8 Ways To Make Missions Part of Your Life

A small body of determined spirits fired by an unquenchable faith in their mission can alter the course of history.

I’m on a mission!

Are you on a mission?

What’s your mission?

I’m on a mission to help others STRETCH.  I’m on a mission to glorify God.  And I’m on a mission to point others to Christ.  I have a lot of missions in my life.

A mission is a job or task that we have to do.

If you call yourself a Christ-follower, you are on a mission whether you realize it or not.  We are tasked by Jesus in Matthew 28:19-20:

“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

You are a missionary!

Now what?

How do we make missions part of our lives?

The missionary journey that I am on will most likely look a little different from your missionary journey.  We have different gifts and passions which will cause us to serve others from a unique perspective.  If you are struggling to make missions part of your life, today’s post will get you started.

8 Ways To Make Missions Part Of Your Life

1. Get to know other missionaries.  Thanks to the internet, you can plug into missionaries all over the world.  Take time to connect with one or two of these missionaries and learn more about their story and their ministry.
2. Find ways to serve in your own community.  You don’t have to go overseas to be on mission.  Their are needs right in your own community.  If you’re afraid to go alone, grab a friend and go serve at a local food pantry, shelter, or nursing home.  Serving others in your community is such a great way to share the message of your mission.
3. Learn to define missions differently.  When people think of missions, they often think of someone going to Africa or another foreign country.  They put missions in a box.  Learn to be creative in how you serve others.  Being on a mission starts through your conversations and actions with those where you work and live.
4. Make missions part of your schedule.  If you aren’t intentional, you will overlook missions opportunities.  Our family serves with our H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Everywhere) group twice a month.  We also have a date on our calendar for returning to Guatemala this summer.
5. Go somewhere foreign.  I am often asked this question: “Why do you go overseas when there are needs right in our own country and community.”  For one, the Great Commission instructs us to go into ALL nations.  Secondly, a believe a foreign mission trip or missionary journey can actually alter our perspective when we return home.  A foreign missions trip can be a catalyst for creating a mission mindset at home.  If you live in the country or suburbs, go into the inner-city to serve.  If you live in the city, go into the country to serve.  Serving in different places opens are eyes to the needs in and around us throughout the world and close to home.
6. Give.  Don’t underestimate the value and importance of giving when it comes to missions.  If you want to make missions part of your life, find a way to give your time, your money, your gifts, and your other resources.
7. Pray.  Ask God to show you how to make missions part of your life.  Ask God to work through the missionaries and ministries on your radar.  Prayer is an effective way to make missions part of your life.
8. Share.  Your story is powerful.  Share your story of missions with others.  You will inspire others to make missions part of their life when you tell your missions story.  This year, my family will be heading back to Guatemala for two weeks to serve in the village of Xenacoj.  You can be certain, I’ll be sharing more about this trip right here.

How have you made missions part of your life?  Share your thoughts in the comments.

Ice Breaker – Ideal Vacation / Holiday

(I’m always looking for Ice Breaker question ideas.  If you have an idea, send me an email at jon@jonstolpe.com.  If I use your question, I’ll give you credit and share your links.)

Question:  What would be your ideal holiday or vacation?  Why?

My Answer:  I wish there was a way to be multiple locations at the same time, but I don’t think that is possible – yet.  Therefore, I would invite my family and friends to join me in Santo Domingo Xenacoj in Guatemala.  We would all visit the week before Christmas, so we could be part of Christmas for Thousands – an opportunity to give Christmas gifts to thousands of children in and around the village of Xenacoj.

Answer this week’s ice breaker question by leaving a comment. I look forward to reading your response! (As always, feel free to share links.) And keep Stretching!

Marcos Gets His New Eyes TODAY!

Last night, my friend, James Cook, sent me this photo along with the message:  “Tomorrow, Marcos gets his new eyes.”

If you recall, Marcos is a special young man our family met last time we were in Guatemala.  We built his family a new home.  While we were building the home, we learned that Marcos needed new glass eyes.  Some people might call it a coincidence, but I think James Cook and his exploratory team from Liberty University was there for a reason.

Through essential contacts, collaborative prayer, and the grace of God, today is the day (nearly 16 months later) Marcos will get his new eyes.

He will still be blind, but this will give him more freedom to maneuver through the village of Xenacoj without the worry of losing his smaller glass eyes.  Also, James and his team are working to provide a tutor to teach Marcos to read Braille.

Interestingly, today is the day our family is heading to Morristown, NJ to witness the “town walk” (or final exam) of our most recent Seeing Eye Puppy.  Assuming Rio passes, he will be matched with a blind person to help them maneuver through their activities.

God is good.

