Work at Jobscope is always a huge part of the day, and today was particularly busy. The project I’m working on is beginning to wrap up. So now I’m in the process of getting all of the infrastructure in place to release it to the world. This mostly involves sending emails to lots of other people, waiting for replies, training others on how to use the software, etc.. Fun stuff! I will then probably spend most of next week working on another project before I head off for the summer. There are no fewer than 4 other web projects that I have to work on on the side. Realistically, probably none of them will even get started before I start my stretch of summer that I’ve been preparing so hard for, but there are one or two I would like to at least make some progress on before leaving. We’ll see how it goes.

I got a call from a girl in Russia today that made me smile. Though, it also kicked my brain into gear about preparing more for Ethiopia. I ended up making what will probably be my largest Wal-Mart run for the trip. At least I hope so, because the stuff I seem to need has a very high price density. Meaning I walk away with only a little bit of stuff and and lot out of my bank account. God had been very gracious, though, in continuing to provide support.

Tonight, I began gathering bags for Ethiopia and even began to put stuff in them! Packing for Ethiopia will be quite interesting because, in less than two weeks, I will have to pack a bag to go to Garden City for a week of leading worship, come home Friday afternoon, empty that bag hurriedly do laundry, and then repack that bag to leave early Saturday morning for Ethiopia. So it’s pretty important that I go ahead and get my packing organized now, and planning this far ahead doesn’t come natural to me.

Everything else for Ethiopia seems to be in order. I have all the medicine I’ll need for stomach bugs and Malaria prevention, I have a travel guitar on the way for some good ‘ole Jesus music, all my immunizations are good to go, and I’m all paid up on my trip expenses! Praise God for all of that! Now it’s just time to go.

Before going to Ethiopia, as mentioned before, I’ll be leading worship for a week in Garden City for a high school retreat. I’m incredibly excited about it, but nervous and anxious at the same time. Keeping God’s glory at the forefront of my mind and heart is always a challenge when I’m preparing to get on a stage anywhere and have a microphone put at my face, but it’s even more tempting to try and take that glory for myself when the camps become so large and the musical talent you work with is so good. It has been an incredibly frustration journey preparing for this camp, and that hasn’t been that much fun. In a lot of ways, though, I have to still pray for God to keep me frustrated and on my toes, because it’s in those times of frustration that I can’t find comfort in myself. I have to turn everything over to God and let him provide for everything. When I can get that right, it’s such a great and encouraging feeling. I just need to work on getting that right more often.

Please be praying for Beach Camp,  that the band would work well together during our rehearsal this Saturday, that we would keep the weight of what it means to lead worship on our hearts, and the God’s glory would be our primary objective; and for Ethiopia, that the support would come in for those who still need it, for God to be preparing those in Ethiopia that we will meet and share our lives with, and that God would be preparing the team for the work cut out for us, most importantly that we would trust God to be the strength and comfort in doing that work.

Yesterday, though, God decided to pour out several special blessing on me. The first was getting a voicemail from Carrie bright and early in the morning. I hate that I missed the actual phone call, but it gave me a big ‘ole dimple smile knowing that I would get to talk to her later that day. It was simple incredible to hear her voice again, and to be able to communicate in realtime again. That won’t be a gift easily forgotten after this summer.

The day wasn’t without its adventures. After going camping last weekend with some of the guys on the team going to Ethiopia this summer, one of my legs had become very irritated and swollen from bug bites and stings. I had to go to the doctor to get a shot in my rear, along with a bunch of drugs to try and keep it from becoming too bad. It also gave me an opportunity to fill my Malaria prescription for Ethiopia. I ended up  leaving the store with will over 100 pills for only $2.50!

Only God could have ended the day like he did. I had a great time of worship through song with a bunch of students who are in Laurens to work on people’s houses for the week. I get to do that again  tonight and Friday, and I’m really looking forward to it. I learned that there are over 40 of these camps that will take place this summer all over South Carolina. That is just awesome! Praise be to God!

I praise God and give Him thanks for delivering a lead guitar player as well. I know God only has great plans for that week, and I’m so excited to be a part of it!