"Desires of Thy Heart"

When I was younger, I can remember have those "childhood dreams" of who I wanted to be or of what I wanted to do. Many of those wishes where just that . . . wishes. But some, by the grace of God, have been allowed to become a reality. 

One of those dreams of mine was of flight. What kid growing up didn't want to be able to fly? Through circumstances that only God was capable of directing, that desire was granted, and now at 19, God has allowed me to obtain my pilots license.

The second desire I had as a kid was more than a desire I believe . . . it felt like a call. Since the age of 12 I have prayed about God's call on my life into His ministry and specifically into missions in Papua New Guinea. I don't really know where I started hearing about PNG, I think it was probably the many missionaries that we support in our church that are going there. A few years have passed since then but God continues to let me meet people going there and continues to drop his "handfuls of purpose", keeping me praying about what His will is. For sake of time I will not go into any details of these. Now in a few days, I will be going to PNG with a couple of my best friends, Connor (my brother) and Drew Hamlet. God has granted another one of those childhood desires. For about three weeks we will be helping the Allens (aviation missionaries in the Gulf Province) and Harrelsons (missionaries in Mt. Hagen). Through this trip, We want to be a blessing to the missionaries and help them, but it is my personal "desire" to pray while I there that God might give me His answer as to whether or not PNG is in His future for me. Thank you all for the prayers that are being said for the three of us even right now before we leave. 

And what if PNG isn't God's will? Then in His time He will continue to guide me to the area that He has me prepared for. There is one desire that I haven't mentioned. The biggest one of all . . . I truly want my desires to be God's desires. So if He desires me to stay in Cornerstone and just be a good church member, I'm okay with that. Should He desire me to be in Papua New Guinea (or any other place for that matter), I am okay with that too!  One of my favorite quotes is "The will of God will never take you where the grace of God will not protect you". 

Psalms 37:4 says "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." I don't know how much delight I bring the Lord, but I am so very thankful for His grace to allow my desires and also to make this trip to happen. May lives be changed forever for good and may God's will be done on this missions trip. Thank you all once again for the prayers!

Collin