Are YOU a Missionary?

I know that we are each called “according to His purpose,” and that our goal should be to discover what “His purpose” for our lives might be.
Now I certainly have never felt that I was called to be a missionary, but the subject came up again in my morning study. . .(Into His Marvelous Light by Oswald Chambers) and as always when the subject comes up, it just doesn’t leave my brain for the rest of the day.
Perhaps the reason it lingered so long today is that my beautiful sister in law is leaving for Haiti in a couple of weeks on a missions trip with her church, or perhaps the Lord has something he would like me to understand about my mission.
That is where I find myself, so without going into the whole long definition of missionary, I will say that I liked this explanation the best. . .a young couple with a “mission” to share Jesus with others.
How much more difficult could it be.  After all, shouldn’t that ultimately be our “mission?”  Not to share what we believe about Jesus, but to actually share the experience of Jesus. . .and allow others to decide for themselves what they believe.
My prayer is that I will be on a “mission” to share the marvelous love of Jesus wherever I go. . .and whatever I do. . .in Jesus Name. . .amen!

Running the Race is a Little Overwhelming Sometimes

For several years I have written and designed Bible Lessons for children.  I have a drawer full of lessons, and notes for lessons.

I am passionate about it. . .messages I hear, songs I listen to, news stories. . .so many things trigger that automatic thought. . .I gotta write that down. . .that would make a great lesson.

Not only am I passionate about writing the lessons, but my heart also grieves for burned out, overwhelmed, under appreciated Children’s Ministry Workers. . .who are doing the very best they know how. . .and yet are left to feel that their efforts always fall a little short. . .so, when we knew were going to travel full time, my eventual goal was to be able to offer encouragement to Children’s Ministry and Youth Ministry Workers along the way.

That is the goal. . .and the desire. . .and yet, when I would begin to work on the plan (read organizing stacks of lessons and notes into some type of order) I would feel so overwhelmed, I would just close the drawer and move on to an easier project. . .

and then, in my morning Bible Study, I read. . .

Hebrews 12:1 let us run with patience (endurance) the race that is set before us.

PATIENCE? are you kidding me Lord. . .I don’t think you really blessed me with very much of that. . .seriously!  I want it done, and I want it done now. . .Oh, and I’d really like it if it could be done my way please. . .there. . .now, that’s better.

OH, I don’t get to do this my way. . .this is an endurance race. . .really?  Cause when I look at that stack in that drawer, it even looks like more endurance than I got. . .actually, it gives me knots in my stomach.

Oh, I need to start at the VERY beginning. . .organization. . .oh, organization I’m really, really good at. . .I’m pretty sure I can do that one. . .

and so it’s gone. . .my discussion with the Lord about this task. . .starting at the beginning. . .building up the muscles. . .spiritual exercise for a different type of race than the one I’m used to running. . .

I have a feeling lots of liniment (prayer) will be involved in this endeavor. . .but here we go. . .got the three ring binder, and the hole punch out. . .step one – organization!