"STAGED"

Dear Readers, I'd like to give you an audio-visual glimpse into what wonderful things God has done in the last 2 weeks...

On Feb 2, our church, West End Assembly of God, celebrated 35 years of sending missionaries worldwide, and asked Rachel and me to share how God has called us to Papua New Guinea. 

Here's an idea of what we shared: 
"God doesn't operate by the World's standards or schedule, and He doesn't expect His children to do the same either...so we are abandoning the rat track of the "American Dream" in order to follow His call to Go and Serve."

"We recently posted to our missions Blog a devotional from "My utmost for His highest" - the quoted scripture was from Isaiah 6:8 - God asks "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And just like Isaiah, God wants ALL of us to answer - Here I am - send ME!  What God has shown us, is that simply being WILLING to obey is enough - He will give you everything you need for the journey, but He needs YOU to take the first step."

Rachel then ushered in the Holy Spirit - beautifully.

We also hosted a missions table that Sunday.

 

During the week following, we enjoyed sharing our hearts with the WEAG College Ministry "Eighteen 22". (Click this link to LISTEN to our presentation "The Path to Serve"). 

We also enjoyed leading a Prayer and Worship night with our Young Adult ministry - the lyrics of "Oceans" still echo in my Spirit!

 Spirit lead me where my trust is without borders

Let me walk upon the waters

Wherever You would call me

Take me deeper than my feet could ever wander

And my faith will be made stronger

In the presence of my Savior

After a long weekend visiting family and friends in Philadelphia, we returned in time for the Annual WEAG Men's Chili Cook-Off, with over 300 in attendance. Once again, I was given the opportunity to share my heart - this time in regard to how the Lord has transformed my life over the last year by virtue of serving the Young Adult ministry - specifically in areas of Discipleship, Purity, and Study of the Word. 

Here are the verses I shared:

Matthew 16:24-25
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it."

Matthew 20:26-28
"Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave - just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Hebrews 12:1-3
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

So, "staged" we have been, and humbled by the opportunity to testify to God's transformative power. We are SO thankful to the WEAG community for these opportunities to be used for the Kingdom!

Love and Peace, T&R