Thursday, October 9, 2008

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!


20 comments:

God Chaser said...

thanks so very much for sharing and reminding us all how we can be a part of the great work missionaried perform. Be blessed with great riches from god, our Father.

Denise said...

Missionaries are true heart blessings.

eph2810 said...

I so agree with you on missions, Laurie. Not only in the far lands, but also here in this country. In a way we are all Christ's missionaries (as you stated) in our neighborhoods...Thank you for your reminder how precious the work is to let people know about God's redeeming love...

Thank you for sharing your grateful heart with us.

Be blessed today and always...

Peggy said...

Blessings Laurie...I am so thankful for missionaries & YWAM &
MAP & AIM & BGMC & all the presentations of these in my home church that kept my dream & vision & calling alive! And I'm so thankful that I GO...even when times are tough...and believe me you just touch the tip of the iceberg...you know that you must have the heart of Christ to persevere...to love the unloveable,
teach the unteachable...go to those who may not wan to come and till that soil & plant those seeds
& pray for the harvest & the workers...pray for their many needs
and how you can reach one more.

Now you gave this list and now I'm craving all the things I miss but coke & oreos I can get...I need a Dr. Pepper!!! and my doctor...and
a warm bath...just to soak! I'm missing fall so much this year & now I have this JOY (see my Weds. TT) but still I thank God & praise Him that I'm finally where He wants me.

It's so true about the PRAY!!!

I would like to link this to my Mission4Monday unless you have a different one up your sleeve. Are all AGs doing missions in October?

Praise God for short term trips but they were too short for me! So you went to Ecuador...WOW!

Thank you for posting on Missionaries!!!

Anonymous said...

Really nice overviews. I know what to do now. Thank you sister.

Anonymous said...

given a chance, i also like to go on missions trips. God bless your good and selfless heart, laurie. ♥

Anonymous said...

I'll bet we know several of the same missionaries, being that I attended an A/G church for 25 years. :-)

When the missionaries come to speak, it is never a dry, boring message, is it? They are always sharing such interesting stories.

I'll never forget when the Trouts shared about the battle with malaria.

Anonymous said...

I'll bet we know several of the same missionaries since I attended an A/G church for 25 years.

The missionaries always have incredible stories to share! I'll never forget when the Trouts shared their bout with malaria.

Debra Kaye said...

Laurie,

What a beautiful TT post! My husband has been on a mission trip to Brazil and we support missions.

My son and my husband will be going back to Brazil this summer.

My son has only been on the mission field domestically. Although India is close to his heart, he has not been there yet.

Happy Thursday to you...Blessings!

Unknown said...

AMEN Laurie! Beautiful post and so much wisdom shared. Great encouraging as well!

In His amazing grace,
Jill

Joyfull said...

What a powerful verse to reflect God's love and care for every person. Missions are so important. Thank you for a great reminder.

Laurie Ann said...

Awesome post on the needs of the missionaries who are so faithfully serving our God, and on how we can help. God bless you, Laurie. Enjoy the mission conference! Happy Thankful Thursday!

Anonymous said...

What a pretty post being a missionary is great and i know how it feels like. TC

Patricia said...

I love your heart for missions. I lived in the overseas mission fields as a teen (father was in the military). I met and married my husband in a mission church in Okinawa, Japan.

We've been working in a small mission church in our hometown. It is such a struggle. Some people in the USA have so much compared to the rest of the world, that they miss out on the fact that they have a desperate need for the Gift of grace from the Lord.

Thank you for blessing my day.

Typing One-Handed

Esthermay Bentley-Goossen said...

I am so thankful for the missionaries I personally know and support. And those I don't -- who give up SO much to follow God's call and direction and prompting. I am always humbled in comparison to my own (very) comfortable life.

We just rec'd a letter from a missionary we support financially and I am moved to tears by her spirit. GOD STILL WORKS SO MIGHTILY! Thank you for this reminder of our vital role(s) at home.

Happy Thankful Thursday!
-es.

Marsha said...

Amen to your post!

My husband and I are stateside missionaries, ministering to the Cherokee Indians and people of Appalachia. One of our children, our daughter Laura, is a career missionary in Kenya along with her husband and our three granddaughters - one of while we've never held yet. She will be one November 1.

Blessings to you this day.

Michele Williams said...

Blessed by your post. Thank you.

Darlene said...

Yes, I am thankful for the mission field. We have some from our church that are in Romania this week.
Thanks for sharing!
Darlene

Cheryl said...

Missionaries are very important people. I thank you for giving your time. Our church does missions also. So far, I have not been out of our state on a mission trip. Thanks for sharing your heart. God Bless you~

Peggy said...

Blessings my sweet Laurie,
I connected this for Mission4Monday
but perhaps they read this on TT or when they arrive they think it's the wrong one...but with mission in your TT title...I just noticed that your comments are not increasing but I was still honored to link how they can serve as you did and do! Thank you!
I know that you visit many Titus people today but if you get a chance come read those that linked, it's not many:
http://monday4missions.blogspot.com/2008/10/rancho-de-los-nios.html