The Latin phrase "Citius, Altius, Fortius" or "Faster, Higher, Stronger" has been the official motto of the Olympic Games since 1894, representing the aspirations of the Olympic Movement not only in an athletic and technical sense, but also of its heart. Every two years, athletes from around the world come together, setting aside whatever differences they have to pursue a common goal. They strive for earthly glory, for their countries, for their pride, for their friends and families. But we strive for a greater purpose, for something far bigger than any one of us alone.
I spent ten years in the gym as a young individual chasing this motto, this glory, this dream. And I can tell you from personal experience, that striving for it takes its toll. I fought, I suffered, and I failed, until the Lord picked me up again and gave me a new purpose. A better purpose. To give Him glory, and to show the world that it is only through Him that this motto can ever be truly accomplished.
It's been almost ten years since I walked out of that gym for the last time, and now I can see that journey coming full circle. It took giving up my dream for the Lord to make it come true, and sometimes its still hard to believe that in less than two weeks I'll be standing where I always wanted to stand, for a much better purpose and goal than what I had initially planned. In life, as in ministry, things don't often go the way we would expect, but that's what makes it so exciting! You just never know what God will do with a willing heart.
Ministry Update
Two weeks from today we will be leaving for the 2024 Paris Olympics alongside one of our supporting churches in Hastings, Michigan. Please pray for safe travels and open hearts as we seek to reach the people there. This will be our first time in Europe, so we are not entirely sure what to expect. But we are more than grateful for this wonderful, if yet unexpected opportunity.
In leading up to this trip, we have just come out of our church's annual mission conference where we heard from a record total of seven missionaries from all different parts of the world. We cannot express how incredible it was to get to know these missionaries and their designated fields, and our hearts were moved with the spiritual need that so saturates the globe on a daily basis. We were able to spend some personal time together over breakfast and lunch and had many good conversations. Please continue to pray for these missionaries as they return to their fields of service as well as for the hearts of those in our church who were able to see the dire need for the Gospel through them.
Life/Health Update
My medical procedure on the 10th did not go as I had hoped. The results were the same as last time, meaning there are still no answers. While the medicine is doing what it's supposed to do, it is also giving me an infection that cannot be avoided. I am waiting on word from my doctor as to what they will try to do to fix the issue, but there isn't much hope that anything can be done at the moment as they have expended all other options. Please, continue to pray for me during this process. It can be very tiring, but ultimately, I know the Lord is in control. The constant change in dietary restrictions has also had a very bad impact on my mental health, so pray that that can be sorted out as well.
Writing Update
There is lots of news to share in the writing world this month. First and foremost, I am happy to announce that book two of the Shadow Series has been sent to the editor! Please pray for the editing process as it can be very long and tedious. Fortunately, I have gone over many drafts of the book on my own and don't forsee any major issues coming up.
In other news, "What I Call Home", book one in the Shadow Series has found a home in its very first store! If you are near Fairview, Michigan, you can check it out at Family Bookshelf and Gifts.
I am also working on setting up some vendor events for the latter half of this year, so stay tuned for some dates!
I will keep this newsletter a bit shorter, as you can assume the next one will be rather long. I was just joking this morning about how many pictures I will have to fit in to next month's update! We appreciate your prayers and will see you on the other side of the Paris Olympics!
Take a look at the overview for book two of the Shadow Series! An era of new beginnings brings about a tragic end, but is there more to the past than what meets the eye? Find out soon in "War of the Rising Phoenix" and follow along with updates at siminstry.org/authorpage.
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