Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Personalize the Mission

So I was in church this past Sunday morning...actually, I was in the booth.  Let me back up...

I serve in the Worship Arts Ministry at church.  I am a vocalist on the vocal team, I occasionally sing with the choir, and I also serve in the production booth, working computer media (running the slides with song lyrics, scriptures and videos that the congregation sees on screen).  We are in the middle of a series called EPIC, and one of our pastors, Luke, was speaking.  What he said really affected me...I mean, I was scribbling notes, and trying to pay close attention at the same time, so I could make sure the right slides were up onscreen.  (Forgive me, Mountain Christian Church, if some of the slides were wrong or late because I was distracted - my heart was convicted!...however, I WAS NOT the cause of the power outage, lol!)


It got me to thinking about my mission, and personalizing my mission, not just my mission trip.  Yes, that is included, but my mission goes so far beyond that.  God is writing a story for my life, an Epic.  Of course, my church loves quirky anagrams that helps us to remember things, and this one is spot on.


E - Encounter Christ
P - Personalize the mission
I - Invest time and money
C - Change

I am at a crossroads now, where I am praying on how I plan to personalize my mission,  (including this trip).  It must have meaning in my life for it to remain relevant to me, for me to remain passionate about it.  But more importantly  it has to be of and about God, and His plan.

1Peter2:9-10: You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's Special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

These things struck me!

You are a chosen people.  Who?  Me?  An impatient single mom?  A failure, a sinner...me?

You are a royal priesthood.  I have no church, and I certainly don't have a kingdom!

You are a Holy Nation.  I lead no one, and I mess up so much...how can I be Holy?

You are God's Special Possession.  You're kidding me, right? 
(By the way, to possess is to make something, then proclaim ownership.  It's like God created me, then drew a circle around me with His arms, and says "this is mine"...like kids do with toys or candy they don't want to share)

God has designed me to Go and Do His great works, in my life, and in Mexico this summer.  I must go and fulfill His mission, as He has personalized me for this very purpose.  He has challenged me, and I have taken Him seriously by applying to go on this trip, and now preparing.

I have a mission.  I am a Royal Priest.  My duties are not in a castle, but in leading others to have a personal encounter with Christ through a beat that moves not only their feet, but also their hearts.  I plant seeds, and I pray.  I Go, and I Do, and all to His Glory.

Friday, March 1, 2013

So much to do, so little time!

Sorry for the hiatus after the hiatus...I'm really trying to get my (blogging) life together here.

Since I my last trip, life has changed a bit.  My job promoted me, and I have lots more responsibility added to my plate; a group that I co-lead at church; the worship arts ministry, and my young people at home (yep, I'm a momma!) and therefore, not as much time to blog.  So, I guess now, I really need to make my blogs worth something, huh?

Anyway, since I last blogged, I've met most of my team.  We got together with all of the rest of the teams that are going on mission this year, and had a brief time of meet and greet.  I am excited about my new team, as I have seen many of their faces out and about around church, and our leaders are both folks that I have wanted to hang with for awhile, so this is a great opportunity.  One of my friends that I have really been getting close to is also going on this trip, and I feel so blessed that she is able to do it, for a number of reasons, selfish and otherwise.

I've also been called to the carpet by one of the new leaders, as something happened on the Prague trip that needed to be addressed.  I'm glad that it was...I certainly don't want to make that same mistake twice!  From that, I was able to look at myself, and see what character flaws needed to be addressed...I was also able to apologize to one of the two people that I effected in a choice that I made (I haven't seen the other just yet, but plan to talk when I do see them).  Thank God that He is a God of second chances!

So anyway, we are full swing into fund raising, and I don't know how I'm doing just yet, but I know that I have sent out letter, tweeted about it, and (after finishing this blog posting) am about to Facebook message folks about it.  So much to do!

The thing I really wanted to blog about though, is one of my teammates.  I only met her for the first time at our group meeting, and honestly, didn't get a chance to speak to her one on one.  However, her story astonishes me.

She is a mature woman of 80+ years old, and is going on this trip with us.  80+ years!  I look forward to her wisdom, and everything that she can offer on this trip.  I think most, I look forward to her challenging us as we go about our service.  To know that she is able to Go and Do and Be the Hands and Feet of Him...all I know is that there should not be one complaint coming from my mouth!  If she can, I know that I am more than able!  After all, Isaiah 46 reads "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, and I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you".  It seems that my teammate TRULY believe in this, and I look forward to sitting at her feet, and learning from her what all she has to offer.

I hope to not take so long between posts again, to keep you updated on the progress of the teambuilding and fundraising aspects, as well as other things.  One of my friends was recently offered a job working with CMFI, or Christian Missionary Fellowship International, and I want you to get to know her and how she got to be an intern, and now a fellow worker in the mission field.  Also, I plan to interview teammates of mine, both experienced, and those going on mission for the first time.  I'm excited, and hope that you are as well!

Thanks for reading and supporting!
<3,
~yonna