We moved into a new house in July. There are still boxes to be unpacked and Christmas decorations to be hung. But we have a home. Our dog Lyric has a yard in which to play, and we have a place to live out the life God has blessed us with.

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Want a free copy of my new eBook? All you have to do is support my mission work, and I'll send you one.

The book is called Dirty Redemption: Stories of Unexpected Grace Found in Unlikely Places. It’s a collection of 10, short stories about faith, brokenness, and hope.

The book is 10,000 words of my favorite tales I've experienced on the streets of Nashville and abroad. (If you've been reading this blog for the past four years, you may recognize some of them.)

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Every week, I get to hear incredible stories of how God is moving in the world. Too many to share, actually.

They remind me that as smart as I am, I only see in part.

They tell me that there is still a lot of mystery left in this world.

Most of all, they help me remember that healing is possible and rescue is coming.

As an example, take this story from Stephanie May, who recently got to pray for a deaf man in Nepal. What happened next was nothing short of miraculous.

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We American Christians need to be honest about prayer.

We're not very good at it.

We doubt and question its effectiveness, wondering if it does any good at all, all the while putting in little effort on our part. And as a result, many of us live lives devoid of the power of God's Spirit. Our faith becomes anemic, and our belief in God is little more than a formality or nicety.

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We need more power in Christian short-term missions.

What I mean by that is this: we need less of us, and more of God the Holy Spirit. We need to stop thinking that we have all the answers for the developing world (or "third world" as we sometimes pejoratively say), and ask God.

We need to humble ourselves.

We need to seek the Lord's face.

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I was walking down the street, absorbing the smells of a new culture. Mexico. I had read about it, seen pictures of it, and even tasted it in local authentic restaurants.

But being here was something completely different — it was more joy and more sadness than I had expected.

I saw a man crouched in the corner of a building, hidden behind a three-foot-tall concrete wall. He watched the passersby but did not beg anything from them.

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It's been an interesting new season, and I haven't shared with you much lately about what ministry, family, and life have been like.

Since making a lateral move at work and a slightly southward one geographically, this year has mostly been a season of change and adjustment.

At times, it's been fun, and others uncomfortable. Nonetheless, it's been an adventure — one in which I've had to rely more on God.

Not easy, but always good.

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We just found out that an orphanage in Haiti that we were working with has been corrupted. They were not using the money we sent them, and there are reports of children disappearing.

We've suspected this for awhile, but now we're certain: The children are being neglected, many in dire need of medical assistance, and some are being trafficked.

There are reports of physical and sexual abuse, and if we don't act quickly, it doesn't look good.

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I am in a room of 40 people. Dreamers. Visionaries. World-changers.

And I am blessed to be here.

Worship songs reverberate through the room. Praises are sung. Promises proclaimed.

This week, I'm participating in an event at our office called Searchlight. We're helping illuminate the path for a generation -- guiding them in the next steps of their journey and calling.

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