A Quick Update!

Hello Family and Friends,

Today is such a beautiful morning! The air is crisp and the birds are more than likely chirping and singing praises to their Creator. I just wanted to update you all on some things. I am pretty sure everyone knows by now.......I AM ENGAGED!! I am engaged to the most beautiful woman in the world! We are pushing for a May wedding in upstate New York; May 22. I am so excited! Only a little bit over 8 months away. In all honesty, God gets all the glory and praise for this. Jamie had an interview with Liberty Online (DLP) yesterday. So, just remember her in your prayers and that God will let His will be done. One thing I have learned is that God wants His children to put their WHOLE trust in Him. I think sometimes we (I) forget that God is all POWERFUL and that He is the one in CONTROL! Amina!

I am sorry to say I did not go on my internship this past summer to Uganda due to some personal problems. However, I want to thank those of you that have already supported me financially. Most importantly, I thank you all for the prayers and thoughts. I pray that God will lavish ALL of you with His love, compassion, comfort, strength, mercy, and grace! May God's face shine upon you today! *** Hopefully if all works out I will be doing my internship back at Good Shepeherds Fold Orphanage. Just pray that God will work out things for me. I am half way with my support, so Praise God for that! If you all want to continue to support through prayer and finiancial means, just let me know. I know that I could use the prayer. Thank you all and have a great and rockin' day!! Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, that I am in my LAST semester for undergrad. I will be done this December, and I will walk..I mean dance across the stage! Praise God for bringing me this far!!

-Chandler

Postponed. Delayed. Deferred.

Hello to Family and Friends,

I am sorry to say that my internship has been postponed. However, I hope to complete my internship next Spring. Thank you for those that have already supported me financially. I truly appreciate that. More importantly, thank you all of your prayers. They are still much needed. I will continue to update on what God is doing in my life during the summer. I also to continue to walk the journey with the relationships that I have already made. And I am looking forward to building new relationships and walking this journey together also. Take care and thank you for all of you support.

-In Christ Alone,
Chandler Sharpe

Attention to All!

Dear Family and Friends,

I hope this letter finds you and your family doing well. I am also doing well. I am in my senior year at Liberty University and will be graduating this December. One of the requirements before I graduate is to complete an eight week long internship. As many of you know God has given me a passion for the people of Africa. He has graciously given me the opportunity to return to Uganda this summer to fulfill my internship requirement. I will be departing on June 15 and will be returning August 12.

I will be living and working in a town called Arua which is located in Northern Uganda. Arua is home to the Lugbara people, who are an unreached people group. While there, I will be working alongside career missionaries helping with True Love Waits and English story groups with the secondary students, as Lugbara story groups within the community. The goal of each ministry is to build relationships with the people in order to share the message of hope and salvation.

I am writing to invite you to be part of the ministry that God is doing in Arua and the ministry that I will be part of. One way that you can actively take part in these ministries is through prayer. Please pray that God will prepare me physically, spiritually, emotionally, and mentally for the journey ahead. Also be praying for the missionaries who are already in Arua. Pray that the eyes of the Lugbara people would be opened and their hearts softened for the gospel. Another way that you can be involved in what God is doing, is through supporting me financially. I am in the need of $4,000. This money will be used for travel expenses, food, housing, immunizations, and visa fees. I know this might seem like a huge amount, but God is teaching me that He is big enough to provide for the needs of His children.

Thank you for your prayers and support. I look forward to updating you and keeping you informed about my life and ministry through my blog. Please let me know what you are doing and how I can be praying for you as we travel this road together.

In Christ Alone,
Chandler Sharpe

P.S. If you choose to write a check, make it out to Living Word Baptist Church. Thanks!

Here's the address of Living Word:
Living Word Baptist Church
4130 Waterlick Road
Forest, VA 24551

IF YOU SEND MONEY, I NEED IT VERY SOON SO I CAN GET MY PLANE TICKET.
THANK YOU.

Come and listen...

