And really it seems like an impossibility – but it has some logic to it.
Have you heard it before?
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I know that I haven’t posted for a few weeks, but I just have a short blog tonight because it’s 1146pm and I really need to sleep.
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Our ENCOUNTER event happened and I will be posting some stuff/updates about it and links to videos and audios for it soon. But not just yet. I’m pretty tired since it got wrapped up – and I’m still doing ministry now – and trying to catch up from 8 months of non-ending prep work for the event.
But I promise: the last things I need to do for it (post event) I will get to shortly!
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So what do I want to talk about?
Actually I want to talk about how I am a missionary to myself.
The definition of missionary is basically “a person that is sent on a mission to promote christianity“.
I often struggle a ton to deny the lies that come into my mind or are spoken at me by others or culture and embrace the truth of what God says about His ways, Himself, or about who He says I am.
I find myself more and more having to tell myself truth.
Even when I am sharing things with someone else, I find myself saying, “Wow! As I’m saying this God is revealing things to me right now and wow! dang… this is what I needed to hear!”
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Do you find that happening to you?
God is teaching us!
God is orchestrating the events and people in our lives in order to best reveal Himself to us and for us to know who we are in the light of who He is.
God is so faithful to us to allow all we experience to continue to testify about who He is…
And so I find myself being a missionary to myself.
Promoting Christ to myself.
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Oh what a mystery this life is…
That even as I believe that I go to reach and help others – I myself am reached and helped….
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Our ENCOUNTER event lasted a day and a half.
We had about 80 people – WorldRace alumni and their friends and family – and other believers in the city attend, and 11 main speakers come to pour out.
One of our speakers flew all the way from the Dominican Republic to come and encourage the attendees! All the speakers came in on their own dime.
Two couples heard about the event – and though they couldn’t come they fully funded the entire event and because of them we were able to bless everyone with meals and housing during the event and also bless the DreamCenter which went above and beyond to take care of us and provide their facility to us while we were there. We were also able to buy all the supplies needed for making the entire event run.
Two Alumni from the WorldRace that had just opened their own catering company came and catered the entire event (gave of their time and skills) for free.
An Alumni of the WorldRace who helped prepare for the event – and who God’s called full time into ministry abroad in Uganda, got to receive a love offering we took at our event to bless someone with our gathering together.
After the Encounter event we got to spend a few days with our host Becky Still, who helped put on the Encounter event – and then we headed from Springfield, MO to Quincy, Illinois – to spend a few days altogether as a squad at Lauren Matings families home.
We ended up spending a few extra days there just resting, fellowshipping with her family, and going into Hannibal to pray for the city.
Tomorrow we head off to St. Joseph Michigan to work in a racially divided nearby town. Please pray for crazy favor, safety, and open unopenable doors from the Lord!
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I will write again/update very soon!
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*Ray Stevens “Im my own grandpa” song lyrics:
Many, many years ago when I was 23
I was married to a widow who was pretty as can be
This widow had a grown-up daughter who had hair of red
My father fell in love with her and soon they too were wed
This made my dad my son-in-law and really changed my life
For now my daughter was my mother ’cause she was my father’s wife
And to complicate the matter even though it brought me joy
I soon became the father of a bouncing baby boy
My little baby then became a brother-in-law to dad
And so he became my uncle though it mad me very sad
For if he were my uncle that would also made him brother
Of the widows grown-up daughter who was of course my stepmother
Father’s wife then had a son who kept them on the run
And he became my grandchild for he was my daughter’s son
My wife is now my mother’s mother and it makes me blue
Because although she is my wife she’s my grandmother two
Now if my wife is my grandmother then I’m her grandchild
And every time I think of it, nearly drives me wild
‘Cause now I have become the strangest case you ever saw
As husband of my grandmother I am my own grandpaw
Oh I’m my own grandpaw
I’m my own grandpaw
It sounds funny I know but it really is so
I’m my own grandpaw
(Listen to this now)
I’m my own grandpaw
I’m my own grandpaw
I’m my own grandpaw
