School is out. Finals are over.  Graduation is this weekend, and this Tuesday I leave for Romania.  Ezra is sitting on my lap “helping Daddy blog,”  and talking about all the things we will do together when I get home. 

“Daddy, we can go fishing when you get back and it will be a special treat with just you and me…but you only catch weeds.”

“Ezra, that was only one time…you have to stop peddling that story and telling everyone…Daddy knows how to catch fish.” (Seriously, I do.)

Just sitting here now with my son answering questions like, “Is it a really long drive to Romania?” is ushering in a ton of emotions.

The past 7 months have been quite an exciting journey with the team of Axiom students heading to Romania.  Its been filled with tons of prayer and planning that is all about to culminate as we begin a new part of the journey…actually going.  For 7 months I have been immersed in the details of planning and praying over every decision…trying to think through as many hypothetical scenarios as possible to ensure that this trip is truly God-honoring.  I’m constantly aware that I am responsible for leading students into an experience that carries the potential to completely change the trajectory of their entire life.  I know full well, that though they are college students, they are still someone else’s baby…that’s something I don’t take lightly. 

The stage is being set for whatever God is going to do on this trip.     

Everything we do has purpose.  Fundraisers don’t just raise funds, they raise awareness, build chemistry, and create a door for others to be a part of this story.  Meetings don’t just provide us details, they bring us together under the same vision and create a forum for stronger communication.   I have witnessed an incredibly passionate, mature, and creative team already hit its stride.  I’m humbled to get to with them. 

Adding to the excitement is knowing that we will be with one of the most visionary people I know, Rachel Ross.  I’m confident that just being around her will inspire both myself and our entire team to be all in and find their fit in the Kingdom.  We will be working with kids who have experienced more hardship in their few years than most of us have in our entire lives.  They live in a culture that exploits their very existence from day 1.  I pray that God uses us to bring His overwhelming love to them and bolster Rachel’s vision to change an entire culture through changing one generation.

(You can follow our trip via the Axiom blog…if I get time, I may post some as well.)

And I’m already missing Crystal, Ezra and Calla…I’m a pansy and I don’t do well away from my Crystal and my own babies.  Trips like these remind me what it means to be a husband…what it means to be a dad and why they deserve my best.