This past June's trip to Nicaragua was a huge success. One by one, God overcame every obstacle and set back, even our imperfections to accomplish His purpose. Thousands of men, women and children were touched through the various ministries, and dozens of these precious souls were added to the numbers of His eternal Kingdom. We will never know this side of heaven the true impact of this trip.
So.... Mission Accomplished? ...Not hardly.
I cannot speak for you, but as far as I am concerned, this blessed week of service was probably the easiest week of this year when it came to being obedient to the great commission and to many of the teachings of our Lord Jesus.
Problem is, Jesus didn't “call” me to be on mission for Him one week per year only. Problem is, He didn't even suggest that I would just share my story and His story once in a while then walk away...
Moments before joining His father in heaven, Jesus gave us very specific instructions: “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, teaching them to observe every thing I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matt.28:19-20)
Jesus didn't call me for a week of mission per year; He gave me a command of an on-going nature to make disciples of all nations, to have folks publicly testify of their salvation and to teach them to obey everything that He has taught us.
51+1 is a huge personal challenge because simply said, I slide very comfortably in my work-home-church routine and the various “Christian” activities I'm involved with are just enough to hold me over until my next mission trip. Jesus Himself reminds me in John 14 “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching” and the Holy Spirit took a hold of me in Nicaragua and since our return that God expect me to engage in making disciples all year around.
In the next few months, we will review together the tools that God has provided to be effective “disciple makers” and I look forward for all the stories of lives changed and how God is working through us to further His Kingdom every week of the months preceding our trip to El Maguelar, Honduras. My vision is for our Team to be able to really say: 51 weeks of glorious mission work... and oh, also one week of disciple-making in Honduras.
Until my next blog, you have a reading assignment: “Radical” by David Platt. Enjoy, and God Bless you in this journey!
Daniel Clark
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
DO YOU THINK IT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE?
This was a question posed to me, by a fellow tenor, at choir rehearsal about three weeks prior to our trip to La Mora, Nicaragua this past June. At first, I was not sure what he was talking about so I asked “What do you mean?” He said “down there, wherever you are going does it do any good?” I told him from my perspective it was like the parable in Mark 4 verses 3-9 where Jesus spoke about the sower and the four soils. We get to see the results of some seeds that had been sown prior to our visit to the village just as others will see the results of the seeds we planted during our few short days in the village. Some of the seeds will not receive the watering, nurturing and weed pulling they need and will soon wither and die but some will flourish.
We do not always know or anticipate the effects our small actions have on another but God knows everything and its all part of His plan. My small mind could never understand or comprehend all the ways that God uses me but only when I have time to sit and think on it is it revealed to me. In my office at work, I have the BMDMI yearly calendar on the wall as well as some photos from past trips, nametags from different teams, missionary postcards and a photo of some of the children from Good Shepherd Children’s Home. They create questions that I did not foresee when I placed them there but God knew what the result would be. I put them there as a reminder for myself but many times they generate conversation about the good works of BMDMI and the many opportunities. I regularly forward the monthly newsletter that comes from Bruce Johnson, to those that I think might be willing to read it as does my wife. Two different individuals that my wife works with have provided donations to GSCH as a result of this sharing. My small brain would have never seen the end result of simply forwarding an email newsletter but God knew it all along. My sister-in-law and her husband recently authored and had published a book titled “Right to God” and because she saw photos and links on my Facebook page to BMDMI, she wanted to know how they could donate some of the proceeds. So do I think all of the “small” things make a difference, in one word YES! more than we could ever hope for or imagine. What is even more amazing is that all of this happened after we moved to Washington, DC. I know it may be hard to believe with all you see and hear coming from the nation’s capitol but there are godly people here too. I have been joining the FBCOB mission teams for the past four years and have had the honor and privilege to work in the kitchen where I get to see the impact on all the North Americans as well as the locals. Working in the kitchen also provides the opportunity to see all the other mission areas is action. I am excited about Honduras 2011.
