THANKFUL THURSDAY...missions

Today is THANKFUL THURSDAY. Oh how the list can go on and on for the things that I am thankful for! Every October in our church we host a "Missions Convention" and we are right dab in the middle of our 2008 missions celebration!

Today, as I join IRIS and all of the other Thankful Thursday participants, I would like to give thanks for MISSIONS.

2 PETER 3:9 "The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

This scripture is the heartbeat of every Missionary! To bring the Good News to all those who otherwise would not hear it. Why else would they:

• go to a foreign land.
• give up the conveniences of what the states offer. (such as running water, electricity, Oreo cookies, coca cola, and ICE!)
• leave behind family and friends.
• live without decent health care.
• eat things that are still moving.
• go to a place that is dangerous.

Missions should not only be the heartbeat of those who have answered the call to GO but it should also be the heartbeat of those of us who are able to SEND!

Not all of us can go to foreign land for an extended period of time. But many of us can participate in missions in other tangible ways.

One way is to participate in a missions trip. If you have never been on a missions trip before, talk to your Pastor to see if your church can participate in one. Missionaries could not build new churches, and Bible Schools without MAPS teams. These are churches from the states who send teams to assist Missionaries in projects for a week or two weeks. I have had the privilege of going on 3 trips such as this. They are life changing!

This is me on a missions trip to Ecuador. We moved piles of brick from one place to another!
In Ecuador, we worked on building the first christian campground, this is me showing the locals that women can move some dirt!!!
Clayton and I posing with the grounds family outside their home located on the campground site. Even though we could not speak much of their language, they were precious and we felt God's love in them!

Another way you can participate in missions is giving money. Face it, Missionaries could not do what they do without our money. I have found that in some of these countries just the basic needs of construction are far more expensive than what we find in the US. Hired labor is expensive. Construction tools are expensive and limited. Giving of our finances is one way that we can partner with Missionaries.

One of the most important ways we can partner in missions is by praying! On more than one occasion I have heard testimonies from missionaries how they were in dire need in the middle of the night; their child was deathly ill with no medicine available; their vehicle had been stopped by the authorities and they were being detained on bogus charges, etc. It was the prayers of prayer warriors back in the states that carried them thru their crisis. The urgency felt in their spirit to pray, only later to find out that at that very moment the missionary was in need! We are partnering with our Missionaries when we pray for them.

During our Missions Convention at our local church, we will have Missionaries speak to us who represent Asia, Guatemala, Equatorial Guinea, The Netherlands, and Honduras. Reaching out to the lost is the heartbeat of these Missionaries as they preach and teach on foreign soil.

Who is willing to GO and preach and teach the gospel to those in the US?

~In your state? ~In your town? ~ At your work? ~In your neighborhood?

LUKE 10:2 "The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."

AREN'T YOU THANKFUL FOR THE MISSION FIELD?

HAVE YOU ANSWERED THE CALL TO "GO"?

Be sure to check out GRACE ALONE where other grateful hearts are gathering to share what they are thankful for this week. Find it all over HERE!