Living faithful, fruitful and fulfilled on the mission field
Every time I meet him, I am encouraged and strengthened. He has the gift of affirmation and is specific in his praise. When I am with this leader, I feel believed in. I know he is for me, cheering for me as I pursue my …
“Go away for a retreat? I couldn’t. There was so much to do. We were growing fast. Many new believers called every day. I was rapidly training leaders and yet never finished my work before falling into bed at night exhausted.” Busy leaders often fail …
Every year I ask the Lord a question. “What one thing do you want me to do this year?” I like to get my priorities crystal clear. When I know what God has said to do, I have my marching orders. I know my one …
Have you ever lost your temper? Gotten upset with fellow team members? Differences in personality, culture, and spiritual gifting can drive us apart. Or, these differences can make us strong and effective as a missionary team. My husband and I are extreme opposites in many …
Disruption releases innovation. We discover untried ways of serving God, of accomplishing His purposes. Do you maximize or resist the opportunities disruption or crisis brings? Often, instead of embracing new things, we get stuck. We experience a nostalgic longing for the way things used to …
When we go on dates, I like my husband to open the door for me. When he walks around and opens the car door, I feel special, loved, and valued. For some people that doesn’t matter much. I guess I am a bit of an …
Something we often pray for is a spiritual harvest. Have you ever taken in a physical harvest? If not, you may miss what harvesting involves. Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to …
Big dreams have big price tags! Or so they say. The loud voice in our heads tells us that if we want to do big things, we need to have a lot of money. Without money, we feel powerless. With money in our pocket (or …
Quitting is not altogether bad. There are some things we need to quit. Often, though, we need to persevere. The temptation to “give up and go home” is common, particularly in the first four years of missionary life. The same is true when working on …
It’s a bit of a cliché, but it’s true. Wounded people wound others. When someone lashes out at you in an extreme way, it is likely more their issue than yours. We need the wisdom to know how to love emotionally unhealthy people. I wish …