Find Your Place

It is easier than ever before to give and get involved in ministry. There are no legitimate excuses! With social networking and the access we have to amazing technology it is easier than ever to be personally involved and invested in what God is doing throughout the world. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Blogs, Websites- there are amazing stories and first hand experiences that you can experience from the couch in your living room (I would, however, suggest getting off the couch, it's SO much better in person!) 

Find something that makes your heart beat a little faster, the cause you are passionate about and get behind it with your time, your prayers and your dollars. Even if you cannot be the one to "get your hands dirty"- there IS a place for you! Contact someone, ask about the possibilities and begin to explore. Don't assume all the needs are met, or someone else will do it or that your skills or gifts don't fit. If you are interested, there is a place for you. It's up to you to go find it. Step into it! 

Are you involved in a ministry? Share what God is doing and invite others into it. 

Do you know of a need in your neighborhood or community? Begin to talk about it, share it, and figure out what you can do to meet that need. 

Of course, I would love for you to get involved in what we are doing with Extreme in South America. Church planting is exciting! We have dedicated the last four and a half years of our life to it and can honestly say we never want to live outside of being involved in church plant work and discipleship again. For now, we are in Ecuador. In our future, only God knows! I can tell you anything you want to know about this ministry, our role within it and/or the possibilities for you to get involved. We need you and I know God could bless you here.

 Extreme Nazarene  

Because of our current place in ministry, we are not able to get involved in much else. There are, however, some projects and ministries that have caught my eye over the years and if I were in a position to get involved, I would research these! I am not endorsing these ministries per say, or signing off my seal of approval. I know little about them, their leadership structure, their ministry plans or how monies are allocated. I just love the idea of these ministries and I want to use this as an example of how easily it is to find information and a place to get involved. Say a pray, determine to be obedient to God's leading, do some research and find your place! 

 

  International Princess Project

 Ameena Project  

 

Living Water International   

 

The Shoe that Grows

World Orphans

Compassion International

Stretched Out

Recently, I have been meditating on the truth that God is my Refuge. In my mind's eye I see a cave in a cliff when I hear "refuge." It's walls are strong and it is dry. It is not too cold or hot. It hides me, protects me and shelters me. It is mysterious and seems a little dangerous because the darkness beyond the entrance has no end, but it is safe and sure.

The other day when the kids got home from school I pulled them aside, gave them a cookie and said, "Listen, Daddy has had kind of a hard day today so, let's be extra considerate and try to make the rest of the day pleasant for him." Later that evening I heard Thomas ask Chad, "Daddy are you still stretched out?" God prompted my spirit and in the funny 7 year old word mix-up, He began to show me a great truth.

I get stressed-out when I stretch-out.

I imagine myself at the edge of the cave with arms extended, reaching outside of the opening. I am trying to grasp for what I see, to meet a need. Maybe it's comfort, approval, worth, justice, security or love. I stretch because I am unwilling to completely walk away from the safety I've come to know in the cave and as long as I still have a toe inside, I somehow feel justified in my reach. The things is, in my stretching I begin to feel stress and I don't like that. Stress and worry are exactly the things I am trying to avoid!

Stress is an indicator of a problem with my belief. It should prompt me to pull my heart arms back, turn around and begin to stretch my faith toward God. Instead of stretching further out of the cave or trying to grasping for more, which is often what we do to try to ease the stress, we need to stop and ask ourselves:

Why am I stressed?

What am I not believing or believing wrongly about myself, this world and/or God?

Why am I stretching to_____________ to meet this need, instead of stretching deeper into my Refuge?

We must stop stretching out and begin stretching in and go deeper into the seemingly dangerous, unknown mystery of our Refuge. That is what Christ made possible for us! That is what He gave us access to. We need spiritual understanding and discernment. We need a renewed mind. We must stop sitting at the entrance of the cave, trusting in what we can see! We can sit there, in a sick cycle of stretching and stressing our entire life, all the while justifying ourselves because we are still technically in the cave. Churches are full of stressed out, worried Christians who spend their entire lives in this stretch cycle. Yuck.

Christian, stand up! Stretch your legs, turn around and purposefully begin the journey to find the hidden secret wisdom and complete fulfillment that is waiting for you in the presence of God, our Refuge. The very mind of God is to be found if we but enter in. Go get it!

I Corinthians 2:6-16