Marlin Ruhl
We do not always know or anticipate the effects our small actions have on another but God knows everything and its all part of His plan. My small mind could never understand or comprehend all the ways that God uses me but only when I have time to sit and think on it is it revealed to me. In my office at work, I have the BMDMI yearly calendar on the wall as well as some photos from past trips, nametags from different teams, missionary postcards and a photo of some of the children from Good Shepherd Children’s Home. They create questions that I did not foresee when I placed them there but God knew what the result would be. I put them there as a reminder for myself but many times they generate conversation about the good works of BMDMI and the many opportunities. I regularly forward the monthly newsletter that comes from Bruce Johnson, to those that I think might be willing to read it as does my wife. Two different individuals that my wife works with have provided donations to GSCH as a result of this sharing. My small brain would have never seen the end result of simply forwarding an email newsletter but God knew it all along. My sister-in-law and her husband recently authored and had published a book titled “Right to God” and because she saw photos and links on my Facebook page to BMDMI, she wanted to know how they could donate some of the proceeds. So do I think all of the “small” things make a difference, in one word YES! more than we could ever hope for or imagine. What is even more amazing is that all of this happened after we moved to Washington, DC. I know it may be hard to believe with all you see and hear coming from the nation’s capitol but there are godly people here too. I have been joining the FBCOB mission teams for the past four years and have had the honor and privilege to work in the kitchen where I get to see the impact on all the North Americans as well as the locals. Working in the kitchen also provides the opportunity to see all the other mission areas is action. I am excited about Honduras 2011.
Marlin Ruhl
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
"GOD'S TRUTH DOES NOT DEPEND ON MY FEELINGS"
When our daughter Melissa was 12, she came to us and told us that she was going to Honduras on a mission trip that summer. She said that God had told her to go whether we did or not, and that Ms Janet would take care of her! Well…God led the rest of us to go too, and started our adventures in foreign missions…most definitely out of my comfort zone. This summer was our 4th trip to Central America, our first to Nicaragua.
In my quiet time the day we left, God led me to Ezekiel 37:3. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O sovereign Lord, You alone know.”
Had I been Ezekiel, I’m sure I would have said, “No.” Not because I didn’t believe God could make bones live, but because I didn’t expect Him to or understand why He would. So many times I assume I know things about situations around me. I answer so many questions with definitive answers- but so many times my answer should be, “only God knows”. God is sovereign..all powerful..able to do much more than anything we can ask or imagine. God is teaching me that my feelings and expectations have little to do with how He handles things. I am so grateful that God’s truth does not depend on my feelings. I’m learning to just obey and watch God work out the details…so today at WalMart I bought 2 bag chairs to take on the next trip!
Our Little Blessings sale is coming up at FBC on August 27 and 28. We will be in charge of the concession stand where we will sell Nelms BBQ sandwiches, chips, popcorn and drinks. We need help during both days of the sale from about 10am to the close of the sale each day. We will be working in shifts of 2 or 3 hours. We also need donations of things to sell…if our buns, chips, and drinks are donated, that much more money can go to missions. Please email me to let me know when you’d like to help and I will put you on the schedule.
Vicki Britton
bbritton4@comcast.net
In my quiet time the day we left, God led me to Ezekiel 37:3. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” I said, “O sovereign Lord, You alone know.”
Had I been Ezekiel, I’m sure I would have said, “No.” Not because I didn’t believe God could make bones live, but because I didn’t expect Him to or understand why He would. So many times I assume I know things about situations around me. I answer so many questions with definitive answers- but so many times my answer should be, “only God knows”. God is sovereign..all powerful..able to do much more than anything we can ask or imagine. God is teaching me that my feelings and expectations have little to do with how He handles things. I am so grateful that God’s truth does not depend on my feelings. I’m learning to just obey and watch God work out the details…so today at WalMart I bought 2 bag chairs to take on the next trip!
