Tag Archives: Mission

Fear and Trust

“Our own apathy and fear keep us from presenting the Word.” – Curt Walters

Photo Credit: Libby Norcross, www.libbydoodle.com

So often we become caught up in obsessing over our “Calling” in this world. We spend hours upon hours, and dollars upon dollars, trying to discern what we are supposed to do with our lives. We think a clear path is waiting for us. We think we need to see the ‘end result’ before we see the path to travel on the way.

Yesterday (Sunday, May 11, 2014) I listened while my pastor blew this notion out of the water.

The title for the morning sermon was “The World’s First Mission Trip.” It wasn’t what we usually think of when we hear the words “mission trip.” This was about Paul and Barnabas being sent out from the church in Antioch. The only plan they had was to share the gospel with those they met on their journey. They went where the Holy Spirit led, with no specific destination in mind.

When was the last time your church sent out a missionary this way? Most likely, never.

God had a plan for this particular sermon on this particular day. (As I suspect is always the case.)

The day before, Pastor Jerry Van Oyen passed away. Pastor Van Oyen was the minister at my church when I was young. From the earliest I can remember, until Middle School, he was the man on the pulpit.

Since then, about a 30 year time frame, he left to pastor and lead churches in a variety of places and a variety of ways. Eventually, as ‘retirement’ settled in, he and his wife Ellen, returned to my church. But he never stopped being a pastor. More importantly, he never stopped being a true evangelist. From Mexico to Cutlerville, and every point in between, he was truly an evangelist. His wife even quipped that he wouldn’t be of any use in Heaven. I’ll have to tell her I disagree.

Even as I sat in the pew yesterday morning, Pastor Van Oyen was evangelizing and leading. He was leading me.

Combined with the sermon, I became more than ever confident of my calling from God.

So often we are afraid to truly give ourselves to the leading of the Lord. We’re afraid he will send us to the most uncomfortable place in the world. We pray for leading. We pray for proper preparation. Do we truly embrace and release ourselves to what he has in store for us? Do we give in and let fear hold us back?

I know I’ve been pushing back a bit. Out of fear of the unknown I decide to hold back. No more.

I am confident in my current calling. God wants me to write. God wants me to speak. God wants me to share my story with you. Whatever I have to give, I will give. Whatever trust issues I had, I will toss aside. I will listen to his speaking. I will go where he wants me to go. I will write and speak the words he gives me. I will share.

Once I decided to let go of my fear, God provided.

I have a speaking engagement on my calendar. The third weekend in June I will be in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I wasn’t sure how I was going to make it happen. Once I released my fear, and placed my full trust in God’s plan for me, it became clear. God provided a way for me to be in Tulsa.

I look forward to sharing my calling and God’s plan with all of you.

So, toss off your own fear. Listen intently. Follow and go where you are called. Trust. Truly trust in his plan. He knows what he is doing.

Have you been holding back because of fear? Where have you pushed fear aside to follow God’s plan?

#Next3Decades

Thanksgiving Perspective

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“Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.” – Mark 9:37 (NIV)

It is Thanksgiving Week in the United States. Many of us use this week, and Thanksgiving Day, to connect with family and friends to enjoy fellowship and share what we are thankful for in our lives.

I’m not going to spend a lot of words today trying to guilt you into feeling bad about the good and wonderful things God has blessed you with this year. I’m simply going to ask you to click on the links below.

Read the stories.

Investigate the opportunities to share.

Rejoice. Give thanks. Share as you are able.

Opportunity #1 – God’s Littlest Angels Orphanage in Haiti – November 29 through December 1!
My friend Tom Vanderwell works for GLA. He lives near me in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Tom is passionate about his work and the incredible opportunity that is available through a partnership with Family Christian Stores and Best Selling Author, Karen Kingsbury.

Click this link to read about the opportunity to help raise $500,000 to build a new neonatal facility in Haiti: The Haiti Challenge. Three Days, One Orphanage & You.

Opportunity #2 – SafeWorld Medical Clinic in Uganda – NOW through December 12!
My friend Matt Chambers is the Director of SafeWorld projects. He has assembled a team with a dream for Uganda.

The goal is $50,000.

1,000 people $50 each

WHY BUILD A HOSPITAL?
In the United States, we have 1 physician for every 390 people. In Nakaseke District, Uganda (where SafeWorld is based), there is only 1 physician for ever 29,000 people. As we researched the most immediate, effective, community-building ways we could help, this seemed the most crucial need. When we met with all the village, parish, and district leaders, they were unanimous that this should be the first building we construct.
Affordable access to excellent healthcare changes EVERYTHING.

Click this link for more information and to donate: http://hopemob.org/s/1ts-help-us-open-a-medical-clinic-in-uganda

Rejoice. Give thanks. Share as you are able.
Have a great week!

I’m a Man – Society’s Opinion

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The expectations of society on men vary. One sector tells men to be “manly men” with a scruff of a beard, work boots, flannel shirts and dirty hands at the end of the work day. Another sector of society tells men to be “clean-cut” with a sharp suit, $300 shoes, the perfect coif, and a 9-5 job that is actually a 6-9 job full of fast paced business decisions and high-powered meetings. There are also sectors in society that tell men to be timid and reserved. Another sector tells men to be a “great dad”. Men are pulled many different ways. Every day.

My question for men is this: What should you be? Where do you find yourself falling on the “man spectrum”? Is there one perfect model of what you should be as a man?

My answer to the question is that there isn’t one single perfect place on this spectrum. God created us all as unique people. What society tells us to be, isn’t necessarily wrong, but it isn’t right either. I’m certain there are men in $3000 suits and men in work boots who are both following the path God has for them. What society thinks about each of these men can vary.

Do you have a stereotype in your mind when the slick looking business professional walks into your auto repair shop? Is it different from your stereotype of the man in work boots wearing the Carhartt overalls? Do you value one over the other?

Value. Usefulness. Worth. Importance.

Modern society, by which I mean the all invading modern marketing and media, places “value” on money. Often the value of a human revolves around how much income is created by and around an individual. A popular professional athlete is perceived to have a far greater reach when compared to a person with a four month old blog with nine subscribers. The athlete has a higher “value” in our society.

Do you have a high value in society? Do we fall prey to the marketing influences in our daily lives as we place values on individuals?