Missions

So often we find ourselves overwhelmed by missions. “Save the heathens!” We try and become the Holy Spirit and try to convert people to Christianity, but that is not our job. We look at the numbers and become overwhelmed. What happens when the masses are concentrated down to the face of a little boy, a little boy who has no home, does not speak or hear, a little boy who feels alone in the world? When we focus on numbers, we do nothing, but when we focus on each individual soul, lives are changed.
I know I have been called to foreign missions, to go into all the world, but it has always been me thinking of it being my responsibility for people to change. It’s not though. A few weeks ago I asked God to give me a heart like His. I found myself torn up by campers who went home, and I found myself overjoyed when just one camper came to Jesus. This week missions hit me hard in the face. Meeting the little boy, and having to learn how to communicate to him is just a small picture of what reaching the unreached will likely be like. Having to learn how to communicate, build relationships, and teaching them little by little. I have seen such amazing things this week. Some of us were talking and it became evident the work that God had from the beginning. All of us put together we cover all the bases as far as relating to kids, if we took even one person out we would be less effective. Truly God put this team together.

Missions

I do not know how many times I have posted about missions. If you have not guessed it is something about which I am passionate. Up until about 45 minutes ago I believe that after I graduated from Wayland I would spend the rest of my life in missions in Nicaragua... Oh no, see tonight as I was sketching the life cycle of bread mold I was only about halfway focused (I know) because I was thinking and praying about Nicaragua and missions. Then out of nowhere I felt God saying, "I have a much bigger plan for your life then what you have planned." Well ok initial reaction (please no judgements) can we please save the epiphanies for after I am done with biology, a little irreverent? yes. Minorly sarcastic? have you met me? Of course I thought about what had just happened and started to realize, yes I will be going to Nicaragua, yes I will be ministering to the deaf, but that is not the rest of my life, that is just the beginning before going to the "ends of the earth" Not entirely sure where else God has planned, but I know that His plan is a lot more elaborate and a lot more extensive then just one place.

Missions

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTVpyUOR_fI

You know I am really getting more and more frustrated here. I live in the Bible belt, roughly 30 congregations that claim Jesus as Lord in my town of 3000. I am not only frustrated that the body of Christ is dismembered into 30ish segments in this town alone, but I am also frustrated that the Great Commission "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." which was the last thing Jesus said to his disciples does not seem to be carried out anymore. I see churches whose focuses seem to be on reaching those inside the church or else those with the city. There are occasions when they support a single people group that is considered unreached, but why do we only focus on one group of people. If there are 3o congregations in my town, it is probably safe to assume the number reaches somewhere close to 100 in a larger town 30 miles from here. What if every single church in America that had a congregation of lets say 150 or more chose to train and sponsor missionaries to unreached people groups? What if people instead of focusing on making the church bigger, better, or prettier, started moving, started denying themselves and went into the world and reached those people?

A biggerr piece of the picture

I have known for a while that God wants me in missions, last year He gave me the where (Nicaragua), then a couple weeks ago He gave me the who, the deaf. If you don't know I am going to school to become a teacher. So I started researching and I found a couple who works at a deaf school in Nicaragua. I am beginning to correspond with them and in a few years hopefully in a few years I will be down there. check out their site
makingadifferenceinnicaragua.org

Let's do this!

I asked someone a while back ago how people witnessed. The more I read the new testament the more I see that people just lost it, that's how they managed to do so much, they took every opportunity to share their faith. As far as early Christians were concerned they lovingly kicked butt and took names. Why are we so defensive? Why are we (myself included) so focused on protecting ourselves and not focused on going into satan's turf and winning this thing. Victory is ours so lets not sit back and wait for it to float down. Last week I heard something during devotions. God is gonna ask us who we took with us to heaven. If our purpose was just to "get saved" then why are we still here? Don't you think there is a good reason that God has you here still and didn't just take you home the instant you accepted Christ? There are people dying every day who don't know Christ there are people who feel rejected, unloved, unwanted, etc... and they have no idea there is someone who wants them, loves them, and accepts them. Live as an example so that people ask for the reason of the hope that is in you then tell them. Don't look like the world. If it sounds like the world, walks like the world, and looks like the world it is probably the world. Don't be afraid to be weird. Be different because God is different and because when you are different (in a good way) people notice and ask.