Our Little Blessings sale is coming up at FBC on August 27 and 28. We will be in charge of the concession stand where we will sell Nelms BBQ sandwiches, chips, popcorn and drinks. We need help during both days of the sale from about 10am to the close of the sale each day. We will be working in shifts of 2 or 3 hours. We also need donations of things to sell…if our buns, chips, and drinks are donated, that much more money can go to missions. Please email me to let me know when you’d like to help and I will put you on the schedule.
Vicki Britton
bbritton4@comcast.net
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
EACH ENCOUNTER IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SHARE JOY
Two of our team members have found a unique way to spend Saturday’s together. Rene’ and Judy Jordan have been going to garage sales and asking for the clothing that does not sell to be donated to our mission team for distribution in Honduras. They have discovered that a garage sale is an open invitation to share our joy by allowing people in our community the opportunity to be involved in helping the people of Honduras. Below is what Rene has related to me about their adventures on July 31st.
Tommy,
Judy told me you wanted more information about yesterdays clothing gathering for HON2011.
Everything that happened yesterday was awesome. Normally when we go to garage sales, we use wife's IPhone with the Garage Sale App. to locate the garage sales that may be close by. Then we take the address from the IPhone app. and add it into the GPS so we can drive straight to the garage sale. Yesterday morning, when we were about to get in the car to go, Judy asked if we should get the GPS. We decided not to use the GPS and just drive around looking for Garage Sale signs. We drove to a nearby neighborhood and saw a sign indicating a garage sale down the road so we turned in. We stopped at the house and looked around. The residents had an assortment of items for sale but the clothing items outnumbered the other items and seemed unlikely that all the clothes would sell. I approached the owners and explained that I represented a mission team member at FBCOB, our needs for the mission trip and the need of the people in Honduras. I then asked if they would be willing to donate their remaining clothing items to our mission for HON2011 and they readily agreed to donate them and for me to return at 2pm to collect the clothes.
A while later, we were looking at items in another sale and decided to asked the owners to donate their clothing items that do not sell. I spoke to a gentleman there and he told me I could return to collect them at noon. Judy and I returned at noon to find their sale had wrapped up and everything had been moved back into their garage. I rang the doorbell and a lady came to the door and greeted me. I told her I came to collect the clothing items and she walked me to the garage. The lady made the statement that she could not understand why churches send their people out of the country on missions when there was so much need here in our own community. God was working and I knew this because I did not hesitate to respond to her statement. I told her that we should be, or are on mission for 52 weeks out of the year, but in our case, we are on mission in our community for 51 weeks doing things like the ICU ministry, the Lil Blessings ministry and the Homeless ministry and then we go out of the country for 1 week out of the year. She accepted my explanation and said it made sense. At that point she told me she was looking for a church home. She said she had not been in town for long but most of her friends go the Bellevue. She asked me for the name of my church and where it was in OB. I gave her that information, told her we have 2 services and she could find one she would be comfortable with. I invited her to join us and emphasized how welcome she would be.
After Judy and I had returned home with the clothing items, I realized the magnitude of our encounter. Here we were, sharing our joy, preparing for our mission in 2011 when it turns out that we were on a mission at the same time. How awesome is that?
And by the way, if we had used the GPS that morning, we would have never gone in the direction of that neighborhood and not have spoken to this lady.
God is amazing at how he works.
Tommy,
Judy told me you wanted more information about yesterdays clothing gathering for HON2011.
Everything that happened yesterday was awesome. Normally when we go to garage sales, we use wife's IPhone with the Garage Sale App. to locate the garage sales that may be close by. Then we take the address from the IPhone app. and add it into the GPS so we can drive straight to the garage sale. Yesterday morning, when we were about to get in the car to go, Judy asked if we should get the GPS. We decided not to use the GPS and just drive around looking for Garage Sale signs. We drove to a nearby neighborhood and saw a sign indicating a garage sale down the road so we turned in. We stopped at the house and looked around. The residents had an assortment of items for sale but the clothing items outnumbered the other items and seemed unlikely that all the clothes would sell. I approached the owners and explained that I represented a mission team member at FBCOB, our needs for the mission trip and the need of the people in Honduras. I then asked if they would be willing to donate their remaining clothing items to our mission for HON2011 and they readily agreed to donate them and for me to return at 2pm to collect the clothes.
