Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all peoples!  For great is the Lord and greatly to be praised.

Psalm 96:2-4

Emphatic- Forceful and definite in expression or action.

Has there ever been a time in your life or even in your ministry where God has spoken to you in a forceful or definite way?  You would certainly know if He had.  As we are just completing another incredible year of serving God through missions, I am reminded of three things that I challenge mission teams to be sensitive to on their mission trips:

1. What is God teaching you about others?

2. What is God teaching you about yourself?

3. What is God teaching you about Himself? 

As we reflect on this past mission season, I want to make sure that none of us miss out on any of these three challenges.  For me personally, God has been EMPHATIC in teaching me something about Himself this year.  Psalm 96 is a passage of scripture that has been everywhere I look this summer.  I cannot open a book, open my Bible, watch a sermon, or close my eyes without seeing it.  It is such an incredible passage that expresses what God has been teaching me more emphatically this summer – God is glorious, deserves our praise and worship.  His glory is so great that we should declare it to all of the earth so that they may join in and rightly worship Him as He deserves!  This is why we do missions and evangelism!  Our God is so great that we are compelled to invite others to worship Him as He deserves to be worshipped. 

On the surface, this may seem rather simple and obvious – God is great and we should worship Him.  I know exactly what you are thinking – “Wow, God is great and we should worship Him, thanks for the profound insight genius.”   It is, on the surface quite simple and obvious.   However, when this is lived out, it is quite profound and powerful.  God is under constant barrage from our culture.  Everywhere we turn, God is EMPHATICLLY mocked, ridiculed, minimized and dismissed as irrelevant or non-existent.  Those of us that are believers are likewise mocked and ridiculed as ignorant, close-minded, old fashioned, and bigoted.  After a while, that can begin to affect us and lessen our willingness to proclaim the Gospel, which is exactly the enemy’s goal.  Let us not be deceived!  We must see God as the Psalmist writes; God is great, glorious, holy, and righteous, to be feared, above all Gods, He reigns, He will judge, His works are marvelous, strength and beauty are His sanctuary.  Once we deeply understand this it will lead us to EMPHATICALLY – tell of His salvation from day to day, declare His Glory among the nations, and ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name!!

This is less of a lesson from Appalachia and more of just an attribute that God has shown to the Appalachia team over the past few weeks. And that is simply that God is faithful.  His faithfulness has been shown to me personally in so many ways.

He is faithful to provide for our needs. This is probably the most basic and physical way that we get to see God every week. Each week, there is always what seems to be chaos or inconvenience; and then God steps in. He always gives us exactly what we need, not necessarily what we planned for. This doesn’t speak against planning or logistics, but rather speaks for God knowing abundantly more than we do. When we are flexible and willing to set aside our plans and allow God to move, he often provides opportunities for us.

He is faithful to provide opportunities to minister and share about him. Often times, we even get to share simply about his faithfulness. When I am sensitive to God’s voice, he has been faithful to show me opportunities to minister to people. An example of this was last week during a food distribution in an area where houses were flooded. If our ultimate goal was to give out food boxes, it would have been a failure, because many of the people were either not at home or didn’t need the food. But because we were still doing what God had told us, we stumbled into Bruce. He was a man who, although having his trailer partially flooded, didn’t want to take the food because he knew of others who were in greater need. But God provided this group with the opportunity to talk to him. We went on find out that he had just lost his son who was addicted to drugs. Although we didn’t pray that God would provide that, he allowed us to minister to Bruce.

He is faithful to provide overwhelming grace. Over the course of the summer, there are numerous times when I need grace. Allow me to clarify that; over the course of a day, there are numerous times when I need grace. And God is faithful to provide that. This grace and mercy is what draws me to my God like nothing else. My love for him overflows and is forced on our groups and those that he provides for me to minister to.  God’s provision for me seems to be consequence of his love for me. And his love for me is what has caused such a change in my life.

Pray for us in Appalachia this week as we have left Pikeville and are now in Huntington, WV.

Costa Rica Journal

6/19 – 6/27

Day 1

June 19^th

Today started very early for me at 4:15am. By 4:45am I was leaving for the airport with a hot cup of coffee in my hand and a smile on my face, ready for another adventure.

