Well guys. We are one month and 8 days from my hopeful leave date. I have reached my halfway goal. Thankful for God's provision of family and friends who are outstanding. May God continue to be glorified in fundraising.
I spent last week at Teach Beyond orientation. Teach Beyond is my "sending company." Up until a few months ago I didn't really know what a sending company was. But let me tell you I chose a great one. It was awesome this week to hear from so many Teach Beyond (TB) missionaries about what the vision for TB is and what they desire to see happen for their company. It got me thinking about vision/mission statements.
TB's is the following: Mission Statement
Who We Are
As followers of Jesus we are an international organization providing transformational education to children and to adults.
What We Do
We provide teaching and learning services to all regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion in order to promote holistic personal growth and enduring social benefit.
So anyway. I have thought a lot this week about what my mission or vision statement is for my life. I kept going back to the passage of scripture about the woman at the well in John chapter 4. After Jesus tells her "everything about her" she runs off to tell the entire town about him. Then we see the following verses.
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
(Emphasis mine)
Read the full story here
I think this verse perfectly captures my vision for my life. I want to be willing to share my testimony. I want to run to people wherever they are, no matter their circumstances and tell them "He told me all that I ever did." I'd like to add onto that "And he LOVES me. He loves me. He knows every hateful thought I have thought. He knows have word of death I have spoken into people. But he loves me. He loves me." I want people to believe in Him because of my testimony. But then I want to see those people ask Jesus to stay with them. Then I want them to believe because of His Word (himself). And oh how I long to hear this next part. I want people to say to me, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." Do you hear that??????? "For we have heard for ourselves." Oh the importance of those words.
In one month and 8 days (God willing) I will be in Germany. I will be in the place where God is calling me to himself. I will be living with 14-16 young women who have heard the testimony of many faithful followers of Christ. I'd like to add my name to the list of people whose testimony they heard that sent them towards belief in Christ. With your prayer and support I will seek to encourage them to ask Jesus to stay with them. To ask him to speak to them. Then for them to return to me saying that they have heard Him for themselves.
So that is my "Vision Statement" I guess. It provides direction for this wanderer. As God draws me to himself I desire to see this same pattern play out in the places He and I dwell together.
I spent last week at Teach Beyond orientation. Teach Beyond is my "sending company." Up until a few months ago I didn't really know what a sending company was. But let me tell you I chose a great one. It was awesome this week to hear from so many Teach Beyond (TB) missionaries about what the vision for TB is and what they desire to see happen for their company. It got me thinking about vision/mission statements.
TB's is the following: Mission Statement
Who We Are
As followers of Jesus we are an international organization providing transformational education to children and to adults.
What We Do
We provide teaching and learning services to all regardless of gender, ethnicity, or religion in order to promote holistic personal growth and enduring social benefit.
So anyway. I have thought a lot this week about what my mission or vision statement is for my life. I kept going back to the passage of scripture about the woman at the well in John chapter 4. After Jesus tells her "everything about her" she runs off to tell the entire town about him. Then we see the following verses.
39 Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” 40 So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. 41 And many more believed because of his word. 42 They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”
(Emphasis mine)
Read the full story here
I think this verse perfectly captures my vision for my life. I want to be willing to share my testimony. I want to run to people wherever they are, no matter their circumstances and tell them "He told me all that I ever did." I'd like to add onto that "And he LOVES me. He loves me. He knows every hateful thought I have thought. He knows have word of death I have spoken into people. But he loves me. He loves me." I want people to believe in Him because of my testimony. But then I want to see those people ask Jesus to stay with them. Then I want them to believe because of His Word (himself). And oh how I long to hear this next part. I want people to say to me, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world." Do you hear that??????? "For we have heard for ourselves." Oh the importance of those words.
In one month and 8 days (God willing) I will be in Germany. I will be in the place where God is calling me to himself. I will be living with 14-16 young women who have heard the testimony of many faithful followers of Christ. I'd like to add my name to the list of people whose testimony they heard that sent them towards belief in Christ. With your prayer and support I will seek to encourage them to ask Jesus to stay with them. To ask him to speak to them. Then for them to return to me saying that they have heard Him for themselves.
So that is my "Vision Statement" I guess. It provides direction for this wanderer. As God draws me to himself I desire to see this same pattern play out in the places He and I dwell together.
