Wanting to Minister Where We Are

It's 5am and due to the pitter patter of little feet and a request to snuggle in I am awake, and due to technology I am writing this. I can not however promise this post to be published within the 5am hour. I checked my fb just now and was able to read an update from one of our church members interning at our church plant in Belize this summer. Not our church plant as in mine & my husband's but as in our church's plant. Anyway, I am giddy over the work that body is doing and the positive impact it is making in the poverty stricken dangerous location it is in.

Dangerous as in the loss of a recent member of their body due to a sad case of mistaken identity. This resulted in a drive by shooting on their church van filled with people and resulted in the loss of one man's life. The smiles and stories I hear though no matter how painful radiated the love of God himself and all the glories he is doing down there.

I can not wait to hear from our other 2 missions teams abroad this summer. Lepiz and Bulgaria. I also, as well as my whole family, can not wait till the kids are old enough so we all can help share and help abroad with our church. Of course it brings up the questions where and how can we minister now. We need to stop just talking the how's or where's and start doing. We may not be in a dangerous location like our Belize church but some of the needs are still right here in our own backyard. We have homeless living in the park across the street. We have girls (or even guys) that need shelter from abusive homes. The list goes on and on.

I guess the yearning of my heart right now is to start action where I'm at. To not have this feeling go away after I close my eyes each night in the safety of my home, and to start taking action. To heed the call of my servants heart and the call of my children's hearts. They ask how to help all the time. We want to help though not just at the holidays. All year round. At the ages of 8, almost 4, and almost 2 where do we begin? How to get started?

Prayer. That is the answer. The Lord will reveal and I know that he will reveal. As important as it is to impact the love of Christ abroad it's just as important here on our home soil. So instead of asking "when can we go" we will now be asking "Where are we needed in this moment? This location." To teach my children missionary work doesn't have to wait till they are old enough to go.

Matthew 28:19-20 comes to mind...
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”


ALL nations. We fall into the ALL category. So much more to pray on.

I better wrap this up as 30 mins have now passed, my eyes are starting to get heavy again, and the little leg of my now snuggly 3 yr old is currently resting on my stomach. I'm going to sign off and rest in the knowledge of safety and say a prayer for those all aboard who may not have that luxury. I pray the Lord continues to work wonders her and abroad all days, and for the safety of our church body while abroad this summer.