January 15, 2012
This past weekend we attended a retreat for all the board members of our church. Our lead Pastor gave all the board members a specific challenge. In the next year, he would like to see each board member go on a mission trip to one of our strategic mission partnerships. He made the comment that if money was an issue to let him know and he would make sure it could happen.
Goodness.
We love to go on mission trips. We have been on several mission trips before and have loved every minute of it. It has broadened our horizons to spend time with Christ followers in a different culture. However, none of the mission trips we had been on were to one of our strategic partnerships.
The cost factor of a mission trip is definitely an issue for us now because of "the storm" we have been caught up in for the last five years. It wasn't easy before... but now it seems impossible. To even think about going on a foreign mission trip is pure craziness! Crazy! Yet, our Pastor issued the challenge, and we felt God impress that challenge upon us. We believe we are supposed to go. How? I don't know. There is just no possible way. At least no earthly way.
When God calls – God provides.
We are going to start believing and planning. We are examining our expenses and seeing where we can save money. We are going to move forward believing God can and will provide. We are going to believe that God will provide a way to pay the debts we have incurred defending ourselves from "the storm." We are going to believe God will provide the way. He most certainly has been the one to sustain us, and He will be the one who provides the way. So, within this next year, LORD willing, we will be taking a foreign mission trip, and God will have provided the way. We are not going to be asking for help from our Pastor or anyone else. We will wait upon the LORD.
These last five years God has repeatedly shown us that we didn't need to take a mission trip to some far away land to be used by Him. We have a mission field right here, impacting the people that are within our sphere of influence. For five years we have considered nothing else. What is going on that we are now to be thinking and planning for something that has been totally out of our reach? I don't know. We are taking a step of faith and believing the impossible IS possible with God.
Addendum: 9/5/15 ~ You will read later how God provided. (The Rest of the Story)
We've received word that the judge has (after eight years) issued a 40+ page ruling. Because we had family here, we have not yet had time to read it. I may just wait until our lawyer returns from his trip and let him explain it to us. Oh, how we long to someday have "the storm" over with and all the ugly nastiness behind us.
How long, LORD? How long? It has been over eight years. We are innocent of ALL their accusations. ALL!! When are we going to be freed? We still believe YOUR promises sent to us through Jane. We continue to pray the prayer found in Psalm 17:13 - "LORD, rise up! Face the enemy! And throw them down. Save us, O LORD, by YOUR sword. Save us, O LORD, by YOUR power."
Next Entry: Daniel 1:1–21
This past weekend we attended a retreat for all the board members of our church. Our lead Pastor gave all the board members a specific challenge. In the next year, he would like to see each board member go on a mission trip to one of our strategic mission partnerships. He made the comment that if money was an issue to let him know and he would make sure it could happen.
Goodness.
We love to go on mission trips. We have been on several mission trips before and have loved every minute of it. It has broadened our horizons to spend time with Christ followers in a different culture. However, none of the mission trips we had been on were to one of our strategic partnerships.
The cost factor of a mission trip is definitely an issue for us now because of "the storm" we have been caught up in for the last five years. It wasn't easy before... but now it seems impossible. To even think about going on a foreign mission trip is pure craziness! Crazy! Yet, our Pastor issued the challenge, and we felt God impress that challenge upon us. We believe we are supposed to go. How? I don't know. There is just no possible way. At least no earthly way.
When God calls – God provides.
We are going to start believing and planning. We are examining our expenses and seeing where we can save money. We are going to move forward believing God can and will provide. We are going to believe that God will provide a way to pay the debts we have incurred defending ourselves from "the storm." We are going to believe God will provide the way. He most certainly has been the one to sustain us, and He will be the one who provides the way. So, within this next year, LORD willing, we will be taking a foreign mission trip, and God will have provided the way. We are not going to be asking for help from our Pastor or anyone else. We will wait upon the LORD.
These last five years God has repeatedly shown us that we didn't need to take a mission trip to some far away land to be used by Him. We have a mission field right here, impacting the people that are within our sphere of influence. For five years we have considered nothing else. What is going on that we are now to be thinking and planning for something that has been totally out of our reach? I don't know. We are taking a step of faith and believing the impossible IS possible with God.
Addendum: 9/5/15 ~ You will read later how God provided. (The Rest of the Story)
We've received word that the judge has (after eight years) issued a 40+ page ruling. Because we had family here, we have not yet had time to read it. I may just wait until our lawyer returns from his trip and let him explain it to us. Oh, how we long to someday have "the storm" over with and all the ugly nastiness behind us.
How long, LORD? How long? It has been over eight years. We are innocent of ALL their accusations. ALL!! When are we going to be freed? We still believe YOUR promises sent to us through Jane. We continue to pray the prayer found in Psalm 17:13 - "LORD, rise up! Face the enemy! And throw them down. Save us, O LORD, by YOUR sword. Save us, O LORD, by YOUR power."
Next Entry: Daniel 1:1–21
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