I am leading a mission trip for Youth on Mission, an organization headed up by Frank and Sharon Dees. As the new leaders of YOM, they had a vision to carry the ministry into the international arena, and that’s where I come in. Having worked with YOM before and also having a passion for international missions, I have been asked to help get their international program off the ground this year. Frank and Sharon had met with a gentleman named Ron Bishop about a year and a half ago, and he invited them to partner with him and SCORE. In February, YOM took its first team to the Dominican Republic, and things were forever changed.

I flew out of Raleigh this morning at 7:30am and passed through Charlotte where I caught a flight to San Jose, Costa Rica. I’m arriving a day early to get settled in, meet with the missionaries on the ground here in Costa Rica, and prepare for tomorrow when we have the following three churches arriving from the states throughout the day.

• Community Christian Church – from Florida
• FBC Huffman – from Texas
• Wrightsville Beach Baptist – from North Carolina

Tomorrow is an arrival and getting settled in day. We are at a pretty good altitude. Because people can have a little altitude sickness if they aren’t careful, we will take it easy the first day. Starting Sunday we hit the ground running, and it is wide open from then till the end of the week.

I think it is safe to say I am living my dream after having felt called to the mission field for many years. I pray every day that today God can find a use for me in His service.

Well, it’s been a long day, so I think I’ll call it a day. More tomorrow as I watch God unfold a week of Kingdom work.

 

Day 2

June 20^th

Most of the day was spent waiting. With three groups coming in all at different times, the day was spent with a lot of down time. Wrightsville Beach Baptist got in around 3:00pm, FBC Huffman TX around 5:00pm, and as of 9:30pm last night Coastal Community Church had not arrived. I gave each group their orientation and welcome talk then let them get settled into their rooms. Because of the number of people here this week our groups are separated from each other, which creates a challenge for me to draw them together and achieve team unity. I ended the evening by challenging the two groups that are here to use this week to hear God’s voice—to let Him talk to them in the intimate way He can when we allow ourselves to be open to Him and to be in a place where we can block out all the distractions of the world. Tomorrow we go to a local church then will have an afternoon of souvenir shopping. We’ll try to connect with the third group and hopefully figure out a game plan for the week to draw these three teams together from various parts of the country.

 

Day 3

June 21^st.

Today was a good day, a few bumps in the road but nothing terribly bad. We all took cold showers, and I mean COLD SHOWERS. It is not your typical June weather that we are accustomed to. It’s a bit chilly every morning, and at night one must stay under the covers. It’s the rainy season here, so it rains every afternoon and is overcast. The mornings, however, are beautiful as we sit right in the middle of the Costa Rican Mountains. We also had a number of electrical problems with lights and wall outlets, but everyone is handling it fine with the smiles one only sees when you’re on a mission trip and you’ve heard for months, “Guys, we must stay flexible.”

We visited a local church this morning attended by many of the area missionaries. They made us feel so welcome. I even ran into a couple who knew where Rocky Mount was and had a really good friend from there. The service was all in Spanish, so they furnished us with an interpreter, who did an awesome job. During the afternoon we did some local souvenir shopping. I’m always amazed at the things young people will buy. In the back of my mind I know that when they get it home and show it to everyone, it will go on the shelf and never come down again.

Last night we had a wonderful dinner prepared by one of the locals, simple but so very tasty—grilled chicken mixed with fresh stir fried vegetables and rice. It was so very good, or maybe I was just very, very hungry. After dinner I did a devotional time with all three of the groups. My message for the week revolves around Luke 10: 25 – 27. It’s about being “doers” of the Word and not just “knowers” of the Word. I’m trying to challenge the younger people as well as the older people to change their thoughts about the word “whatever.”  I encouraged them to change “whatever” to “whatever it takes,” challenging them to be givers, not takers.

Well, it has been a long day, so I think I’ll turn in. The three group leaders have their folks folding Spanish tracts, 8000 of them that we will give away in downtown San Jose tomorrow. I love my job.

 

Day 4

Monday

Today the groups handed out 8000 tracts in downtown San Jose. It went well, and many of the group members had opportunity to share and talk with the people they came in contact with. I was amazed at how many people I saw that not only took the tracts but were reading them and sharing them with others around them. God only knows how many lives will be changed with these tracts.

