The weekend in Panama City, Florida was excellent. I met wonderful people, and was treated well. The church was responsive to the move of the Lord, and recognized His presence there with us. One man surrendered to missions, and many others sought the Lords Will and direction. I met some students who I hope will accompany me to foreign lands one day soon!

Of all the wonderful people I have met, there are a handful who had an impact in BJ's life that I still wait to get to know. Tonight, I will have the opportunity to meet one of those people.

Awe Star is co-hosting our annual leadership conference (called "iGo"), this weekend. In attendance will be student missionaries from around the United States. There will be well over a hundred of them in attendance, and I am very excited to be able to spend time with them.

When God's people come together to learn, to grow and to share in fellowship, it is sweet! Many of those who will be here are missionary alumni. The opportunity to hear from their hearts, renew our friendships and reminisce a bit is one that we have been anticipating with great excitement.

One of the attendees is one of BJ's former teammates. She and BJ served together in '04 and '05 in Peru. She is a seminary student. She has dedicated her life to service to our Lord. He is using her in amazing ways. What she has been doing, most of us would not. Where she goes, we would fear, and move in the other direction. Yet, her obedience has been used of Him to make a significant impact.

She frequents the meetings of Satanist's that she might be able share Christ with some. They have accepted her into their midst, but recognize her peculiarity. Light penetrates darkness, and darkness rebels. Her stories would make your hair stand on end. Her extreme obedience is inspiring. The Lord has provided protection for her.

Recently, she led one of these devil worshippers to Christ!!! She's literally been camped out at the gates of hell, that some might come to know Him. The Lord led her to invest in those the rest of "Christian" society would throw away. Oh, not that we would do so intentionally. No, it would be our comfort and inactivity that would indicate our lack of true interest.

Not Laura. Laura is a follower of Jesus. She gets "dirty" actually serving Him. She goes where the need is incredible, denies herself, takes up her cross and follows Him. She does so at great peril to herself. She does so to walk as Jesus walked. She does so with a heartbeat of obedience.

She is one of my heroes!

So why am I nervous to meet her? Where is the angst from?

She is one of BJ's teammates that I have not met. The last of three from '05. She lives on the northwest coast and was unable to attend his funeral celebration. However, her heart and continued prayer support have been with us. I am anxious to embrace her. I trust all pretense will fall away, and that we will have time to be real.

I want to know this warrior. Oh, I have talked to her on-line, received many encouraging email notes and letters from her. I even spoke on the phone with her once. But now, I get to meet her.
There is a reverent fear in my heart as I prepare for this. One that exists because of who she is in Christ, and who she was to BJ.

Oh, that I would love and encourage others as much as she has.

In some small way, I hope this time with her will be a fragment of what it will be like to meet Beej's last teammate...face to face. For now, he will fellowship with Him, and I will get to know Miss Laura!

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