As I reflect on these happening today, I am reminded of Psalm 121 which talks about placing our focus on the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.  Today, I rejoice knowing God has orchestrated such a beautiful story being told in the lives of Marcos and Rio.  May God use them both in a mighty way to bring glory to His name.

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

On The Eve Of Celebration

Tomorrow is a special day!

Do you know what day it is and why it is so special?

August 5th is a holiday in Santo Domingo Xenacoj.  Tomorrow, people in a small village in Guatemala will be taking the day off of work to spend time with friends and family.  There will be a parade in town featuring marching bands from all the local schools.  Fireworks will shoot up in the air throughout the day and night making loud echoing noises across the village.  Villagers will walk the streets in friendly conversation with their neighbors.  And hundreds of people will gather in the central park to play carnival games, ride the rides, purchase food from street vendors, and watch as performers dance in the streets.  It is a day that villagers look forward to every year, and it’s a day I will be celebrating despite being thousands of miles away.

I am looking forward to returning to Xenacoj next year with my family, and I’m praying others may join us on our journey to reunite with our Guatemalan friends, to lend a helping hand, and to show God’s love in a practical way with specific attention to widows and orphans.

If you’ve been reading along for any length of time, you know the people of Xenacoj hold a very special place in my heart.

Take time tomorrow to say a prayer for the people of Xenacoj and celebrate what God is doing in Xenacoj.

Does your town have its own holiday?  If so, how do you celebrate?  If not, how would your town celebrate its own holiday?

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Beautiful Indeed!

This picture was taken right down the street from where we lived last year while we were in Xenacoj.  On our way back from Zully’s house, I had the perfect opportunity to get a picture.

The colors in Xenacoj are amazing.  And the combination of the sky, the flowers, and the yellow house were a perfect match.

The weather in the Philadelphia area yesterday was reminiscent of the weather we experienced nearly every day in Xenacoj – low humidity, moderate temperatures, and sunny skies.

Beautiful indeed!

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Boys On The Curb

After we left Zully’s house, we passed these boys sitting on the curb just hanging out together.  There were no adults around at the time.

This is a common sight in Xenacoj where children roam the streets during the day and early evening hours.  The community is watching them, and they are safe.

As we passed by, they greeted us.  I think they were just as curious and intrigued as we were at the time.

Pray these boys would grow up to become strong men, strong husbands, and strong fathers.

Guatemala Photo – The Gracious Welcome

Before we headed back to work after our siesta, we gathered the women for one more picture.

As they sit on the front porch of the house our team built three years ago, I am reminded of the gracious welcome our family has received whenever we visit Zully’s family and whenever we visit Xenacoj.

Our family most likely will not be going to Xenacoj in 2015, but we are planning a multi-week trip in 2016.  I look forward to visiting with Zully’s family and our other friends in Xenacoj.  I look forward to gathering on Zully’s front porch to hang out with members of our Guatemalan family.

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Zully’s Grandmother

Over the past three summers, we have had the opportunity to visit with Zully’s Grandma (La Abuela).  She and her husband live next door to Zully’s family in a hut made with cornstalk walls, a metal roof, and a dirt floor.  This is the life she is used to growing up in Xenacoj.

There is a contentment on her face.  I’m sure life hasn’t always been easy for Zully’s Grandma, but I get a real sense of peace when I look into her face.

She reminds me that contentment does not come from things – from gathering wealth.  True contentment is found in family and in faith.

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Family

This is Zully’s aunt or cousin.  (I’m not quite sure.)

She has been part of our yearly visits to Guatemala, and she and her husband live in the metal structure in the background.

In Xenacoj, families tend to live close together.  Several immediate family units live on the same property, and they work together to keep the property clean.  They share jobs including gardening, laundry, and cooking.

We saw some broken families during our visits to Guatemala, but we also experienced intact families like Zully’s family where the parents and grandparents are still together.

Guatemala Photo Of The Day – Princess Zully

The influence of Disney is widespread.  Even in Guatemala, you can see the impact of Disney.

Zully is wearing a shirt with the image of several Disney princesses.  I wonder how much she knows the story of these storybook characters.

Does she know the story of Sleeping Beauty?  Does she know the story of Belle?  Does she know the story of Snow White?

One of the reasons I try to post pictures from Guatemala on a daily basis is to help me remember my experiences in the country I have come to love.  The other reason is to help readers get a small glimpse into an unfamiliar world.

Today’s picture depicts a real life princess – Princess Zully.  During the summer of 2012 she captured our hearts as she played with teenagers from our church’s youth group while we built her new home.  In 2014, we had the opportunity to see how she is blossoming into a beautiful princess.  She is learning.  She is growing.

Pray for Zully and her family today.  Pray that God would meet their daily needs.  And pray that they would continue to seek after God with all they have.