In the afternoon we all went to a local school and spent the afternoon doing a Bible Club. There were approximately 100 children from the 1st – 3rd grades. Both our groups and the children had a wonderful time laughing, singing, playing games, and just being kids. It was a good afternoon.

Lastly, on the way back to our villa we stopped at the property that will become the new SCORE Complex, with building starting this year. Our interpreter shared the vision for the property with us, and we spent time praying that God would bless it in a very powerful way.

 

Day 5

Tuesday 

Today started with leisure time as two groups went to do the zip Lines, and the other group went to visit the volcano. Everyone seemed to enjoy their activities very much.

In the afternoon we went to the grocery store and bought enough food for ten families. Then we went to a place called the HOLE. Words cannot describe the level of poverty in this place. It is literally a hole in the ground, and makeshift huts of tin and old wood are built all up and down. Plus, in the bottom of this pit is where families live in the worst of conditions. Most of the families we met were from either Nicaragua or Panama coming here for a better life. We met one family that had lived in the HOLE for ten years. They had no real hope of getting out and no way to go back to the country they came from. Most homes are single moms who do whatever they have to in order to feed their families. The pastor that ministers to this area has a family of his own, so he pastors during the day and then drives a cab most of the night serving on a few hours sleep per day. He calls his church the “Women and Children’s Church” because only a couple men attend besides himself.

No one we met complained about their situation, no one blamed anyone for their condition, and no one expected someone else to dig them out of their crisis. They all felt blessed because they had a God who loved them, and each day He meets their needs. The pastor, who struggles everyday to care for his flock and his family, had such a joyous spirit and only asked for people to come so he could minister to more, to reach more, to care for more. He asked for nothing for himself, only for the flock God had given him. 

I left the groups last night during our devotional time with the challenge to look past themselves to the need of others—to look not at what they didn’t have but all they did have. As we have studied this week about the difference between knowing the Word and doing the Word, I have tried to challenge the groups to be doers of the word. I have encouraged them to get out of themselves and get into services to others. Several have told me they want to come back to Costa Rica and serve as volunteers. My prayer, as always, is that they will follow through—if not here, somewhere; if not now, sometime soon.

 

Day 6

Wednesday

This morning we went to another school and had the opportunity to put on a program for several of the lower grade children. They all seemed to love our groups. Everyone got right in there to interact with them, doing crafts and songs. We were able to go into several classes and then be a part of a big school program later in the morning. It almost feels as if you are a big star of some kind as the kids scream and wave and want to touch Americans. We are so looked up to by most of the third world because we are viewed to have so much. Yet the only thing that we have that really matters is what they could have also if they would only ask King Jesus to come and live in their hearts.

In the afternoon we went to an orphanage where the groups were able to play games and do crafts with the children. What an awesome afternoon as I watched the children and our groups kind of shy away from each other at first. But then as everyone started to warm up to each other, bonds were quickly made, and the children wanted to show their new friends everything about their home. As the afternoon went by, our groups began to really connect with the kids. When it came time to leave, it was so very hard, with many tears on both sides.

Last night we made bag lunches and went into the “Red Light District” of San Jose to feed the hungry. What an eye -opening night for our young people and many of the adults who may have never seen a hardcore drug addict, a prostitute, or a person who has nothing and sleeps on the street every night. For the first time this week, we were coming back on the bus and the kids and adults were dead silent. As I shared with them after in our nightly meeting, this is the very least of these that God talks about—the orphans, the prostitutes, the drug addicts, those with no hope. I shared with them that we have the HOPE OF THE WORLD, and God commands us to share that LIGHT with everyone we come in contact with. As I shared this message, I was also convicted of my need to be more of a doer of the word. I can’t help but wonder, What will the groups do with what they have learned? And, yes, What will I do with it?

Day 7

Thursday

Two of our groups left this morning to go to a beach resort on the Pacific Ocean side of Costa Rica. I stayed with the group from N.C. and had a wonderful day just getting to know them a little better. We spent the morning going up to the volcano, since they didn’t get to see it earlier in the week. It was a good morning of just relaxing and enjoying all of God’s Creation.

