God's Economy

It seems that everywhere we turn today we are bombarded with warnings and stories about our failing economy. Many are nervous about losing their houses, jobs or savings as a spirit of fear overwhelms our nation. Several verses come to mind as we walk through these difficult times. The first is James 1:2,3 – “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (NIV) Becoming a Christian does not exempt us from facing trials, but how we face them is what sets us apart.
As we’ve had the blessing to visit churches and meet pastors we have seen firsthand what happens when congregations choose not to put their faith in what the TV commentators are saying, but rather in God’s promises. God is doing amazing things right here in the US! We’ve seen churches that are growing, not only in attendance but in missions giving; friends that have seen their jobs preserved; generosity poured out to communities from people who are not afraid to share what they have. That brings me to the second verse that’s become a mantra in my life. 2 Timothy 1:7 – “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV) It’s time for all of us to stand up against fear, put our trust in God and make wise decisions. We are praying for you, your job, your church and your family that God will bless you and meet all of your needs.
Some have said, “Wow, what a horrible time to be a missionary raising funds!” But as one pastor said recently, “God doesn’t look at the Dow before he makes a decision.” We know that God has not put the Great Commission – to go into all the world and make disciples – on hold until our economy recovers. We are persevering and trusting that God will provide the funding we need to get to Colombia. Souls are at stake and we will not give up and lose hope!

This weekend we had the honor of getting to know the people at Living Hope Assembly of God. Pastor Sanders and his team realized after looking at the numbers that they had been able to triple their missions giving in the last few years. His revelation - "All we did was give!" When we stop depending on what the news is telling us is our future and start depending on God and his promises, we are going to see incredible things happen! I hope today you won't spend your time stressing about the bills you have to pay, but that you'll seek God's will for your finances and find ways to be generous to those around you.

~Tona

A Day Off

I recently had a conversation with a missionary who told me she was asked the same questions we've been asked - "What do you do when you're stateside? Do you just relax and watch TV and stuff?" Today that might be somewhat true, but most days that is not the case.

Last night Corey and I finished touring the Michigan District through Sectional Councils. What does that mean? We drove to different parts of the state of Michigan on nine afternoons to meet all the pastors in those areas. These councils - from the time we arrived at the venue until the time we left - lasted about five and a half hours each night (plus a drive of anywhere between one to three hours each way). During the business portion of the meetings we were given a two minute window to present our ministry. One of my favorite parts of sectional tours is the time we get to spend with other missionaries and ministry leaders. By the end of the nine nights we all had each others presentations memorized as well as the main presentation. We joked that should anything happen to anyone presenting there were plenty of understudies ready to step in and keep the meetings going!

That's just a portion of what's been going on. March has been incredibly busy for us. Outside of sectional councils we've been speaking in churches on the weekends and Wednesday evenings. Outside of driving and meeting new congregations we spend hours calling pastors trying to book more services, sending out newsletters and follow-up correspondence, etc. I assure you, we are not just sitting around watching TV! Today, however, may be an exception. Today is the only day in an eight day span that we are not adding another 100 plus miles to the car and we have no speaking engagement. We'll do some follow-up, take some time to get the house back in order since it quickly falls apart when we're constantly running in and out and catch up on the paperwork sitting on our desks before the kids get home from a half day of school. Then, we will spend this day relaxing and renewing for a weekend of travel and speaking engagements.
~Tona

Rethinking

First of all, let me add a few more thank yous to new monthly supporters:
Biker's Church - Mason, MI
Christian Life Church - Chambersburg, PA
Justin Moore
First Assembly of God - Warner Robins

Itineration is going very well. To say we are busy would be a great understatement, but God is blessing us with open doors to share our burden for Colombia and bringing new supporters into our path. We have met so many new missionaries, pastors and people who are so encouraging. We've been blessed to see what God is doing here in the US as new ministries are developing.

This blog has been a center of prayer for me lately. My original intention was to open up our lives so that others could see firsthand what it's like to be a missionary and our supporters could keep up with what God is doing with the resources they are sending in on our behalf. I found myself letting large gaps appear here because I felt like there wasn't much to tell, but God's been laying it on my heart that it's not just the events that I should be writing about but also the day to day works he's doing in our lives and those around us. So my intention is to share with you a little bit of what is happening every day, not just on the outside, but on the inside in each of us as well. I welcome your questions, insights or thoughts on what you read and hopefully this will just all the more help connect you to missions!

~Tona