If you have been around Vertical Impact over the past few weeks you have heard us mention more than once an upcoming event called Appalachian Service Project. Ok, so, I will admit. The name isn’t exactly riveting, but I assure you the experience is LIFE CHANGING. And I am not someone who will make a claim like that very lightly. Ask anyone around the ministry, most especially LFD and they will tell you I can tend to be a bit of a cynic. Check that, I can be a REALLY big cynic. But ASP truly is one of those few chances we have in life to go somewhere out of the way and really stretch spiritually. Last year was my first ASP and I hope it won’t be my last. It has the usual guaranteed events that every VI event promises. Things like powerful worship and incredible ministry moments, but it has something else none of our other events touch. We experience real and true servanthood down in the rural regions of Appalachia. Now maybe manual labor really doesn’t get you all worked up and excited, but it’s not the work and effort that makes the change in you. First, it is a chance to see how real issue poverty is here in the U.S. We so often think of poverty as some abstract thing either in the inner city or in Africa, but we are way off base. At least in the inner city they have utilities, things like electricity and running water. Entering the work site as ASP feels like you have just walked off the face of the planet and into some foreign zone. These people are truly destitute. And one of the amazing things to me, they are so happy and have their lives so centered on the things that truly matter, family and community. You see, it’s not just the chance to help another, but to let their lives and examples teach you about what life can be like. Now I am not recommending poverty to anyone, I am just saying, maybe we all get a little toO caught up in the material things that occupy our lives and take us further and further away from Christ. Without all the distractions we have, these people live a simple, yet very balanced life. This is something you have to see and sense to be able to appreciate and it is for these reasons and so many more that you NEED to be there. You NEED to go on ASP. You will be a changed person, changed for the better. I want that for myself and I want that for each and every person in this world, most especially the students in this ministry. So get your forms in and commit to this chance. You will know renewal, joy, love and service, and I promise, that deep and abundant blessings that only Christ can give you. See you there.