How to Donate (tax deductible)

I now have a way for your online donations to my trip to be tax-deductible! If you would like to donate, simply go to this link and select my name. Thank you for all the love and encouragement. I have the best friends! :)

Me, right before take off to London.
My first time across the sea and all alone! This was before the tears ;)

Missions..or not?

God has been bombarding me with opportunities to think about what missions is recently. I'm in one of John Piper's "Let the Nations Be Glad" video studies with the ladies at my church. Using scripture, Piper short and sweetly defines missions as

1. Culture Crossing

2. Language Learning

3. People Pursuing

So when I went to New Orleans in high school it was actually an... evangelism trip?

Mind. Blowing.

Another speaker I recently listened to, Steve Burchett with Jim Eliff's ministry in Kansas City, went through Acts 13 and Acts 14, or "the first missionary journey". He used this passage to conclude that missions is

1. Church Planting

2. Done by men

3. After you plant, appoint elders, establish truth, you leave and move on to the next place, but stay available.

That makes women on the field and anyone who is abroad, but not planting churches, helpers and workers - as they called John Mark in the passage.

Mind. Blown.

What do you think?

I was temped to say "I DON'T KNOW!!" and move on, but how would that help me grow? I still don't have a conclusion, but I'd encourage you to study the bible for yourself and spend some time thinking on this. Why is it important? In today's day, lots of people say, "Well I'm a missionary, I told my neighbor about God last week." or, "Everybody is a missionary," or, "I support missionaries so I'm good". What's the problem?

We need to define missions because it puts the pressure back on the local church body to evangelize. The church needs to be sharing the gospel at home, in their neighborhoods, workplaces, and schools. Ask yourself, when was the last time I shared the gospel with an unbeliever?

Comment and let me know what you think missions is and why!

These are definitely condensed versions of what are the result of a lot of study on these men's part. To order Piper's book, go here for an older addition for just $0.01!

Nkosinathi

Nkosinathi: God is with us.

When the day comes that you find yourself flying across an ocean by yourself, leaving your family and the familiar for two months, all alone, there might come a point in your trip where you ask yourself, "What am I thinking?" At that point it will be very important to remember something: you are not sitting on a plane, about to fly an ocean a way from 'security' by yourself. Instead, remember this: God is with you.

You may not find yourself in that exact situation, but it's very possible that you have and will find yourself in situations where you feel vulnerable, lonely, frightened, or unsure. It's important to remember: Nkosinathi, God is with us.

When I went to South Africa alone last summer, I needed to know that as I crossed the ocean, when I was homesick, when my house was being broken into, when I was tired of changing dirty diapers, and so many other times. One of the most important and comforting things I learned was that I am never alone; God is always with me. That is important, because He is both our best friend and our strength.

As I anticipate going back to South Africa this summer, even though I am going with a team, although I want unity among the team, I don't want us to rely on each other only, but to remember that God is with us.

Please pray that we will go WITH God and follow where He leads us.

Nkosinathi is a Zulu (South African language) word meaning God is with us. It's on the T-shirts I'm selling right now. If you are interested, email me (claimag05@gmail.com) with your size, color, and sleeve length and I'll send you an invoice and a shirt!

Options: Blue, or red; short sleeve or long sleeve; you pick your size :)
Short sleeve are $13, long sleeve are $18. $5 charge for shipping.

If you don't want a shirt, but still want to support me: scroll to the bottom of this blog post to learn how to give, including tax-deductible donations. It will also tell you about the African necklaces I am selling!

To learn more about the ministry I'll be working with in South Africa, go here to learn about the baby home, go here to learn about the church, and go here to learn about the non profit.

To follow our team on facebook, go here to meet the team members and get updates on prayer and fundraisers.