Yesterday, we watched our granddaughter board a plane to Nairobi, Kenya. At age seventeen, she exhibits more genuine faith than many adults I know. When she learned of the opportunity to spend ten days ministering to African orphans she prayed and determined God wanted her to be a part of the mission trip. Never mind the extremely high price of the trip. She wrote letters and babysat, and sure enough, God provided the needed money. Nor is this her first mission trip. She has already ministered to orphans in Mexico and Guatemala (twice). When I was seventeen, I had crossed the Mexican border once with my parents and dreamed of someday going to Canada. Actually geography is a secondary part of God’s challenge to believers. Faithfulness is our initial response. Once God has a person that can be used, “where” becomes an issue. For Whitney, “where” is wherever God leads – across the classroom or around the world. The Bible prophesizes “a child shall lead them” (Isa. 11:6). The reference is not about Whitney, but it could be. How about you? Does faithfulness characterize your response to God’s claim on your life? If so, ask yourself this week, “where, Lord?” and follow.

And join me in praying for these global concerns:
• Pray for students from Southwest Christian School, Fort Worth as they travel to and minister in Kenya.
• Pray for the economic crisis in Greece that daily is turning toward potential social unrest and for the effect it is having on missionaries who serve there.
• Pray for those who minister in the midst of the Paralympic Games in Vancouver (March 12-21) and for churches as they follow- up on Winter Olympic ministry.
• Ivanovo City with a population of 430,000 is the textile capital of Russia. Because most of the textile workers were traditionally women, it has been called the “City of the Brides.” Pray for those who minister there, helping prepare the “City of Brides” to become part of the Bride of Christ.

Three days before her biggest moment on the ice, her mother died unexpectedly at the age of fifty-five. As a nation held its breath, Canadian Joannie Rochette skated twice in the Olympic Women’s Figure Skating, winning a Bronze Medal in memory of her Mom. Death is never convenient. When my Grandfather died, I was in Mexico and could not be contacted for two days. When my Father-in-law died I was paged over the Public Address system at a professional baseball stadium. When my Mother died, we were in an ice storm of such size that her burial had to be delayed. My Father died thirty minutes before my birthday. While death never makes a previous appointment, it is always certain. When we die is less important than how we die. “It is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment” (Heb. 9:27). When we die is up to God. How we die and face judgment is up to us. Live this week as though it were your last. Celebrate, as though it were your first.

Join me in praying for the following global concerns:

• Pray for follow-up to significant decisions made during the “More Than Gold” Winter Olympic ministry in Vancouver.
• Pray for relief work in Chile as you continue to pray for Haiti.
• Pray for the 21st Century Church as they seek ways to reach out to the Russian speaking community in Prague, Czech Republic.
• Pray for Cathie’s (Spain) surgery on March 18 at MD Anderson Hospital in Houston.
• Pray for those who serve in high security locations in the world.

She fell on the ski slope. When the results were known, Petra Majdic of Slovenia had five broken ribs and suffered a collapsed lung. Doctors discouraged her from continuing to compete in the 2010 Winter Olympics, but she was determined. Another qualifying race, then another, then a third place finish. She had to be assisted to the medal stand to receive her bronze medal. Most courageous athlete in these Vancouver games? The award should be hers hands down. Many Christians don’t have that kind of perseverance when it comes to demonstrating faith. A temporary set-back, a severe temptation, a troubling circumstance, and we get discouraged, forgetting that the Christian life is a mixture of enjoyment and endurance, “the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings” (Phil. 3:10). Life’s medals bring great joy, but with Jesus, life is about more than gold. We, like Him, must endure, “for the joy set before” (Heb. 12:2).

Join me this week in praying for these global concerns:
• Continue to pray for the hundreds of volunteers in the “More Than Gold” Winter Olympic ministry.
• Continue to pray for relief work in Haiti.
• Pray for an UNREACHED PEOPLE GROUP, the Mari People Groups – Population: Unknown. The Republic of Mari El is a very swampy area located in European Russia.
• Pray for military Chaplains who serve on military installations around the globe.

As I write this Monday Morning Memo, I am in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada assisting with the “More Than Gold” Winter Olympic ministry. During the Opening Ceremonies I was struck by many things, but maybe most profoundly by Canadian poet Shane Koyczan’s poem “We Are More” – a tribute to the Canadian people. I don’t know Shane, thus have no awareness of any faith he may profess, but he is very close to biblical truth with his line, “Knowing now that so many of us Have grown past what we used to be We can stand here today Filled with all the hope people have When they say things like ‘someday’ Because we are more.” Indeed, Christians, of all people, should say we have “grown past what we used to be” for ours is an ongoing pilgrimage of “hope” toward that eternal “someday” as well as a present-tense life with true meaning and genuine purpose. So let us “press on toward the goal of the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:14). As you watch the hours of Winter Olympic coverage this week and next or simply see or read news clips of it, be reminded with every mention of gold medals that “We Are More” – more the we used to be, living a life that is worth “More Than Gold.”

Join me in remembering the following global concerns:
• Pray for the “More Than Gold” ministry as well as many other Olympic-related ministries – Salvation Army, Youth with a Mission, Billy Graham Association, Olympic Chaplains, etc.
• Pray for the Mobile Ministry Team leading English classes this week in Ivano Frankiev which is in the Carpathian mountains of Ukraine.
• Pray for a new Bible study group meeting in Skopje, Macedonia.
• As the official death toll from Haiti’s Jan. 12 earthquake matches that of the 2004 South Asian tsunami, continue to pray for relief work and workers.

I enjoyed the Super Bowl but I’m glad it’s over and congratulations to the New Orleans Saints. A recent survey showed 66% of men would miss the birth of their first born child in order to watch the Super Bowl. A lot of faithful Christians missed a worship service last night for the same purpose. Or maybe their church cancelled services so they could all watch the Super Bowl. Don’t get me wrong. I am a hopeless, helpless, sports fanatic. But enough is enough. I’m not really going anywhere super spiritual with this Memo. So let me broaden the playing field (to stick with an analogy for one more sentence). It’s not really about priority. It’s more about perspective. Many years ago, I had a Seminary professor who was totally against sports on Sunday. “Activity of the Devil that hinders the worship of God on God’s day” he said and I wrote in my notes. When one student asked him what he did on Sunday afternoons to enhance his worship, he admitted to listening to symphony music. So there you are. To each his own. Whether your Lord’s Day extra-activity is sports or symphony, just remember it is “the day the Lord has made” (Ps. 118:24) and keep that thought in proper perspective. Now let’s see where is the Super Bowl next year? Eighteen miles from my house? Someone remind me this time next year – perspective, perspective, perspective.

By the way, the web site - www.discipleallnations.org - has been down for three weeks and there is no indication when it will return.

Join me in praying for the following global concerns:
• Pray for three ministry events in February in Villas del Campo, Mexico.
• Continue to pray for Haiti.
• Continue to pray for the “More Than Gold” Winter Olympic ministry in Vancouver.
• Pray for Blu and Darbi as they adjust to living in Zambia.
• Pray for the SEED project as 1500 Gospel packets are distributed in Macau on Feb. 8-10.