A while later, we were looking at items in another sale and decided to asked the owners to donate their clothing items that do not sell. I spoke to a gentleman there and he told me I could return to collect them at noon. Judy and I returned at noon to find their sale had wrapped up and everything had been moved back into their garage. I rang the doorbell and a lady came to the door and greeted me. I told her I came to collect the clothing items and she walked me to the garage. The lady made the statement that she could not understand why churches send their people out of the country on missions when there was so much need here in our own community. God was working and I knew this because I did not hesitate to respond to her statement. I told her that we should be, or are on mission for 52 weeks out of the year, but in our case, we are on mission in our community for 51 weeks doing things like the ICU ministry, the Lil Blessings ministry and the Homeless ministry and then we go out of the country for 1 week out of the year. She accepted my explanation and said it made sense. At that point she told me she was looking for a church home. She said she had not been in town for long but most of her friends go the Bellevue. She asked me for the name of my church and where it was in OB. I gave her that information, told her we have 2 services and she could find one she would be comfortable with. I invited her to join us and emphasized how welcome she would be.
After Judy and I had returned home with the clothing items, I realized the magnitude of our encounter. Here we were, sharing our joy, preparing for our mission in 2011 when it turns out that we were on a mission at the same time. How awesome is that?
And by the way, if we had used the GPS that morning, we would have never gone in the direction of that neighborhood and not have spoken to this lady.
God is amazing at how he works.
Tuesday, August 3, 2010
A STEP OF FAITH
BUT GOD….
Really, Lord? You want me to do what? Be a part of the Evangelism Team?? But Lord, I am afraid I won’t be able to physically do it…walk up and down the rough dirt roads in the heat. Surely there is somewhere else, somewhere within my comfort zone I can work. Isn’t there? But God persisted in His plan to use me and stretch and grow my faith. He kept speaking to my heart.
At this point last fall, I reminded myself of Moses when the Lord called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt! I came up with every excuse in the book…no, not excuses…reasons. They were and still are legitimate reasons, if my perception is based on human reasoning. But God, the Still Small Voice, persisted. I knew what the Lord was asking. So now it becomes an obedience issue. Play it “safe” and disobey or step out in faith and obey. No middle ground here.
My perception began to shift as I allowed myself to look beyond my doubts and dare to dream of the adventure of obedience. This is the point where mental ascent to the truth and reliability of God’s character and plan had to express itself in faith and obedience. Scriptures that I had known for years and believed came to mind to encourage me of God’s faithfulness.
God has been so faithful in the past and His promises are there in His Word to be claimed and relied on. Yes, Lord. Yes, yes, yes! I will be obedient. I will trust You. You are worthy and faithful. So, now what?
Preparation
I have always thought it hypocritical to “go on a mission trip” and not share my faith here at home. (I am including myself in this assessment because there are many times I am distracted by my to do list and not focused on the Lord) The mission trip is like a retreat or week at youth camp. You are away from your daily routine and totally focused on spiritual things. You don’t worry about your job, the bills, family relationships, or responsibilities back home. In this time period you are focused on serving the Lord without all the distractions back home. Key word here is focus. My focus can be, should be, on the Lord and eternity at all times, but it is harder back home in the “real world” of day to day struggles.
In preparing to “go on a mission trip”, God continued to enlarge my thinking. If the person in the remote village in Nicaragua needs Jesus, then doesn’t the person across the street need Jesus? Doesn’t my coworker need Him also? People are the same in their need for a Savior no matter where they live on the planet. The same God who loves the people of Nicaragua, loves the people of Olive Branch.
It is God who gives us of His love for people. He loves through us. He touches people’s hearts and draws them to Himself. It is our privilege to be a conduit of His love, no matter where in the world we are.