In the afternoon the group went to one of the local schools to do a Bible Club. It was an awesome time with the kids. The group really enjoyed having the ability to do everything on their own and to have all the kids to themselves. I’m always taken back when I see how much many of these schools do with so little to work with. This was a public school, and it was a typical third world schoolhouse with little to nothing to work with and a rundown facility that needed much repair. The grounds were overgrown and needed much work to look presentable. The materials the teachers had to work with were outdated and worn badly. Yet in spite of it all, both students and teachers were in good spirits and had great attitudes about what they were doing and being in school. All the schools in Costa Rica that I could tell were on double sessions. Again I’m reminded that it isn’t about stuff but about attitude and a willingness to take what you have and make the very best out of it being thankful for everything.

Last night a team from my church, EBC, came in, and I had the opportunity to spend a couple hours with them. As they started their week, they were all very excited to be serving God in Costa Rica. I asked several of them their “STS” (Simple Tenable Statement), and they all knew it. For those who haven’t yet been through EBC’s new security training for all short term mission trips, this is something we learn in case we are stopped by the authorities and asked what we are doing. I was very pleased to see that they had paid attention and that Jimmy Sanchez had prepared his team to know what to say in case they were stopped.

Well, tomorrow is the last day of ministry, and, as is always the case, I’m having a hard time believing that the week is over already.

Day 8

Friday

Today we still had two of the three groups away at the beach. The group that was here went out to do ministry at a local school. However, they were in the middle of studying for exams, so we couldn’t go in. We then went to a local park that was near another school. We set up our Bible Club, and the kids came out of the woodwork. Our group had a wonderful time playing with and loving on the kids.

In the afternoon the group from Wrightsville Beach Baptist partnered with the group from Englewood Baptist and did a Bible Club at one of the local schools. They seemed to have a great time together, and it wasn’t long before they were talking about doing some more things together.

In our last service tonight I challenged the students and adults once again to be doers of the word. I reminded them that the compassion they had talked about all week, if it is real, will come with an action. I told them that compassion was not something that stood by itself; action was always attached to real compassion. I challenged them again to change the meaning of “whatever” to “whatever it takes, Lord.” I invited the students to make some commitments—for salvation, for full-time ministry, to be the hands and feet of their youth groups. There were 6-8 who committed to full-time ministry and another 15-20 who committed to be their youth groups’ hands and feet. What a praise to the Lord this is.

Well, the week is over, and, yes, it’s had some ups and downs. There have been moments of extreme frustration. But when it is all said and done, I believe God showed up for those who were looking for Him. And as for me. He spoke to me again and again. I believe that for this season I am right where God would have me to be, and I also believe that when the time is of His choosing, I will be moved to the next task He has called me to do. I am so thankful for all of you who prayed for me while I on this trip and for a wife who is so faithful to pray and support me as I follow God’s call on my life.

 

Lesson 4: The importance of Family

One characteristic that has been present in Appalachia is the importance of Family More times than not, the home repair teams are blown away by the fact that the homeowner’s siblings, children and grandchildren live right next door. Many times, a family will have houses all throughout a hollow that they have possessed for generations. Just this week, a group worked in the house of a man who had lived in the same house for 74 years. The two houses next door were his two sons and his brother’s house was just up the path. This is a closeness that many families have lost. In the age when families get together only for Christmas, these people live among each together all year. At another location this week, a lady expressed her thanks for a group working on her house and said that the only people to ever help her like this previously were her own family. So in the same fashion, she prepared the groups fried chicken, mashed potatoes and all the fixings, just like she would her own family. Multiple ladies, this week that were overwhelmed by the group’s hard work, told the group that they always had a home in Pikeville.

This isn’t the only type of family dynamic I have noticed as quintessential on YOM’s Appalachian locations. This week, all of the groups gathered on Tuesday and Thursday night for powerful worship as the body of Christ. As we cross generational, regional, and denominational boundaries, we form a family, a church, and the Bride of Christ. This family uses this time to refuel for the week and to be encouraged by hearing of how God is working in other group’s projects. This family element is an essential part to getting the most out of your trip here and it was so evident this week. Praise the Lord. This week the Appalachian YOM staff is still in Pikeville for round 2 of our 2 week stay. Pray that God would move within our groups and with the people they come in contact with this week.

