My spiritual journey began with smashing bricks.
Back in eighth grade my friend Chris Kucera came to visit for the first time and noticed how bad our dirt road had washed out leaving a bunch of bricks exposed that someone had put there to back fill the road. He volunteered himself and with a sledge hammer and shovel in hand, we spent the afternoon smashing bricks.
Why would something that simple start a spiritual journey?
Without Chris or I realizing it, he demonstrated to me the most real act of agape love I had experienced at that age. He chose to solve a problem that was blatantly not his fault or his responsibility. That simple act of service instigated my lifestyle of looking for problems to solve. That lifestyle compelled me to ask what problems are really worth solving, what is ultimately worth doing with my life. By sophomore year of college the answer was commit my life to Christ and solve the problems He wanted me to solve. Chris if you happen to read this, thank you for smashing bricks with me that day!
The past two months have been an awesome time spiritually.
In a quickly and forcefully answered prayer, on April 5th I was fired from my life of quiet desperation. Since April 18th I have been fasting from food, TV, video games, movies and have been pouring myself into prayer, the Bible, and some fantastic books by Bill Bright, Loren Cunningham, and C. Peter Wagner to name a few. With greater wisdom and a new focus on my highest priority: loving God and loving others, I am moving forward on my Christian adventure into the remaining depths of living out God's plan: making disciples of all the nations.
It's time to help other young people have their brick-smashing experience.
May 29th at 3:10pm I fly to Orlando Florida to begin a summer of training young people to serve in short term mission trips. Through Mission Adventures, a summer missions program of YWAM (Youth With A Mission), I am first getting trained myself and then training youth groups to share Christ with others during their summer break. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to lead other young people in their "brick-smashing" experience. I've seen in countless examples and experienced in my own life how important it is to get started young on taking the initiative for God.
We are discipling young evangelists to serve in several places.
As Mission Adventures staff, we are training and commissioning youth groups to make disciples of the nations in Brazil, Panama, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Key West, and Tampa. We will be training them to present the message of the gospel, including creative arts evangelism like drama, dance, and clowning. Also In the latter half of the summer, I will be going with the Key West Team to do several kinds of ministry: feeding the homeless, open-air evangelism in the central market area, kindness evangelism through free carwashes and cola handouts, prayer walks, and encouraging the Christians in youth and church services.
Here's the budget for helping others have their brick-smashing experience.
YWAM staff advised me to raise $1582.00 for the summer. Here's the breakdown:
Unfortunately, there isn't a tax-deductible way to donate yet, but I will notify you when there is. Here is what I have available now:
Support this summer outreach with prayer.
This summer will bear fruit or your money back.
Jesus taught us, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5
To heed this teaching I am committing to at least 90 minutes everyday reading the Bible and praying. I want your accountability. If I fail this commitment, take back your donation and give it to a disciple who has remained in the vine.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thank you in advance for your prayers, your money and your accountability. Keep in touch with me over the summer. Ask me how my commitment is going. God willing I'll have time over the summer to update my blog at http://www.darianhickman.com, too!
Darian Hickman
PS: To learn more about Youth With A Mission Orlando and Mission Adventures check out: http://www.ywamorlando.org/ma.htm
--
Darian Hickman
go to: http://www.darianhickman.com
call me: (703) 201-0524
visit me: 2259 Castle Rock SQ #22C, Reston, VA 20191
Back in eighth grade my friend Chris Kucera came to visit for the first time and noticed how bad our dirt road had washed out leaving a bunch of bricks exposed that someone had put there to back fill the road. He volunteered himself and with a sledge hammer and shovel in hand, we spent the afternoon smashing bricks.
Why would something that simple start a spiritual journey?
Without Chris or I realizing it, he demonstrated to me the most real act of agape love I had experienced at that age. He chose to solve a problem that was blatantly not his fault or his responsibility. That simple act of service instigated my lifestyle of looking for problems to solve. That lifestyle compelled me to ask what problems are really worth solving, what is ultimately worth doing with my life. By sophomore year of college the answer was commit my life to Christ and solve the problems He wanted me to solve. Chris if you happen to read this, thank you for smashing bricks with me that day!