Am I truly ever fully prepared? Only to the degree I have surrendered my life to the Lord. John 15:5
God’s Faithfulness
When we got to the village of La Mora, it was indeed very hilly and spread out. But God had prepared the way before we arrived. If you are around me much when we are studying the Scriptures, you will know that one of my favorite things to search out in the Bible is all the seemingly impossible situations where everything was changed by two simple words, “But God…”. Look and see for yourself and rejoice in God! There are many “But God” times in my life as well, because He is the same God in my heart as I find on the pages of Scripture. How about you? Isn’t our God amazing?
The first way God was faithful to me was through the prayers of our evangelism team leader. Daniel was very supportive and excited to accept that God was calling me to be a part of the team. He prayed for me from the start and all through the time we were in the village. He was an excellent EV team leader because God called him to this and empowered him just as he does with each of His children who listen and obey.
We who actually traveled to La Mora were only a small part of the team. There were many, many folks who gave time, money, and supplies to make this trip possible before we even got on the plane. Also, there were many who prayed faithfully for us while we were there. God’s grace was evident all throughout the trip because of the prayer support we were receiving. If you were one of those, only in eternity will we fully know what a difference your prayers made. Thank you and praise God!
God was also faithful in providing a wonderful translator by the name of Rigoberto. This amazing young man has a passion for the lost in his country and has a wonderful gentle spirit. He has a wife and small baby daughter, and told me when we entered one of the poorest homes in the village that he had grown up in a poor home just like this one. He understands the earthly struggles of the people, while desiring to share the spiritual peace and joy Jesus brings in this life and for eternity. He carried Bibles, held my hand to help me over ditches and up hills, and was literally a “God-send”.
This was an unusual trip in many ways, because we were one team merged from two. But God provided unity by His grace. There were many people on the team we did not know in the beginning, but that became our friends during the week. It was a marvelous thing to behold! We were 74 strong with as many personalities and different ways of doing things. But God brought us together for His glory and used us in a mighty way that week in La Mora, Nicaragua. Praise His mighty name!
One of my new friends was Ann. She was working in the eye clinic where I usually worked. On the first afternoon in the village, I learned she had a desire to do door-to door evangelism, but because she had been willing to work wherever she was placed, she was in the eye clinic. She did not know me or that I knew how to do the job she was doing in the eye clinic. But God knew and He brought us together that afternoon. Long story short, we alternated jobs. I went out door-to-door in the mornings while she worked in the eye clinic and then in the afternoons we swapped places. I don’t know why I am amazed at the way God provides, but I am. He cared for me and blessed me in ways I would have never imagined.
I did not start out to write a book here, but God did so many amazing things in leading me to step out in faith and then after I took that step, I had to share. Let me tell you, playing it safe is grossly overrated!
I know you have a similar story. Give God the glory and SHARE IT!
Emmie
Really, Lord? You want me to do what? Be a part of the Evangelism Team?? But Lord, I am afraid I won’t be able to physically do it…walk up and down the rough dirt roads in the heat. Surely there is somewhere else, somewhere within my comfort zone I can work. Isn’t there? But God persisted in His plan to use me and stretch and grow my faith. He kept speaking to my heart.
At this point last fall, I reminded myself of Moses when the Lord called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt! I came up with every excuse in the book…no, not excuses…reasons. They were and still are legitimate reasons, if my perception is based on human reasoning. But God, the Still Small Voice, persisted. I knew what the Lord was asking. So now it becomes an obedience issue. Play it “safe” and disobey or step out in faith and obey. No middle ground here.
My perception began to shift as I allowed myself to look beyond my doubts and dare to dream of the adventure of obedience. This is the point where mental ascent to the truth and reliability of God’s character and plan had to express itself in faith and obedience. Scriptures that I had known for years and believed came to mind to encourage me of God’s faithfulness.
God has been so faithful in the past and His promises are there in His Word to be claimed and relied on. Yes, Lord. Yes, yes, yes! I will be obedient. I will trust You. You are worthy and faithful. So, now what?