Lesson 3: Loving our neighbor as ourselves wouldn’t be so hard if we didn’t love ourselves so much.

The title seems to be somewhat self explanatory but this last week in Helen, GA taught me how much I love myself and how this creates a predicament when it comes to loving my neighbor. It seems like a crazy idea to love someone the same way that you love yourself. And that is because it isn’t natural. We naturally love ourselves and the things that make us feel loved. In fact, oftentimes, our love for ourselves steps in front of our love for Christ.

A book I read recently discussed this issue and titled the chapter, “Breaking up with myself.”  Taking the focus off of me is tough in a society where everything accommodates me. And that is why I am thankful for the people I have come in contact with in Appalachia. Each week mission teams show up to work on home repair projects and the homeowners are overtaken with gratitude.  Although the house is usually in serious need of help, they often try to redirect the groups to help someone who needs it more. And when the groups get to work, the neighbors often come over not to express how they want the same thing, but how great it is that this is getting done. Why don’t they love themselves like I do? Or better, why don’t I love myself like they do?

How hard is it for these people to love their neighbor as themselves?  The simple answer is: because their own desires aren’t the center of their lives. Last week we had a group clean a lady’s house and they decided to hold a yard sale. When they presented the homeowner with the money she immediately desired to return the money to them and let them do whatever they like with it. This isn’t natural for me.

So how does this happen? Jesus says that the first step is to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. You can’t miss this. Loving God in this manner not only gives us the ability to love people like never before, but it also allows us to love ourselves less than is natural.  Jeremiah puts it this way,

“This is what the Lord says: let not the wise man boast of his wisdom, or the strong man boast of his strength,  or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands Me and knows Me.”

This is how we reduce ourselves. So although we like to blame loving ourselves on our culture, or lifestyle, it may be because we simply don’t know God.

As for the YOM Appalachia team, we will be in Pikeville, KY this week for the first of two weeks here.  This is a week of over 200 volunteers.  Please pray that God will provide willing laborers to do his work. Continue to pray that God will move in Appalachia along with all of the other YOM sites.

Lesson #2

Get Relational

Every week mission groups come to complete an assignment, whatever that may be; but is that why they come? The obvious answer is no, they are here to bring God glory and reach people for him. Our week in Asheville picked up right where our last week in Corbin left off. Whether we were giving away shoes, or fixing a house, or working at a Salvation Army, we have the opportunity to be around people constantly. This is the big opportunity. More than getting to display your ability to work as a team or complete assignments, your job is to use whatever your assignment is to bring God glory, almost always through loving on the people that you are ministering to.

Our devotions for the groups this summer are coming from Luke 10 and the story of the Good Samaritan. In that story Jesus agrees with the lawyer in his conclusion that you must love the Lord with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. And loving your neighbor comes from loving the Lord. Chances are, if this parable were true, then after the whole ordeal was over, the man who was robbed would feel compassion and help whomever he saw thereafter. This is exactly what we should be doing. Jesus pulled us out of the ditch when we were beaten, robbed and half dead, and did whatever was necessary to make us right. This should be our motivation and we should be like the man and want to show Christ’s love to everyone around us.

So that is one thing we emphasize with the groups coming in. Don’t miss the point. It is important to do whatever the Lord has provided for you, but that’s not it. Take time to get to know, form relationships, and love on the people that you are ministering to. The house you are fixing shouldn’t be thought of as your assignment; but rather you assignment is the person who lives there.  Fixing their house is just another way that you get to tangibly demonstrate God’s love to them.

It also seems apparent that although the wonderful YOM office staff coordinates which groups work where, they have very little in deciding which groups work where.  Allow me to explain since it seems I just contradicted myself. When making an assignment, the staff works off whatever we know about the group (which usually comes from a 1 page questionnaire) and what we know about the available assignments. This becomes even more complex when we work though another non-profit such as a local housing coalition. Fortunately however, we serve an almighty God who knows the dynamic of each group better than we ever could and pairs them perfectly with right assignment.