Missions

Matthew 28:19 says to go into all the world and teach the nations. He did not say, "I call you to be a missionary." No He said it to everyone. I was reading on the new this morning that the death toll in China is about 3000, Haiti was in the hundreds of thousands. I can guarantee (that took 4 tries to spell correctly, Mrs. Morris) you that not everyone who died this past year was Christian. Why aren't we being effective, why are we sitting back, twiddling our thumbs thinking, "well maybe tomorrow..." James warns about boasting about tomorrow, as does Proverbs 27:1. The time is now not tomorrow. You don't know what could happen tonight or tomorrow. If you were to die tonight whose fault is it that your unsaved friends do not know about Christ. Maybe you are reading this and thinking, "well I don't have any unsaved friends." Ha! well it sounds like a good idea to go out and make some friends. A few months ago I didn't have any unsaved friends. Guess what I prayed and now I am now working with more unsaved people then I could count. Many of whom are now friends. James 2 states that faith without works is dead. If you claim that Christ changed your life you should be out there proving it.

Things not to ask God.

These are just a few weird things that happened to me following prayers.

Prayer: God, give me more opportunities to talk to people about you.
Answer: Within 10 minutes I found myself talking to a Hindu man from Trinidad.

Prayer: God, if this is where you want me please make it clear
Answer: Within an hour the small group leader wants me to lead the small group for the next two weeks.

Prayer: God show me where to look for a job
Answer: Now hiring signs on many McDonalds, as well as on my AOL job finder. (God your so not funny. lol)

Prayer: Please help me to if nothing else get the interview for ANY job.
Answer: Within 24 hours McDonalds calls.

Ok lesson for today, make sure you are willing before you ask God. It is not that I am not willing, it is simply surprising the response that came so quickly.

Vancouver

So now that I am back I will post the journal I kept while there, try and stay with me I am a little ADD when I write.

January 14

Well I have to say that I am optimistic about the rest of the trip. Already I can see God knitting our hearts together. I confess that I judged some of the other girls, but now after such a short time I can that I love each and every one of them. I was thinking about the verse in Psalm 139 that says that God knit us together in our mothers womb. After learning how to knit I now understand the full meaning of these words. When a person knits there is so much deliberation or planning in each and every stitch, more than that there are so many different results.

All of our planes were on time, PTL. I am bunking with Karima, Alexa, Ms. Anderson, and Mrs. Nix.

February 15, 2010

Today we had an awesome time going around the city taking random photos. It was great, especially getting to talk to people. We really bonded especially since we stayed together and did not break into teams for the scavenger hunt. I am really praying for the Holy Spirit to come in and mess us up (in a good way) and bring us together. Tomorrow we really begin work. Today I saw the Spirit beginning to work. I'm wiped out after a long day.

February 16, 2010

Today was awesome, so far that is. Tonight we are going to a warming station to serve hot cocoa from roughly 6 PM until midnight. Today we did a prayer walk downtown where they are planting churches. We had the amazing opportunity to talk to a few homeless people and we prayed with a man named Uga (spelling may be off). I am impressed with Lynzee and Karima's ability to just walk up and talk to people. I wonder what kind of struggles with which they deal. OK, that was bad, I fixed my sentence like I am turning this in for a grade or something and it is still awkward. I am praying that we are filled to overflowing with the Holy Spirit tonight, we will need it, no doubt.

Wow it has been so incredible. Just giving people hot chocolate around the olympic games. There were some really interesting people and I really rhink we left a pretty big impact in some people's lives. Some of the people were so impressed or appreciative of just a small act of service. The lesson learned tonight was that it does not matter how big of a thing you do, the biggest impact you can have is just loving people as you do it.

February 17, 2010

Slept in a little. We went to the Muslim friendship centre today. While some of what we learned was a little bit of review, some was new and it was convicting because I have judged them in the past. We went to the mall which was fun and crazy.

When we got to the station today I managed to take more than half of my fingernail off, but after regaining my composure (or lack there of) it was great just going out giving people hot chocolate again.

February 18, 2010

This morning we went to North Vancouver, but before we left I was reading in Esther, and verse 4:16 really changed something in me. Basically Esther said she'd help the Jews and she said towards the end, "If I perish, I perish." Could you imagine being so devoted to your people you were fully willing to die for them. What is even more crazy is that is how we should be looking at ministering to people. Anyways, I had some great conversations on the sky trains and the sea bus with people. I need to pray for Steven (who has food poisoning, or had), David (who's bought a house), Delana, and another lady I met on the train (I did not get her name). Only David is for sure a Christian, a really cool story. I have decided that I need to purposely put myself in situations that require me to talk to more people about Christ.