Hola mis amgios,

I know I have not updated in a while. I have just been busy with school and Praise God that this semester is over with. I now officially have 2 more semesters in my college career. Woot...Woot!! I have to honestly say that I am just blown away and overwhelmed with the grace, mercy, and unfailing love of Our Abba Father. He is just flippin awesome and amazing! I cannot comprehend of how many times I screwed up and God just welcomed me back in His family with open arms. Gloria a Dios! I am very thankful for what He has done in my life and what He will be doing in my life. He has got me through the past almost 7 years of school. He poured down His incredible strength on me to get through each day. It is because of Him I am alive and breathing today. Gloria a Dios! And when I least expected it, God sent an unbelievable woman in my life. It is actually funny and rockin of how we met. A little over 6 weeks ago one of my friends from LU called one Saturday afternoon and told me that she has a friend that she wanted to hook me up with. I actually could not believe me ears. I told my friend Jessica that she knows how I feel about dating right now in my life and I do not know about "getting hooked up." So, Jessica told me to just look her friend (Jamie Benedict) on facebook. I did what she asked and Jamie later confirmed our friendship on facebook a couple of hours later or so. We started talking on facebook chat for a day or so, then we went to talking on instant messenger for another couple of days, then we finally moved to the phone. We had phone conversations of 2 hours, then 3 hours, then 4 1/2 hours. I have to say that I have never met or known a person of the opposite sex that can talk with me that long. Our conversations were not awkward at all. We actually had things to talk about. It was great and rockin!! We talked on the phone every night and it was also rockin. And then it came to one random day where Jamie had a spontaneous idea. The great and spontaneous idea was to finally meet each other after almost 4 weeks of talking on the phone. My first response was yes, then I started being analytical and told her that I had my 2 last finals in 4 days. After we got off the phone I started thinking and praying about it and finally decided that I would take that spontaneous trip to Winston-Salem, NC to finally meet the woman that I had been talking to. It was a great place to meet because my brother, Eric Barbour lived there and such. We finally met each other and I have to tell you that I think I met a woman who was walking around in my dreams. She looked differently in person. She looked very beautiful and lovely. We decided to go and get coffee in downtown Winston-Salem. Of course we both got Fair Trade Coffee and talked for two hours or so. It was something else looking into her beautiful eyes. After that we went and walked in a few stores and art galleries and even watch some of the Christmas parade. It was a great way to kick off the night. We went back to Barbour's house, at pizza, talked, and played wii. I am pretty sure I beat her on bowling by 3 points. Rock it on! After that day things have been very great. We are now officially dating and I have to honestly say that Jamie Benedict is the most amazing person I have ever met on this earth. I have never met anyone who had the same childhood experience as I did, and the same passions that I have; especially for missions and Africa. Every day I learn new things about her and realize we have so much in common and it feels like I have known her forever. I appreciate her friendship and our relationship. I honestly feel that my relationship with Jamie is the most God-centered one that I have ever had. God is the center of ALL our conversations. I pray that He continues to be the center of our relationship. I am still amazed of how God allowed Jamie and I to meet. She is one rockin chica. I think Jamie is one of the very few persons that actually and truly understands my heart and passions in life. Praise God for that!! I just wanted to share a story with you all of how God is just incredible, amazing, and awesome!!! Thank you for allowing me to share with you all. I give Our Abba Father all the praise and glory!! Amen. Ciao mis amigos.

-Chandler

Missions: Is It Really Worth It?

