice vera), every moment so far this month has been a testament to the Lord’s goodness, faithfulness, and lavish nature towards his children. Many of you have confirmed this by your own words. “God has already been convicting me about generosity,” “God told me we need to support you and Christina,” “I’ve been wanting to start tithing,” “We’ve been seeing the same hunger from the youth at our church,” “We knew we needed to support you even before you asked,” the same sentiment goes on and on. And on the flip side the young men I’ve been hanging with all echo each other, “There has to be more to life than this,” “Can God can fill this hole I feel inside?” “I want all my friends to know Jesus,” “If I came to church would people there be able to answer my questions?” “How do I hear God and know his will?” A lot of these questions I didn’t even instigate.
Hunger.
There is both a hunger from the next generation that I get hang with day to day, and a movement of adults who have a passion to invest their money, time, homes, and other resources into these young people.
This last week I took a young man I coach to church for the first time. He had been to youth group or high school Sunday school, but at most this was his third church experience. We’ve hung out, talked about Jesus, and he’s desperate to know how to hear God, follow him, live for him. Needless to say, he loved coming to church.
“I really loved the music and the pastor was funny!”
“Well if you want, I can pick you up every week and take you.”
“YES THAT’D BE AWESOME!”
God is moving. Lakeridge High School is being transformed, not soon, but now. This month in Wilsonville, 150+ high school students spent their Saturday night gathering to worship and pray together for up to four hours. That’s called revival! Canby is seeing a similar movement of coaches gathering with each other to seek Christ together, and students are boldly sharing their faith in the midst of their peers.
All this to say, before I’ve even begun doing this FCA job, God has gone before me and is changing lives, schools, cities.
So after one month where are we at? We are just under 40% fundraised for our yearly budget just after one month! WOW! Eric Johnson at Riverwest Church in Lake Oswego hosted a fundraiser, leveraging his influence to get the entire church behind FCA Portland South, being above and beyond generous with their money, their time, their influence, and their space. On top of that, so many of you that I’ve sat with have committed to even more than what I asked!
As my dad would say, “WHAT. THE. HECK.”
The goal is for me to be officially launched by March 1st. What that means is that I would be at least 80% funded by the end of February, allowing me to shift my focus away from fundraising and into the actually on-the-ground ministry I’ve signed up for. And to be completely transparent, the list of people to reach out towards and meeting with to partner is beginning to shrink, which is expected. But as partners with me and FCA Portland South, I want to ask you pray in praise and expectation of God’s continued favor. I want to ask you to pray and consider anyone you know that (1) loves Jesus, (2) loves the next generation, (3) is passionate about giving. Would you set up coffee or lunch with all three of us (I’m buying!) and be a bridge for kingdom fundraising? Thank you for being available to God’s leading. Thank you for trusting in me and FCA and in God’s plans to transform Portland through young men and women.
This month begins with my official FCA boot camp training in Kansas City. This will be vital in being equipped to continue fundraising, building relationships, and fulfilling the mission of FCA to create disciples that create disciples. Pray for me. On my return on Thursday next week, Christina as I are going to a marriage conference FCA hosts every year for coaches. Pray for us.
The book of Numbers in the Bible is made up of three general sections. First, chapters 1-11 is generally to do with God preparing and organizing Israel to be ready to ender the promised land. The second section, however (11-27ish), is mostly about the Israelites constantly grumbling and complaining about God’s provision and leadership over them. As brutal as slavery was, at least the were provided for and could trust in Pharaoh’s provision, right? “Why would they ever want to go back to slavery?” I’ve often asked. But now it makes sense. God is providing and leading only day by day. Security can only be found in Him. They’ve been brought into a land where if manna doesn’t appear every morning, they die. At least in Egypt they knew food would arrive tomorrow, and next month, and next year. But an entire generation of Israel loses their privilege to enter the promised land, a land of lavish resources and beauty, because they refused to trust God. In this transition season I see and feel that temptation. I don’t want to go back to Instacart. But I honestly am not sure how exactly I’m going to fundraise the next 60% of our budget. Don’t get me wrong I’m a huge risk taker! If God says so I’M DOWN. But Numbers is key in understanding that it’s not on me to provide. All God asks of me, of us, is to follow him each day. He withholds nothing. And he will provide exactly what I need, my family needs, what Lakeridge, Wilsonville, Canby High/Middle School needs, one. day. at. a. time. Amen.
So then what’s the third part of numbers about? Entering. Favor. God going before Israel into the land of Canaan, and he himself preparing the land as they arrive.
