The Body of Christ

This week I am mailing out support requests. As a missionary associate I have to have my full support pledged before I can begin my work. Please join me in prayer over each of these letters as they go forth.
This is not the easiest part of my mission work. In this economy, the last thing people want is to be asked to make another monthly committment.
But this calling is for a higher purpose than my ease and comfort, which is why I am being obedient and asking. We are all called to play a part in the Great Commission. As the Body of Christ, we all have a role to play. My role is to be the feet who carries the Good News. Others are called to be encouragement. Some are called to be teachers - raising up future missionaries. Some are called to give above and beyond... but all are called to give joyfully.
I pray for each of you that is called to give. I pray that you will find a great joy and blessing in sharing your gifts with those of us called to go. I pray God blesses you in a special way so you can continue to give and help spread the Good News to the end of the earth. Bless you!
If you would like to join my monthly support team, please see the link to the right hand side of this blog, or contact me for a form. Your support is greatly needed. Thank you!

What am I devoted to?

My pastor talked today about devotion. He challenged us to think about a few things.
1) When I look at my calendar, where do I use most of my time?
2) When I look at my check book, on what do I spend most of my money?
Hard questions to ponder.
My calendar is my biggest concern. I work hard to protect my "me" time... but I don't always protect my "God and me" time. God has been calling me to a season of prayer but I find myself living that out in short bursts rather than a steady journey.
If you are reading this, can you pray for me? Can you pray that until I feel that desire to be fulfilling that season of prayer, that I will be devoted to doing it anyway. I know the heart will follow the obedience... now I need to begin following in that obedience.
"See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse— the blessing if you obey the commands of the LORD your God that I am giving you today; the curse if you disobey the commands of the LORD your God and turn from the way that I command you today by following other gods, which you have not known." Deuteronomy 11:26-28

God Bless America

This is a little different from previous posts - but it's on my heart and I wanted to share. Thank you! It is no secret that while our nation was built on the foundation of God and His Holy Word - we are now a nation who is moving away from the God who has blessed us.
Israel - the blessed nation of the Lord - often found themselves there. They often turned their back on the God who brought them out of slavery, helped them cross the Red Sea to safety, gave them water from a rock and brought them into the Promised Land - flowing with milk and honey. But they were so led astray by the false gods of other peoples.
Countless times God allowed destruction and sorrow to visit the lands of Israel when they turned their back on Him. Countless times God would call out to them and ask them to humble themselves before Him and He would rescue them from their own mis-guidance.
2 Chronicles 30:12 says "Also in Judah the hand of God was on the people to give them unity of mind to carry out what the king and his officials had ordered, following the word of the LORD."
We as God's people need to humble ourselves, unite together in faith and pray. We can not bring this nation around - but we serve a might God who can! God bless America!

Thank You For Giving To The Lord

Did my title make you start humming the song? It might be a "dated" song... but the words are always relevant. Lately, I've been sharing my testimony and each time I do, I realize just how many people have made an impact on my life.
This coming Sunday I have been asked to share about my mission work with the church I grew up in. McBain Baptist church means so much to me and I'm so excited to not only share about my mission work but also take a moment to share a little about how God used that church to raise up this missionary. God used people like Laurie who invited me to my first Awana class; Diane who saw a little girl who needed more of Jesus; and bus drivers who picked me up faithfully every Sunday and every Wednesday.
Of course the list of those who impacted my life does not end there... there are the friends I met at Calvin who helped me discover who I am, the outreach team at Calvary CRC who taught me how to be a true servant and my "family" at Northpoint who continue to help me deepen my relationship with Jesus.
So many people, through so many different avenues... all a part of making me a person God would someday call into the mission field.
Thank you to each of you who faithfully taught, gave, listened, guided and loved me. Many of you did not see where all of this would lead, many of you were only in my life for a season - but you allowed God to use you to make me who I am today.
For that I truly am blessed!

I Will Give You Rest

The LORD replied, "My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest." Exodus 33:1
I need this Word today - and for my busy month to come. November is filled with work, fundraising, friends, family... And because next year I will not be living in Michigan, I do not want to miss out on single moment with a single person.
But the problem comes in that I have a limited amount of time and energy. I feel tired just looking at the month's schedule. This is where God's word to the Israelites become the focus of my thoughts. (By the way, I love how God's word to the Israelites so many years ago is timely and revelant to me today.)
When reading this passage, I often focus the words of promise "I will give you rest" but today I am focusing on the words "My Presence will go with you" and what that really means. God has to be an acknowledged (and sought after) part of my life. I have to be involved in an active relationship. I have to be spending time reading His great Word and talking with Him on a daily basis.
I have to admit, I tend to let myself be too busy and make the decision to skip my devotions for the day. Why do I skip the one thing that I need the most? That disobedience not only puts distance between my Heavenly Father and myself... but it leaves me feeling empty.
So tomorrow morning, when I want to hit snooze one more time... I will be getting up and immersing myself in reading and talking. I will make the choice to follow in obedience. I will allow God's presence to go with me fully and feel the true measure of His rest.

PFO

This past week I had the opportunity to attend PFO (Pre-field Orientation - for all missionary associates and missionary candidates). It was an amazing week of information, meeting other missionary associates and hearing from the wealth of missions experience our speakers were able to share. I was able to attend this with Lola Geary - another missionary associate from my church who will be serving in Moldova (near Romania). We were both exhausted by the end of the week, but encouraged to finish our current work (fundraising) to get to the field as soon as possible.
Please continue to pray as I continue to raise my funds. My pledged support is at 9% and my cash budget is at 10%. Thank you for your support!