Wow what a tiring night, it seems everyone is tired, achy, or sick. I really have to pray for everyone on that note. It was great seeing the people's reaction to receiving hot chocolate. So many asked what the catch was. A little disappointing that I did not get to talk in depth to anyone, but still able to offer a little warmth.

February 19, 2010

Well today we went to the Buddhist temple and the Indian cultural centre. It really saddened me to see the number of deceived people there. On the train I met a man named Jason who was from Trinidad and believed in Hinduism. It was interesting that a lot of people believe what they believe because that is what their parents believed. I am slowly seeing that I am able to talk to anyone on a train (or rather I am able to open up to let God talk). If God is for us who cares if anyone comes against us.

February 20, 2010

Our last full day in Canada, I cannot believe it. Today we went up to Lynn Valley to an old fashioned suspension bridge. On the way there I got to speak to a lady going to visit her friend, Sharon, who is in the hospital so I will be praying for her. Then, on the way back I met Mary Helen who has lost her faith. On the sky train I talked to a few people who were anti religion, they said they were not against God, but rather against His followers. It is sad to see what a terrible job we, as Christians, are doing. Well it is time to change that, and that will be my mission when I get home. I am so glad about the things that God has allowed me to see and learn on this trip. It is funny that some of the other girl were saying they were impressed with "my" ability to talk to people, but it scared me to death, but as soon as I opened up more to God's will it was not hard, and it was not my words, rather God's.

Why does the mission trip have to end when I get home? God has shown that he can and will use me, so what does geographic location matter. Who knew?

10 Days Left.

At last the Vancouver mission trip is right around the corner. I'm just a little nervous (which will probably change to really nervous within the week) mostly just because its a different trip than any other I have gone on before. The group who is going is really awesome, they all have awesome hearts for God. Please keep us in your prayers for safety, and also for the people we will be ministering to just pray they have open hearts.

Nicaragua

I've known for nearly a year that God has been calling me to Nicaragua. Aaron told me a story about this guy who was praying for a country for 6 months that was the commitment to pray for a country to see if God did something incredible. It got me thinking about finding some random country to pray for, for the next 181 days (Feb 2 - Aug 2 or 6 months). Wait a sec though, I already have a country to pray for. So for the next 181 days I will be praying for Nicaragua, let's see if God does something huge.

Christmas season

Of course it is the Christmas season, does not take rocket science to understand this. However, today in Bible class we were talking about the advent conspiracy, which is basically about spending less on ourselves for Christmas or on gifts others simply don't want and spending the money you would have spent on the gifts to do something meaningful for the less fortunate in other countries. The first thing I thought of was that instead of buying even one gift I am going to crochet or knit each gift for friends and family. I intend to use any money I receive for Christmas to go toward the rest of the amount I owe for my upcoming mission trip to Vancouver in February, the remaining money will be discussed later. If anyone asks me what I want for Christmas I will answer them in such a way where they either spend a minimum amount on me or nothing at all and spend the money on someone who actually needs it. Today as I was driving home from school I heard something on the radio about this kid who is only 15 now and has for the past 7 years been raising money for kids orphaned by AIDS in Zambia because the Bible says in James that true religion is visiting orphans and widows. What if I managed to get my school to do something similar to that? What if 800 people (give or take a few) teamed up and sent money, that might have been spent on a useless gift, to people who may never get a gift or else may just be waiting to die? What about you? How much money do you spend on average on gifts? If I make everyone's gifts this year I will spend approximately $25 total and a few hours doing what I love to do. I challenge you to open your heart not to those who can return the favor but to those who cannot return the favor. Maybe even do it anonymously so that no one but you and God knows about it. Change the world around you by going against what culture says.

God is good.

At my school we have so many opportunities to serve. Well a mission trip we are taking in Feb. is to the Olympics to serve with a ministry called More Than Gold. At first when I asked I was told no, but after the teacher extended the deadline for applications I decided to give it another try and this time my dad said okay but I had to raise the majority of the money. So I was crazy stressed about a week ago and I asked God for a miracle and the next day my teacher told me there was $200 in my missions account for the trip. It could only be God because we were always careful to pay the exact amount no more no less on previous mission trips. Tonight at choir my choir director handed me a check for $50 for the mission trip. God is good.
By the way there is something amazing about lifting praises to God with a huge group that is like a family. It is amazing how close I feel towards my choir considering the majority of the choir is much older than me. God is so cool.