When God repeats things...Listen up! It must be important.

So, God's been stirring a lot of things in me the past 6 months or so. I have noticed a repetition of certain ideas and sayings that God's been whispering into my heart.

• The power of children and youth to the ministry.
• The ripple effect of ministry.
• The need for outreaches to the children and youth here in the US.
• The importance of speaking kind, encouraging, and loving words to others around us everyday.
• The importance of showing God's love through our actions moreso than just words.
• The fact that we may be someone's only connection to Jesus.
• That we are such a blessed people here because we are free to worship Jesus and share Him with everyone else around us.

God's been bringing these themes to mind time and time again and I've been noticing it just about everytime I start to share about God, go to church, or speak with friends. I'm willing, ready, and eager to do what God has set out for me. Not only overseas, but here where I am right now. I want to be the shining light in the darkness when I am at work, at the grocery store, in line at the bank, etc. If I feel the leading of the Holy Spirit to say something to someone, I want to follow that because if I don't, who will? There may not be anyone else there to speak those words to that person. So, if I look silly or feel silly, it's probably a good thing, as long as I approach it with boldness and confidence that the Lord has given me!

These are just some of the things that the Lord has put in my heart. The list could probably go on and on. I know I haven't really talked about all of the things, but I'm sure I will as they come up again. What are some of the things that have been recurring themes in your life?

Please pray for the upcoming outreach we have at my church. It's really just a community event, but I want to get a chance to form relationships with those that are right around our church so that we can be the living hands and feet of Jesus as we love on them. Only then, once they see the difference in us, will they be willing to listen to what we have to say. Church is for the lost. It's not just a place of fellowship and growth. Of course that's an important function of the church once people do come to know Christ because they must be discipled. However, the MISSION of the church should be outreach and reaching the lost for Christ. That's the only way to change the world.

Again I say, MISSIONS is the heartcry of God. It's about reaching them right where they are at and long ago God the Father set up a system to use US to do that. What an amazing God that uses the broken and imperfect to reach others for Him!