The past two months have been an awesome time spiritually.
In a quickly and forcefully answered prayer, on April 5th I was fired from my life of quiet desperation. Since April 18th I have been fasting from food, TV, video games, movies and have been pouring myself into prayer, the Bible, and some fantastic books by Bill Bright, Loren Cunningham, and C. Peter Wagner to name a few. With greater wisdom and a new focus on my highest priority: loving God and loving others, I am moving forward on my Christian adventure into the remaining depths of living out God's plan: making disciples of all the nations.
It's time to help other young people have their brick-smashing experience.
May 29th at 3:10pm I fly to Orlando Florida to begin a summer of training young people to serve in short term mission trips. Through Mission Adventures, a summer missions program of YWAM (Youth With A Mission), I am first getting trained myself and then training youth groups to share Christ with others during their summer break. I am truly blessed to have this opportunity to lead other young people in their "brick-smashing" experience. I've seen in countless examples and experienced in my own life how important it is to get started young on taking the initiative for God.
We are discipling young evangelists to serve in several places.
As Mission Adventures staff, we are training and commissioning youth groups to make disciples of the nations in Brazil, Panama, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Key West, and Tampa. We will be training them to present the message of the gospel, including creative arts evangelism like drama, dance, and clowning. Also In the latter half of the summer, I will be going with the Key West Team to do several kinds of ministry: feeding the homeless, open-air evangelism in the central market area, kindness evangelism through free carwashes and cola handouts, prayer walks, and encouraging the Christians in youth and church services.
Here's the budget for helping others have their brick-smashing experience.
YWAM staff advised me to raise $1582.00 for the summer. Here's the breakdown:
- Base Fee: $400.00
- Travel Expenses: $900.00
- Laundry: $44
- Weekend Events: $110.00
- Snack food, misc. Walmart stuff: $88.00
- Phone cards: $10.00
- Souvenirs: $30.00
Unfortunately, there isn't a tax-deductible way to donate yet, but I will notify you when there is. Here is what I have available now:
- Donate with a credit card via Paypal at my support page: http://www.darianhickman.com/browse_my_folders/Support.html
- Make out a check to Darian Hickman and send it to Attn: Darian Hickman, c/o Mission Adventures, PO Box 620487, Orlando, FL 32862-0487.
- Check out the support page again to find games, books, music, and software that I highly recommend. Each one will earn me referral commission.
- Click the ads on my site. Don't have a lot of money, but do have some down time to surf the web? Surf my site http://www.darianhickman.com and help me serve!
- Email sales@pdinc.us and mention my name. My friend's company who hosts my website http://www.darianhickman.com will give me $30 for every sale of his personal hosting service. Get it now and I can show you how to set it up easily and use it to share your testimony online.
Support this summer outreach with prayer.
- Pray for the continual renewal of my mind in God's Word everyday whether things are crazy hectic or not.
- Pray that God will open the hearts of the young evangelists while they are having their brick-breaking experience and commence their life of service.
- Pray that I find a group of prayer warriors to intercede on my behalf.
- Pray for the unity and likemindedness of the staff especially in times of stress and exhaustion.
- Pray that words of encouragement, words of praise and joy flow from the well stored up in my heart.
- Pray that whatever we achieve this summer that all the glory goes to God and we keep none for ourselves.
- Pray that I will soon be training mission teams from my home church CrossCurrent and Steel City Church as well.
This summer will bear fruit or your money back.
Jesus taught us, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:4-5
To heed this teaching I am committing to at least 90 minutes everyday reading the Bible and praying. I want your accountability. If I fail this commitment, take back your donation and give it to a disciple who has remained in the vine.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ, thank you in advance for your prayers, your money and your accountability. Keep in touch with me over the summer. Ask me how my commitment is going. God willing I'll have time over the summer to update my blog at http://www.darianhickman.com, too!
Darian Hickman
PS: To learn more about Youth With A Mission Orlando and Mission Adventures check out: http://www.ywamorlando.org/ma.htm
--
Darian Hickman
go to: http://www.darianhickman.com
call me: (703) 201-0524
visit me: 2259 Castle Rock SQ #22C, Reston, VA 20191
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