This last week in Asheville/ Madison County 8 groups making up about 150 people worked on houses, in food banks, and ran Vacation Bible Schools. Some of the groups were big enough to do several things. We were able to partner with the Community Housing Coalition of Madison County, ABCCM, and Boys and Girls Club of Asheville. The sports camp and VBS both had great numbers and many residents of Madison County experienced God’s love through all of their housing being repaired.

One group actually showed up to a lady’s house in such great number that her neighbors called to make sure everything was okay. She simply told us, “My neighbors next door won’t come help me, so my neighbors from Indiana came down to help me.” This is exactly how Jesus defined a neighbor.

As for the YOM Appalachia team, we are now in Helen, GA for the next week working with just over 100 volunteers.

As a Christian, I hope that I continue to closer to God by learning more about Him. This summer provides the opportunity to take away many lessons; This is just the first.

Lesson #1 – Don’t be surprised when God shows up.

Week 2 in Corbin Kentucky had nearly 200 volunteers working at various places all week doing vacation bible schools, home repairs, and dodging tornadoes. If you are surprised that Kentucky has tornadoes, you aren’t alone, so was I. But that was just one of the experiences that stretched and worked to ensure that all recognition went directly to God.

Almost any week, in any location, the first day (typically Monday) is filled with bumps regardless of our flawless logistics. Once when can get past the fact that our plan is not going like it should, we typically can draw two conclusions. The first is that what we are doing is the Lord’s work. We know this because the devil is trying to intervene and mess up anything he can. This could include not having supplies, having water mains break, or even getting our Back Yard Bible Club’s called off because of the weather. The second conclusion is a direct component of the first in that when things work out, regardless of all that has gone wrong, the only explanation is that God did it. And our desire is live a life of faith so God receives all of the Glory.

Every time God would step in and sew everything up he seemed to prove his faithfulness; and all of us who trust him were so amazed, myself included. God’s faithfulness and providence shouldn’t surprise us. He has promised to be faithful, so when we live by faith, he is willing and even desires to supply our needs. This idea is applicable to day to day life as well as any mission trip. We pray that God’s hand will be as evident this summer as they were this last week in Corbin.

YOM’s first Samaritan’s Feet Project

All of the Corbin teams came together on Thursday in order to work at YOM’s first ever shoe distribution through Samaritan’s Feet. This was the first of three distributions taking place this summer at YOM work sites. The warehouse where many of the teams have been working throughout the week had over 1,300 people come through its doors to receive the free food, shoes, and entertainment. As the chaos took over in the first 30 minutes, it was evident that God’s hand was in complete control. After it was all said and done, it was the day that the Lord had made, and at our Thursday night meeting we rejoiced and were glad in it. At the end of our meeting we were informed that over 1000 pairs of shoes were distributed and with each of them the gospel had been shared. With that, through the grace of God, and to His glory, there were 40 salvations and 20 rededications. Praise the Lord for an awesome day.

Experiencing Appalachia

Unfortunately, many children are born every year into Appalachian families who don’t have the means to provide for everything they need. Many of these children grow up in need and are severely neglected. One group this week got to see firsthand how heartbreaking life can be for some kids. A young girl was dropped off by her mother at the house they were working to a family member. The mother simply said that she couldn’t handle her any more. Although this is a tragic situation for that girl, she now has the opportunity to live in a home with people who love her and can care for her. Continue to pray for the people of Appalachia.

As for now, the Appalachia team of Youth on Mission is waiting in Mars Hill for our next exciting week to see what the Lord is going to do.

Here are a few pictures from the Samaritan’s Feet projects from Thursday

We are in Corbin, Kentucky and ready to launch into our first shoe distribution with Samaritan’s Feet! We are expecting about 700 kids tomorrow whom we will wash their feet, share the Gospel and give them a new pair of shoes. It has been an incredible time leading up to tomorrow and we cannot wait to see God move in a mighty way!

For the next several weeks, we’ll hand the blogging, vlogging, and even jogging over to Josh as he journeys throughout Appalachia as part of the Youth on Mission summer staff. We cannot wait to see how God works through the YOM mission teams serving across Appalachia and beyond this summer.