Hola a todos,

You know something that I have been thinking about is the great commission and persecution, but I would like to talk about the great commission. I am so glad that I decided to stay here and finish school instead of leaving for Africa right away. I am so glad that I have took my two Inter-cultural classes because God used both of them to open up my eyes and heart to see and feel what He sees, feels, and moves Him. We all know the great commission, so I am not going to preach to the choir. However, the only thing that I do not understand is if we know that there are tribal groups and other ethnic groups that have not heard of who Jesus Christ is, than why are we still in our comfortable nation. These tribal/ethnic groups probably do not even have a word for love in their own language and they are living through each day and they are missing it. Since they do not understand the concept of love because they have no word for it, then how in the world are they going to know and understand of a God who died for them and loves them. I think the only way that they can know and understand that is if we go out there and put the Gospel into their own language to where they can actually understand it. I mean, we are talking about serious stuff here. This involves life or death for them. This involves heaven or hell for them. This involves being separated from God or spending eternity with God. This involves eternal life: quality and quantity of life. I was talking to my mama last night about this and I could not understand how people knowing this truth will not go out into the Nations and tell all ethnic/tribal/peoples about the God and Father who changed their life. And my mama said that they are some people that do care, but the one thing that made me sad is she said that there are people that don't care. Oh man, I pray for those that don't care. I pray that God will convict our hearts. I pray for those that do care that God will enlarge our hearts to see what He sees and feel what He feels. I was once the one that knew about lost but did not want to go out into the Nations. I was making excuses. But who are we to make excuses? I mean come on. Seriously. I have heard in the past year: I have children to look after, I have a job, I don't have enough money, some people are just too old, maybe I will do it later. Oh man, I pray that God will convict us and change our hearts. I pray that God will let everyone see that He is a global God not just a Western or American God. I mean, there are people out there in Africa, Asia, and I think South America that have never heard of the name Jesus Christ before. They are living each day as each day is normal. And they are missing something. These people do not have a word in their language for love. I just don't understand how in the world we can just stay here in our comforts and just let them live a normal life without know who Jesus Christ is. The way I see it is we are ignoring their cries for help. Their cries for mercy. Their cries for grace. I pray that our generation won't be like the others and try to make excuses. I know what you are thinking, well if we go out into the world, then who is going to stay here and minister to the people here? That is the question my mama and granddaddy asked me. I didn't know how to answer that when they asked me that, but I think I do now. Let God handle that. That is not our problem. We are not supposed to limit God and His power and His work. We are not supposed to put God in a box. God will find a way to work that all out. That is how BIG is! I am not trying to change everyone's hearts, I just want everyone to think about things differently. Because I think that is the problem, is that we do not think. I can tell you that I have learned to actually learn the use the brain and mind God gave me, and yes I might have short-term memory but that doesn't stop me from thinking. I also pray that we look at the BIG picture also. I will leave you with some quotes that encouraged me:


"The Great Commission is not an option to be considered; it is a command to be obeyed."
- Hudson Taylor


"If you found a cure for cancer, wouldn't it be inconceivable to hide it from the rest of mankind? How much more inconceivable to keep silent the cure from the eternal wages of death." - Dave Davidson


"Had I cared for the comments of people, I should never have been a missionary." - C.T. Studd


"Today Christians spend more money on dog food then missions"
- Leonard Ravenhill


"Have my blood. Have it all. Let it be poured out for the life of the world."
- Jim Elliot


"If every Christian is already considered a missionary, then all can stay put where they are, and nobody needs to get up and go anywhere to preach the gospel. But if our only concern is to witness where we are, how will people in unevangelized areas ever hear the gospel? The present uneven distribution of Christians and opportunities to hear the gospel of Christ will continue on unchanged." - C. Gordon Olson


"This generation of Christians is responsible for this generation of souls on the earth!"
- Keith Green


"The command has been to "go," but we have stayed - in body, gifts, prayer and influence. He has asked us to be witnesses unto the uttermost parts of the earth…But 99% of Christians have kept puttering around in the homeland."
- Robert Savage


"Let my heart be broken with the things that break God's heart" - Bob Pierce, World Vision founder


"Tell the students to give up their small ambitions and come eastward to preach the gospel of Christ."
- Francis Xavier


"A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story."
- K.P. Yohannan


"Here am I. Send me." - Isaiah


"Other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring" -Jesus


"This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." - Jesus



I will let you decide that. Is missions worth it? Is missions worth it all? Is going to another country and forsaking our comforts worth it? Is going on a journey and seeking out tribal/ethnic groups worth it all? Is going on a journey to where you might actually have to work your butt off to translate the Gospel into their own language to where they truly understand worth it all? Is going to other countries worth it? Is being truly persecuted for the sake of the Gospel worth it all? If the stones and rocks will eventually cry out, then is it worth it? Is it really and truly worth it all?


~Chandler

Complain or Not To Complain, that is the question?

