A Year Through God's Eyes

So this is what happens when I can't get to sleep. Hey, there are worse things to do than blogging when insomnia sets in and a computer is nearby, am I right? Anyway, I was reading in 1 Corinthians 8 earlier today (yesterday?) and Paul is answering a question the people in Corinth had asked him about concerning eating food sacrificed to idols. Paul's main point in answering is that it doesn't really matter unless it becomes a stumbling point to another person in the faith. As I've been working through 1 Corinthians, I've really tried to discern whatever it is God is trying to tell me, but at first I had no idea here. Then it sort of hit me. I'm about to go into a part of the world where this is a very real practice. Not only that, but when you consider that I'll be going with 17 other people who don't really know all my idiosyncrasies and I don't know theirs, how much of what I do is going to be a stumbling block to their ability to do what God has called them to. How much am I going to allow their quirks to allow me to stumble? I hope it's not very much at all, I hope that I always have Christ's larger picture goals in mind for this trip, but I also know that there are times when my fleshly nature seem so strong in me that I have no choice but to give in to them. My huge prayer with this post is that I would keep the "mission" part of this trip as the main focus, and not myself. That I would let nothing get in the way of sharing Jesus with all the people I encounter, including those on the team. That, to put it as John, Jesus' cousin puts it, I must become less and He must become more.
There is one person going on this trip who knows me more intimately than anyone else going, and I would ask and have been asking for God to unify our hearts in this trip. To show us amazing things, to see His Spirit move and that we would gain guidance in how to grow our family. I also would ask Christ that He would not allow any of our personal quirks to aggravate one another, but that we would have a time of renewal and of joy. In order for this to happen to its fullest, my lovely bride would do to be without any substantial pain, so I would ask that of my Lord as well. I would ask that Brenna be safe and happy while we're gone, and that she would miss us just a little bit.
Finally, for this post, I think I would ask that God would be bigger than the challenges and trials we'll face on this trip. That no matter what, He will be glorified, and as He is, all men will be drawn to Him. It still blows my mind that He's going to use ME to spread His gospel in a way I never have before, and that I will see and do things I never dreamed of seeing or doing before. God, make me ready!