I Heart Missions Conferences!

becky    General    

We participated in Christ Covenant Presbyterian‘s missions conference this weekend and we had such a wonderful time.  I will admit that we are all tired after the weekend (Samuel and Benjamin are both taking naps as I write), but also feeling very loved and cared for.  We had so many opportunities to share about our journey to full time mission work and about the amazing things God is doing through radio in Asia.  The most powerful, touching moments of the weekend were on Sunday.  We participated in the conference last year, so most of the adults who were interested in hearing us probably sat in on a session last year.  We got to speak to the youth Sunday School classes instead.  And we are so glad we did! We always enjoy talking to kids and youth.  We feel a little less pressure talking to them and they always come up with great questions!  At the end of both hours the youth pastors had the kids gather around us, lay hands on us, and pray over us.  Part of the reason was to model for the kids the importance of the church sending and supporting missionaries. And part of it was that we really need prayer!!  We were humbled by this lovely gesture and I could tell how these kids have a depth of faith. Some of them prayed exactly what was on my heart without me having to say a word about it.  We absolutely treasure the relationships we’re building with the people at Christ Covenant and are so thankful for all the church has done to support us on this journey.

Fight to the Death

becky    General    

I’m not quite sure why, but I’ve been hesitant to devote a post to spiritual warfare in the past.  We have had our share of crazy, spiritually charged experiences in the past couple years. It started with our house being broken into and a few very sentimental things being stolen while we were interviewing in April 2009 and has gone from there. I won’t write about every single experience we’ve had because it would fill pages, but I will say some of the experiences have been terrifying and very unsettling.  Raising support to serve God and share His name and love with people in the least reached area of the world generally makes the one who has a stronghold there a little nervous. I know some people would find it odd that we have experienced heightened spiritual warfare during this period of lives because it seems like we’re not doing anything.  We are indeed doing something.  The big key to us moving is support. If Satan can keep us from getting support or convinces us to change our minds, then he need not worry about how God will use us in Asia.

This week has been tough.  This morning I realized that we have been working on several big support raising and donor relations things that could really affect how things go from here and it dawned on me-the difficulties are not a coincidence. Once again we’re in the midst of spiritual warfare. I should have identified it last night when I was feeling the way I typically do in the middle of spiritual warfare, but I didn’t.  Satan wants us beaten down, feeling worthless, alone, useless, and rejected. He wants to separate us from those who desire to love, encourage, and support us. And he wants relationships that coul help our ministry to be soured and instead hinder it.

We know that ultimately God has the victory and we can live in victory through Him. That does not at all mean we don’t have to fight for that victory. We can easily be defeated in battle, especially if we stand alone.  We know that every battle we fight back on brings glory to God and peace in our hearts eventually and we know that being defeated doesn’t get us where we need to go. We know that no matter what we do, where we go, or how long we follow God we will have to fight to do as God has called us.  Anyone who is following God’s will and doing things that infringe on areas of stronghold for Satan will experience spiritual warfare. It’s part of walking with God.  And we know that the only thing that will bring complete and total relief will be when we die or Jesus comes back.

We are left with a choice-give in to what Satan wants or fight to the death.  We will fight to the death knowing that Christ fights with us and for us and we will always win with Him by our sides.