Hello amigos,

Something has been on my mind lately. I wonder why I find myself complaining when I have all the necessities to live through each day. People have told me that it is okay to vent out my feelings, emotions, and whatever is on my mind. I have found myself for the past three weeks complaining about stupid things. And then someone tells me that it is okay. I really do not know what I think about that statement. No, it is not okay to complain. I know that we have freewill to choose whether or not to complain, but what is the purpose of complaining. I can hear my old soccer coach yell, "Purpose, Purpose!" He would yell that when players would kick or pass the ball and it would not go towards other teammates. I think I can put his famous quote to the whole idea about complaining. Seriously, what is the purpose about complaining?? It does not get you anywhere or make the situation better. The verses that came to my mind was Philippians 2:13-15, "For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe..." Wow! I think that I have forgotten whatever I go through in life does not surprise God Almighty at all. I think most of us forget that. The truth is that God has planned our lives and whatever we go through from the very beginning, even before we came out of our mother's womb. I think that whatever comes our way, all in all...brings glory to Our Father, God himself. That verse talks about that we should do everything without complaining or arguing. And then it says why, "so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation." That is another Wow! Then the verse ends by saying, "in which you shine like stars in the universe." That we shine for God's glory! Amen. Another reason why I do not think that Americans should complain is because we have everything that we need to survive. We have shelter, food, clothing, and water! In our homes we have carpet/wood floors, showers/bathtubs, hot water heaters, pure water to drink, toilets, furniture, and most important people who love us. Why then should we complain? There are people all over the world who does not have what we all have. There are orphans, widows, and people dying of starvation in Africa who do not have that much in life. If they have water, then it is contaminated, and if they have toilets then it might be a hole in the ground where you have to squat. People do not realize our blessed we are. So, back to my soccer coach's famous quote, "Purpose, Purpose!" There is not purpose in complaining or arguing over what we have in life. I have to apologize to my friends and family that for the past three weeks have put up with my annoying complaining. I am sorry! I got off track in life as to what is important. Bringing God glory in whatever we do is the most important thing in life. Take care my friends and I pray that God's face will shine on you today! Ciao

-Chandler

Something to ponder/think about...

Hello my friends,

I know it has been a while since I have updated my blog. I have been thinking about what to write and how to update what is going on in my life. I have been having a hard time ever since I have been back from Uganda, Africa. I look around at the many things this American has to offer. I look around and see the materialism in this culture. I look around and see people who are not willing to accept the free gift that Our Glorious God has to offer. I look around and see people who not willing to give up their comforts to go spend some time in the Nations. I look around and see people getting caught up within themselves. I look around and see a Nation who has many "things", but does not know how to use them all wisely. We are a Nation with many "things" but put the majority to waste. I would even say, how dare us! There are people around the world who are suffering. There are millions upon millions orphans in Africa. What these orphans and people suffer compares nothing to what we suffer here in America, they suffer a whole lot more than we do. We are so caught up in our desires and thinking how to satisfy ourselves. And we as a people fail to see things through the eyes of Our God. We fail to see the world through His beautiful eyes. We fail to feel what He feels. We fail to love what He loves. We even fail to go where He is (where He wants us to go). Yesterday I was walking into Kroger to get some things for the week and I got sick. It made me sick to see how much food "we" have and buy. I bet some of that food people buy, goes to waste. And to think there are orphans in Africa, and all over the world that are starving (really starving, not just saying it, but are experiencing it) I was reading in my quiet time last night Ephesians 3. I love the whole book of Ephesians; Paul was an amazing writer and preacher. I loved the whole chapter but a couple verses spoke out to me; 18 & 20. Verse 18 starts like this, "may have power, together with all saints, to grasp how wide, and long and high and deep is the love of Christ." Does not that just blow your mind? I mean if every person that truly followed Jesus Christ would really grasp how wide, long, high, and deep His Love is would we do things and say things differently? I would even say yes. Verse 20 starts like this, "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us." Holy crap chicken! That verse is so amazing. Our God is able to do things that we cannot comprehend or even imagine. Just to think that God is able to be there for the orphans if nobody wants to. He is able to raise that generation to do great things for His Name & Kingdom. God is able to do immeasurably and incredible things if people refuse to get out of their comfort zones to go minister to the orphans & widows. He desires to make Himself known to everybody in the Nations. That is how BIG our God is. We are called to the light of the world. So, let all of us carry our torches and go out unto the Nations and be a light, even in the dark places. That is what I pray for myself and for others who read this. This post was just some thoughts on my mind. Please let me know what ya'll think. We need to be willing to leave our comfort zone (stepping out of the boat) and go and make Christ known among the Nations. More of my thoughts will come later on. Ciao!


~Chandler