Preparation
I have always thought it hypocritical to “go on a mission trip” and not share my faith here at home. (I am including myself in this assessment because there are many times I am distracted by my to do list and not focused on the Lord) The mission trip is like a retreat or week at youth camp. You are away from your daily routine and totally focused on spiritual things. You don’t worry about your job, the bills, family relationships, or responsibilities back home. In this time period you are focused on serving the Lord without all the distractions back home. Key word here is focus. My focus can be, should be, on the Lord and eternity at all times, but it is harder back home in the “real world” of day to day struggles.
In preparing to “go on a mission trip”, God continued to enlarge my thinking. If the person in the remote village in Nicaragua needs Jesus, then doesn’t the person across the street need Jesus? Doesn’t my coworker need Him also? People are the same in their need for a Savior no matter where they live on the planet. The same God who loves the people of Nicaragua, loves the people of Olive Branch.
It is God who gives us of His love for people. He loves through us. He touches people’s hearts and draws them to Himself. It is our privilege to be a conduit of His love, no matter where in the world we are.
Am I truly ever fully prepared? Only to the degree I have surrendered my life to the Lord. John 15:5
God’s Faithfulness
When we got to the village of La Mora, it was indeed very hilly and spread out. But God had prepared the way before we arrived. If you are around me much when we are studying the Scriptures, you will know that one of my favorite things to search out in the Bible is all the seemingly impossible situations where everything was changed by two simple words, “But God…”. Look and see for yourself and rejoice in God! There are many “But God” times in my life as well, because He is the same God in my heart as I find on the pages of Scripture. How about you? Isn’t our God amazing?
The first way God was faithful to me was through the prayers of our evangelism team leader. Daniel was very supportive and excited to accept that God was calling me to be a part of the team. He prayed for me from the start and all through the time we were in the village. He was an excellent EV team leader because God called him to this and empowered him just as he does with each of His children who listen and obey.
We who actually traveled to La Mora were only a small part of the team. There were many, many folks who gave time, money, and supplies to make this trip possible before we even got on the plane. Also, there were many who prayed faithfully for us while we were there. God’s grace was evident all throughout the trip because of the prayer support we were receiving. If you were one of those, only in eternity will we fully know what a difference your prayers made. Thank you and praise God!
God was also faithful in providing a wonderful translator by the name of Rigoberto. This amazing young man has a passion for the lost in his country and has a wonderful gentle spirit. He has a wife and small baby daughter, and told me when we entered one of the poorest homes in the village that he had grown up in a poor home just like this one. He understands the earthly struggles of the people, while desiring to share the spiritual peace and joy Jesus brings in this life and for eternity. He carried Bibles, held my hand to help me over ditches and up hills, and was literally a “God-send”.
This was an unusual trip in many ways, because we were one team merged from two. But God provided unity by His grace. There were many people on the team we did not know in the beginning, but that became our friends during the week. It was a marvelous thing to behold! We were 74 strong with as many personalities and different ways of doing things. But God brought us together for His glory and used us in a mighty way that week in La Mora, Nicaragua. Praise His mighty name!
One of my new friends was Ann. She was working in the eye clinic where I usually worked. On the first afternoon in the village, I learned she had a desire to do door-to door evangelism, but because she had been willing to work wherever she was placed, she was in the eye clinic. She did not know me or that I knew how to do the job she was doing in the eye clinic. But God knew and He brought us together that afternoon. Long story short, we alternated jobs. I went out door-to-door in the mornings while she worked in the eye clinic and then in the afternoons we swapped places. I don’t know why I am amazed at the way God provides, but I am. He cared for me and blessed me in ways I would have never imagined.
I did not start out to write a book here, but God did so many amazing things in leading me to step out in faith and then after I took that step, I had to share. Let me tell you, playing it safe is grossly overrated!
I know you have a similar story. Give God the glory and SHARE IT!
Emmie
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